Hey Elektronauts,
I am setting up a new Eurorack and want to sequence it with the Octatrack ot the Digitakt.
Thought of the Mutant Brain, but wonder if there are other interesting alternatives?
Could you help me out with some inspiration? What is your favorite here?
You will find several suggestions in this topic:
Thanks a lot! Did a search, but did not find it!
Definitely this:
http://leipzigwest.org/?page_id=242
There is even a firmware for specifically Elektron users.
Expert Sleepers FH-2
It can be expanded with more gate and cv modules such as the FHX-8GT (gate expander).
It has a lot of hidden features like sequencers and LFO’s, etc. Much of it can be a pain to program at first but you won’t be limited by it in any way.
Edit (added thoughts): Plus you get lots of blink’n lights for your spaceship control center! All of the jacks light red or blue for negative or positive CV voltage feedback (respectively).
Tried a few others and felt they were either badly implemented or pretty buggy.
My reasons for choosing the FH-2:
Expert Sleepers supports their hardware/firmware/software really well with updates and fixes constantly from what I’ve seen.
The One Man show that is Expert Sleepers has super hero powers. There is no other explanation for a one man show to be so prolific.
FH2 gives you headers to be able to incorporate MIDI (and other expanders) to your built in midi jacks on your case (I.e. Intellijel 7U or Pallet cases).
Hugely expandable through affordable add on modules.
Have had exactly 0 problems that weren’t user error.
There, now I don’t have to write this again in another thread 
I posted what’s below in the thread suggested by @PeterHanes , but since the conversation has continued here:
This looks designed above all to trigger drum / percussion modular. Only 8 notes possible from a single midi track.
I’ve limited rack space, thus I’m leaning towards the CV.OCD. I’m hoping someone can confirm / clarify.
It does 8 gate and 8 cv outs, which can be MIDI CC or pitch depending on configuration.
I stand corrected! Can you configure each of the CV outs, one sends Midi note to CV pitch, next velocity to CV, next CC to CV etc?
Still, the capability to send from more midi channels on the CV.OCD, means more flexibility using OT midi tracks. Still, I’d like to know why @Unifono wrote that the CV.OCD won’t convert ccs from OT lfo’s to CV,
I can’t remember exactly, I left modular world. But as far as I remember the CvOcd only outputs voltages between 0 and +5 or something. No negative voltages (lfos usually go negative and positive). But don’t quote me on it 
Cheers for responding. Useful info; led me back to the manual:
“For each of these you can specify the full CV voltage range from 1V up to 8V.”
I’m not absolutely sure but I think 8V range is quite standard, or at least sufficient for eurorack modulation. A CV Attenuverter could shift the range into negative territory.
I think this is the new firmware, not sure if you can configure it per out, but you can definitely switch between them.
my whole setup has a mutant brain which is configured for pitch/gate stuff (when driving synths) and then I have 8 gates + 8 MIDI CC for drums and modulation. This setup worked really well for me.
Agreed 100%. FH2.
This from Muffwiggler:
if you are looking for modulation the TRAM8 might be your thing: 8 gates, 8 cvs - 1U or 3U 5HP. It is for drums so no pitch CV tho
What’s the current stat on favorite midi to cv modules?
Summing up above plus my needs:
Needs/wants/hopes:
online I read somewhere that Poly2 doesn’t let you use these kind of different modes/uses at the same time; any experiences here? I guess it’s maybe really most intended for poly stuff instead of my needs?
Curious to hear experiences about Poly 2 (see question above), Hermod (big and expensive but maybe the only answer to above list?) or any other!
PS I see the Expert Sleepers has a 5pin midi expander and the FHX-8GT gates/clocks expander. Any thoughts on FH-2 + 5pin expander + Gates expander VS. Hermod? (I’m gonna look into if you can use the regular FH-2 cv outputs for clock/gates too?)
Seems the FH-2 is great for what I need indeed. I’m not too fond of breakouts, but I do see there’s a new small 3.5 multi-midi in/out breakout:
I use the endorphin.es Shuttle Control, also acts as a power supply. It is also a USB host and device so you can connect two devices and use them at the same time. It is configurable via a web page which is quite deep. You can configure the outputs to stuff other than midi conversions such as LFOs and noise.
Poly 2 and Mutable Instruments Yarns both have worked great for me
I went for the Hermod, because I wanted to have a sequencer in the rack so it could be ‘standalone’ when not used with the OT. It works well for this.
Would I make the same choice again?
hmm, possibly but its pretty big IF you don’t use the sequencer that often.
I use the 4 cv inputs much more than I expected, even fun for cv->midi.
I looked at the FH-2, pretty expensive esp. as you need to start adding more modules to get 8 CV/gate pairs… but the expandability is also a strength.
Shuttle, I liked the look of a lot . Ive been tempted a few times to grab one.
Poly 2 , on paper its excellent, but I saw quite a few unhappy users on MW, saying it was unreliable … you never know how big an issue this really is, but it put me off.
(esp. as Polyend do not put out a lot of firmware updates for their modules - so these issue may never be fixed)
EDIT: and just as I type this… @wormhole says, his poly 2 is great … just goes to show YMMV
i never attempted anything heroic with the Poly 2 midi wise but assigning outputs to their midi channel, CC# and voltage range from the front panel was something i found very easy on the polyend.
Yarns is solid and simple yet deep if u want it(I love Mutable)
Of course you’re right in that internet statistics should always be taken with a grain of salt. But I feel the same. Plus I feel it’s a bit aimed at slightly something different (poly;) than what I’m looking for (flexibly assignable outputs).
Plus thanks for the thoughts on Hermod. I think it’s exactly how you say, it’ll be a bit big and expensive for what I need; translating OT midi means i don’t need the sequencing.
