Do you remember a time in recent memory when SP-202s sold for chump change, before YouTubers and hipster millenials started talking about how they have some sort of magic to them? A time when nobody gave them a second thought compared to the vaunted SP-303?
I mean, they are pretty lo fi. Some years ago I was using one just to dirty up samples but LOLing at prices on eBay. Buy It Now for almost $500???
The price increase over less than a year seems pretty unreal. Apparently it’s becoming known for its time-stretching or or pitch changing or something.
I can’t imagine anything on the SP202 being worth that kind of money but I’ll sit back and watch trustfund hipsters convince each other to waste their money.
I’ve sorted out recording midi from my DAW synced to my Octatrack (for building performance setups from my produced tracks) and hot damn the software/hardware handshake is STRONG
When I first ordered the S2400 it cost me $949 on the pre-order waited exactly a year for it to arrive, they are currently on the Isla website for $1499, this Monday the price is getting raised to $1750.
Now I feel like a got a bargain and was worth the wait.
Hell yeah, and people are trying to sell them on eBay for $2000 and I saw one with a case listed for $4000 
(the case is exceptional btw)
$950 almost feels like I robbed Brad for it by now; definitely worth the wait. I imagine the price raise is due to scarcity of parts? I remember one time in a video he mentioned there will be no more S2400s ordered from the factory unless he could get more of some chip, STM… something or other.
I can’t wait for the addons he’s talked about, I should dedicate a small fund to buy those if/when they become available.
I’ve recently gained interest in the SH-01A. It’s small, it does the SH-101 thing that I like, and it’s not super spendy. I’m not sure what I would do with it, though; I just have a few analog monos already. The JD-08 and D-05 are sort of on my radar, but not really? I kinda like what I have right now, and I have enough on my plate tbh.
Random aside, Perfect Circuit in the US is selling both Elektron Models boxes for $500 for the pair, and a braided cable to sync them up via MIDI. Good deal if anyone wants to buy the pair new, imo.
I’ve been getting pretty into electronic industrial and “dark synthwave”/cyberpunk music lately and have started leaning towards that while making music to do something new I guess. The S2400 is really great at drum beats and launching one-shot samples on the fly; it’s a fun performance tool for just jamming out and playing around, and getting going really fast. My other samplers are great, of course, but it’s just super quick at some stuff due to its lack of complexity. Combined with 2-3 synths and some effects I have laying around from my ambient guitar/bass phase, and it’s been fun jamming around.
The S2400 and Minibrute 2S are space hogs, but Maschine isn’t as fun or immediate even if I love it for other things. I also need to stop being lazy and rack my K-2 in the Rack Brute already 
I might need to upgrade the power supply adapter, though, since the K-2 specifies 1A and the Rack Brute does 800mA per row. I had emailed Arturia and they told me the rails could support more than 800mA but I forget the actual max. I had wanted to cram a Behringer Pro1 or Pro 800 into the other row at the time. Now I’m thinking a Wasp Deluxe, which is way below the power requirements and leaves room for another module or two for effects. Liking the sounds I’m hearing from it a lot. And Amazon Global has them for under $180 atm - who cares if I don’t get a US power supply when it’s going into a Eurorack case Plus usual Amazon hassle free return policy.
Been thinking of selling off all my Eurorack for a long time, now, anyway. I’m just not using it or having as much fun with it anymore, as much Cool Factor 
that it has. And I could use the money (always), and it’s a substantial amount just in the 173hp that I have. It was all bought used or on sale, so I should make back a lot. What I know for sure is that I do not want to redo my Eurorack into something else.
I’m having some regrets about the SFC-5 Prophet MIDI controller on my desk. That could be a whole ass synth module if I wanted it to be. But it’s convenient for knob twiddling when I use Arturia’s Prophet V while at the DAW/computer.
Thank you for reading my incoherent ramblings coming to my TED Talk.
I’m bummed Moogs are up almost 20% in price this year, but watching my front porch eagerly for my K-2 to arrive today. That’s my quick update.
Actaully, for a while I’ve been toying with the idea of making a semi-modular playspace in my studio. I already have the matrixbrute, which has outputs for a lot of its modulators (envelopes, LFOs, midi-out the sequencer, etc.). So I figure I’d use that as the master keyboard/sequencer, and then just get a dozen 6 foot patch cables and be able to send the extra modulation wherever I want. I’m going to start experimenting with that idea with the K-2, and if I like it I have my eye on a few other semi-modulars that I think would offer me different flavors in that patching playpen. My goal is to not go full modular. Any opinions on the following?
