Getting Into My Synthesizer

I found myself doing this the other day, and realized that there are some merits to the smaller modular formats that I hadn’t previously considered:

Yes, this photo is staged; I took it with my camera’s timer. However, I really was doing this before I realized how silly it is (and how silly it must look–not that that particularly matters) to have to climb onto the desk and stick my head into one of my modular’s cabinets just to make sure of the orientation of the power connectors. Sometimes I think that if I were starting from scratch today, I’d go with the much more compact Euro format instead of the MOTM format. Back when I started building this synthesizer there was much less activity among manufacturers of Euro-format modules. Today it seems that most of the interesting module development–most of the module development in general, for that matter–is being done in Euro format. It would be a tough choice; I wouldn’t happily give up the quality of the MOTM VCOs and filters, and I really prefer 1/4″ cables and jacks. On the other hand, a synthesizer with the same complement of modules (functionally speaking) as mine would take up much less room in Euro format, and as Chris is pondering, there are some pretty neat Euro format modules coming out these days that are unlikely to appear in MOTM format. I may eventually consider whether I can change the mounting rails in my cabinet somehow so as to accomodate some number of Euro modules, even though that would mean mixing jack sizes.

Incidentally, the module in my hand is a MOTM-480 filter. I’m in the middle of adding an expansion panel to it which separates its two stages and provides all of the outputs (LP/HP/BP) for each stage. I’ll put up info and photos here when I’ve finished it.