Kit Review # 9 - Erica Synths SWAMP random module

An in depth review of this awesome new DiY module from the folks in Latvia! An update on the classic Wogglebug, this module can be the heart of a chaotic generative patch, both as a voltage source, a clock and an audio generator!
Get your kit here: ericasynths.lv/...
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/ quincas

[@shinrinyoku69]

This looks like a really fun module! I have been very happy with the erica DIY modules I've built, and this kit looks to be very DIY-friendly like the others. And the giant knobs are the best. As always your videos are full of musical inspiration to go with the DIY tips.

[@QuincasMoreira]

Thanks Brian! Yeah, it was a very friendly build, if a bit time consuming. And the look can't be beat, I just love their aesthetics, both visually and sonically :)

[@angelos808]

Great video. I have recently built their polivoks vcf II and it was very smooth. material and instructions are very clear. A couple of questions were responded rapidly.

[@QuincasMoreira]

Yes, they're great!

[@DjRafiV]

Great vid! I've built a turing machine, radio music and mikrophonie. My question is, how do you check for power shorts with the multi-meter?

[@QuincasMoreira]

DjRafiV cool! To check for shorts you would use the continuity/diode tester function in your DMM. It beeps when you touch the leads together. Just place one lead on -12 and the other on ground. Then check +12 and ground and finally -12 and +12. If it never beeps you are short free!

[@DjRafiV]

Synth Diy Guy easy enough, thanks!

[@QuincasMoreira]

you can see me do it right here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oGS9lZtthtpjrM0m41s

[@Schnurzbolz]

i love your videos, exactly my taste of gear and the way you explain stuff is very clear. now i am sure to buy the erica multimode vcf-kit (somehow i cant comment that video with firefox ...) please keep on making gear and videos! thanks :)

[@QuincasMoreira]

Thanks :)

[@Richie086]

Love your videos btw. So, what kind of cables do I need to buy to go from my Rigol DSO to my modular so i can view the wave forms? What are those strange looking pot looking things near the braids module (with the red and blue knobs)?

[@QuincasMoreira]

That module is my DIY 808 kick! Oh and just get some cheap chinese scope probes (with the BNC connector) and replace the test probles with 3.5mm mono plugs! That's what I did, works great for plugging eurorack outputs straight into the scope. cheers!

[@Kojoohar]

Thanks for the video! Just built mine, but haven't tested yet. Do you know what is the right position for the jumper? And what does it change?

[@QuincasMoreira]

Hey! I don't remember, but I'm sure that's covered in the build guide, no? Cheers!

[@Kojoohar]

@@QuincasMoreira Thanks for reply! I haven't seen this in the build guide, but i tried both ways and chose the best one. Sounds pretty much like yours, but now i'm starting to think it takes too much hp for its usability :) However it was a fun to build.

[@QuincasMoreira]

@@Kojoohar It grows on you...

[@tildebyte]

JMP-PLD-3 as marked on the main board changes CV between -5-+5V and 0-10V (I'm guessing that in general, -5-+5 would be better for "control" CV; 0-10 would be better for V/8ve CV). I had to check the schemo to figure it out :)

[@Kojoohar]

@@tildebyte Wow, thank you for detailed reply! Erica Synths should have stated it more obviously in the manual :)

[@iantheorem]

Not including your dialect you sound a lot like Jackson Brown. You have a very calm and slow, soothing voice and you’re casually confident. What would you say are your favorite eurorack synth brands? Erika seems like a great company and their synths are so accurate and precise in build design and sound. 👍🏼

[@QuincasMoreira]

Hey, thanks for the nice compliment :) I like Erika A LOT. They have a great vision, sound, engineering, aesthetics and attitude. I'm also a big fan of Befaco, for the same reasons. Of course I'll toot the VBrazil horn too, I work with Vinicius precisely because I admire him and his designs. Make Noise is super cool, I love my 0 Coast. Mutable has a great attitude with open sourcing Olivier's amazing designs. Oh man, so many cool companies, big and small, I really think we're living in the best time ever for synthesis!

[@iantheorem]

Synth Diy Guy Welcome!

[@MaikeruSumisu]

Hi Quincas, love your channel and your build, bring it on :) i also recently build a swamp and it mostly does what it should. or so i think, its not that easy with modules like that :D unfortunately the rate knob does nothing at all. the tone out is stuck at a fixed frequency and also the cv in for rate is not doing anything. do you have any ideas?

[@QuincasMoreira]

method chaining Hi, thanks! I think all three are related. Looks like the tone oscillator is not getting the mixed cv. Try locating the opamp that mixes the rate controls (pot and cv) . Maybe it's faulty, or there's a broken trace. I'll ask Girts to make the schematics available, that may help. Good luck!

