2019 a year in gear (what have you/are you bought/buying?)

Anything about hardware musical instruments.
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Hertz Donut mk3! :party:

First, the slightly stupid parts:

- 6 different styles of knobs on a single 17HP module... it's like an amateur graphic designer using too many fonts.
- that screen is frickin' tiny. (But: mostly not a problem if I keep it close to my face.)
- I feel like if this module were 26HP, there'd be room for a Rainmaker or uO_C sized screen, and also dedicated V/OCT, sync and output for op A and B. Anyone who complained about the size would just have to be wrong. (That said: it's totally usable as is, no real usability issues.)
- I'm basically using the entire fancy preset system just to store my default settings (+1 octave, both ops Follow, fold CV = reso). I may store a second preset with both ops set to Free and A+B link. I will never use preset morphing.
- It seems like the expo FM range is really extreme and hard to tweak. I'm not sure I care though since the TZFM is so good.
- Still need a PicKit to do firmware updates, when everyone else either has a micro USB port on the back or update via WAV file. Though mine shipped with the latest firmware, I went ahead and grabbed one on eBay one for the future.

The sound, compared to mk2:

- With no folding or FM, the mk2's "plain" waveforms have a nice dirty sizzle to them. And I say "no" folding but you could never quite eliminate it, which probably contributed. Its dirtier sines contributed to subtly more interesting FM sounds. The mk3's sine is super clean and sterile and boring.
- mk3 doesn't have tri, saw or square outputs to play with. But you can get close to a saw with phase distortion.
- Phase distortion on the mk3, directly dialed in, by itself, sounds pretty good but not mind-blowing. Umbrage likewise. Both of them mostly feel better as modulation targets. Reso though, sounds like a hybrid between sync and a resonant filter sweep in a way I like a lot more than I would ever have expected.
- The mk3 really comes alive when you start combining modulation. You can make it sound like the mk2, or you can give it the kind of sharp edginess of Noise Engineering modules, or a lot like a DPO's spikier shapes, and like something new. The mod matrix that acts like a bus under a single CV control turns out to be pretty brilliant!
- Unison isn't exactly lush, compared to the E352/E370 cloud mode or even a lot of VST plugins. But again, with combined modulation/folding it can add something worthwhile.
- I thought the folder would be the main new attraction for me, but really, having a third oscillator might be the best thing. Monitoring Main and Op A in stereo while having op B FM them both, when you hit just the right ratio, is earth-shattering.

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DrGonzo wrote: Tue Aug 06, 2019 7:47 am You are getting the v1 or are you asking them to do the v2 upgrade too?

/C
Didn't even know there was a V2 what's been added?

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All new batches will be cirklon v2
Eyeball exchanging
Soul calibrating ..frequencies

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rob_lee wrote: Tue Aug 06, 2019 3:20 pm
DrGonzo wrote: Tue Aug 06, 2019 7:47 am You are getting the v1 or are you asking them to do the v2 upgrade too?

/C
Didn't even know there was a V2 what's been added?
Faster processor and a colour screen. http://www.synthanatomy.com/2019/05/seq ... -more.html

@gentleclockdivider :tu: That's excellent news. You heard anything about the upgrade kits?

/C
CLUB VICE for ARTURIA PIGMENTS
HARDWARE SAMPLER FANATIC - Akai S1100/S950/Z8 - Casio FZ20m - Emu Emax I - Ensoniq ASR10/EPS

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There's some more info about the upgrade kits on the cirklon forum .
I don't know really , all I know is that I will get a v2 :hyper: :hyper:
Eyeball exchanging
Soul calibrating ..frequencies

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Last wave of new stuff before KnobCon :)

Delta Origami: A great sounding wavefolder with exactly zero extra features. It made me realize I could really use a VC crossfader again though :blush:

Bastl Dynamo: Too useful for maintaining feedback loop levels infinitely. The aluminum panel is much better than the wood.

T-Rackonizer: I feel like this one is its own instrument. It very much wants to do its own thing, rather than acting as an effect for other voices. Other bits of my modular can participate, but only on T-Racko's terms.

