Joy of Synths #24 ARP2500
Considering ARP modules, 2600, low-cost Euroracks, and Analog is Hard in this non-musician’s guide to creating sounds for podcasts, videos, and sampling for music using analog synthesizers.
I bought the ARP 2500 Eurorack Modules reissued by Behringer and a Behringer Eurorack Rack to prepare for playing a real vintage ARP 2500. This was a positive learning and recording experience.
Now that I know what sounds I can get out of them, back to Amazon they go. Other people may have a process of continuous discovery with these modules. I’ve hit my ceiling, largely in part due to duplication of resources: I own semi-modular synths and Eurorack modules that do similar things.
These are very affordable modules. Deceptively affordable, like IKEA home goods that are $1.99 and your self-checkout reveals you added $150 of cheap goods to your cart. Once you add in all the other modules and Eurorack Go case, a complete powered 2500 “voice” with one oscillator would cost slightly less much as a semi-modular synth like the Pittsburgh Modular Taiga ($721 for ARP2500 modules vs $719 Taiga at Perfect Circuit during 10% off Labor Day sale.)
The above total is based on price drops on these modules as well as other Behringer synths, from $79 to $49 or $69 to $39. However, the total as of 08/11/2024 includes a single $69 oscillator, and all the modules total out to $522. Add in $199 and tax for a powered Eurorack Go case to possibly hold all the modules.
MODULAR ARP2500 OR BEHRINGER 2600 OR BUCHLA TIP TOP AUDIO?
In addition to price drop on these Eurorack Modules, the Behringer 2600 Gray Meanie (revision of dark 2600 with spring reverb) is now $449.00. I went ahead and pre-ordered though I’m on the fence now that I’ve connected Buchla Tiptop Audio modules to an empty Behringer Eurorack rack. I bought 2 of the Buchla TipTop Audio 245t Sequential Voltage Source, aka Step Sequencers, but don’t know how to effectively use them aside for pitch outputs.
Given this lack of knowledge, I recorded/played for an hour and learned that they pair nicely with the Buchla Tiptop Audio Quad Function Generator. Basically every analog synth opens up to further exploration with more control voltage inputs and control voltage sources. The Quad Function Generator can output four attack/decay signals, up to 10 seconds, independent of one another. They can self trigger or respond to gate signals.
The 245t Step Sequencer has a number of control voltage inputs which makes for interesting sequences. My favorite result has been the variation of step length, or how long a note is on. This differs from duty cycle, because that doesn’t affect the speed and length of a note with variations (unless that would have a control voltage input). A sequencer like the Korg SQ-1 allows you to control how long a note is on, but you’d have to manually turn the duty and speed dials to vary them.
Back to the 2600 - $449 is a great price for perhaps the best semi-modular synth for starters at $449. But it falls into the same trap as the Behringer ARP2500 modules- it duplicates what I already have. It seems the smart money in my situation is to get a proper Eurorack setup.
COST EFFECTIVE EURORACK RACK
I just found a 2020 receipt for my first Eurorack case, a 4MS Pod32 Beta for a total of $102 for 32HP. This was a great price at the time. What’s more cost effective in 2024?
While you can build your own case with power supply module, this article assumes you’ve already sunk money into Eurorack modules and you want max size for max modules at the lowest price. So this is a 2 row setup. Width is measured in HP, or horizontal pitch.
POWERED OPTIONS
Behringer 84 Eurorack Rack powered rack x 2 is $158 for 168HP, or 160HP minus the power supplies. Add $45 for a table top rack stand to keep both racks together.
Behringer Eurorack 104 unpowered case + CP1A power module x 2 is $236 for an available 200HP. Add $59 for a Behringer Eurorack Stand that would hold 3 104 cases.
Behringer Eurorack Go Mobile powered case is already 2 up for $199 for total 280HP. Power switch is on the back so you don’t lose 4-8HP on power supplies.
CASE STUDY RESULTS
Based on above prices, the Behringer Eurorack Go Mobile case is the way to go. Granted, if you’re starting from zero you’ll have a lot of empty space in the case though you could fill it with the ARP2500 modules. Just consider getting 2 or 3 oscillators.
A number of semi-modular synths can be removed from their powered boxes and placed in a Eurorack rack if that interests you. Buying $199 Behringer Semi-Modular Synths is a way to fill rack space and connect one to the other. Granted, since those are powered already, you could just buy a few and try cross patching to see if it’s worth investing in a rack and Eurorack modules. A mixer module would be a smart idea to blend all the different oscillators before or after their filters.
NEW SCHOOL YEAR: ANALOG IS HARD
I gathered my analog cameras to see if expired film would still process or render nothing. Something came of this experiment. The LomoKino 35mm motion picture camera is such a gamble. A few frames remained while the rest of the roll was underexposed from shooting indoors. I’m shelving the LomoKino until I have access to a light meter and an unexpired roll of ASA100 film for outdoor filming. However it’s smarter to film with a mobile device and add filters/plugins for light leaks and stuff like that. Assembling the stills in After Effects is laborious for the end result.
I dropped off 120mm film shot on a Lomo Diana camera and 35mm film shot on a 1984-era Canon AL-1 camera with a 50mm lens and onboard light meter. Hopefully something comes of those rolls of film. Alas, I have to wait 7-10 days for the lab to process the film and create prints.
I went into this knowing the risk of nothing turning out. But I didn’t anticipate the sinking feeling of seeing nothing turn out on a roll. Moments lost which could have been recorded with an iPhone just as well.
This reminds me of a long ago time when I bought and tested a lot of vintage cameras. The end result was that I didn’t achieve anything interesting with those cameras and I spent way more in film and processing these tests than if I bought a brand new 35mm still camera with lens. That was a sobering moment.
How does this relate to analog synths? Well, they present challenges.
It can be challenging to generate a sound at all if your envelope generator attack and decay are set to full left, or oscillator is full left, or low pass filter is full left. Sound will be blocked if there’s no high-low signal going to the Envelope Generator and there’s no voltage going to the Voltage Controlled Amplifier to let a sound out.
Overcoming these challenges isn’t impossible. It’s just hard initially. Thankfully there is an immediacy to synthesized sound. You turn dials and if the connections work out then you’ll hear something quite possibly amazing. Something that brings joy. That’s the joy of synths.
END NOTE
Happy New School Year!
I recorded talking videos but I went back and forth from “awesome modules” to “eh modules” to “really awesome modules” to “They’re great and going back to Amazon.”
Next issue of Joy of Synths releases on September 1, 2024.
All Content Copyright 2024 Anthony Torres, All Rights Reserved.