Sequencing

I started a new rack, this one is intended to handle sequencing duties.

It is another Frac based rack, although it's housed in a home made case, made from some black shelving picked up from B&Q. I just about managed to cobble it together into a half-decent looking unit - but it's about as far as my wood working skills will go :)

Currently it contains a Blacet Binary Zone, Sequential Switch and the new Frequency Divider; a DIY Fonitronik VCPS, a DIY MFOS Quantiser (Quantizer?), a Metalbox Analog Logic and a PAIA Multiple/Splitter.

There is still a bit of room for 1 or 2 other goodies, but I'll see how this goes for now.

One thing about the new Frequency Divider - are they the brightest LEDS ever seen on a module? Think I might have preferred normal red or green...

New Paia modules

I ordered 3 new Paia modules which arrived today - amazingly, customs only held them up for 2 days! I ordered a Noise Source, a Balanced Modulator and a Passive Mixer/Splitter from the new 9700 series of Frac modules. The Noise Source & Balanced Modulator are to go in the main Frac case, and the Splitter is for a separate sequencing case.

Looking at the new modules, I'm very impressed with the build quality. In fact, I don't know how they manage to sell them so cheaply. The front panels are very nicely done - they have the same 'mottled' paint effect as the 5U MOTM stuff - a very professional finish.

They are also very shallow - of the 3 I got, the deepest is barely 2 inches.

I've already given the Noise Source a quick test - it gives 3 different outputs, 2 of which are filtered versions of the main White Noise. Most of the output level seems to come from the far end of the pot travel, but most of the time this will be fed into a mixer or into the Bugcrusher, so I don't think that's a problem.

Based on these 3 I'd recommend getting a few of these modules - they are great value (even when having to pay customs duty).

New modules on the way

I had to wait until the New Year before ordering up some more modules to finish up my Frac case. On the way are a Paia noise generator, balanced modulator and passive mixer/splitter; from Blacet, a Binary Zone, Window Comparator and Cloud Generator (this is the repackaged Synth Tech E340).

I also took delivery today of a BugBrand Wavefolder - they are starting to offer some modules in minijack again, the Wavefolder is the first.

Some things I need to finish off are a Fonitronik VCPS & MFOS Quantiser. I've spent too long trying to finalise a panel design for the VCPS, but I think I'm just about there now and have worked out all the hardware mounting issues.

Once they're done, they'll go into a 'sequencing' case - 1 row consisting of the VCPS, Quantiser, Binary Zone, Seq Switch & Divider.