the watmm GAS thread

  On 4/15/2022 at 7:13 PM, chronical said:

So today my Mackie's XLR outs went apeshit when I was changing inputs and are permanently way too loud now. Sounds fine on the headphone out, guess it broke somehow, ugh

I've had at least three secondhand mixers with a similar problem (an older Mackie VLZ, a Phonic 16x4x2 of some kind, and the mixer section of my old Tascam 388).  For me it was always the right channel only, and the master fader would only affect the left channel (but even at full the right channel would be a few DB hotter than the left), but I ended up selling/giving away all three so I never got as far as figuring out if it was the actual control or something else (beyond simple cleaning and reflowing solder joints, neither of which did anything), but because of the way they all behaved (nothing intermittent, no crackling or anything, the other channel worked normally, and I've never had a level control behave that way anywhere but the master buss on a mixer) i don't think it was the actual control itself. Also, witht he MAckie the master fader behaved normally when you used the control room outputs, but not the main outputs.  The Phonic was like that when I got it, with the other two it just showed up suddenly with no warning and no obvious cause.

I guess I don't really have any advice for you, and it might not be the same issue but it seems like it's something that happens and it would be nice to know why and how to fix it.

  On 4/15/2022 at 7:13 PM, chronical said:

So today my Mackie's XLR outs went apeshit when I was changing inputs and are permanently way too loud now. Sounds fine on the headphone out, guess it broke somehow, ugh

There's usually a push button between mic and line level on the back. That's likely what it is.

  On 4/15/2022 at 8:50 PM, Taupe Beats said:

There's usually a push button between mic and line level on the back. That's likely what it is.

Oh yeah, I forgot they added that at some point, that probaby IS it. Although IIRC the VLZ-4 at least has the button recessed so you can't push it without using some kind of stick. MAybe I'm thinking of a different mixer?

  On 4/16/2022 at 6:47 PM, TubularCorporation said:

Oh yeah, I forgot they added that at some point, that probaby IS it. Although IIRC the VLZ-4 at least has the button recessed so you can't push it without using some kind of stick. MAybe I'm thinking of a different mixer?

You are correct, they're recessed now (a pushpin can access it). Either way that's likely the culprit.

In a moment of insanity I bought more hardware to accompany the ones I've had tucked away -  so I'm waiting for a Polyend Tracker (I started to make music in my teens with the Amiga and Sound/ProTracker, keen on refreshing my tracker skills - the features seem fun based on the tutorial videos), a SH-01A, and a SYSTEM-1 (keyboard version, I'll have to think about trading up to the M version at some point); a MX-1 came in already, so I've been poking around with that and the TR-8 and TB-3 I already had. I've also got a Volca Drum and Mix. Got some MIDI and audio cables to hook everything up in various ways. I've got an old M-Audio Axiom 25 MIDI keyboard/controller, which will do for a while, but I'm thinking about getting a bigger one, maybe an Arturia. The AIRA machines are a bit plastic and cringy, but I like the simplicity of plugging the others in MX-1 via USB, nice for some casual pattern-based entertainment.

I think I should also get a MIDI thru box to avoid daisy chaining, I've been thinking about ESI M4U/M8U eX or Kenton MIDI Thru 12 - any thoughts on these or alternatives?

I've also got FL Studio upgraded to the max, and an AKAI Fire to muck around with it, but I've been thinking about getting a Novation FLKey 37, too.

Here's hoping I'll find the time to get a working setup and actually get some music out of it instead of everything gathering dust somewhere.

  On 4/20/2022 at 8:53 AM, psn said:

Be aware that the internal sound engine of the Tracker is about 25-30 ms delayed behind the outgoing MIDI sequences.

Sounds horrible (in more ways than one, pun intended). Yeah, let's see how soon I'll get to that, there's a lot for me to learn. I noticed there's an option in Polyend to compensate MIDI delay, shown in this video at about 1 min - so I guess that doesn't work?

I think it was an attempted fix that was later retracted. 

I was on the fence about Polyend Tracker (but decided on it anyway), my alternative was Toraiz Squid - any opinions/experience on that one - or other similar products? MPC One? MC-707?

  On 4/20/2022 at 8:53 AM, psn said:

Be aware that the internal sound engine of the Tracker is about 25-30 ms delayed behind the outgoing MIDI sequences. A total pain in the ass if you want to work with hardware only, as the the only viable workaround is to monitor/record through a DAW and set up track delays for all the MIDI tracks.

 

Polyend has been trying to patch the issue since before version 1.3, and there still doesn't seem to be a fix available in the 1.6 beta:

https://github.com/polyend/TrackerBetaTesting/issues/570

 

Just listen to this mess. "Always in sync", LOL.

