Had mine a few days. I'm having a lot of fun and I've learnt a lot. Having the small wires and patch point helped me learn because I could quickly link various modules together and see the result. It took two days from not knowing anything to understand pre-build rack 2. I just need more modules now. The wires fit good but some of the patch point holes have widened slightly from wire abrasion, which is to expected and gravity and patch point depth keeps them in just fine. They shouldn't get any wider. Patching is no issue in decent light. The sound is great. I'm very happy with it and can't thank Rob enough. I wish him every success .
Great! Thanks a lot for your comment. I’ve also encountered some patch sockets which were wider or narrower. With the current cables it can help to bend the pins in the middle a little bit for a tighter fit.
Robert is cool and really good Human! We thank him for giving to lower-income people the opportunity to get involve into Modular synthesis! I don't own one yet! but it will be my next synth for sure! I love your videos mate! Keep it up with the DIY! Greetings from Greece
I met this fellow at a small Synth fest here in Munich last year, as you said he's a very warm friendly guy. I was quite impressed due to the price and simplicity, modular has always seemed out of reach due to the price and well, it's a lot more complicated than just picking up a prebuilt synth. I'd kinda forgotten about these little guys... seeing your video reminded me and now I'm thinking that maybe my synths savings will be directing themselves towards AE. Thanks for the videos btw, always enjoy your work. :)
Even though I got a AE system myself for over a year I am very grateful that you did point out that it is in your opinion very durable. Mine has been sitting in the same place at the studio so I could not quantify its toughness. I did stress one of the sides of the rack enough for it to come loose because I've mounted it standing, sandwiched between two supports so some stress was involved - no problem though. Soon I'll order the new racks with extensions with a bunch of modules so that will be fun. As my Eurorack is filled with more 'esoteric' modules I am still waiting for the more oddball stuff to come out from Robert - Topograf is a good start. Why 'esoteric' modules, well I got quite a few semi-modular so I got the basics covered. Semi- modular really is a money saving option where Eurorack is considered - if you don't need it to be mobile going with a bunch of semis can really save you a bunch of money. Cheers!
I'm not sure if you can really compare those two product lines, but they are certainly both aimed at beginners and not just experienced modular synthesists. TE's PO modulars don't seem very exciting to me personally, but for newbies who don't want the "full" module experience, they might fit well.
For me it was the best decision to buy this synth. It's really very good. Eurorack is just not worth it for me personally. Sure, it's cool but just too expensive. My family would kill me if I spend 10k on a synth. Thanks to Robert for this great thing and you for your videos.
@@tekkthekid9058 I actually don't know ... in that pile are also a lot of cheap ones from eBay which I already had before the AE Modular to use for DIY prototyping. There are also wires with female ends which one can use to extend patch cables.
What is the name of the manufacturer of the module you talk about just before 9min ? I’m gonna buy one of those today, someone is selling one at a fair prize in my city. How are things aevolving now ? Are there more manufacturers going on board ?
Hey :) The manufacturer I was talking about is www.errorinstruments.com but I think they no longer make the spring modules I talked about. There are two new manufacturers though: - wonkystuff.net/ - www.tindie.com/stores/keurslagerkurt/ Apart from that, tangible waves are releasing modules constantly, despite COVID, and the new modules are getting more and more unique too, so it’s a great time to get into this format now.
I just bought mine and I am waiting for receive my first modules. Great video! Is easy to change those knobs in the future by other knobs I will buy in eBay? Also which metal case and power bank models are those you shown in the video?
The metal case seems to have disappeared from eBay unfortunately so I can't send you a link any more :( Here's my thread on the AE Modular forums about it: forum.aemodular.com/thread/69/ae-modular-travel-case Regarding the Powerbank, check out his video with all the info you'll need: ua-cam.com/video/75ViqKUnyxQ/v-deo.html
Hey man, how would you describe the raw sound of the available analog oscillators? Warm, rich, clinical, agressive,...? Thnx for all information on this system so far!
I find the AE Modular system generally on the analog, warm and more aggressive side. The Solina is an exception of course and the new FM VCO might be as well.
Thank you! :) I’ve made a lot of progress with my DIY skills thanks to the AE Modular. It’s very motivating when you don’t need to worry about boring and maybe even complicated things like power scaling and negative voltage handling.
I wish that Tinysizer was 40 euros. Seriously though, I bought the. Minisizer on your reccomendation and am loving it. Sometime soon I'll splurge for an AR Modular system.
