Hector and Beebo Review and Tutorial // Your dream synth/effect without a line of code

[@loopop]

IMPORTANT UPDATE: a few weeks after this video was made, version 3.16 of the firmware was released, which significantly improved the user interface speed - the sluggishness is no longer a major issue as far as I'm concerned. Also, a newly issued firmware update adds an option for left-to-right patching

[@noahtotten]

How Loki in expanding production, launching his second SKU, AND consistently updating firmware blows me away… Thanks for the update!

[@cl-zachwilliamsstudios3358]

Nice, thanks! 😉

[@hasan7786]

It’s amazing. I got a newborn back in the early days, it was slow and clunky. Sold it, years later bought another, still slow but had the mutable modules. Sold it again. Love hate relationship. Now I have a Hector, vastly improved, just might and day with the UI. Still bugs to be found but no show stoppers. Save as you go and it’s all good. Just more good exposure for smaller companies showing care and extending the life of a product.

[@seanspartan2023]

I am from the future. The firmware update seems to have fixed the latency and cpu capacity issues. Also, I've been patching the stereo audio from Hector into a Euroburo for the effects and it's pretty amazing paired together.

[@DumblyDorr]

The nod to Robert Fripp is nice - such an amazing musician.

[@modeswitching]

So this is a digital emulation of a modular synth… that goes into a modular synth… is this the synth version of inception?

[@stephenspackman5573]

Not until they add virtual machine support!

[@Michael_Smith-Red_No.5]

None of this is real. You're dreaming.

[@pomppompeypomp]

syntheption

[@pthomas36]

Great review, as always. Thanks for covering so many aspects of it. I've had a hankering for the Beebo for some time, but with the Zoia, I couldn't really justify it. This however would be an excellent device to have in the first-five modules of my rack. ... which I'm planning. Slowly. I'm hoping that like Empress, they manage to improve CPU efficiency because that was Zoia's worst drawback for a long time as well.

[@JasonBrockStick]

Thank YOU! I will be joining your patreon (my second ever - due to financial) BUT the amount of learning/knowledge I have gained from watching your videos is second to none! Can’t wait to see what’s under the hood! I really need to get back into exploring my digit and MANY of the other pedal’s and synths I own you have shared tutorials on - BEFORE - buying anything new!!!

[@loopop]

Thanks very much for taking the time to write and joining!

[@infindebula]

It's just a little thing, but the placement of the inputs on the right of the UI while the physical jacks are on the left would drive me nuts. But ... wow, what a beautiful product!

[@paradiddle16]

same here

[@pthomas36]

Definitely something for the firmware wishlist

[@Daphoid]

@@pthomas36 Already fixed! You can swap sides at your leisure now!

[@Daphoid]

Already fixed :)

[@MinPlanck]

Got the pedal and love it. Need another case before considering this but looks amazing. Loki has been flying with firmware updates over the last few months. Adding loads of modules and QoL, GUI updates and many more plans still on the horizon. Mad scientist at work. Thanks for another great review/demo! ❤

[@hasan7786]

How slow the pedal is is why i sold my Beebo. Seems like the firmware updates were more about adding modules and not really usability and CPU. I blast through the Zoia and really wished the Beebo could have been improved. Can't wait for the Zoia Eurorack.

[@rhampton1914]

I have the Desktop Beebo and i wondered the same thing about the Zoia...is it really good as far as performance? meaning can i add many effects without tacking the CPU? i really like the Desktop Beebo but really wanted to try the Zoia. Hate to sell the Beebo tho...lol

[@mikemorrisonmusic]

Thanks, I’m really looking forward to this!

[@davidellis9554]

Excellent review as ever, but, gosh, the display is so laggy, which is a real worry. You didn't comment on ins and outs being on the opposites sides for a modular environment. I believe there's a firmware update that does something about that, although that may be a bit of a kludge rather than a re-write.

