I have spent the past year playing with the Werkstatt and RA-99 a lot. Just powering them up and self-patching. Not ‘music’, just doing cool drones and FM and LFO stuff for hours at a time.
This way of ‘playing’ these little modules has gotten me really interested in Buchla and Serge stuff, which I have no experience with or knowledge of.
I am thinking it would be wise to just build a eurorack system with some Serge and Buchla type modules, that way I can have it talk to the stuff I have really easily, and make a really versatile system. But, I have to admit, these Random*Source standalone Serge Panels have really caught my eye. I like how focused they are. The Mantra in particular.
Does anyone have any experience with these? I don’t really know what I am getting myself into here. I am not a DIY guy, so that’s off the table. I love the sound from what I have heard. Are these ‘real’ Serge systems? Or some sort of ‘modern take’ that sounds supposedly worse than the ‘real’ ones from decades ago? I know Serge himself is now a member of their team. How is the build quality? Worth the high price? ANY INFO OR OPINIONS WOULD BE GREAT!!!
I dont have any myself, but yes, by all accounts, very high quality.
Check out this channel
A Serge and or Buchla system is also on my unobtainable list. For a while I thought I could DIY it, but after a failed X0xbox project, I dont think DIY is for me.
Good luck and enjoy if you get one.
Edit! DIY is totally for me. I just needed to skill up! Since this post I have got X0xbox working, upgraded my SH101, repaired it twice. Repaired my Lyra. Built quite a few Eurorack modules, including a rather tasty stereo compressor.
Random Source circuits are official Serge licensed designs. I like their La Bestia II panel. It’s like a cheaper version of STS Animal panel.
Generally I like the atomic level of patching with the Serge and I’ve been looking for a used panel or 4x4 modules to build a panel, otherwise they’re a bit too expensive for my budget.
Oh and I think we should mention @J3RK who is an experienced Serge user/builder.
Great questions! I could never afford the panels (until last 1-2 yrs when i bought elektron stuff instead ) but having used several of the individual R*S modules in minijack format…their reputation is unmatched
Build quality of their stuff is some of the best machinery i’ve ever owned. Yes, they make “real” serge which captures the sound and spirit of the original instruments (and as you noted…they have Serge’s blessing and had licensed his designs for a while before he joined in a more official capacity)
quick note…
i’ve only heard great things from friends who use R*S panels so this is a great description
having had decent experience using bananas i also gotta say DO NOT choose minijack/eurorack if “drones and FM and LFO stuff” are your goal and you want the full serge experience
there would be advantages in simplifying compatibility with your existing gear but if you can afford the panels in the first place, spending a little extra on a format jumbler to bridge your systems would be the wisest choice
This looks gorgeous, and it sounds amazing, for those willing to spend the time ( and a bit of money ) to learn to patch it and bring those patches to life.
Take a look at this splendid article on Amazona that tests the new Crocodile, discussing it in great detail, along with other Serge things from Random*Source.
This article translates well.
Also with this article, in typical Amazona style are a large set of audio examples, and in this case worth listening to all on their own ! This article actually is too detailed, but on the other hand has all the information you might seek if you might decide to buy a gorgeous synth like this, as well as being a bit of a guide to its use.
I don’t think the Crocodile was ever a panel before R*S started making it a couple years back; meaning I don’t think other eras of Serge ever made something named that. the modules existed already, and most of them date back decently far (or the core of them do). the TKB is more of a recreation though. it’s basically faithful to the original, with the addition of glide.
the Crocodile is a great collection of modules though. and the TKB is great fun, especially if you like to interact with/sequence/play your patches. the Mantra is also an excellent panel if you’re going to get just one.
I have discovered that the sound I was fascinated with was from Random*Sources Serge Euro modules New Timbral Oscillator (NTO) and Wave Multipliers (WM)
In a moment of weakness I have checked ModularGrid and my bank account, and thrown away NGNY25…
I’m slowly discovering the philosophy behind these modules with their functional bricks: I can see now where Make Noise comes from.
After trying to gather the documentation I could find online I contacted Matthias Herrmann from Random*Sources, that was kind enough to answer me quickly.
The documentation I could find on his site is a bit outdated, he told me.
But he pointed me towards even older documentation:
These modules have large panels for today’s standards, but I am fascinated by the sound and usability.
I know Moog and Buchla, but wasn’t conscious Serge Tcherepnin was still a living legend!
(born in the country of fine wines and bad English accent btw)
I briefly had an NTO but it had to go back due to a fault. It has probably the juiciest pulse wave I’ve ever heard. I just love the sound of Serge stuff.
What other stuff are you pairing them with? One thing to be aware of is that the Euro stuff follows the Serge 4U voltages rather than adapting them to integrate better with other Eurorack. Most inputs on their panels have attenuators so that’s not a big issue going in, but coming out you may find you need to boost audio/modulation and that kind of put me off buying a load of their modules. I did get a Joranalogue Bias 2 though, which is a compact way of dealing with a couple of signals.
In general I kind of got the feeling it’s best to either keep it to a module or two in a mixed Euro system, go completely Euro Serge or even full 4U.
I have one module, the Variable Q VCF, also known as VCFQ, which pings exceptionally well. In fact I thought the first Gennari track was using it, but it is probably using the NTO and the Doepfer LPG.
Serge gear is very attractive both visually and sonically, especially the 4u panels.
The Random Source demos are usually really, really nice but I have to give a shoutout to this person whose Euro Serge playlist I’ve returned to many a time:
yep i’m on the boat,
bought some euro r*s 3 or 4 previous years, actually have NTO, GTO, GTS and triple wavefolder.
Really love the sound of it, was really looking into buchla stuff but find that the serge way was really was what i was waiting for a modular; give me lot’s of crazy patching.
Still it’s not that easy to use, even with functionnalities like in the GTS, i was thinking it should be easy with my MATHS background, but it react differently in many ways. I even bought some LED cables to help me in the patching process.
Really love it, it can be really precise, but with patching it really come to life, it’s somewhere out of time, between modern sound design and old school sound, pretty good spot for me as i keep it not too big and use it to complement my abyss poly, and my mannequins modules.
Modules are pretty big but as the patching of this modules are not th eeasiest one i think it’s good that my vision is not overloaded.
NTO sounds wonderful. I don’t have it but I’m considering purchasing it despite setting a zero gear budget for myself this year…
Just put some sounds from my R*S Serge eurorack to current sounds. Sounds were generated with GTS and pinging VCFQ, and processed with VCM and GTO (+ fx from A4). A4 was sequencing via cv outs.
) but having used several of the individual R*S modules in minijack format…their reputation is unmatched
