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Rock out with your clock out.

  • Jun. 26th, 2008 at 5:16 PM



Meet my modular.
I call it [c]Rackwhore.

Rack is wood, handmade by Jen's dad.
Modules mounted to Vector rails I cut to size.

I hope to move it all to a server-style open frame milled aluminum strut rack.
Got a Vector cage waiting for that glorious day.
I wonder if Sandy's Electronics has a wedding registry...

Anyway. Modular.

Two formats.
Frac is bottom.
Euro is top.
Patch bay between.

Frac takes 15 +/- voltage power supply.
Euro takes 12 +/-.

Everything talks via 1/8 inch headphone jacks.
Some I ordered from Mouser, some I made.
All of them are color coded now using heatshrink tubing.
Except the sequencer and patch bay and Firepod. Those are 1/4.
Lots of converty deals on top of the rack. =P

The Blacets are from kits, which I used to teach myself basic building skills.
http://blacet.com/

That oscillator.
It is made of pure fat.
FAT I TELL YOU.
Blacet is highly recommended.

The headroom on 15v modules is magnificent.
You can definitely hear the difference.
I only use 12v for utility modules and for those things that you can only get in Euro.

Such as the two modules in the top left.
Harvestman makes them. Pure fewking genius.
http://www.analoguehaven.com/theharvestman/
Also highly recommended.

Poke around that site. If your gearlust is somehow not awakened, you are synth-impotent.

Malgorithm is a voltage controlled bit crusher. The thing labeled in russian is a direct clone of the filter from the very aggro sounding Soviet era Polivoks analogue synth, made in collaboration with the original designer and using the correct Russian IC's, not western equivalents.
I get all mopey when I think about the Tyme Sefari I cannot afford. =[

The clear-plexi modules are DIY, built from circuitboards and instructions;

- Small on left is tube vca/distortion from CGS/ken stone.
http://www.cgs.synth.net/modules/cgs65_vca.html

- Larger on right is an ADSR envelope generator by Music from OuterSpace.
http://musicfromouterspace.com/analogsynth/ADSR001/ADSR001.html

Many many more in the pipe;
Seriously. I have 17 boards waiting to be built out.
I just have to grow my building skills, which are definitely beginner level. =P Unless the instructions for wiring the controls and jacks are really detailed or easy, I seem to fail often. For now. Classes soon. Sick of not knowing for sure what to do.

Which brings us to my latest addition, the Voice of Saturn Sequencer.
They come prebuilt, as two levels of kit, or just as a board.
I had everything else already, so I just got the board. =]
http://www.curiousinventor.com/kits/voice_of_saturn_sequencer
I used sliders instead of knobs.

Observe:




Can never have too many sequencers, no?

Anyway, I'm at the point of mounting the PCB and battery holder into the very roomy case, then wiring it all up to the panel. Note the very detailed panel wiring diagram at the link above! I have a chance of success! =]



EDIT: Success!



So, I showed you mine, you show me yours!
=]

Comments

[info]mopmonster wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 06:02 am (UTC)
I see you're taking the studio meme idea in a little different direction!
[info]bdu wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 06:09 am (UTC)
OK, if i have to.
[info]squidb0i wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 02:47 pm (UTC)
Re: OK, if i have to.
ooooooooooooooooooooooooh preeety!

I see they're mounted in standard SKB type racks.
What's your rack mounting solution?

Looks like a Moebius down there, yes?
Love the hell out of mine..

And an 808! Pure sex.

Jealous!!
[info]bdu wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 04:03 pm (UTC)
Re: OK, if i have to.
yeah, it's a mobius (pretty much permanently tied to my MS20, not pictured) and rack attack just below on that one side, as well as an sh101 that the midiverb is sitting on.

They're all standard 6u racks from analogue systems and doepfer, each in it's own skb case, to make it lighter to move around (because all those modules in a single case would be heavy). But given the relative infrequency of my need to move them, I think, when I have money, I'm going to re-architect the whole thing, trade out a lot of the AS stuff for newer eurorack modules, and go with a doepfer half-monster case, maybe with a monster base.

My 808 is never leaving my possession, it's one of the only pieces of gear I own that I could say that about. Not only is it an 808, but it's a particularly hot-sounding specimen of 808, so I know if I ever sold it I'd forever regret it, even if I acquired another. There's a 909 right above it, but I'm not nearly so fond of it. I sometimes toy with selling it (it's minty fresh, and thus worth $$$$), but I'm not so tight on money that I need to, yet.

The whole rest of the room is full of stuff...

[info]squidb0i wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 04:16 pm (UTC)
Re: OK, if i have to.
ADOPT ME!

