when u outgrew ur first euro rack case did u....

corpusjonsey · Post by **corpusjonsey** » Sat Dec 10, 2016 1:21 pm

Started with Shared System, added a 3U 104hp skiff, ditched both for a 9U 90hp then traded that out for a 9U 104hp 5A Monorocket.

kat · Post by **kat** » Sat Dec 10, 2016 4:24 pm

so would it make more sense for me to get a base type case to stand my other case up on or should i get another case and put them side by side? like what is more logical for patching or like what works best for you and why? just want perspective and pros and cons before i buy another case.

guestt · Post by **guestt** » Sat Dec 10, 2016 4:35 pm

I started with a HEK too

Then another HEK to make 6U 84hp in a Thon case - works a treat and I still use it!

Then bought a 6u 104 second hand - it's a beautiful Eastwick! Still got that one too!

Then had the most epic fail ever with a well known case builder - I've forgiven him of course, but what a joke! The main materials ended up in the bin, it was a bloody expensive affair even though they refunded the cash I'd paid them.

Then I designed one myself and partnered up with a manufacturing company with my own brand of waterproof military grade cases and I now have two of them. They are the best cases I have ever seen, light and extremely tough... and ergonomic - they just disappear underneath the modules if that makes sense. Unfortunately they were too expensive and other things happened which floored the business before it even got going so it is now closed down and they are no longer available. This was an even more expensive affair... I reckon the two of them cost me (without including over three months of my time) getting the design right etc... I'll never make that cash back now, but fuck it, I have the best cases ever and they suit me perfectly!

I won't be buying any more, 24U is more than enough!

My advice, such as it is... buy second hand!

synkrotron · Post by **synkrotron** » Sat Dec 10, 2016 5:05 pm

kat wrote:so would it make more sense for me to get a base type case to stand my other case up on or should i get another case and put them side by side? like what is more logical for patching or like what works best for you and why? just want perspective and pros and cons before i buy another case.

Funny that, I was thinking the same thing (just posted a pic of what I think my base unit will look like).

Ramases · Post by **Ramases** » Sat Dec 10, 2016 5:42 pm

kat wrote:so would it make more sense for me to get a base type case to stand my other case up on or should i get another case and put them side by side? like what is more logical for patching or like what works best for you and why? just want perspective and pros and cons before i buy another case.

Part of the decision may be based on what you have physical space to do. Can you expand horizontally or is vertical the only option?

The other part is what modules you intend to put in the second case. If you are planning some control type modules - joystick, touchplates etc - you would probably be better served with a base type case as it would have much better ergonomics for these.

Montgomery Word · Post by **Montgomery Word** » Sun Dec 11, 2016 4:27 am

i bought a bigger case because i wanted to
perform.

mharpum · Post by **mharpum** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 10:00 am

Started with a HEK, bought more 84hp rails, then expanded to 126hp, made some 9U wooden cheeks, once filled I made a 15U 126hp curved case, still got just over 1 full row to fill so will keep me busy for a while!

I have minimal woodworking skills but it was an easy project, Only had to cut 6 bits of wood. I finished it in a few hours.

Effie · Post by **Effie** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 10:28 am

Started with a HEK and almost instantly outgrew it. Sold the HEK and bought a 7u case. After I filled out the 7u, I bought the pulplogic 54hp lunch box. I'm still filling out the lunchbox, but my plan going forward is for more smaller, specialized systems. I love the idea of having a few different cases to choose depending on my needs at the time.

Plus, for whatever reason it's so fun to patch across cases.

starthief · Post by **starthief** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 10:52 am

I figured, because I have limited studio space and didn't want to spend too much money on Eurorack, I would start with a small skiff -- a bamboo box with DIY'd wooden "rails."

The box was an awkward size, my drilling wasn't very precise, and I decided I'd move to a 3U 84HP set of vector rails to build a box around. But then, I also thought I would stick with three modules for the first couple of months, and instead I'm at nine after six weeks.

My spouse is woodburning my logo onto the box, so I'm committed to keeping it. The next one may be a Rast, or vector rails mounted in a desktop rack without a box.

moremagic · Post by **moremagic** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 11:14 am

i went from a cell 90 to an elite 208, because i wanted a more portable rack (the elite with its lid on is a lot smaller than the guitar case i hauled the cell 90 around in) and i wanted to fit a controller and a delay within the case. hoooly shit having a little box to carry around is so much fun

nrg242 · Post by **nrg242** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 11:21 am

i started with a HEK, then very quickly upgraded to a 12U 104hp Goike. Now thats full and the HEK has all the misfit modules that may be headed out the door. i think my next move with be a portable case like the Intellijel 7U (and get rid of the HEK).

pixelmechanic · Post by **pixelmechanic** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 11:35 am

I preferred to stay with multiple smallish (6u 84hp) cases rather than one big case for issues of portability when performing.