[@loopop]

Thanks! The display isn't laggy, it's the firmware running it because when you don't have many modules it's fine. Ins and outs don't bother me but are plain to see for those with an issue

[@AlexanderSchrinner]

Nice review as always and thumbs up for mentioning Emilies hard work. I think her contribution to both Eurorack as well as open source is just amazing

[@robertsyrett1992]

OMFG! that looks like a dream come true!

[@bo-bodad8253]

Another option if you are fortunate enough to have an ES-8 or ES-9, is an iPad running Audulus which is a very comprehensive visual audio programming app similar in concept to Hector

[@uyscuti5376]

Got one on the way, hopefully they address the latency and other issues in further updates, still looks powerful though. Thanks for the excellent review!

[@unfrostedpoptart]

I think the problem is that everyone is building stuff around Tiny, Arduino, etc. These little processor modules have been fantastic in allowing tons of people to start building all sorts of gear - audio and other. However, it's really easy to hit a performance wall on them and, as far as I know, there's no easy path to move to more powerful systems without starting from scratch with much more complex and expensive platforms.

[@abysssss]

@@unfrostedpoptart Hector's using a quad core Arm, just sayin

[@unfrostedpoptart]

@@abysssss Thanks for the info!

[@albedo0point39]

I bought the Beebo and I have mixed views about it. No doubt it’s an impressive labour of love from a brilliant engineer. What irks me is that it feels unfinished. There seems to be a mad rush to add new modules… but the documentation for the modules and for the hardware itself is non-existent or woeful. Even simple questions like ‘what’s the input impedance’ you have to ask on Facebook since it isn’t written down anywhere (and there’s no proper forum, FB seems to be the place to ask). The modules themselves - only inputs and outputs are documented, not functionality or behaviour. Who knows what values some of the internal signals like bpm take… is it a scalar or a clock or what? All those sequencing abilities in the unit, but the midi implementation is only half there. No decent midi to clock/transport, no cv/gate to midi note means it’s almost impossible to get notes and clocks in and out. Yes, the Hector seem to have this fixed if you use CV instead… but for me the platform just lacks that depth and completeness. They really desperately need to stop rushing to release new functionality and instead document up and improve the usability of what’s already there (maybe hire someone to do this). A collection of archived livestream q and a’s showing new stuff isn’t documentation.

[@Daphoid]

I own the pedal as well and have similar thoughts. Though I’m curious what your positives are. I don’t see mixed views in your post but rather things you don’t like. They’re a super small team (sub 10 people I think. Maybe less). Running a forum is work and while they could spin one up easy enough I can see people complaining that it’s a mess / unmoderated in time as well.

[@albedo0point39]

@@Daphoid well, as I started, I think the pedal is a work of genius. To have all that functionality in a single small and portable platform has fantastic potential. All those mutable modules with virtual routing? This thing (Beebo) could be the midi note source (Marbles), rhythm and percussion sound source, effects processor and mixer for a portable synth rig (and I can imagine all these possibilities). However it hasn’t achieved that promise because of this irritating missing functionality. People can’t form a community because no forum exists, and folk seem to fear saying anything negative on FB in case their toy is taken away. It’s all quite dysfunctional and for no good reason!

[@billB101]

Looks great, if they'd put in a more powerful CPU. Would have been nice to run say a sequencer into Plaits, into clouds ( or beads ) into a convolution reverb. But by the looks of it this thing would just choke.

[@miss.antidote]

I agree looks well underpowered

[@XIIMonkeysMusicGroup]

@@miss.antidote it would need to run on 1000mA at 12 to 18 volt to support a CPU any faster!

[@peterjessop1878]

I have done exactly this on a Beebo, together with a couple of lfo’s as well, but I don’t know if the new firmware increases cpu useage as I am yet to update.

[@mycosys]

the CPU usage is just a firmware bug, its apparently quite capable of it.