;]
[info]bdu wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 04:39 pm (UTC)
Re: OK, if i have to.
The house is full-up with cats, sorry ;0)

But the next time you're in the bay area you're welcome to take a swing by the southbay and play around with it.
[info]squidb0i wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 06:06 pm (UTC)
Re: OK, if i have to.
I'm actually hoping to pick up a show there sometime this summer.. maybe you get on same bill, drag it out,and peel our scalps back with it. =]
[info]bdu wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 06:10 pm (UTC)
Re: OK, if i have to.
That's highly unlikely. Unless you want me to bore the hell out of people. I'm not much of a musician.
[info]squidb0i wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 06:11 pm (UTC)
Re: OK, if i have to.
Me either!

I just like to make horrible noises, chop them up, and sequence them. *shrug*
[info]bdu wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 08:54 pm (UTC)
Re: OK, if i have to.
Besides, if by some freak of nature I ended up playing a "live" gig, the only modular on hand would be the G2. I don't risk the big boy to some skanky club. It really only leaves the house for the analog heaven gatherings.
[info]prophei wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 11:56 pm (UTC)
Re: OK, if i have to.
my mobius used to be permanently attached to my ms20 too...
i don't think i'd ever sell my 808 either, they are way too awesome sounding, especially through my modular system.

props
[info]virul3nt wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 06:12 am (UTC)
Nice one!!!!!
[info]snarf wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 06:33 am (UTC)
wow I wish I had the time and money to do the same :(
(Anonymous) wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 07:47 am (UTC)
i don't think i wanna show you mine

:P
[info]prophei wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 07:48 am (UTC)
ok, that last post was me. i wish there would be a clear warning that you were about to post anon... oh well
[info]squidb0i wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 02:48 pm (UTC)
No dude, you have to show us yours!
Someone has to show up ole BDU up there. ;]
[info]prophei wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 11:57 pm (UTC)
the only reliable camera i have at the moment is my iphone, and it doesn't get a wide enough angle to really take a good shot of the studio.
[info]squidb0i wrote:
Jun. 28th, 2008 03:43 am (UTC)
Nothing takes a wide enough angle!
It's like 12x8 of distilled nerdsex!
=D

At least post us some tasty youtubes, eh?
I know you gots those. ;]
[info]designed_fiend wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 11:41 am (UTC)
fucking bad ass!
[info]fartbag wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 11:45 am (UTC)
::drool::

so, when are you gonna build mine?
[info]alienistcog wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 02:30 pm (UTC)
That's beautiful! I took a stab at building electronics a few years back, got as far as a few simple mods and f/x boxes, but never really got the momentum going.

Every time I see something like this it makes me want to swear I will get back into it as soon as the required time and money are available.
[info]squidb0i wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 02:49 pm (UTC)
It really does seem to help.

My friend Prophei (see above) is the one that really got me going on this, just kept showing me all the amazing shit he was doing til I had to give it a shot myself. =]
[info]alienistcog wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 03:05 pm (UTC)
Cool cool...yeah, having someone to nag about the noob questions -- where to get parts? what kind of soldering iron to use? how best to power things? -- is really helpful, too. I spent too much time trying to work things out on my own which seem stupidly obvious in retrospect.

By the way, if you're anywhere near the New England area, I have 50-space open rack which is more or less unused now, just taking up space in my basement. Free for pickup, as I got it for free myself and really have no use for it at the moment since I can't afford anything like the amount of gear I'd need to fill it up. :)
[info]squidb0i wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 04:19 pm (UTC)
89434
Sadly, I am nowhere near the NE area. =[

Is it something that could be broken down for ship to 89434?
Struts and screws and base?
I gladly pays, pending ship cost.
[info]alienistcog wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 05:37 pm (UTC)
Re: 89434
Screws and rails, yeah, but the face is all one piece so shipping would be awkward. It's also heavy as hell since it's made of -- er, steel I think. So, built like a tank, but likely prohibitive cost for shipping.

Some pics:
Bottom>
Top

You might notice that it has a brother. Basically the whole works came to me as an old telcom rack that a friend rescued from a Dumpster behind a university science building and gave me because I had more space than he did.

I took the rear face off and build the second one using the top rails for the bottom and wood for the base. It's marginally lighter, but unfortunately is also falling apart because I never braced the base properly and the wood screws are tearing out:

Rack #2 Base

Oh, and for the sake of completeness, the two side panels are now doing this:

Microphony

This all made some kind of sense, once upon a time.
[info]squidb0i wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 05:46 pm (UTC)
Re: 89434
Crazy man.
Too bad it's not shippable. =[

I'm sure someone will give it a good home.. looks like BDU could use some more rackspace, heheh.
[info]paraclude wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 02:57 pm (UTC)
my god man, post some sounds!!
[info]squidb0i wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 03:00 pm (UTC)
Hmm.. perhaps.. I'd have to post a yousendit or something, no hosting. =P
[info]bdu wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 03:56 pm (UTC)
email me at my lj username @ fdiskc.com, I'll give you webspace.
[info]taco_man wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 03:00 pm (UTC)
you just gave me a synth-boner.

i want very much bad
[info]tu160 wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2008 05:15 pm (UTC)
NICE RACK!!!!

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