DivKid Mutes by Befaco - Eurorack Modular Build
Have you ever wanted to just insert a quick break or turn off a certain portion of your composition and yet keep the track rolling? If so, you need to pick up a DivKid Mutes by Befaco for your Eurorack system.
Comprised of four I/O channels and four accommodating 3-way switches, the Mutes goes beyond basic muting. For our final build of September, we take on the DivKid Mutes, and get to learn a little more about what this little 4HP module is capable of.
A Brief History of Mutes
Anyone who dabbles in the modular world is well aware of a company called Befaco. They are known for producing top quality modules like the KICKALL, Rampage and Chopping Kinky (just to name a few). Their modules have become a staple to any rack over the past few years.
Additionally, there is a gentleman by the name of Ben who lives in England and goes by the name DivKid. He is always in the modular know and is constantly previewing and reviewing new modules over on his YouTube page/webpage. His videos are hands down some of the reasons we pick up some of the modules that we have in our cases. Long story short, these two amazing teams partnered up to create the Mutes.
Mutes Kit Details
Upon its release, the DivKid Mutes was hard to find and its now becoming more prevalent in the modular world. Thankfully, we picked up the DIY kit a few months ago and have been waiting to complete it for some time.
The kit has both SMD and hole-through soldering which can be unnerving for any DIY beginner. Thankfully, Befaco took some of the pressure off SMD soldering by pre-soldering all of the components that are surface mount, leaving the builder with just a few hole-through.
This kit comes with 2 boards, some resistors, a few LEDs, a rad panel and 4x momentary switches. Outside of that, you get a couple of cool decals and some Befaco Knurlies to mount the module with (we can’t have enough of those!).
Mutes Time Lapse Build
The Build Notes
As previously mentioned, the build was pretty straight forward. We cracked open the kit and dove right in. In fact, we dove too fast into the build (more on that later). After laying out all the boards, separating the parts and setting the decals and Knurlies aside, we fired up the ol soldering iron.
IMPORTANT: Make sure to use a clean tip and a very pointed tip on this build due to the fact that there are SMD components everywhere and you don’t want to fry one of them with a large tip on your iron.
As the build progressed, we were feeling pretty confident. Powering through both boards with ease, it was a matter of time before we completed it. Upon doing the final inspection of the build, we noticed that one of the switches didn’t lock in the momentary position like the others. Tragically, it was soldered backwards and this was realized this only after referring to the instructions.
BOM and instructions were clear and made for easy reading, but somehow, a little paragraph about switch orientation was skipped over at the bottom of one page. In the end, it was now time to desolder.
Module Gallery
-
- Right Side View
-
- Completed Rear View
-
- Completed Left Side
-
- Completed Front Panel
After removing the bunk DIY mistake, we scoured the web to see if we could find a replacement. Low and behold, it was only available from THONK in the U.K. 10$ later and 10 days of shipping later, it arrived at the shop. We quickly mounted the new switch and were ready to go in no time (even the advanced DIY’er’s make mistakes).
Once the module was installed in our test case, it was time to see what this puppy could do. Patching up an oscillator on one channel and some drums on the other; music started to craft itself.
A quick flick of the switch and the music began to develop shape and depth. Next, we muted the hi-hats on one channel and the snare on the other. Once it was flipped back, the music filled back in and all 4 channels were firing at full cylinders.
Features & Specifications
Features:
- 4HP
- Depth: 32mm
- LEDs to visualize signals
- 3 way momentary – off – on switching
- Buffered and cascading normalizing of inputs
- Vactrol based muting
DivKid Mutes - Our Final Thoughts
Overall, we were VERY impressed by the DivKid Mutes by Befaco. This utility module will be used over and over in performances and quick recordings. The build was relatively simple as long as you follow the directions (read EVERY line). Switches are strong and its nice to see something like this packed into such a small space (4HP).
Additionally, the on-board vactrols make the muting stand out amongst the competitors. Some rad decals and some Knurlies complete the package and make for happy DIY’er’s.
In conclusion, this is a must have for any rack and if you plan on performing with your system any time soon. Take our word for it, go pick it up!
Until the next build …
~ f i N
