4mm or 1/4"

[tomg]

> So common sense tells me to go for the banana option... but why do I
> yearn for a 1/4" system.

I was going to mail this private...but WTH. I found my soap-box. MLTHO 
follows....

It's been done to death because there is no real answer....If you are going
to get into modular building, I think there are at least 2 in your future.
I'm on #3.

If you are building a "true" modular I think banana jacks are the only
real option. But unfortunately they develop a lot of noise and get wobbly
as they get older. You have to keep them clean and use the best you 
can find, often these are expensive. A "true" modular is a synth you can 
and do swap modules on. Trying new designs or modifying - fixing old 
ones. This is probably the best idea for a personal modular you are going 
to continue to modify and work on. I think anybody that wants to build a
modular to begin with qualifies for this one.

I also think sooner or later you get to the point where you want a
patchable normalized synth. Something you can use (and see) 
without all those cables everywhere, you can still patch in and do 
the unusual stuff but you can just turn it on and use it most of the 
time. The best of the "modular" lot so to speak. For something that 
continues to work with low noise 1/4" is the way....

So think (2) TAMS-1 (modular-banana) and TAMS-2 (normalized-1/4)...
( That's Tony Allgood Modular Synthesizer BTW...;) So get started on your 
banana-jack masterpiece.

-tg