modular synthesis

steevio · Post by **steevio** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 12:12 pm

its now easier than ever to start a modular, Tiptop Audio make a kit called 'Happy Ending' which gives you everything you need to start a small 3 U tabletop system, apart from the modules themselves,

http://www.analoguehaven.com/tiptopaudi ... endingkit/

i can imagine wanting to move on quite quickly to a bigger case, but its start.

imo this is a much better idea than buying a semi-modular, because once you expand you just stick your modules into the a bigger case and sell the happy ending kit.
the semi-modular will always feel like its not part of your system once you expand, and you'll probably be tempted to sell it on and buy more modules instead, but you'll lose money doing it this way
also you can buy exactly the modules you want.

fully modular is always better than semi.

oblioblioblio · Post by **oblioblioblio** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 6:17 pm

^ +1 on that response,

Phase Ghost · Post by **Phase Ghost** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 9:11 pm

+2

The happy ending kit is really where it's at for people interested in starting small.

I'd also suggest buying a powered buss board from Tip Top audio along with a set of rack ears as a starting point. That way if you decide to expand you can just buy more rack ears with passive buss boards and mount them in a 19" case. I wish this option was available when I started out. It's probably the route I would have went.

coldfuture · Post by **coldfuture** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 3:54 am

I also found this ultra simple DIY build.

http://eurorack.free.fr/?p=19

I found the cases at harborfreight.com for 25 bones. With a doepfer diy kit #1 you can build a 6U case in that toolbox for about $220.

I am going to build 2 of them!

arns · Post by **arns** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 1:47 pm

thx for these replies, it prolly couldn't been more what i was searching for:-)

now on with the module hunting...

Salomo · Post by **Salomo** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 10:16 pm

coldfuture wrote:I also found this ultra simple DIY build.

http://eurorack.free.fr/?p=19

I found the cases at harborfreight.com for 25 bones. With a doepfer diy kit #1 you can build a 6U case in that toolbox for about $220.

I am going to build 2 of them!

I recall oblio warning about casings etc earlier on, why don't you spend the money on a 3 x 84TE ready to go case from doepfer? it's about the same amount.

oblioblioblio · Post by **oblioblioblio** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 10:26 pm

The biggest worry I had was with my power supply from Modular World. (I can't say for sure what caused the issue, the module I had problems with is now working OK on a Doepfer PSU, I definitely wouldn't recommend Modular World products above the others which are on offer).

Most people seem to do perfectly well from DIY cases, and they're very popular with few reports of failure or error. I don't think you need a higher amount of knowledge to use a DIY case than a regular one. Make sure you get a good quality PSU (Doepfer is solid and highly used with no reports of failure). Make sure that you ground your rails to the ground from the PSU, and if you use a metal case make sure that it's grounded following instructions from the manufacturer of the PSU.

oblioblioblio · Post by **oblioblioblio** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 12:08 pm

there's some bad influences in this thread... all my obsessive work has gone to ruin... i bought a non-vactrol filter.... man who knows what chaos has been unleashed in my previously well tended non transistor/non diode based filter land.

Livewire Frequensteiner

excitement!