Yeah, the Tinysizer was amazing, even for its price! It’s really interesting how things developed in the past years and how we arrived at this point that something like the AE Modular is actually possible (and hopefully feasible) to build and sell.
@@tuesdaynightmachines I swerved from buying a Tinysizer when they first came out because of the sockets. Not so easy to replace when the finite make/break life is exceeded and the sockets fail. I would have similar concerns about AE sockets.
@@PaulJBurns Hi Paul :) I owned my Tinysizer for more than five years and haven’t had a single socket issue. Also, the current generation of AE Modular patch sockets are made of metal for even better sturdiness and a larger contact area.
@@tuesdaynightmachines Re the Tinysizer, at some point they will fail, I'm guessing between 3-5K make/breaks as they look a lot like a bulk lot of floppy drive cable to board connectors and as they are indeed soldered to board, a chore (but not insurmountable) to source and replace. I like my synths to last 40 years+ without major attention/service ;-). I'm fine with Eurorack sockets as each can be be replaced without too much grief. Small stuff and SMT is harder to do. Just looking long, term that's all. Cheers.
I just started looking into AE modular hoping to have something to use with the Volca Modular and Bastl Kastle. There’s way more here than expected. I’ve watched some videos of yours and The 5th Volt, and I’m loving what some of these modules can do. I’m seeing this a year (plus a day) after...so is it time for a 2 years later video?? Do they still hold up 2 years later?? Mainly, what I’d like to use this for is to add extra modulation to the Volca and the Kastle, clock (either 1x or with multipliers/dividers) with a couple of pocket operators, and act as a mixer/effects processor for all. Could such a thing be done on one 12u skiff and which modules would be best for that function??
I think it might be best to check out the AE Modular forums :) There is an FAQ and a bunch of other threads with recommendations and module discussions.
You may already be aware of this (since time has passed), but there's a Tangible Waves VM-BRIDGE module that facilitates integration between the Volca Modular and AE Modular.
hey im new to modular synths and am thinking of buying the starter rack 2 from tangible waves, i was wondering where does the audio come out of? does it come with speakers? can i plug it straight into my computer and it will come out my headphones, or do i need an audio interface? thanks a lot for ur videos their the best ive found educationally for modular synths
The AE Modular audio signal is usually patched by the musician into the MASTER I/O module's 3.5mm adapter, from where it can be routed to speakers or a computer audio interface with typical 3.5mm jack TS audio cables. If you want to use headphones on the AE Modular directly, then you should order the HPAMP module too, which has a headphone amplifier, stereo 3.5mm sockets and a volume knob, so it is specifically made to drive headphones.
It this one currently available on German Amazon: www.amazon.de/dp/B0162TEW8I/ There’s also a Thread about it here: forum.aemodular.com/thread/69/ae-modular-travel-case
@@7177YT 👍 also feel free to post on the AE Modular forums if you have questions. Robert from tangible waves is active there as well. forum.aemodular.com/
If Behringer releases Eurorack modules in that price-range with the same functionality, there might be a bit of a drop-off in new business. Behringer has its own in-house production for surface mount, so they're not outsourcing. That gives them an advantage to produce just about anything that can be cloned.
Yes, Behringer seems like the only real competition here. But who knows how their products will be taken by the market. The expensive Eurorack case issue will also probably not go away and even at 50 bucks per module, it’s still going to be more expensive. It’s going to be very exciting though nevertheless.
I guess Behringer will delight the market and bring more people to modular Systems. All the other competitors will get more attention when modular Systems get more beloved and more customers will be created. Your company will grow with Behringer, because more people will Look outside of behringers modules. But your 5V CV Format is a big problem, you must change it to Standard. Or did I missunderstood anything?
Great that you found it! Unfortunately it seems that the seller on eBay doesn't have it in stock anymore, but I'm sure there are lots of similar cases out there :)
why have i not heard of this... oh my god i have to have one, the price is just unreal compared to almost everything else. ***runs towards internet with wallet out***
I would recommend to get a two-row case and start with one of their prebuilt “Starter Rack” configurations. Then add new modules once you’ve played with the synth for a bit and know where you want to go with it.
Geez I could sell one of my Cwejman modules and buy the bigger starter system and more... not that I would sell any Cwejman modules. It is tempting... completely unnecessary but tempting.
