MOTM

Dear List,

I'm new to this and am trying to figure out which modules to start 
out with. I'm going to put them in an SKB popup case as I already 
have one for some Waldorf rack mount synths as well as a matching SKB 
for my mixer.

Option one is to get a bunch of the micro modules and a 950 power 
supply. With this I can do a modular "Minimoog" style arrangement as 
well as use the new 650 MIDI-to-CV module. The problem with this is 
that I don't think the 950 power supply has enough jacks (and maybe 
enough juice) to power 12 "regular" modules plus the 650.
(390 LFO, 3 x 310 VCO, 890 mixer, 490 VCF, 190 VCA, 2 x 800 ADSR, 101 
Noise/S&H, 820 Lag, 2 x 910 Mult)

Option 2 is to use two power supplies, a 950 and a 900. I don't 
really want to have 6 spaces out of the 20 taken up by power 
supplies, but this way I can power all I'm planning to in the first 
SKB and then expand into the second without buying another power 
module. I can fit 10 micro modules in this option, plus the 650.
(390 LFO, 3 x 310 VCO, 890 mixer, 490 VCF, 190 VCA, 2 x 800 ADSR, 101 
Noise/S&H, 910 Mult)

Option 3 is to go with the 950 supply but to use the "large" modules 
(like two 300 VCOs and a 320 LFO in place of three 310 VCOs, a 390 
LFO and an 890 mixer). This disadvantage of this is that at least in 
the beginning I have far fewer modules to play with. The advantage, I 
think, is that I have the "good" modules rather than the "lite" 
modules, and that a 950 supply can power the 9 modules as well the 
650.
(320 LFO, 2 x 300 VCO, 490 VCF, 190 VCA, 2 x 800 ADSR, 101 Noise/S&H, 
820 Lag , 910 Mult)

Here are my questions:

A) Can a 950 power supply successfully power this many modules? I 
don't know how many connectors it has or how much power it can 
generate. I know the 900 supply has 12 connectors. Does the 950 have 
12 "regular" connectors in addition to the new connectors or does it 
sacrifice regulars to make room for new ones? I don't really want to 
put expander power distribution boards into the popup case as there's 
not really a good place to mount them.

B) Are there other options for power? Can I get a 900 and a 950 kit, 
gut them both and then put the parts on a new panel that would go 
under the two rack rail sets? If I had already built 20 modules I 
would probably not think twice about doing this. As I have not yet 
assembled any modules I'm not sure of how difficult or easy this sort 
of custom wiring would be. The huge advantage of this is that I get 
back all the space the two power supplies would take up as well as 
probably being able to power a second SKB and maybe a third.

C) Should I just go ahead and build a 950 supply and not worry about 
this at all until I have enough modules? In other words, I could just 
start building and deal with it in six months or so.

D) A more basic question is whether to build the micro modules or the 
big ones. Will I regret the 310 VCOs in a year and wish I had the 300 
VCOs instead? Are the 320 LFOs unbelievably better than the 390 LFO? 
Should I build a Magic Bus instead of the Mults?

Those are some of the things I know I don't know. What also concerns 
me are the things I don't know that I don't know. I'm sure there are 
things I haven't even thought of yet. In reality I suppose I'll just 
get a power supply and a module or two and start off slow and easy. I 
have a funny feeling however that I'm shortly to be addicted to this, 
and hey, it's never too early to plan for that third cabinet. <g>

Sorry about the length of this post. It's just that I have about a 
thousand questions that I can think of and probably a lot more that 
haven't occurred to me yet.

Thanks,

         Seth