Within like 10 hours, both Intellijel and Pittsburgh Modular hunted me down with their amazing customer service and asked to fix the issues I mentioned. So for what it's worth, I should have said this in the video: Every company has defective modules, I was just too lazy to do anything about them. I'll be happy to finally have the Plonk experience everyone is raving about. :)

I named my octatrack "Old Greg" because it kidnapped me against my will and forced me to love it and now I'm drinking Bailey's at the bottom of the ocean with Old Greg and the funk.

I'm a metal guitarist with zero knowledge of anything electronic music related, but I still always watch your videos because your content is incredibly interesting and fun to watch.

The module he covered with his phone is the Empress Effects ZOIA Euroburo. It's a eurorack version of their wildly popular ZOIA modular multi-effect guitar pedal, and it is indeed amazing!

Wait- You're The Flashbulb? No shit! It Pours is a track that I constantly recall and replay. Just incredible atmosphere, stirs up the distant emotions. Amazing work.

Hey nice to see one of my modules here. That is a very old .BAM!

Great to see the Pittsburgh filter get love. I've had one forever and it sounds great on literally everything but I especially love running guitar through it, set as a notch filter with cranked Q and some slow smooth modulating CV on the cutoff.

Great Work! Love your setup!

WHOA HOLD THE PHONE.... I've only had a few of your videos pop up which I passively watched while working or soldering a module or whatever and... You're The Flashbulb?!?! I'm sorry for being embarrassingly late to the party but... I just can't even believe that. Thank you so much for making music I've listened to a whole lot and for making great videos!

This really shows how underrated Doepfer stuff is. Sure, it's not THAT interesting, but they are all so useful and straight forward, very inspiring.

Benn has such an inspiring personality

I had a disting in my case for a little bit before I finally busted the manual open and started using it. Very worth.

Love the shirt! Video's great too, I appreciate you going over how much you use each module and whether you'd keep it or not, that's helpful to know now that I've started my own rack and am looking into ways to better fill out my system.

Nice to see an honest and non-gearlusty rig walkthrough for a change!

Lol, Benn!! That “Well Hi” was a spot on impression of that adorable cat. Big props. I don’t do modular, but you got my like and view just for that 😂

This video is surprisingly informative and dense. Thanks Ben!

The only channel on KZfaq worth watching, keep up the great work and thank you

Fantastic video Benn, very interesting and useful to compare my thoughts and feelings to what others think about their same modules...

Synth is like another planet compared to a fretboard. This kind of content clickbait/dinner does not matter. It amazes me how one does not get overwhelmed by these setups, as well being able to create entire musical compositions without getting distracted by the amount of choice or even limitation. Much respect.

I kinda feel you on the 4MS spectral multiband resonator. I have the 4MS spherical wavetable navigator and it's a beautiful module but only seems to have a limited sound range, kinda like an ice cream truck. But I live the arpeggiator function. I could listen to it for hours. I'm kind of surprised you'd sell the Mother 32. It's a classic. I agree with you on the DFAM. I use it as a synth, not a drum machine. And I wouldn't trade it either. My next purchase will probably be the Doepfer A-111-4 quad vco because it's an awesome module and I see it now comes in black :D

Great video very clean way of looking at used/not used gear.

Love the videos man, keep 'em coming! One thing I'd like to contribute about "true" modular vs. VCV Rack - my brain has this pathological need to follow some set of "rules" or patterns. One of my biggest loves about using VCV Rack is that I can't just keep using the same patch over and over and just modifying it a little, like I would if I had an actual modular setup. If I didn't unplug all the cables at the end of the day (extra work), I'd sit back down the next time and maybe make a couple of changes, play around, leave, come back, wash rinse repeat. With VCV Rack I'm forced to come up with new patches effectively every time I sit down which means that I can force my brain to be creative despite it wanting to be extremely lazy/efficient. Either way, this video gave me some more info about the Mutable modules that I will be able to take into VCV Rack, so thank you very much!

Great vid. Dude, I love the nebulae and the sts. Especially with samples of sitar’s, violins and kotos. Into clouds, your away.

Very interesting, I like the way how you describe each modules Thanks

Thank you bro. I been enjoying your videos lately. I relate to a lot of your stuff

Ice cream truckee sound? Ok. THAT is brill!

just great stuff here. thanks for showing, really enjoyed your presentation! groove on

The new Acid Rain Technology Maestro looks really cool. I haven't bought a new module in awhile either but that definitely looks interesting.

“ice-cream-trucky sound” is my new favourite phrase.

Great video and as someone who plunged deep into Eurorack modular last year, Mutable Instruments are some of my favorite modules that do a lot, sound great and are fun to use. In fact with Plaits into Beads (Clouds v2) into Rings into Marbles gets me into ambient nirvana and so much more. Plus I love the cool toys and swag that come with each Mutable Instruments module. Sorry to hear about your issues with Plonk. I've had Plonk for a year and love it sounds great and lots of CV to patch it.

im just glad i picked pretty much the same coremodules :DD good to hear you keep them haha. elements rings etc

Great video, would love watch this for hours from many peoples systems.