Yes, I sold some of my Eurorack recently and was astonished how much money I had sunk into that. Totally lost the feeling for its cost there over the years 😅
@@tuesdaynightmachines I'm young, and I've been interested in synths for 2 year, especially I'm atracted by modular, and I use diferent softwares. The problem is that I dont have much money. ¿Would you recomend me the AE modular to start?
I think at the moment the AE Modular is the only cheap and "true" modular synth out there, so yes I would recommend it. However, if you're still young without a normal job and happy with software synths, then I would think twice about buying hardware in general. I know it's really trendy to make music on hardware again nowadays, but in software you can do so much more for cheap and it sounds just as great. So maybe save your money for something more "important" and splurge on hardware synths when you're older with a steady job and more disposable income. Just a thought :)
Had mine a few days. I'm having a lot of fun and I've learnt a lot. Having the small wires and patch point helped me learn because I could quickly link various modules together and see the result. It took two days from not knowing anything to understand pre-build rack 2. I just need more modules now. The wires fit good but some of the patch point holes have widened slightly from wire abrasion, which is to expected and gravity and patch point depth keeps them in just fine. They shouldn't get any wider. Patching is no issue in decent light. The sound is great. I'm very happy with it and can't thank Rob enough. I wish him every success .
Great! Thanks a lot for your comment. I’ve also encountered some patch sockets which were wider or narrower. With the current cables it can help to bend the pins in the middle a little bit for a tighter fit.
Robert is cool and really good Human! We thank him for giving to lower-income people the opportunity to get involve into Modular synthesis!
I don't own one yet! but it will be my next synth for sure!
I love your videos mate! Keep it up with the DIY!
Greetings from Greece
I met this fellow at a small Synth fest here in Munich last year, as you said he's a very warm friendly guy. I was quite impressed due to the price and simplicity, modular has always seemed out of reach due to the price and well, it's a lot more complicated than just picking up a prebuilt synth. I'd kinda forgotten about these little guys... seeing your video reminded me and now I'm thinking that maybe my synths savings will be directing themselves towards AE.
Thanks for the videos btw, always enjoy your work. :)
Even though I got a AE system myself for over a year I am very grateful that you did point out that it is in your opinion very durable. Mine has been sitting in the same place at the studio so I could not quantify its toughness.
I did stress one of the sides of the rack enough for it to come loose because I've mounted it standing, sandwiched between two supports so some stress was involved - no problem though.
Soon I'll order the new racks with extensions with a bunch of modules so that will be fun.
As my Eurorack is filled with more 'esoteric' modules I am still waiting for the more oddball stuff to come out from Robert - Topograf is a good start.
Why 'esoteric' modules, well I got quite a few semi-modular so I got the basics covered. Semi- modular really is a money saving option where Eurorack is considered - if you don't need it to be mobile going with a bunch of semis can really save you a bunch of money.
Cheers!
Tangible Waves clearly picked up the ball that Teenage Engineering dropped.
I'm not sure if you can really compare those two product lines, but they are certainly both aimed at beginners and not just experienced modular synthesists. TE's PO modulars don't seem very exciting to me personally, but for newbies who don't want the "full" module experience, they might fit well.
More like this is the new Serge, this feels like more of a "people's synthesizer" to me
For me it was the best decision to buy this synth. It's really very good.
Eurorack is just not worth it for me personally. Sure, it's cool but just too expensive. My family would kill me if I spend 10k on a synth.
Thanks to Robert for this great thing and you for your videos.
Thanks! I've also felt a lot less pulled into Eurorack, once I got my AE Modular. It's just such a great deal.
@@tuesdaynightmachines Good to know.
Forgot to ask: How many patch cables do you own? This pile looks like a lot. :)
@@tekkthekid9058 I actually don't know ... in that pile are also a lot of cheap ones from eBay which I already had before the AE Modular to use for DIY prototyping. There are also wires with female ends which one can use to extend patch cables.
sold! thank you for the rundown 🤟
Cool! Enjoy :)
Very informative, you have a really nice way of explaining all the stuff!
Thank you☺️
Totally thinking of buying one of these synths.
Cool! :) Check out the AE Modular forums if you haven’t already. There’s lots of information there.
I'd love to see the 2 year video ;-)
Yes ... I could make one ... but it would be almost the same 😅 just even more cool modules.
great introduction!
Thank you :)
What is the name of the manufacturer of the module you talk about just before 9min ?
I’m gonna buy one of those today, someone is selling one at a fair prize in my city. How are things aevolving now ? Are there more manufacturers going on board ?