[@unfrostedpoptart]

@@artisans8521 Um - the computer you would need that this doesn't?

[@joelkulesha8284]

I'm most amazed at the responsiveness of the whole environment they have. A stylus definitely seems like a must have though.

[@TimeScribe]

Thanks for another insightful and inspiring video.

[@IOSISDRONE]

I'm here to place the "why is the software signal flow from right to left, especially when the hardware signal flow is from left to right?" comment. That just doesn't make sense to me, even if (as others have said) they're going with the guitar pedal signal flow direction with the software i/o. And watching this video ultimately made me remember the reasons why I fell in love with my 301: the absolutely lag-free screens and interfacing, the incredibly intuitive button/knob user interface, the 16n Faderbank and it's i2c integration, and the deep and supportive community built up around the 301 interface and environment.

[@richardwilliams1310]

As Poly Effects Digit & Bebo were guitar pedals and guitar pedalboards are laid out that way for right handed guitarists. I think it's stupid, lol. Left to right please

[@XIIMonkeysMusicGroup]

I own 2 Beebos. This has me wanting to go Euro rack!

[@ktreier]

As always a great review but inputs on the right and outputs on the left seems backwards to me. Logically i think of signal flow, like reading, left to right. I also feel these types of modules get away from the analog ethos of Eurorack. That said this could replace a couple of Mutable modules I own and add 88 new digital ones. A web based editor like MOD Devices would be a great addition though.

[@AndrewSouthworth]

Inputs on the right and outputs on the left is how most guitar pedals do it, since this started as a pedal maybe they just carried that into this.

[@XIIMonkeysMusicGroup]

These are based off of Mutable Instruments.

[@XIIMonkeysMusicGroup]

@@AndrewSouthworth they are Right to Left, because that is how guitar pedals work.

[@ktreier]

@@AndrewSouthworth except it’s not a pedal, it’s a Eurorack module. Good product management starts with knowing your audience. Yes, I’m sure I’d get use to it, but as a software designer it would drive me crazy every time.

[@ktreier]

@@XIIMonkeysMusicGroup yes, I understand it’s leveraging the Mutable OSS.

[@imbuildingasynth]

i think you are right when you say that the best use for these kind of devices is one "custom buit" unique module always running the same patch for a specific purpose. nobody really wants to patch stuff regularly on a small touchscreen like this or the zoia either. and i think the hector could really use some kind of "performance view" which turns the screen into some faders and buttons for that "final patch", in order to expand on the capabilities for such a custom built "one trick pony".

[@loopop]

yes - spotlight is that "performance view" - pretty basic now but hopefully will evolve

[@WildernessMusic_GentleSerene]

Thanks for the suggestion of the compressor to tame the distortion/overload of modules not working together cooperatively. Never thought of using a compressor on a algorithm chain of effects. This may solve a problem with my effects device.

[@geoffreymerrifield5666]

Helpful video as always! How about a Beebo only video? I wonder how Beebo would be on Vocals as well as Synth, Guitar, Bass...

[@eanan348]

At 5:23 my fears came true. I thought my unit was faulty because of the loud hissing noise, but it is now obvious these units have very loud internal hiss...

[@resonanzfilter6997]

I see you got the Addac 112. Do you make a Review Video?

[@joelkulesha8284]

Yes please!

[@VEsound]

Hope it will come yeah!

[@waltersmetak]

Excellent demo as usual - curiously, when you made the comparison with ES, I was certain you would mention the Disting MK4.....found the Loopler fascinating - a looper's utopia!

[@loopop]

Thanks! You could say this competes with Disting MK4 in a way, but Disting is mainly designed to become one module at a time as opposed to this which lets you connect multiple modules - plus the latency makes it behave differently, but yes there's a certain overlap

[@BB69175]

The Microsoft Excel of eurorack

[@Kkidzz]

The Non-Nod to Toyah is much appreciated.