Basically I like to be able to stow my case(s) overhead on trains etc. This is the main reason why I haven't bought a 9u case.

The 'downside' was that I didn't often patch between cases as much as I might/should have.

It's hypothetical now (well, kinda) as I only have one 6u suitcase in Euro after selling 9u to buy a couple of Serge M-class panels (and still not patching between Euro & Serge as much as I might/should)

Avjr · Post by **Avjr** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 11:51 am

pixelmechanic wrote:I preferred to stay with multiple smallish (6u 84hp) cases rather than one big case for issues of portability when performing.

Basically I like to be able to stow my case(s) overhead on trains etc. This is the main reason why I haven't bought a 9u case.

Man, i hear ya. Bought a 9u when i got into euro. Then i bought another 9u. More value for money, yes but now i'm starting live duties and i wish i had 6u cases for ease of transportation. PITA when you don't even own a car... So now i'm trying to sell my 9u cases so i can get 6u ones instead. One for live stuff, the rest stays in the studio.

VZvision · Post by **VZvision** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 1:13 pm

When I outgrew my shared system (first case), I bought a second 6U Elite Case. Main reasoning was that I couldn't bring myself to part with any of modules in there since I got so used to them but didn't want to waste the case I already had.

The Elite 208 was missing the CV bus though and I was filling up the first CV bus from the Shared System with Mults so quick in a patch. Didn't want to sacrifice 3U HP on Multiples so found a used CV shared system empty case with the CV bus on muffs which was my 3rd case.

Gas continued on newer modules that were mostly control-based so picked up 2 MN skiffs to accommodate.

Stoked continued relentlessly and am now waiting on a Monorocket Gemini Base to (hopefully) finish off.

Built a pine shelving unit to stack all the cases at shallow to steep angles vertically with all cases removable for portability. Am looking at rebuilding that to get one of 6U's to overhang arcade-style since I'm fresh out of desk space.

Eurorack = Temporary insanity for justification

Futuresound · Post by **Futuresound** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 1:33 pm

When I filled my first 6U case, I bought a second one. It's an okay solution, but kind of annoying having to move them as separate objects instead of one big object. And since I have one PSU jumpered off the other, they're two objects that are physically tethered by a power cable. Yay.

I have long been planning on addressing the problem by building a 12U.

But I'm glad I haven't because I'm realizing that what I need is 9U + a 3U controller skiff.

ersatzplanet · Post by **ersatzplanet** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 2:17 pm

The answer to one question made my mind up for me - "Do I only want to play in my studio?" My answer was no.

I started with a 6U Doepfer portable case and just kept buying more. The advantages are for me:

1) Portability - I have seven 6U cabinets and skiffs and ALL of them plus a mixer and amp and speakers fit into my VW beetle.

2) You can take only what you need - When I go to a synth meet or a jam, I only take what I plan on using and leave the rest at home.

3) Organization - To make #2 above work better, I have arranged my modules in the cabinets making them as stand alone as possible. Synth voices in 2, digital wav player voices in 2, Sequencer stuff in 1, External audio modifiers in another, and one skiff to control them all. In the studio I can swap the cabinets around depending on the project to make things easier.

4) Power supplies - Each case/skiff has its own power supply and since they are restricted by size, the chances of putting too many modules for those supplies is lessened. If you blow a supply, you still have cabinets you can play.

5) Sale-ability - I just got a Nord G2 to go with my G1 and will be selling off a bunch of stuff. I won't be left with gaping holes in my system constantly taunting me to fill them. It is easier to sell sections of your rig that way.

The cons of multiple cabinets:

1) You do play module Tetris more until you have a working layout. With a bigger cabinet and if you don't care about blank spaces, you can move things around easier on longer rails.

2) Lots of power strips - more cabinets means more AC needed and if you have a bunch of skiffs (3 of my cabinets are DIY skiffs) that typically means lots of wall warts.

3) somewhat easier to steal - a big cabinet is harder for a thief to take out of your studio and small cabinets can be stolen from your car.

I stack mine up like a large cabinet so the ergonomics in the studio is the same. You can keep growing until you want to stop, expansion is easier especially if you make your own skiffs or cabinets.