 

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I must be deaf and retarded. This sounds great to me. 

  On 4/20/2022 at 2:24 PM, flacid said:

I must be deaf and retarded. This sounds great to me. 

hey you just described my musical tastes.

Have we started talking about the syntakt yet?

https://store.djtechtools.com/products/elektron-syntakt

  On 4/21/2022 at 1:50 PM, acid1 said:

Have we started talking about the syntakt yet?

 

https://store.djtechtools.com/products/elektron-syntakt

So is this a machinedrum with 4 basic analog tracks? I'm curious. I'm also a bit hesitant seeing that a lot of Elektrons best minds have left. 

It is not even gonna be near the Machinedrum Mk2 UW+ 

From Than picture that floats around.. 

Hybrid drum machine? And a sampler? Sounds more like a Digitakt to me 

Im quite disappointed tbh… elektron has gone to shit 

  On 4/21/2022 at 3:29 PM, xox said:

Im quite disappointed tbh… elektron has gone to shit 

Sidstation - Monomachine - Machinedrum - Octatrack - Analog 4 - Analog Rytm 

Those machines was the real deal! Now all the best people behind it has left Elektron and I agree with you.
I don't understand Sweden's hype over this Hipster style of making synts now. 

  On 4/20/2022 at 10:36 AM, dcom said:

I was on the fence about Polyend Tracker (but decided on it anyway), my alternative was Toraiz Squid - any opinions/experience on that one - or other similar products? MPC One? MC-707?

I sold the Tracker after a couple of days with the M8 headless. The GUI is ridiculously fast, powerful and minimal. Muscle memory kicks in instantly and it feels more like playing a game, zipping between micro edits and macro structures.

The major drawback with the headless version is that it needs to do MIDI via USB/computer, so there's a substantial delay if you want to combine internal and external synthesis. The hardware M8 has perfect sync, apparently. On the other hand, my ageing eyes and back appreciates the headless version, as it provides a much larger screen via my PC and the improved ergonomics of sitting in a good chair with a game controller.

Considering buying the hardware version, but think I'm too old. Maybe there will be a v2 eventually, with individual audio outs, an HDMI socket and USB controller inputs? 

  On 4/21/2022 at 3:55 PM, psn said:

I sold the Tracker after a couple of days with the M8 headless.

Even if the MIDI doesn't sync well enough I'll keep the Polyend for a while, there seems to be enough fun to be had with it even as a standalone device. I can always sample & slice drums and render chords from the synths. If it's a POS I'll probably get a Toraiz Squid or MPC One.

Oh, and I bought more Volcas, Bass and Keys. They seemed fun, should be a blast when combined with the Drum and Mix I already have.

I have the Volca FM but the Volca FM 2 is not so much of a change.. Midi Out, some more voices, new lights.. 

If they had put in more knobs in there, take in Portamento, more functions, upgrade the sequencer etc then I would totally love it. 

I still feel Volcas is a mix between instruments and toys. 

  On 4/15/2022 at 8:50 PM, Taupe Beats said:

There's usually a push button between mic and line level on the back. That's likely what it is.

That's not what it was, for some reason the third channel blew when I plugged in the second jack cable, amplifying the line signal to MIC levels I think. My ears are still ringing a little

  On 4/21/2022 at 4:10 PM, cern said:

I have the Volca FM but the Volca FM 2 is not so much of a change.. Midi Out, some more voices, new lights.. 

If they had put in more knobs in there, take in Portamento, more functions, upgrade the sequencer etc then I would totally love it. 

I still feel Volcas is a mix between instruments and toys. 

I've been meaning to put the custom volca fm firmware on mine for a while now, really don't see a reason to upgrade with that being a thing.

Check it out here:

  On 4/21/2022 at 4:14 PM, cern said:

 

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I really wish this thing had a sampler because for me the best part of the MD was the RAM and ROM machines.

That being said, I still want one.

  On 4/21/2022 at 4:10 PM, cern said:

I still feel Volcas is a mix between instruments and toys. 

You should have fun with them regardless of what they are. I've been tweaking Drum w/ Mix during breaks as I WFH, and it's definitely fun.

  On 4/21/2022 at 4:15 PM, chronical said:

I've been meaning to put the custom volca fm firmware on mine for a while now, really don't see a reason to upgrade with that being a thing.

Check it out here:

 

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There's other things the Pajen firmware for the Volca FM 1 has that beat the Volca FM 2. The smooth preset switch CC is an extremely cool feature, and the ability to control Chorus speed. The Dexed compatibility looks great but I haven't used it.

The voice addition and MIDI Out of the Volca FM 2 is nice. I am burned out on Shimmer reverbs (and think it's extra obnoxious to put them on long-decay synth sounds which a lot of FM is).