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Post by spacedog on Dec 10, 2019 11:33:23 GMT
I did write a longer version of this post elsewhere, which I have now deleted, so apologies if you think you’ve read this before, you may well have done. This time, I’m creating my own thread so there’s no danger of having strayed off topic. There are a number of people wanting to start their modular journey and the AE Modular is a great place to start, but it’s as well to set expectations from the outset. My thought for this thread is to provide a place to ask the “ Does it work with [x]…?” questions, with answers grounded in actual experiments and working setups. It’s also the place to shout “ I got it working with [y] and here’s how…” . I imagine that a number of the people thinking about an AE Modular will come here and look for examples of what it can and can’t do, especially with all of this cheap Behringer gear coming out on a daily basis  Others may come here seeking reassurance that the AE Modular will either augment their current Eurorack systems or even stay relevant when they buy one. As I said once before, having taken a few synths out of the gene pool over the years through experimentation, I am less of an explorer. Others are certainly less risk averse than me and I thank them for that as I will stand on the shoulders of those giants. I left out my thoughts on the AE Modular being a complementary system this time, but feel free to comment if that interests you. |
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Post by robertlanger on Dec 10, 2019 12:33:27 GMT
Might fit in here: Together with Tobias, a trainee being here throughout december, we were analyzing the Volca modular regarding all signal levels and designed a circuitry / a module idea that takes care of all differences between AE and Volca modular. So a VM interface module will come definitely in the next future!
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andy
New Member
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Post by andy on Dec 10, 2019 15:07:39 GMT
I had a couple of portable devices prior to entering the AEM realm. So far I've got these definitely working with the AE Modular:
1. Soundmachines NS1 Nanosynth - The NS1 is powered from one of the USB ports on the 3xUSB module, this might or might not establish a common ground, but to be sure I just connect a GND of the AEM with a 0v on the NS1. The Nanosynth "modules" are completely integrated into the setup, you can patch anything into anything between it and the AEM, all signals/ voltages are compatible.
2. Korg Volca Keys - works with the AEM in terms of processing audio through the AEM and for sync in/out. If you use jack cable connections between the Volca and the AEM Master module this sorts out common ground. Alternatively, I have DIYed a couple of jacks with patchwires, so whether I am connecting audio or sync (5v pulse), I can just connect the negative jack wire to GND and use the other for patching purposes. Same goes for Teenage Engineering Pocket operators, audio and sync via jack cables to the Master module works fine.
3. Division 6 Business card sequencer - I DIYed an adapter for the power plug (3.5mm jack to DC 5.5/2.1mm DC socket to use with the 4-way split power cables. the Div6 sequencer sends out CV (v/oct, 3 octaves) and GATE (5v pulse). Common ground comes with the jack cable connections CLK IN/ CV/ GATE or even 1 of these, although I've also tried successfully to patch using my DIY jacks and connecting negative wire to GND.
I am currently waiting on a Robertsonics Wav Trigger (you want the second edition, WIG 13660 as it matches power and trigger requirements of the AEM), once that is tested and modularised, I will make an edit to this post.
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Lugia
Wiki Editors
Ridiculously busy...ish.
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Post by Lugia on Dec 11, 2019 1:22:53 GMT
FYI, some time back I asked the wonderfully mad people at Bastl about interfacing their Softpop and bitRanger with the AE. They were actually quite familiar with the voltages that the AE uses, noting that both of those devices of theirs can be directly interconnected with the AE since those also use the 0 - +5v range. I should have one of each of those in a month-ish, and once Gargantua's here I can see how well they all behave around each other.
Oh, and did we ever get a definitive answer on the compatability of the LittleBits CV out on the Korg SQ-1? Sync there is fine, but the LittleBits apparently also use a similar CV range.
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thundersound
Junior Member
A modular world .. from Aa to Thunder and beyond
Posts: 82
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Post by thundersound on Dec 12, 2019 18:56:00 GMT
Might fit in here: Together with Tobias, a trainee being here throughout december, we were analyzing the Volca modular regarding all signal levels and designed a circuitry / a module idea that takes care of all differences between AE and Volca modular. So a VM interface module will come definitely in the next future! Nice to see, maybe a VM will be on my wishlist soon, till now I had not put it on my list because I only want to buy stuff that have more interface possibilities with my current Eurorack/AE Modular setup.. |
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Post by sc3sc3 on Apr 2, 2020 9:01:32 GMT
Might fit in here: Together with Tobias, a trainee being here throughout december, we were analyzing the Volca modular regarding all signal levels and designed a circuitry / a module idea that takes care of all differences between AE and Volca modular. So a VM interface module will come definitely in the next future! Any news about Volca modular ? Do AEM and VM communicate out of the box, or is a module needed ? Thanks |
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Post by arti on Apr 2, 2020 11:16:17 GMT
I happily sync many Volcas with AEM: Sample, FM, Kick, Beats.
I also sync Korg Monologue - any of these devices can be a master clock or a slave - no problems.
I use Korg SQ1 for tempo synchronisation with AEM also, and as a sequencer with midi connection or just sending voltages or gates to AEM through 4I/O
I interconnect AEM and Behringer Neutron via 4I/O sending all kind of signals back and forth with no problems at all
I occasionaly use Yamaha PSS480 as an external keyboard for AEM via midi connection
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Post by puffant on Apr 2, 2020 17:01:16 GMT
Hi, I'm wondering, if for example, I patched a eurorack oscillator output with a voltage range of -5v to +5v to say, the mod socket on the aem VCO, would it work, also eurorack cables have dual terminals, is the ring negative and the tip positive, does the negative connect to the aem mixer ground socket??? thanks.
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Lugia
Wiki Editors
Ridiculously busy...ish.
