Month: March 2020

Sound Study KONTACT Mic – DIY Build

March 22, 2020
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Sound Study KONTACT Mic - DIY Build

Stylized KONTACT Mic

For this build, we take on the Sound Study Kontact Mic Eurorack module. This 4HP module is a unique way to interact with your system on multiple levels. It’s creative applications are endless: finger percussion/rubbing/scratching, guitar input (works surprisingly well with just a little lo-fi crunch), acoustic sources to CV, etc.

While this module has been out awhile now, we wanted to pick up another mic source to add to our racks. The modules rad skull design along with its small footprint made it the perfect candidate!

Study what? Sound?

Sound Study Modular only produces a few modules or stand alone utilities. Along with the Kontact Mic, they are responsible for the MIDI 2 CV (stand alone or eurorack format) which we also use in our racks. Their PCBs and panels are solid and are black with silver accents.

As the MIDI 2 CV is a clone of the famous CVPAL, the Sound Study Kontact Mic is a clone of the MTM Mikrophonie. With that being said, we have both of Sound Study’s modules and we wouldn’t leave home without them!

Enough of the descriptions, let’s get onto the build

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Waveform Magazine Switchenator – DIY Build

March 14, 2020
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Waveform Magazine Project 3 - The Switchenator - DIY Build

Front Completed Switchenator

Issue 3 of Waveform Magazine (Winter 2020) is chock full of reviews, interviews, gear and even a new DIY Project. For their third DIY project, Waveform have provided us with another utility module that requires zero power and allows attenuation and signal toggling on the fly.

Waveform Magazine Project 3 is known as the one and only Switchenator!

We were thankful to take this build on and see what this module was all about!

To sum it up, the Switchenator is a dual passive attenuator and dual switch for Eurorack systems…. and it’s a little 4HP beast.

What’s this Waveform Magazine again?

Waveform logo yellow

As previously mentioned in our Gateway Oscilloscope write up, Waveform Magazine is the first and only publication dedicated to modular synths. With that being said, we were stoked to receive the Winter 2020 edition of Waveform earlier this month partially due to all of the new gear reviews and industry news that they provide.

One of our favorite features is interviews with the modular synth manufacturers. It’s really cool to get to read about their journeys into modular synthesis and how they started their businesses. The interviews are so well written, it almost makes it feel like you know the owner of the modular company upon completing the article.

Note: In case you missed the opportunity to get the first three issues of Waveform, you can still pick them up over at the Waveform site (which we HIGHLY recommend you do!)

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Waveform Magazine Gateway Oscilloscope – DIY Build

March 4, 2020
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Waveform Magazine Project 2 - Gateway Oscilloscope - DIY Build

Demo View 3

With the summer months on the horizon, we decided to take on a new series of modules or tools for eurorack. This months DIY build is the Waveform Magazine Gateway Oscilloscope; a cheap effective audio visualization tool for your modular rack. 

This module is often referred to as “Project #2”. 

As part of the DIY series from Waveform Magazine, the Gateway Oscilloscope (as we will call it from this point forward) is an inexpensive alternative to some of the more well known oscilloscopes on the modular marketplace today. One thing is for sure with any oscilloscope, not only is it an useful tool, but it is a lot of fun being able to see the waveforms that you are patching through your system.

Waveform Magazine? What is that?

Until recently, there has been little to no print form magazines that cover modular synthesis. One might be able to find an article here and there, along with a review or two, but there was never a dedicated publication available monthly. Waveform Magazine was the first to take this one and even though its in its infancy stage (only 3 have been released), it is slowly becoming the hot topic of the modular world.

WF Magazine reviews new gear, interviews articles, previews upcoming modules and even has a net DIY project in every edition. This is where the Gateway Oscilloscope was born. It was featured in the Fall 2019 issue of Waveform Magazine and is still currently available via their website. The cool thing about Waveform Magazine is that the first 3 issues were free. You heard right… Free! Starting with Issue #4, they will be charging for a subscription, and you can guarantee that we won’t be missing a single issue!

On with the build…

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