Moog Grandmother - best sounding Moog I’ve ever heard, an extra keyboard and sequencer would certainly let me get up to some weird ideas, spring reverb a nice bonus.
Make noise-0 coast - lets me get some west coast stuff without digging into Buchla et. al., some logic stuff possible on there IIRC.
Behringer 2600 - I’ve been really impressed by some demos of this one, and it looks perhaps more fun to play around with than the Moog from a patching perspective. Sounds really good, haven’t put it back to back with the Grandmother, but that feels like an either/or proposition to me, I won’t have room for both. Also has access to some logic stuff, an extra oscillator, and is 300-500 USD cheaper. In short, am I missing something that makes the Moog more “worth it”?
IDK, is this even a good idea or is it just asking for a mess? Has anyone tried something like this? That’s just the ones I like most that I’ve narrowed it down to, but am I missing something else obvious that would really add to this idea? I know Neutron is great for people getting into modular, but haven’t really looked into it.
I still have my 0 Coast. I haven’t used it in a minute, but I remember it being a lot of fun, and it also has a MIDI to CV converter built into it. I got it from Perfect Circuit with that little Korg analog sequencer for $550 (so $50 cheaper than both separately). And I don’t care what Make Noise says, the 0 Coast is definitely a lot more ‘West Coast’ than it isn’t, at least imo. It’s definitely one of the smallest semi-modulars out there that still does quite a lot.
My Rack Brute will effectively be going from this:
To this:
And if in the unlikely event I need to take the whole MiniBrute 2S, K-2, and Wasp combination somewhere, it folds up with a carry handle and can be covered in a bag (that I’m not sure is for sale anymore; I can’t seem to find it anywhere, knew I should have picked one up but I think they were silly-priced at like $80…)
edit I found the travel bag for $100 on Arturia’s site. How about no Thomann has it for $75…
How do you like the Morpheus? That’s always been one of the modules that I thought about going to the dark side for.
It’s pricey but built very well, and it’s an interesting filter for CV control for sure. I haven’t really dug super deep into it, tbh, but being able to put LFOs or envelopes on the cutoff, morphing, and transform controls was a lot of fun for evolving sounds. It’s interestingly enough a stereo filter in a modular world, too. It didn’t feel super intuitive to me regarding the screen and programming, but I also haven’t had my modular powered on for a long time so details are a little hazy by now.
Small cases do exist if you just want a fun filter
You mention the Roland SH-01A and at the same time mention you already have several Mono synths, just thought I’d point out that the SH-01A will also function as a 4 voice polyphonic.
I forgot about that and recently even saw it mentioned somewhere 
Funnily enough I just found out I have access to use/borrow an Analog Keys and/or a Futuresonus Parva that’s a little gimpy (down to 7 voices out of 8). I’m curious about the Parva, not a lot of them out there apparently.
Well damn. I can’t find the box for the Rubicon 
I went into the attic multiple times, the spare bedroom closet, my own closet, the shelf I have in the garage, every storage space/shelf in my room. This is highly unusual as I am a well-known hoarder of the boxes my gear comes in
I can get a box, though, just mildly annoying. I found a TC Dark Matter distortion for $40 locally.
Delivery on that $177 Wasp is looking at December 20th or so XD Welp.
Octatrack and the modular is GREAT.
Fuck now I want a Hexinverter Mutant Brain to properly freak this thing out. 
I spent 10 minutes trying to figure out which Disting was the mkI and mkII. They both say “Disting v1.1 and 2014” on them, but one PCB says 3214 and 1315, so I think the latter is the one I got in 2015 and would be the mkII. With that sorted, the eurorack is all packed away except for the Rubicon.
Fucking Behringer used godless sliding nuts to mount the K-2 to its desktop case. I swear to god Uli… This thing is never getting back into that thing
At least it’s a keyed Eurorack connector on the back.
those sliding nuts that behringer and moog use are THE WORST
edit: i misread, i thought you meant the sliding washers on eurorack rails. i HATE THEM
I dunno. I don’t think you can ever have too many mono synths–but that is probably related to my knowledge level of music theory lol.