[@MaikeruSumisu]

thanks a lot for the quick response, gonna check it out as soon as possible :)

[@MaikeruSumisu]

found the schematics in the downloadable assembly.zip on their page, the opamp for the rate cv is DA1 but that one i already changed for another one and judging from the schematics this ones responsible for other cv inputs as well. have to check if those are working in which case this opamp is not the source of uncertain ;)

[@QuincasMoreira]

May be a broken trace then, from the mixed cv opamp output to the oscillator section, try to follow the signal with a scope

[@MaikeruSumisu]

okay i am a bit stuck here, i was testing the testpoints with a scope but doesnt really know what to look for. tested TP1 (after the rate knob) and TP2 (after the rate cv input) which lies directly after the opamp DA1 and have practically no output on the scope. same goes for TP5 which lies after the Vactrols. for example TP11 after the vco out shows a fine square wave.

[@moreausylvain]

hi, 4:10 you were saying you would do vids for CVouts ? did i miss them ? looks like my swamp works like your with audio but really i'm struggling to make good use of the CVs :p also you'r touching sometime the rateCV but that's atenuater for the CVin no ? or does it affect the rest of patch ? 5:20 nice sound !

[@QuincasMoreira]

you're right, I'm just twisting knobs randomly, the cv input attenuator does nothing there :) I haven't done more Swamp videos, no, but who knows what the future may hold :)

[@moreausylvain]

It's been few months i built it and.. honestly i'm lost in randomness. i bought a MN wogglebug since that i find more "reliable" : it's a random you can predict. The swamp i just turn knobs a can never predict what i want. Documentation (1 page) is really missing explanations. And because it's a random module.. really it's hard to know if you built it correctly. I looked at your video and tried to match knobs to hear if i have the same and looks like it's ok. But then the CV outs.. who knows what gets out of there. I really think erica synths should release basic videos with oscilloscope on cv outs to get a rough idea on what to expect there. MAL-2 is my best random DIY so far although far simpler it's easier to grasp.

[@QuincasMoreira]

Hahaha, yeah the Swamp is... well a swamp! I still love it though, even though like you I can't quite control it. I do use it a lot anyways, including the CV outputs which always seem to do the job of randomizing things.

[@moreausylvain]

@@QuincasMoreira Hey one question about soldering. you always mention that you solder from above. i do it since i watched your videos. But once done. Do you turn the board and finish soldering on the rear ? because soldering from above i end up sometime with some solder not going thru and i'm concerned the contact is good enough. Not sure i understand that part well from your videos.

[@QuincasMoreira]

@@moreausylvain hi! Yeah I always touch up from behind, but after a while you get the hang of the right amount of solder to use to go all the way through, and the touchup is minimal.

[@stephanmobius1380]

Hi. Why do you first solder from the top and then again from the bottom? Is this advisable for newbies like me or should i stick to the "How to solder guides"?

[@stephanmobius1380]

Ah, you answered that question in the Video of the Befaco kzbin.info/www/bejne/pn6ud5hsZb-qqs0 Thanks a lot.

[@sduck409]

Can you actually get this kit anywhere? I can’t find it at the usual sources

[@QuincasMoreira]

Stephen, it's being launched tomorrow! expect to see it at the Erica shop tomorrow, and everywhere else very soon

[@ameliedutiers9157]

So that's the most expensive "Full kit" ? Do you need to buy all the diodes and resistors and other little parts when you pick one of the cheaper options ? Great channel, by the way

[@QuincasMoreira]

Amélie Dutiers thanks! Yeah, the cheaper options include only the Sample and Hold IC and mechanical parts to connects the PCBs. Everything else would need to be purchased separately.

[@gorillaau]

One option is to purchase a bulk pack of resistors rather than getting individual values. You will end up with a ton left over but you will be set for your next project. 470ohm, 4.7k and 47k resistors come up all the time.

[@PilferMusic]

9:08 now we're talking

[@MrStanley85]

Will there be a "Black Swamp" preassembled version?

[@QuincasMoreira]

I don't know! You'd have to ask Erica Synths directly, I'm sure something can be arranged ;)

[@MrStanley85]

I guess its only about time, the PCBs are made :)

[@vadbura1437]

this is my swamp

[@originaali]

I failed to build this so i confirm its not for beginners 🌚. I tripla checked everything, it took me 3 days to build this. Then i tested it and it seemed to work but when i added other modules swamp affected them as wel as click noise. I took it off and test it havent damage other modules. Now i dont know what i should seek cause i know nothing about electronics. I think i have to send it to electronic mechanic

[@QuincasMoreira]

talk to Erica Synths customer support, they might have a deal for you to check the module!

[@BadChizzle]

Must be good, I got very confused by it. Ha ha

[@adrianofidel]

Very good it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@flatfrog69rr71]

Hi always remember, measure the value of ALL of the components before soldering them It will save a lot of tears later !!!

[@steveoath]

Nice

[@0b11000100]

FIRST!