Hey :) The manufacturer I was talking about is www.errorinstruments.com but I think they no longer make the spring modules I talked about. There are two new manufacturers though:
- wonkystuff.net/
- www.tindie.com/stores/keurslagerkurt/
Apart from that, tangible waves are releasing modules constantly, despite COVID, and the new modules are getting more and more unique too, so it’s a great time to get into this format now.
@@tuesdaynightmachines thanks ! Yeah I’ve seen that it’s pretty prolific in the modules ! Can’t wait to dig a little deeper this summer with that !!!
Rockin a shirt that ACTUALLY looks like it was made in the 80s.....GOOD for you bro!
😜 the 80s will always be in style!
I just bought mine and I am waiting for receive my first modules. Great video!
Is easy to change those knobs in the future by other knobs I will buy in eBay?
Also which metal case and power bank models are those you shown in the video?
The metal case seems to have disappeared from eBay unfortunately so I can't send you a link any more :( Here's my thread on the AE Modular forums about it: forum.aemodular.com/thread/69/ae-modular-travel-case
Regarding the Powerbank, check out his video with all the info you'll need: ua-cam.com/video/75ViqKUnyxQ/v-deo.html
The potentiometers don't have knob caps and I think adding those would make the spaces between the pots too small to fit your fingers in there.
Hey man, how would you describe the raw sound of the available analog oscillators? Warm, rich, clinical, agressive,...?
Thnx for all information on this system so far!
I find the AE Modular system generally on the analog, warm and more aggressive side. The Solina is an exception of course and the new FM VCO might be as well.
@@tuesdaynightmachines thnx, good tp know. And do you happen to know if more modules are coming out?
Of course :) Regularly even! Check the AE Modular forums. The community is great and Robert posts there too.
Kudos for making your DIY modules.
Thank you! :) I’ve made a lot of progress with my DIY skills thanks to the AE Modular. It’s very motivating when you don’t need to worry about boring and maybe even complicated things like power scaling and negative voltage handling.
Question: Can I use rails used in Eurorack to make an AE modular rack?
What a coincidence! Just got mine today :-)
Awesome! Have fun 🤘
I wish that Tinysizer was 40 euros.
Seriously though, I bought the. Minisizer on your reccomendation and am loving it.
Sometime soon I'll splurge for an AR Modular system.
Yeah, the Tinysizer was amazing, even for its price! It’s really interesting how things developed in the past years and how we arrived at this point that something like the AE Modular is actually possible (and hopefully feasible) to build and sell.
@@tuesdaynightmachines I swerved from buying a Tinysizer when they first came out because of the sockets. Not so easy to replace when the finite make/break life is exceeded and the sockets fail. I would have similar concerns about AE sockets.
@@PaulJBurns Hi Paul :) I owned my Tinysizer for more than five years and haven’t had a single socket issue. Also, the current generation of AE Modular patch sockets are made of metal for even better sturdiness and a larger contact area.
@@tuesdaynightmachines Re the Tinysizer, at some point they will fail, I'm guessing between 3-5K make/breaks as they look a lot like a bulk lot of floppy drive cable to board connectors and as they are indeed soldered to board, a chore (but not insurmountable) to source and replace. I like my synths to last 40 years+ without major attention/service ;-). I'm fine with Eurorack sockets as each can be be replaced without too much grief. Small stuff and SMT is harder to do. Just looking long, term that's all. Cheers.
I just started looking into AE modular hoping to have something to use with the Volca Modular and Bastl Kastle. There’s way more here than expected. I’ve watched some videos of yours and The 5th Volt, and I’m loving what some of these modules can do. I’m seeing this a year (plus a day) after...so is it time for a 2 years later video?? Do they still hold up 2 years later?? Mainly, what I’d like to use this for is to add extra modulation to the Volca and the Kastle, clock (either 1x or with multipliers/dividers) with a couple of pocket operators, and act as a mixer/effects processor for all. Could such a thing be done on one 12u skiff and which modules would be best for that function??
I think it might be best to check out the AE Modular forums :) There is an FAQ and a bunch of other threads with recommendations and module discussions.
