Should i buy this?

Eurorack
#1

Heya !
So i am wondering if I am to jump into the eurorack univers.
BUt my knowhow-status is NOOB.
I have the option to buy the following, but i dont know if it makes sense to be these as my first stash, if the work good together or if Id need additional gear but this.
So it’s this gear

Intellijell PLONK / ATLANTIS/RAINMAKER/SHAPESHIFTER
erica DRUM SEQUENCER/FUSION/PICO SYSTEM 3/
DOes make any sense buy this lot? Meanig ; do they work well together and get me up and going?
Help a noob out : )
Would be much appreciated,Have the best of days

#2

Hello!

I am not that experienced myself, so please keep that in mind when considering my answer! :slight_smile:

For that very same reason, I may give a good advice, though.

I think the Plonk and the drum sequencer sounds like a good thing to get! A versatile generator of percussive sounds and a comprehensive sequencer to drive it (that still has an (seemingly, to me) intuitive and solid interface.

Do you need to buy all of them? To me the Atlantis and Rainmaker appears to be interesting modules but perhaps to much functionality put into one module for someone who is just beginning to learn. Also with what looks like alot of menues. I may be wrong here.

I think it is sometimes not a good idea to get a do-it-all thing - in many contexts, not just synthesizers - to begin with, even though it seems like you get alot all at once. Yes, in a way - but it may prove too complicated and just be sitting there not used.

Both the Atlantis and Pico are complete synthesizers in themselves, I think. Perhaps one of those would be enough to learn to begin with. The Pico, if I understand correctly, is additive so it may be a bit of a different approach. You may find it interesting, though.

Also, I notice that most of the modules are very big. Do you have space for them? Could the space be used differently? How will you organize it?

Perhaps get smaller parts with clear functions and learn how they interact with each other. Then the understanding of the multi-module will come automatically (as well as ideas of how to use it). Or learn it through perhaps one big module and a few small ones.

Apart from intellijel (where I have been happy with every module I’ve tried) you my want to look into Dreadbox’ Chromatic modules (none of which I’ve tried). I have heard they consist of solid quality, smart design and for a very fair price. Not unlike Intellijel in this matter.

I will repeat: I am not an expert and do not have comprehensive experience. And I do not follow my own advice (which is a decision I am quite happy with)!

Take care!

#3

Sounds like you’ve encountered one of those people that tries (usually unsuccesfully) to sell a whole system they’ve built over time in one go.

My recommendation would always be build up your own system gradually with modules that are a combination of what appeals to you, and essentials you need in your system.

In saying that, you could do a lot with just the sequencer and either Plonk or Atlantis. Or both. They would pair well together.

They’re also both modules that are complete voices, so you can use them in tandem with a sequencer and not need any other modules. I’d probably say that’s a good thing for a beginner, but bear this in mind as you’ll probably want a more broken down system as you expand.

I’d probably skip the rainmaker / shapeshifter if I was a beginner. (although they are great modules) And I have no experience with the fusion / pico stuff, but i imagine your seller wants to sell everything together. You could always offer a lower price if that’s the case, and sell the modules separately yourself that you don’t want or don’t get on with.

1 Like
#4

HEya !
Lots of appreciation for taking timeout to reply! So kind.
I should have mentioned of course that the situation is a person borrowed some equipment from me and it got stolen, he’s broke and offered me to give me this set for it.
And being the noob I am I dont know if it makes sense accepting.
Cause if i do need to other units to make it make sense it will suddenly be an expense instead of a good deal : )
BUt i appreciate your reply and will read me up on what you say here mos def.
So have the best of days
Regards
Joaquin

#5

HEya !
Lots of appreciation for taking timeout to reply! So kind.
I should have mentioned of course that the situation is a person borrowed some equipment from me and it got stolen, he’s broke and offered me to give me this set for it.
And being the noob I am I dont know if it makes sense accepting.
Cause if i do need to other units to make it make sense it will suddenly be an expense instead of a good deal : )
BUt i appreciate your reply and will read me up on what you say here mos def.
What would be the natural module to gewt to this set if i were to expand on it?
If you have the time to just name a couple of modules that would fit this set up Id be very thankful.
So have the best of days
Regards
Joaquin

#6

The value of all of those modules is over $3000 USD. If the modules are in excellent condition and you have no hopes of seeing money from this person again, you could likely sell them to recoup some loss.