Cool to see you using the doepfer a143-1. It is one of my favourite modules.

Your videos just get better and better i swear.

Great video! I’d love to see more modular content 🤓

i was surprised about your take on the disting, i have a way smaller system so it really works great as that swiss army knife turning my case into anything really.

thanks for finally doing this, and done well - useful info from a seasoned musician :)

That was very useful, very entertaining and (thankfully) very different from everything euro related I ever saw! Super cool!

That unreleased module looks like a Euroboro but I could be wrong off a quick glance :). Fun overview!

A couple years back I bought the MiniBrute 2S and they had a discount on its 2U Eurorack case/power supply, so I picked it up. After studying a lot about eurorack, I just couldn't bring myself to buy any of the modules because other folks I watched on KZfaq would eventually buy modules for the MB2S but then they would discard it and just use the Eurorack exclusively, and then it would fill up, they would then get rid of the case and get a larger one and continue buying more and more modules. So right now, the most I will do with Eurorack is use VCV Rack (and I'll happily buy stuff in VCV Rack to support it). I think maybe I'll add some external integration, but you know, when you see for the steep cost of $500 just to get CV/MIDI in/out to Eurorack and back to PC, I could get some gear that makes sound or have better function for $500, instead of just being a tool performing a task for hardware and taking up space. Once you figure you probably need a few thousand dollars of function/tool-type gear, I can see Eurorack might never be for me...

Thanks for this. I cringe at most advice-giving videos and forum posts and only really respond to posts like this - someone talking about the choices they've made for themselves and what they themselves get out of those choices. Great video.

I loved this video, being in modular for a good 10 years I can say I will never trade a module!

Rings!! Yay! 😆 I started about a year ago and slowly building, up to 5 currently. Rings was my first module, the went for a midi to cv to use it with a keyboard lol. I still love it. The Disting is one of my other modules which I think it’s a great module when starting out cause it will let you try all kinds of things with your other modules and see what things to go for in the future 😜. Thanks for the input!!

Cool video and the way you presented was very helpful. Thanks!

So I had no idea you had a youtube channel until this randomly popped up. Love you Flashbulb, cant wait to see you live again.

I always felt the same way about naming instruments, and calling it Subway is hilarious. Oh, I was listening to the Empress Bass Compressor demos, and you are incredibly skilled!

A neat little module i just found is the Muta Jovis from Noise Engineering. I snagged 2 when they were on sale and initially thought they were plain old mutes, but they also function as buffered downstream mults. pretty cool for < $100

This was great. I've been looking into starting a modular setup and I've been overwhelmed by a lot of the different things out there. This showed me what a lot of things do better than 20 minute videos of some guy going "umm" and "uhh" while he tries to overexplain a single item.

The module he could not show is the empress euroburo, the eurorack version of the zoia. Very happy to see this module in a rack because I was beginning to think Empress abandoned it!

Extremely great video. The New Sound Agency is listening...

your video filters are quite soothing to the eyes

I _love_ the A-152, would love to see how you use it. The T&H is so much fun to mess with.

Sell the distink mk4 and get the super ex disting, the screen is readable!

This was really cool to watch as someone with lots of classic synth knowledge but no eurorack experience!

Actually laughed out loud at click dinner. And the quick closeup made it hit even better.

Genuinely love your humour.

Yes yes yes on that Cribs camera work dude

I really appreciate that you did an "everything I own" video. I wish everyone did. It's tempting to think people uploading KZfaq videos have every module ever made, and can get frustrating knowing you can't actually do that. It's nice to see that with, even you, there's a limit. You have a LOT of modules, but it's nice to remind myself that you also DON'T have some. Sounds simplistic and childish I know. But I guess it's a psychological intimidation factor and your honesty gives me a more reasonable estimate of reality outside of my own imagined exaggerations. THANKS

Find a Disting EX Alpha to replace the MK4. It solves the interface problem and offers tons of use in the single algorithms.

15:00 I look forward to your video on Clouds 2. I'm so happy you stan MI.

Hey Benn, you should check out some modules similar to Maths like the Befaco Rampage and the Frap Tools Falistri

Feel you on the SMR. It's such a cool and complex module but despite putting a lot of effort into it, I came to the same conclusion. What I use it for most is running the output near the end of a signal chain into it and using the envelopes generated by the SMR to modulate the original sound source, so the patch is modulating itself. It makes for some very organic and subtle modulation, especially on a module like rings.

always dope content

1010 toolbox is worth every cent. I got rid of my steppy, mimetic digitalis and a couple utils modules for this. Its 26 hp with a flip able touchscreen.

Nice one, Benn! If there's one module I'd recommend, it would be the Doepfer A-124 Wasp filter. The dirtiest filter resonance I know, for a very fair price.

The Disting mk4 is sooo good, send a clock to x and use it's Euclidian sequencer or clockable LFO, it's a great extension to the rample by adding 2 more triggered sample (works pretty much the same as rample) Oh and its got great reverb and delay...

Thank you...good video and very helpful!

I like this criteria of "would I trade it" ..good way to winnow down to the essentials.

