Archive of the former Yahoo!Groups mailing list: MOTM

Were it not for us 5U MOTM customers that helped Paul launch SynthTech,
there wouldn't be MOTM in the Euro format.

I don't think that's true. Or fair. The only "MOTM" in Euro is the
not-yet-released E440 which is ∗based∗ on the MOTM-440 but NOT the same
because of the SMT parts not being an exact cross. It is close. And I don't
have any plans to put any other MOTM 5U-based designs in Euro.

We are orphaned for the foreseeable future according to the present plans.

What about Oakley, CGS, STG, etc? And kits are STILL available from
Bridechamber.

Euro-format customers are benefiting on the road paved, in part, by my
kilo-dollar investment in 5U. I like the idea of buying stuffed boards,
sans pots, jacks, and panels.

But what is the point? I still have to buy all these things for the
non-DIYers so I still have the inventory. I still have to lay the boards out
the same way. Now I have to have 2 sets of documentation, 2 sets of boards
to keep track of. All for me making less money so people can spend < 1 hour
wiring up 4 pots and 2 switches and 8 jacks? That is DIY enough? Something
tells me that will get boring fast. Is Bridechamber supposed to carry
panels, too? And the vertical BI pots? And NKK switches? And.......

Look, I COMPLETELY understand there is a group of people that think the
soldering/building is just as (if not MORE) fun and enjoyable as using the
modular. I suspect there is a subset of those people that use it 5% of the
time, that it's 95% in the building. And chances are they already have all
the MOTM, CGS, JH or whatever pc boards bought (some stashed away 'for a
rainy day') and want MORE MORE MORE.

But there is another 'reason' that thru-hole DIY is going away: there is
just so much you can do with the parts available. What are the chances of
something TRULY NEW AND DIFFERENT made from resistors, caps, transistors and
op amps? These synth circuits are now ∗43 years old∗. 1000s of people have
tinkered with Electronotes and poured over every analog synth schematic ever
published. The only thing that remotely comes to mind is cloning Buchla
stuff and THEN you have people screaming "bad karma!" or "Not fair to Don!".
I have tried 3 times in the last 12 years to try to establish SOME dialog
with Don about it but he's not interested. I offered to license Serge
designs twice without interest. So, I can't go down that road without being
'the bad guy' even though LEGALLY I can. Ever wonder why there were never
MOTM-2xx modules?

Certainly, one can argue the MOTM lineup needs a 'refresh' as we say in
consumer electronics. The MOTM-800 can be a VC'd ADSR with looping (based on
the Frac version) and this can be entirely DIY thru-hole. The MOTM-190 can
convert over to the Frac 1190 design in thru-hole DIY. But really, these are
the only 2 that could benefit. All the others would be better suited to stay
the same (like the '410) or do SMT and DSP (like replace the '320 with the
Euro E355).

Just to address "added cost" of having my assembler insert & solder the
mechanical parts versus you doing it (to "save money"): they change me 5
cents a pin. So to place and solder a 3-position NKK toggle switch cost me
15 cents. The pots have 5 pins (3 for the pot + 2 mounting pins) so that is
a quarter. Jacks would have 3 pins so that is 15 cents. For a typical module
with 6 pots, 1 switch and 6 jacks that is only costing me $2.55. It's mice
nuts. Think about the TIME to make those same wire connections (at each
end!) for all these parts. That is 66 individual solder operations (panel
pots are just 3). If you can do 1 per minute let's call it an hour. I value
my time more than $2.55/hr and you should too :) But then again, I ∗GET∗
that the POINT of DIY is to do that work.

But by me having that work done, I could sit down and assemble 25 modules a
DAY, easy. They could be 5U or MU with attaching the correct panel. You can
enjoy the use of them right out of the box and have them shipped from stock.
But not much cheaper, and I also suspect that if you are 100% honest with
yourself, you do not save that much (if any) money IF you place any sort of
value on your time (say $20/hr). The problem is: I cannot afford 'zero
dollars/hr' time for me. I was willing to do that 8-10 years ago, but not
now.

Paul S.