[@johnkrummrich4948]

I have a percussa ssp and beebo. The ssp is a whole different thing and the price difference is a lot. I also use it with vcv rack or MIRack on iOS. But the SSP doesn’t have a Ir reverb. Yet 🤞🏻. Beebo is amazing and the price is right. And it keeps getting better and better. I want one of these also. Thanks for doing this.

[@nexgen91]

I can see this filling the niche created by the never funded Percussa mSSP, but at the price point I think I would rather just grab a ES-9 and use Audulus, miRack, VCV or any of the other iOS/computer based options. I love my SSP, since it is hardware operated (buttons and encoders), it is not as "computer like" as something like this. I use the SSP as a "replacement" for modules I don't use often/dont want to dedicate the space or funds to, ie: ES-9, DATA, Rings, Plaits, E370, a Performance Mixer, etc. (a lot of this thanks to awesome developers such as TheTechnobear) where I already have them saved as a preset and can just dial them up without much fuss. Being able to hook a MIDI Fighter up to it and control parameters makes it even more "analogish" :)

[@ChrisAlas]

What is SSP?

[@stephenspackman5573]

18ms really seems like a lot of latency-several times what you would like to see, especially for triggers. It's probably perceptible. Overall, it sounds like they should really consider adding an additional CPU to dedicate to the UI and mass storage interface, and then giving it a performance page where you can just add widgets and connect them to control channels? The other thing, of course, is that the reason I like modular is that it breaks me out of the software engineering mindset in a way that software environments, however slick, so far don't. Tough call!

[@ChrisAdante]

Really not interested in these type of eurorack modules. May as well use VCV rack or Bitwig as others have said. The whole point of eurorack for me is getting hands on with modules and using limitations to be creative and take me down pathways I wouldn’t usually travel. Thanks for another great overview, but this one really isn’t for me.

[@XIIMonkeysMusicGroup]

And you felt compelled to respond why?

[@ChrisAdante]

@@XIIMonkeysMusicGroup Am I not allowed an opinion on the module and my likes/dislikes regarding eurorack modules? I’m grateful to @loopop for doing a great job showcasing this module and informing us of what gear is available. I’m just merely stating that it isn’t for me as I prefer more hands on gear. I.e. I’d rather have marbles as a physical module that’s playable rather than on a screen. If you prefer this then great……fill your boots.

[@tuppawareAU]

Beebo GUI has come a long way too, and responsiveness. Glad to see the range expanded!

[@imranino]

Thanks for such an informative video. I’ve had my Beebo for a while, and I’m back here to fine new ideas. Is your Cosmo-inspired patch available anywhere to download?

[@loopop]

Thanks! Yes it is, on my Patreon (linked above)

[@eternalvoid2678]

Nice video! 14-18 ms latency is too much imo. It forces you to use workarounds. The crashes also seem worrying; they may fix it eventually, but when is eventually? In a year? The sluggish interface also seems too much to be useable in a live setting. And the right to left workflow seems like a copy-paste from the guitar pedal, which doesn't make sense in a module imo. All in all I get the feeling that this isn't a finished product yet, at least as an instrument for use in a live setting. I'm kinda done with companies releasing products that obviously still need significant improvements.

[@aoutivd]

Dayum. Powerful.

[@alexanderlane]

3:25 "In a modular environment you take a cable and plug it, *hopefully*, from an input to an output" 😂

[@n_o_]

loopop so good i find myself listening to these in the background for gear i have no real interest in

[@BennyDeez1]

Super curious about how the Hector would stack up against the ER-301... It feels like Hector may be more powerful in a number of ways but obviously no tactile interface, only a touch screen, which doesn't bother me personally at all since you can route control from external devices after a patch is setup.. I do think ER-301 may have more depth though. Wish I had both to try! Thanks for the great content Loopop!!