Interesting video. I feel cheated on that I just found out about your channel. I enjoy your viewpoints! I also enjoy watching people bleep-bloop their modular gear, but I've never been interested in owning any. At this stage of my life, I just don't have the mental energy or motivation to spend time experimenting with so many sound possibilities. I'd have to be immortal in order to feel that time is on my side for going down that modular rabbit hole, ha-ha! I do feel some odd pleasure and reward seeing people tweak and noodle their modular setups, but for me, my traditional subtractive and FM synths offer enough sound possibilities to last me the heartbeats I have left.

"well, hyYiiiiye!" liked instantly. Love you.

I have no idea what a Module does but this was an incredibly entertaining video and I'll definitely learn what a Module does now

You can cover it up all you want but I can just FEEL that beautiful colored button grid under there! That will be a very... Empressive module for sure.

Befaco rampage is comparable and I love pairing it with maths for chaining modulation

So what was the secret module?

There's many alternatives to Maths. Frap Tools Falistri was the best fit for me. Then there's R*S Serge DUSG, Cosmotronic Delta-V(cheap and small), Ritual Electronics Anima, Befaco Rampage, Sin Phi Miasma, Addac 506 - and more. They all have their own take on the concept. I think I will get 2x Contour 1 + Compare 2 for my second "Maths".

I want rings for the reasons you love it but haven't bought one, also for the reasons you say. With Disting Mk4 (the display on the

you should never give away the 4ms spectral resonator. once you find out what this monster can do you never ever give it away. its like maths..... you aiways find new stuff to do with it. great manual, too! but i must confess its a damn complex module!!!

I ordered a behringer neutron as my first modular/semimodular experience. It’s hasn’t arrived yet but I’m excited to get it.

16:30 wait holy shit this dude is the dude from Flashbulb?!

Thank you for this video.

Awesome video benn. Would love to see a livestream / video on live patching :)

Modular synthesis just seems like such an intimidating medium to get into

Of course you haven't added a module in 6 months. YOU HAVE THEM ALL. Hahah, Awesome video brother.

well darn I use the disting in 100% of my patches I was actually pretty sad to see you never use it. the interface is difficult to navigate through but I usually use it for the effect algorithms (chorus, reverb, delay, phaser) which are all fairly simple to find and use. that said, if you still find it difficult, the disting ex has a much better screen and is basically two distings in one. highly recommend looking into that if you haven't already!

just wanna say before watching that.... I need a video like this

well done man

I think now I just watch these videos for the humor. That Seinfeld bit in the "Ready To Go Modular?" video, I'll never forget it

This was very interesting. I have a big eurorack too, but at the moment not one single module in common, I had many of yours, but sold them all, also all your VCOs. I am always looking for best-sounding modules. Tons of analog stuff. First, I would recommend the Tiptop Folder Processor and try using the Subdiv Output. This is one of the craziest, at the same time but fattest sounding things I found in eurorack. Then, you lack of a very good high quality VCO. I recommend Instruo CS-L. Because I dont like your filters too much, I recommend the Supercritical Neuron Flux, or my favorite, the Filter Threek. Then, I would check out a good digital delay with a open feedback loop as the Chronoblob.

I sent my sv-1 to pittsburgh for the oscillator stability update and asked them to reduce the fine tune knob range to half, which helped me a lot.

Interesting way to do this, I appreciate it. Would've liked to have heard more of the "why" with the trades, but I get it. I feel very lucky to have access to about ~50U of stuff and wouldn't trade any of it.

Dude! I freakin loved this video

I've found great ways of using the 4ms SMR for drones that doesn't sound like an icecream truck. Using an ochd I have each voice's volume go up and down in a de-synchronized way, then sufficienty distort the voices with delays/reverbs/distortion. The result is an ever morphing ambient drone.

I am intrigued by the difference between Ornament and Crime, the Disting MK 4 and the ES-8. To me all 3 are very interchangeable, with varying degree of tune. The Disting is too hard to use. I get it, the new Ex Alpha is useable from the interface on the screen. The ES-8 Try connecting it to a computer, and call up VCV, Softube, Cherry any of the virtual modulars and connect its I/O to the ES-8, then you have a multiplier of things that can benefit your modular that are not necessarily better if analog. Circadian Rhythms for instance, or any clock function. (Because you asked at the end. :) Great video mate! Such an easy to get layout of your racks. Loved it.

southern cat: "well hi" ..

The Xaoc Devices Belgrad is great if you don’t have one. Next one I want to try is the Frequency Central Product - xvco/vcf/vca and envelope module with onboard lfo and noise. Looks like a great addition.

Nice walkthrough! That "hidden" module looks like a Zoia almost?.....so curious! Also excited about Clouds V2, would love to hear your thoughts on it at some point in the future. Love your stuff man.

warps is the perfect secret sauce module imo. great for gently coloring boring patches with the capability to get real weird on command

It's definitely the eurorack version of the empress zoia

Benn Johnson and Tinez collaborate. The Universe resets, we suffer but the greater good is achieved.

Best synth of 2020... I pad - modular.