The last time I took a picture, my rig looked like this:

skeller047 · Post by **skeller047** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 2:34 pm

I started with a dual Cell 90, almost immediately built a DIY 6U x 104HP case (out of GatorFoam board, worked well). This used TipTop Studio Bus power supplies. I still have the dual Cell 90, but don't use it.

When I needed (er... wanted) more, I made a 15U x 104 HP case, using Studio Bus boards from the GatorFoam case, plus 3 more. It took a few months to fill that up, I like the way it ended up.

I now also have a Mantis, which I use when watching TV with my wife. It helps get me through those Dateline mystery specials she likes... Still have the dual Cell 90, thinking about populating it with "modules I don't like" to see if I can learn to like them

spudboyblues · Post by **spudboyblues** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 2:46 pm

It's been a long journey! Started with a Make Noise 3U skiff, outgrew that and waited a while for a CV-Bus 104hp 7U case. Filled that and overflowed into another 3U skiff, so currently at 10U.

About to pull the trigger on a Doepfer Low Cost Base Case, which would allow better studio situation of the two cases, and access to modules in general. So that would be a total of 13U! Going to have to cut myself off there due to space constraints. (If you care to peek, my ModularGrid's are in the footer)

Bigsteak · Post by **Bigsteak** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 3:51 pm

I'm debating this myself. I'm either gonna get a 3u skiff in addition to my filled 6u 84hp, or get a 12u 104hp elite and be done with cases for a while. I like the idea of one big case, but it's hard to drop that much money on something that holds electronics.

thispoison · Post by **thispoison** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 4:06 pm

When I started this journey in the late 90s, I bought an A100 basic system, thinking it was all I was going to need. (Choice was limited to Doepfer as far as I knew at that time).

Later I bit the bullet and expanded into a second G6 - now I'm at 6 x G6s.

Sometimes, I wish I had bought a bigger case at the start, then I shake myself and realise that that kind of foresight at the time would have been as ridiculous as applying a similar hindsight now. I've still not finished, so why would I now risk those silly small monster cases - one day I might have 6 of them and then what?

So I'll stick with G6s I guess!!!

Futuresound · Post by **Futuresound** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 4:11 pm

ersatzplanet

That looks like a fun setup.

Making me think instead of replacing 2x6U with 9U+3U, I should keep the 2x6U and just ADD 9U+3U.

ersatzplanet · Post by **ersatzplanet** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 6:10 pm

Futuresound wrote:ersatzplanet

That looks like a fun setup.

Making me think instead of replacing 2x6U with 9U+3U, I should keep the 2x6U and just ADD 9U+3U.

I think adding is the way to go. Selling is losing money. The best option is learning how to make your own cabinets/skiffs. I made the bottom 3 in that picture.

spudboyblues · Post by **spudboyblues** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 7:17 pm

Bigsteak wrote:I'm debating this myself. I'm either gonna get a 3u skiff in addition to my filled 6u 84hp, or get a 12u 104hp elite and be done with cases for a while. I like the idea of one big case, but it's hard to drop that much money on something that holds electronics.

This was my exact dilemma. I did the 3U skiff, and here I am upgrading to the low-cost base case.

My thoughts for rationale are as follows: performing with anything more than 6U of eurorack — for my purposes — is excessive. (Sidenote: interesting commentary on this subject via DivKid's Modular Podcast. Whole episode on performing with modular is super fascinating.) So, there is a defined need to keep the 7U CV-Bus case for me, and I started with the 3U MN Skiff as an addition to that, to house the several voices I wanted out of my setup. Now, it feels like 12U is the necessary amount to really dive deep, so I'm upgrading to the Dopefer LCB. So, my recommendation would be to find some configuration of 12U that works best for you!

basicbasic · Post by **basicbasic** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 9:34 pm

Started with a 3u Elby rack. Added a 1u one and eventually another 3u and built a proper case for it to equal 7u.

I then bought a cheap Doepfer 3u for a second case, then 6u of extra rails and built a case for that which ends up at 9u.

Richie Witch · Post by **Richie Witch** » Tue Dec 13, 2016 9:56 am

1. Started with a HEK
2. Replaced that with a Doepfer A100-G6.
3. Still had plenty of power left once that case was full, so mounted a third bus bar on the top of the Doepfer case with the HEK frame.
4. Removed the bus bar when I bought a second A100-G6.

At 12U, things have slowed down, and I still have about 20 hp to fill.

If I decide to go bigger, I might buy one of those two-post server racks and move the A100's to there. I could easily add another 6U or 9U case with no power supply, and since I'm only using 45% of my available power, I could just tap off the power from the A100 cases.

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MOD WIGGLER

when u outgrew ur first euro rack case did u....