Archive of the former Yahoo!Groups mailing list: MOTM

----> "Sorry, I could not resist thinking that a 3 or 4
dollar cost escalation would ever be a consideration for anyone spending
this kind of money on a synth."


With regard to adding fancy LEDs to modules, I don't know about ∗cost∗, but
here's another factor I haven't seen mentioned yet in this discussion.

When I first talked to Paul while buying my initial MOTM purchase, I asked
him why it was that his feature-laden, high quality modules consumed minute
amounts of power (on the order of 20 ma each) while other units (i.e.,
PAIA's modules) demanded 150-350 ma per module-a HUGE difference

Paul's simple response was, "Because I don't put LEDs all over the place."

I scratched my head because at that time I was really enamored with blue
LEDs; my plan was that I would build a huge modular and replace all of the
cheap red LEDs with blue ones. Sure the red ones are pennies while the blue
ones were $5 a piece, but ∗I wanted flashing lights, dammit!∗ The wife wants
to know where our retirement fund is going, and at least if I can show here
a big Christmas-tree of modular gear, she will understand.

But after talking with Paul that day, I spoke with my engineering guru who
said, "Yeah, he's absolutely right. LEDs suck up a lot of juice, and if you
aren't careful, can cause noise that will often be audible in a device like
this, since they are usually used to indicate some 'switching state' of some
part of the module's function."

So my love affair with LEDs ended pretty quickly. I'd rather have 30
high-quality modules running off my MOTM power supply than to have a power
supply for every two or three modules just to drive lights, which is what
you have to do with PAIA-type stuff.

Now I only mention this because there may be other factors--as well as
hidden costs (such as buying more power supplies sooner)--to fancying up the
indicators on these modules. Sure, $5 is nothing to have a cool tri-color
tell-tale, but are these more extravagant indicators using more juice, or
requiring more extensive filtering circuitry so that they don't leak noise
into the audio?

Inquiring minds want to know!