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Post by Lugia on Apr 2, 2020 20:04:59 GMT
Hi, I'm wondering, if for example, I patched a eurorack oscillator output with a voltage range of -5v to +5v to say, the mod socket on the aem VCO, would it work, also eurorack cables have dual terminals, is the ring negative and the tip positive, does the negative connect to the aem mixer ground socket??? thanks. First up, the AE format isn't capable of dealing with negative CVs, and what you're describing could be potentially problematic. ONLY patch CVs from other formats to an AE through some sort of interface that constrains voltages to the proper _positive_ range, such as a 4I/O or a Soundmachines Nanobridge (I use both...the former for audio, the latter for CV/mod/gate/trigs).
Second...and this is a current project in my studio...is that you have to establish a ground plane across all equipment that connects to the AE. And this doesn't necessarily mean just from one synth to another, but that several synths are acting as if they're all the same device as far as that ground plane is concerned. Patching your shield to the AE's ground bus _sort of_ works, but with audio input/outputs it makes more sense to have that grounding scheme to allow _signals_ (and NOT chassis grounding) to flow across multiple devices. And for best results, you want both a SIGNAL as well as a CHASSIS ground; this gets you the best noise figures on your audio lines, while at the same time making sure that all of the devices are playing nicely together.
Lastly, Eurorack patch cables are two conductor...you have tip and sleeve _only._ When you see a tip-ring-sleeve (TRS) plug, that will either be a DUAL circuit of some sort...stereo audio, signal insert, etc, with a signal on the tip AND ring, and the sleeve acting as a common ground between those channels...or a balanced audio circuit, in which you have your + and - on the tip and ring (or vice versa, depending on the application) and the sleeve acts as a shielded ground for the two lines carrying the AC signal.
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Post by audiojack on Apr 4, 2020 16:01:13 GMT
I happily sync many Volcas with AEM: Sample, FM, Kick, Beats. I also sync Korg Monologue - any of these devices can be a master clock or a slave - no problems. How do you tempo sync Korg stuff with AEM? Do you go via the SQ-1 or do you sync the Volcas/Monologue directly (and how)? |
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Post by arti on Apr 6, 2020 13:33:30 GMT
I happily sync many Volcas with AEM: Sample, FM, Kick, Beats. I also sync Korg Monologue - any of these devices can be a master clock or a slave - no problems. How do you tempo sync Korg stuff with AEM? Do you go via the SQ-1 or do you sync the Volcas/Monologue directly (and how)? I use Maser I/0 to receive/send clock signals. For example I send signal out of "sync out" of Volca or Monologue or SQ1 into AEM Master I/O 1, than I put it into LFO sync input or into Beat divider clock input. Now I can send it whatever module I fancy. The other way is more fun, at least I often use it this way, cause I can easily send different (synced) clocks out of one place to all the others. AEM is great as a multiple clock source. I set the rate on one of AEM LFO, and use it (via its square or pulse outputs) to clock Beat divider and Step10. Now I can send the Beat divider 1/8 triplet output (or any other setting) to master i/o and than to SQ1 (which runs Neutron synced via midi), send Step10 output (with every other trigger turned off or any other setting) to master i/o2 and then to my set of chained volcas (via sync in input). It can be even more diversified. I can mix between two tempos (for examlpe from seq16 gate output and Step 10inv output) sending them to the Logic module or 3vcswitch and trigger one of volcas or one of inner modules according to the outcome. There are some newest modules that broaden trigger/clocking fun even further, but I don't have them yet. However to send more clock signals outside the AEM, 4i/o module would be useful. Various clocks and outside sync possibilities of AEM are one of (many) brightest points of this "Wundersynth"  Have fun! |
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Post by sc3sc3 on Apr 6, 2020 21:04:59 GMT
Hi,
what is the Step10 you are talking about ?
I don't see that module in the TW shop.
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Post by admin on Apr 6, 2020 22:26:47 GMT
Hi, what is the Step10 you are talking about ? I don't see that module in the TW shop. The Step10 is a discontinued module that predates the TRIQ164. You can find the list of discontinued modules here: www.tangiblewaves.com/store/c7/Discontinued.html |
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Post by arti on Apr 8, 2020 12:01:44 GMT
I've just made some initial experiments with linking AEM and Korg Minilogue XD. So I've send the clock out of AEM LFO via 4I/O module to Minilogue "sync in". Syncing works the other way around too. You may send it out of Minilogue to AEM master I/O and then sync the LFO or send it as it is to clock SEQ16 or to Beat Divider. I've also send the tempo out of Minilogue "sync out" via 4I/O module to AEM LFO sync input, and then it's triangle output into Minilogue's "cv1 in". In the Minilogue menu I've set cv1 to modulate the shape of one of oscs and it works too. Fun fact: modulating by the AEM lfo, may be recorded in motion mode as an actual knob turning and stored as an automated movement.
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Post by otakumike on Apr 21, 2020 8:43:17 GMT
I’ve been using the Teenage engineering OP-Z along song my AEM. They work extremely well together and make for a very small portable package. You do need the OP-lab module. But it’s definitely worth using the combo
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pol
Wiki Editors
Posts: 1,349
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Post by pol on Apr 25, 2020 9:49:33 GMT
Hi, I'm wondering, if for example, I patched a eurorack oscillator output with a voltage range of -5v to +5v to say, the mod socket on the aem VCO, would it work, also eurorack cables have dual terminals, is the ring negative and the tip positive, does the negative connect to the aem mixer ground socket??? thanks. Greatly approve of your icon, ran a 2CV for 20 years, 11 of them as my only car. Do miss the fun, but can't justify keeping one just for that, rather spend the money on synths! |
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Others may come here seeking reassurance that the AE Modular will either augment their current Eurorack systems or even stay relevant when they buy one.