It's really an ornery and unstable module. The whole point of this big change-up was to bring more focus to my modular synth, not to adopt a problem child that steals focus.

Nothing will get bought/sold until Knobcon, but the new gear's chances of surviving into November:

HDmk3: 100%
Dynamo: 100%
Origami: 80%
Panharm: 60%
SMR: 50%
Prism: 30%
T-Racko: 10%

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I really appreciate reading your experiences with different modules and how they work/don't work with your setup. I catch myself sometimes making module recommendations without giving any context, as to how I'm using them. But even when you describe how a module doesn't do what you want, you provide an open ended narrative, which is much more useful than just saying "I don't like it". I check out your eurorack adventure thread on Muff's frequently, I think you've provided a useful resource.

I think your feelings about the HDmk3 and Prism are similar to mine, but I really enjoy the T-Racker. I went back and forth between the stand-alone version and euro version but I think I made the right choice, for me. It's definitely not a normal stereo effect, but I like using it as a parallel signal path for my stereo patches. It's also tons of fun with a matrix mixer, a pair of VC delays and some VCAs, for no-input feedback patches.

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I just got a really bad dose of gearlust and out of nowhere bought a fretless electro acoustic bass! Never played a fretless before, really enjoying it! Getting some great tones with Helix Native (just to mention plug ins!), my intonation sometimes drifts a bit, but hey, there is always Melodyne (or I just call it microtone scales and jam with my modular ;-)

https://youtu.be/l8FX51n_lUs
X32 Desk, i9 PC, S49MK2, Studio One, BWS, Live+PUSH 3 Standalone, Reason, Osmose, Summit, Pro 3, Prophet8, Syntakt, Digitone, Drumlogue, OP1-F, Eurorack, TD27 Drums, Guitars, Basses, Amps and of course lots of pedals!

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Almost went a week before downloading sound packs for Krome. So far it's been a lot of fun. I can find almost no faults with it.

That being said... There appears to be an issue of data overload when using the midi in from my linnstrument. I'm constantly switching to "low power" when using midi out otherwise I get really weird things (lack of attack and signal overload) when playing.
Synapse Audio Dune 3 I'm in love

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4 brand new Electro Harmonix pedals for €108, and a Source Audio pedal for €77.
My name is cptgone and I'm a relentless bargain hunter.
And an addict.

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cptgone wrote: Thu Aug 08, 2019 2:35 pm 4 brand new Electro Harmonix pedals for €108.
My name is cptgone and I'm a relentless bargain hunter.
And an addict.
which ones?

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vurt wrote: Thu Aug 08, 2019 2:38 pm which ones?
Electro Harmonix Nano East River Drive (a reportedly good Tube Screamer-like)
Electro Harmonix Nano Bassballs (filters and some optional distortion)
Electro Harmonix Hot Tubes (overdrive, said to be nice on synths too)
Electro Harmonix Satisfaction (the sound of the Stones' classic)
Source Audio Soundblox 2 OFD Bass MicroMod (digital od, fuzz and distortion)

I hope those hot tubes will source a river of satisfaction from my nano balls.

Most will end up on my synth pedal board; the bass pedals may see some bass action too.
Last edited by cptgone on Thu Aug 08, 2019 2:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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nice haul!
especially at that price 8)

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justin3am wrote: Wed Aug 07, 2019 9:10 pm I think your feelings about the HDmk3 and Prism are similar to mine, but I really enjoy the T-Racker.
I can definitely understand why people like it. I just feel like it takes over. But I'm not saying that on the basis of very much experience with it, and sometimes I'm a cranky creature who doesn't like anything, and I do need to give it more of a chance than I have so far.

On the other hand, I did just sell my Panharmonium after saying I would wait. Chalk it up to realizing that my favorite things to do with it can be done by Clouds, more easily and with a flavor I prefer. And that selling it immediately meant no competition in the used market. I might just turn that money right around into a Clouds variant if I can decide which (Supercell, Microcell or Monsoon... leaning toward the big one though).

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id be interested in more info on those clouds variants. seems mutable isnt moving forward at the minute? so i need a replacement, was going to look at nebulae but only because other than the diy clouds i didn't know of other similar stuff...

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