Stochastic Inspiration Generator : gives me what I missed from Marbles, namely fine-grained control over probability distributions for generative V/oct and gates.
Falistri : a very playable dual function generator. I wrote a whole introduction to Eurorack centred on it!
(Tie) Brenso and Pizza : the first a large analog complex oscillator and the second a small digital FM oscillator, but both have huge sweet spots with a range of interesting sounds.
Ikarie : a stereo analog filter that can subtly colour or mangle.
(Tie) Sarajewo and Versio : the first an analog BBD delay with a lovely sound, especially when clock-synced rate is varied; the second a DSP platform with many interesting firmwares I’m still working through (but have already found enough to make it indispensable).
Four of these are with me now in a little Pod64x and I miss the ones I don’t have (plus many others!).
@plragde what’s currently your favorite algo for Versio?
Much appreciated and loved non-sexy modules:
3X MIA
Small yet knobby, nice hefty feel to it, led feedback, use it for mixing and attenuating/verting, sometimes for sending a steady voltage somewhere
Delta-V
Small yet knobby, nice feel to it especially for the price, it does lfos and envelopes, has cv for most things, you can change the curves, even use it as VCA, it has nice EOC and a mix of the two sides. Just the most versatile, complete and user friendly for the price
Main attractions:
LIP
Finding it a bitch harsh and unsubtle sometimes, but it’s in so much of my output, which shows something. Nice bass, great envelopes for mixing in Perc hits. I use it mostly just in the bottom of the three algos, cause as such it’s already enough to get a muscle memory for it (due to the many different sounds caused by the interplay between the four parameters and the tuning of the two oscillators)
Echophon. Sound amazing. Very playable. Very easy to mix in for some reason - I think maybe cause I use the pitch shifter up a lot which will remove the bass? Fun and inspiring, from using it on a single sound to a whole Syntakt sent to it on a send.
Newest entry: Bitbox Micro. Just as a small drum kit it’s already killer. Loop Recording. Super easy to work, takes zero brain space, which is a big compliment to the user interface. Sounds very good. Even with some quirks and a current bug I found, it offers so much options and so much enjoyment. Very quick to get inspiration running and something going.
Runners up: Plonk, Arpitecht, Monsoon, Klavis Twin Waves, and possibly every clock divider
Fave Versio so far is Desmodus, though I like Electus also, the ability to clock it is nice. It came with Melotus and I found that limited, though I will put it back on at some point and push it more. Still want to try Ruina, Polydactyl, and possibly Lacrima, which I had dismissed out of hand but people seem to really like it. And the Multi-Version user firmware, which was recently open-sourced so maybe someone will polish it.
Pam’s New Workout. 8 HP of problem-solving. I use it for clocks, sequencing, modulation. Really simple to use for all the stuff it does.
Empress Euroburo. If you know anything about me, you know ZOIA is sort of my jam. But also, I can do stuff in this box that would take a system many times larger than what I have to produce.
Forge-TME Vhikk. Very small run module, so a little hesitant to include it (but the developer is working on a V2 and plans to keep it in production if demand exists!). It’s a wavetable/delay-based voice, and it is absurdly good. I love it for drones and textures.
Knob Farm Ooots. Maybe the most indispensable module in my rack. Outputs, headphones, but also a really nice tilt EQ and saturation stage for just adding a little oomph/character/sizzle to a mix.
QuBit Data Bender. A supremely musical approach to glitch/stutter effects. It can be chaotic and destructive or subtle and melodic. Really great for adding a bit of texture/excitement.
(Honorable mention: XAOC Tallin. I love its crunch.)
Mutable Instruments Plaits => I mean it’s a modern classic. I use it for every type of music; the algorithms really work with subtle modulation. And that chord mode?! instant house music. My favorite is the snare algo with modulation on the noise param
Maths => another classic, so many options for cool envelopes and functions. This really helped me grasp the true potential of modular
Instruo CS-L => wonderful complex osc (also my first complex osc). Love the internal routing mod and the two oscillators are so beefy on their own. The sub square is amazing for acid bass
SSF Stereo Dipole => was looking for a 3 sisters and ended up with this. wow, I fucking love this filter. you can make anything sound smooth and liquid OR you can get real gritty with the gain.
CV OCD => replaced all of my sequencers. I use octa midi to control everything and this module (yes its a module to me lol) makes the bridge incredibly easy. I think this was the best tool to help me start making the music I wanted to, I can control all of my oscillators and send various gates all over the modular and have the wonderful flexibility of the elektron sequencer
Runner up => Mannequins Mangrove (can get the craziest sounds from this), Mannequins Cold Max (took me a while to figure it out, turns out its an incredible utility), Happy Nerding FX Aid (so small but so powerful, this is the disting killer)
I’m becoming increasingly convinced I want to swap out my Qpas for the Stereo Dipole (even though the additional 2 hp causes all sorts of cascading headaches).
Xaoc Drezno (liebniz system)
I think the concept of bit conversion and binary systems is super interesting as a modulation source. Really unique module
Xaoc Sarajewo
Its the most beatiful delay I’ve ever heard
Mutable stages
It’s probably the most HP/function without menu scrolling out there
Instruo OCHD
I think the concept is brilliantly simple and so well implemented.
Rossum Assiml8or
Crispiest sampler out there with some truly unique features.
Doepfer A-120 low pass filter
Everything I put into this filter sounds good. It stays in my rack from five years and does always the job. Rock solid.
PAM’s New Workout
Plenty of modulation, clock and trigs in 8 hp. Full control of phase, level and width of the signal, euclidean pattern generator, LFOs, random CVs… a modular playground!
Disting mk4
It does eveything and does it good. My favorite algoritms: quantizer, delay, reverb, chorus and quantized random CV. It also works very well as a WAV recorder. With a bit of imagination it can do every abomination one may need.
Doepfer A-140 dual ADSR
Two fully featured ADSR in 8hp, each with two envelope outs and one assignable CV input (with attenuator). I own three of them and never will need another envelope generator.
Doepfer A-110-2 basic VCO
To my ears it sounds fatter than A-110, it has linear/exponential FM, hard/soft sync and PWM. It lacks of sine wave but I don’t care. I’m in love with the character of this VCO.
Special mention: Doepfer A-183-2
Bipolar offset, attenuator, polarizer and 1x2 multiple in 4hp. It’s one of my favorites.
