revtor wrote:The question remains: How to approach patching this thing? I'd probably spend one night connecting things to the inputs and outputs, imagining the possibilities, and then the next night get busy with the pins, tweaking the attenuators to suit. Fine tuning is where great patches reside, and this thing will take you there for sure! I hope the patch matrix is not so noisy or prone to crosstalk... ?
Labelling the patchbay with the EMS standard routings is an interesting design choice. Sort of an instant Synthi type of thing. And a nod to the classic synths -nice.
have fun!
~Steve
It is indeed a different approach to classic patching. I think it will push me to first think through the patch I wanna make and make a selection of signals I wanna work with, then concentrate on the balances and the routings inside the matrix.
The first tests I made proved satisfying in regards to noise and crosstalk.
If I wanted a noise free and crosstalk free matrix, I better bought a couple of Hinton Switchmix (or have a custom made one...) but I think a bit of noise and crosstalk is part of the charm of this kind of system. The interesting character and charisma of EMS instruments (that use unbuffered matrix systems) resides partly in the sometimes unexpected results induced by voltage fluctuations and inaccuracies.
Still, I have to do some extensive testing, in situation, with complex patches. If necessary, I could then install matrix buffering on some rows, as suggested by Graham Hinton on his pages dedicated to EMS.
The labelling is not quite a reproduction of that found on EMS instruments, but I thought it made sense to get some inspiration from the venerable ones and suit this to the available modules within my system.
I surely will have fun, but it will take time for me to get used to it and to be able to work quickly and efficiently.