You may already be aware of this (since time has passed), but there's a Tangible Waves VM-BRIDGE module that facilitates integration between the Volca Modular and AE Modular.
hey im new to modular synths and am thinking of buying the starter rack 2 from tangible waves, i was wondering where does the audio come out of? does it come with speakers? can i plug it straight into my computer and it will come out my headphones, or do i need an audio interface?
thanks a lot for ur videos their the best ive found educationally for modular synths
The AE Modular audio signal is usually patched by the musician into the MASTER I/O module's 3.5mm adapter, from where it can be routed to speakers or a computer audio interface with typical 3.5mm jack TS audio cables. If you want to use headphones on the AE Modular directly, then you should order the HPAMP module too, which has a headphone amplifier, stereo 3.5mm sockets and a volume knob, so it is specifically made to drive headphones.
@@tuesdaynightmachines thanks a lot dude, your reply was crazy quick
What case did you get for that? I'm in the market for one and that looks nice
It this one currently available on German Amazon: www.amazon.de/dp/B0162TEW8I/ There’s also a Thread about it here: forum.aemodular.com/thread/69/ae-modular-travel-case
Love my Tinysizer! ❤
That was such a cool synth that I also miss sometimes.
I was looking for a long zerm review like this.
Cool 😊 Although I feel like this is outdated already, because we now have new cables and looots more modules and an even bigger community 😅
@@tuesdaynightmachines digging into more recent videos right now (;
@@7177YT 👍 also feel free to post on the AE Modular forums if you have questions. Robert from tangible waves is active there as well. forum.aemodular.com/
quick question about rack link. does it send power to the second rack or do i need another master?
Yes, it also sends power, so you just need one Master module :)
If Behringer releases Eurorack modules in that price-range with the same functionality, there might be a bit of a drop-off in new business. Behringer has its own in-house production for surface mount, so they're not outsourcing. That gives them an advantage to produce just about anything that can be cloned.
Yes, Behringer seems like the only real competition here. But who knows how their products will be taken by the market. The expensive Eurorack case issue will also probably not go away and even at 50 bucks per module, it’s still going to be more expensive. It’s going to be very exciting though nevertheless.
I guess Behringer will delight the market and bring more people to modular Systems. All the other competitors will get more attention when modular Systems get more beloved and more customers will be created. Your company will grow with Behringer, because more people will Look outside of behringers modules. But your 5V CV Format is a big problem, you must change it to Standard. Or did I missunderstood anything?
Where can I find this metal transport case?
Edit: Found the answer in a comment below (forum.aemodular.com/thread/69/ae-modular-travel-case)
Great that you found it! Unfortunately it seems that the seller on eBay doesn't have it in stock anymore, but I'm sure there are lots of similar cases out there :)
@@tuesdaynightmachines I believe it is this model www.amazon.de/dp/B0162TEW8I/?coliid=I1SCL8I8FURL70&colid=2FAX9EIAJNPTM&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
Oh yes! That looks like the one :) Good find!
why have i not heard of this... oh my god i have to have one, the price is just unreal compared to almost everything else.
***runs towards internet with wallet out***
Haha, yeah! It’s flown a bit under most people’s radar so far I think.
i was think 40 Euros on average for these units is a fair price. if i were to get a very basic setup, you recommend anything?
I would recommend to get a two-row case and start with one of their prebuilt “Starter Rack” configurations. Then add new modules once you’ve played with the synth for a bit and know where you want to go with it.
Geez I could sell one of my Cwejman modules and buy the bigger starter system and more... not that I would sell any Cwejman modules. It is tempting... completely unnecessary but tempting.
Yes, I sold some of my Eurorack recently and was astonished how much money I had sunk into that. Totally lost the feeling for its cost there over the years 😅
weird flex
Ah, the cwejman modules. Love there Sound.
40 euros
And even cheaper!!! Whoop!
@@tuesdaynightmachines how much did it cost?
Complete Systems: www.tangiblewaves.com/store/c2/AE_modular%3A_complete_systems.html
Individual Modules: www.tangiblewaves.com/store/c5/AE_modular%3A_modules.html
@@tuesdaynightmachines I'm young, and I've been interested in synths for 2 year, especially I'm atracted by modular, and I use diferent softwares. The problem is that I dont have much money. ¿Would you recomend me the AE modular to start?
I think at the moment the AE Modular is the only cheap and "true" modular synth out there, so yes I would recommend it. However, if you're still young without a normal job and happy with software synths, then I would think twice about buying hardware in general. I know it's really trendy to make music on hardware again nowadays, but in software you can do so much more for cheap and it sounds just as great. So maybe save your money for something more "important" and splurge on hardware synths when you're older with a steady job and more disposable income. Just a thought :)