As for the modules themselves and their benefit to a euro rack neophyte, there’s a lot of complexity in that list. All fantastic modules to be sure. They would seem to make strange bedfellows though. Plonk and Atlantis require pitch/gate and Shapeshifter requires pitch, VCA, VCF etc. I’m not familiar with the Pico System 3 but at a glance it looks like it can do some very basic sequencing (also has a decent amount of modulation sources). The Drum Sequencer is fantastic for gate/trigger in a system with percussion modules. Rainmaker is incredible.

That collection of modules is definitely missing some bits though :). Also, that is a lot to wrap your head around if you’re new to euro rack.

I would take these modules and either sell them to recoup the loss, sell some of them to purchase modules that would complete a small setup for a beginner, or just not grab them at all and hope this person could repay me.

The Atlantis would be a great place for a beginner to start. You could pair that with a Metropolix (or used Metropolis that could be had at good prices now that the Metropolix has been released). I would sell the Drum Sequencer perhaps to finance this. The other modules I would keep boxed up until I knew that euro rack was the right fit for me. Rainmaker and Shapeshifter could be quite overwhelming to dive into. They also really come alive with modulation sources of which I don’t see anything in that list.

That’s my two cents :slight_smile: I’m also only a year and half into my euro rack journey and it’s taken over a year to know what I want from my system (Not to understand it all. It all makes wonderful sense to me. There’s just tremendous power and choice in euro rack).

I hope this helps with your decision or at least gives you something to think about.

EDIT: I should add that me encouraging someone to take another person’s equipment as payment for something that was stolen feels…at odds with my morals. I don’t understand the circumstances (nor do I need to) surrounding the loan of equipment and it’s subsequent theft. If this person is a good friend of mine and the equipment they are offering to repay me with is something near and dear to them, I would find a way to work something out with them. I wouldn’t want to cause more grief to someone else over something out of their control.

If this person was more of an acquaintance and was less than remorseful about the situation, I would likely just take the gear and be done with it regardless of my intentions to use it or not.

These situations are rarely as clear cut as they seem. <3

2 Likes
#7

Yup. I would agree with d4ydream’s post above.

Assuming the value of the modules is acceptable to you, I would take them all, keep the Atlantis and sell the rest, buy yourself a metropolix and start there with those two. Fun additions to this pairing would then be done kind of fx module, I’d probably pick a delay / reverb, a make noise Mimeophon would sit nicely here.

And then maybe something like a Mutable Instruments Plaits which gives you lots of different sounds in one module.

Grabbing a quad vca would be very wise too as you’ll need it at some point and you can use it as a mixer in the mean time.

I’m assuming there’s a case that comes with this too.

#8

Heya!
I replied , but it didnt go through the Gmail system for some reason.
BNut thanks so much for taking time out.
So great answer as well, reallu appreciate it.
But was wondering if you could advice on if i should buy a system, erica black system 2

or maybe doepfer 100 ?A-100 Systems

these two are for sale not too far away from me,but would they complement what i have?
I m also looking at the moog series of “dfam”, “32” & " Subharmonicon".
I do have the arturia s2, which have some CV outputs, as well as the “Behringer Neutron”

The synths that got stolen was a Polybrute and the Korg opsix, it was in his car ,and this got stolen.Prolly because there was two synths in the backseat.
Im pretty pissed cause of it, but heseems to be genuinly sorry.
BUt would any of the systems help me out here?
Best of days to you.
Regards
Joaquin

#9

Heya, thanks for replying !
So appreciated.
I linked to 2 sysytems in a reply above, to two units thats for sale in my city.
Do you think any of these systems would complement the units “i have…or soon have i guess”
The doepfer 100 system or the “Erica black system ii”
Wasnt initially open to buying more but what can you do : )
ANd i really like the moog series of “DFAM”, “32” and the " Subharmonicon".
Would they do me any good?
And i have some CV in/outs on the Arturia S2 and the behringer “neutron”., but ive just used tham as standalones thus far.
WOuld be happy if you had any info on either of the systems.
Surely they will have whats needed to get the units “i have” up and go?
Best of days to you!
Regards
Joaquin