[@caydilemma3309]

the main thing that ER-301 has that Hector is lacking imo is sample editing and playback. there is a looper so i feel like that functionality must be possible, it just doesn’t have it yet. ER-301 has also been around and been actively worked on way longer than Hector, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see more functionality added in time.

[@paradiddle16]

Nice touch the integrated looper.

[@-umbrarium]

very nice outro, ziv! bravo!

[@666cheme]

Can we please get a Strega video in the near future? :) not to take away from this video I’m sure it’s a good one!!

[@elnachovi_plantix]

Hi! excelent vid bro! con you tell me if Beebo can go granular and experimental delays and reverbs like some patches in Zoia? I'm interested in making some ambient with synths like opsix, 0-coast, mono station and model:cycles, I have no modular synth for "cloudy" sounds and want to add the Beebo but I don't know the applications... it's more than a multi effect?

[@loopop]

Yes it has the clouds module built in

[@seanspartan2023]

I run Hector through the effects chain of my Zoia Euroburo to make ambient music. It's the main reason I purchased them.

[@cardboardmusic]

It's a bit late to ask, really, but one thing that interests me was/is the comparison between the Beebo and the Hector. It's sort of a shame that Loki didn't take a leaf out of his compatriots at Synthstrom and put at least a couple of CV/Gate ins/outs onto the pedal, it looks as though it has some space (for that).

[@peamarte]

I would put it more in comparison with with MOD DUO X and not make a comparison with ER-301. (I am an owner of both). ER-301 still remains today one of the most powerful modules in terms of synthesis and sampling. To make a useful comparison, the 301 is more comparable to some sort of MAX MSP environment where you can code and package your low-level DSP algorithms even though there are 3 programming levels, hence the less experienced user to the deep programmer. In addition, the solid community of Orthogonal Devices still makes this module extremely captivating with thousands of ready-to-use scripts.

[@sebastyanmusic3486]

Too complicated for my taste.. Thanks for the review!

[@bci3937]

Boah..wtf...thats a huge step into digital modular inside hardware modular...i like that :)

[@matteotaberna3851]

Simply adding MIDI start&stop messages to the MIDI CLOCK IN module could solve a lot of syncing problems. What do you think?

[@gamma_noize]

It'd be very interesting how Hector compares to the Empress EuroBuro. And who came up with the idea to put the outputs on the left side of the screen?! every other system flows from left to right...

[@loopop]

re comparison - indeed; re right to left - it's probably the guitar pedal heritage

[@Daphoid]

The guitar pedals inputs are indeed on the right side physically and they share the firmware. :)

[@mickcj2001]

Great video.

[@GeorgeLocke]

Learning it has Rings in it really pushes my GAS. I love to use a pair of Rings in VCV rack to process a stereo audio signal. Having that in hardware would be lovely. I also really like convolution with non reverb impulses... where is the money tree?

[@mikefisher84]

Great video! I would love it if you ever made some content talking about latency in hybrid modular setups. I got an ES-9 for use with VCV after watching some cool hybrid demos on here. However I found that because of the latency it was more or less unusable in my system because gates and voltages would be pretty out of sync and things would sound quite wonky. I’m wondering if there’s a better approach to make this work. I also ordered the Hector which I’m excited about but now that you’ve mentioned latency I’m thinking I’m going to be having some VCV deju vu :(

[@loopop]

Thanks! There are "cons" to every "pro" and latency is one both of VCV and Hector. v/oct calibration is an issue in VCV and not in Hector as far as I saw; expert sleepers have come out with calibration modules for VCV; I propose a workaround for latency here (sending triggers through Hector). If other worthy ideas come up I'll consider a full video otherwise it would be very short and repeat what I just said :)

[@yvesbajulaz]

We got away from super powerful computers with huge screen to go modular so we can use a stylus on a mini touch screen computer… really cool, but modular becoming too computerish… might as well use vcv or mirack

[@rafa787]

loki needs to put ( midi note out )on beebo hector has been a mayor request

[@DBPawlan]

Is this an evolution of the Eurorack format and system or an entirely different synthesis? I felt guilty enough putting in a couple Bitboxes in my system but this is a whole different level of sophistication. Enthusiasts stay away from the ER-301 for this reason as well - when need to create a sound or an FX is as easy as tapping and dragging a few sliders on a computer screen, where does the satisfaction of building sounds from scratch go? If you're out to simply create sounds and make music, does it continue to make sense or prove efficient if you are interfacing an entirely digital workflow with manually-patched modules?

[@unfrostedpoptart]

Don't understand your question. Eurorack isn't a type of synthesis. It's just a physical and voltage-compatible standard for modules. The modules can be analog, digital (with analog I/O), and model subtractive, FM, or any other type of synthesis. Some can be as simple as a VCA with 2 inputs and one output. Others can be complete synth voices or configurable systems like the Hector. Totally up to the manufacturer and the customer.

[@XiXora]

It would be nice if the UI was split from the loaded module complexity somehow. Like a UI cpu core added to keep UI speedy and not affect the sound when you interact with it.

[@symbiat0]

I think it’s odd that the direction of flow in the UI is right-to-left instead of the other way. A lot of Eurorack modules are top-to-bottom or left-to-right… 🤔

[@peterjessop1878]

People have said earlier in the comment section. It started life as a guitar pedal and they nearly always run right to left. The reason for that is most guitarists are right handed so the lead from the guitar would get in the way if the input was on the left.

[@symbiat0]

@@peterjessop1878 Makes sense except it’s no longer a pedal and is gonna be in a rack alongside other modules… 😔

[@symbiat0]

@@peterjessop1878 So Red Means Recording just uploaded his review of the Hector and the first thing he mentions is you can flip the screen and move the inputs to be LTR 👍🏼

[@peterjessop1878]

@@symbiat0 that’s great. That just shows how Loki listens to criticisms and corrects issues as soon as possible. That is a feature of my experience with the Beebo.

[@symbiat0]

@@peterjessop1878 I like the idea of Hector on paper but I think the touchscreen UI is just a little bit cumbersome in practice. I have the Zoia and it looks like the Euroburo just went on sale so I might look into that (I also think Empress generally write better effects).

[@NerveNickels]

14-18ms latency?

[@WildernessMusic_GentleSerene]

Not possible for you to do poorly thought out review is it? Your dedication to your craft has given us serious synth sound designers huge amounts of information to think about. I have been sound designing for decades, but only last year I decided to put half my effort into sound designing for effects too. A 50/50 design now = subtractive/FM/granular/wavetable/sampling + effects programming/algorithms. For those of us who record 100% hardware, this little beauty of design is so very interesting. Maybe we don't need 10 to 100 different effects boxes anymore?

[@nkozi]

Tbh Loopler should just be it's own module 👀

[@JimRobb44]

Sources should be on the left, right? Makes my head hurt. Cool unit though.

[@dans.8198]

Went modular to escape from PC. This product is nice, but would mean going backward.

[@serdarsaydan]

menuuuuuu diviiiiiiiiiing 🤯??? but hey, people work different. thank you for a other awesome review

[@discobecky9179]

nodular in modular, incredible.

[@Reggie-The-Dog]

Nice but there is no way I am buying an expensive module with no knobs. I like to manipulate sounds while I play and I can't do that moving little boxes around a touchscreen. Put some knobs on it and I am in.

[@jonmackenzie]

i wonder, are those "pool of the black star" IRs the ones hainbach recorded?

[@loopop]

I think so!

[@buriedintime]

i wish there was a way to switch the i/o so the inputs could be on the left and outputs on the right. it seems backwards the way it is.

[@audiodiwhy2195]

Does the USB port accept MIDI? You seem to have that wired here, but I can't get it to work. most usb isn't M to M, A to A so is your hub not Male type A's? How did you wire this? How do you turn on USB midi for the device?

[@loopop]

please watch my video about usb host vs device, it's not just an issue of male or female

[@audiodiwhy2195]

@@loopop thanks for the reply. Poly wrote me back right away as you did, and this help is appreciated. Yes, I need a type A female DIN to male TRS for MIDI; or if using the USB male on the module, the Poly supports a connection from a controller, like a Beatstep Pro, but not my DAWs PC-USB. that explains the cable issue.

[@prospectnyc]

How did you get Loopler? Mine doesn't have that function.

[@claycowartisamazing]

BEEBO BEEBO BEEBO HECKERS

[@KunchangLeeMusic]

Stupid question : can I plug a guitar into the hector ? Or somehow use it on my pedalboard

[@loopop]

Not stupid at all. If you get a 1/4 inch to 1/8 inch adapter you can plug it in, the questions is levels (better to amplify it) and sound quality in terms of input impedance - please ask the company and report back here!

[@ogulkoker]

Can we map the buttons now?

[@MathHammer]

The trees are indeed beautiful, but they don't fit into my personal modular forest. Maybe some day but not now.

[@RiccardoCoen]

nice outro

[@ericshaden1111]

Great video (as usual). What is the midi trs-to-usb adapter you are using?

[@loopop]

Thanks! It's just a USB A to B cable - sending MIDI over USB, not into the TRS input

[@ericshaden1111]

@@loopop Got it. Thanks!

[@WilsonRyan]

Why get this over an ES-9 to use with VCV rack?

[@loopop]

It's discussed in the competition section of the video

[@WilsonRyan]

@@loopop this is what I get for skipping around haphazardly

[@SalvatoreCremeOfficial]

Sluggish is an understatement. At least for my Beebo. It gets impossible to work with and glitchy with relatively simple patches. Also CPU is very easy to max out. I really REALLY wanted to like this unit, but it's just not robust/fast enough for me

[@Andrewlvna]

Im looking into getting a beebo and was curious if the sluggish and glitchyness still apparent with the new firmware updates? Are these problems because you bought an early batch?

[@SalvatoreCremeOfficial]

@@Andrewlvna To be completely honest, the firmware updates brought cool features, in theory, but in practicality, they might have made it even slower, or maybe my patches just got more complex over time and that made it feel slower?. I'm not sure about my unit being from an early batch, if it was a Digit, then maybe that could be the case, since the Beebo was built on the same platform as the Digit. I think it's just a young product and a very young company still, and it will probably get better with time, but as of now, unfortunately I would not recommend the Beebo unless you totally need the 4 channels, or you really crave the look of the touchscreen, because those are IMO the only advantages that the Beebo has over other similar devices in the same range, I/O and looks (although looks are very subjective) Other devices might not have a touchscreen interface but, after a month or so, the sluggish nature of the touchscreen and it's limited real estate have become a limitation to my workflow, rather than an asset, especially when compared to the Zoia's grid or the Mod Dwarf's combo of browser GUI and pages of assignable knobs and buttons. Those other devices obviously have their own drawbacks, but they've worked a lot better for me personally and have been more enjoyable/inspiring to work with. They also seem to have a bigger and more active community, which helps A LOT, and I feel the community brings this type of devices a way bigger added value than I initially thought. Of course, this is just my two cents, but I did expand a lot because I wish someone would've done the same for me when I started to transition to my current setup and researching what gear to buy and focus on. I it's hard to find undiplomatic, honest, real-world experience about this type of gear that is kind of new and groundbreaking in the industry, so I hope my long winded comment helps you in your journey! Hehe, good action of the day ✔️!!!

[@mattihol726]

So wait… you re telling me it’s an iPad, running a modular rack, while being a module inside a module rack?

[@loopop]

not an iPad but other than that yes

[@mattihol726]

@@loopop i was trying to make a joke. because it is a computer, but sized like a module, while emulating a rack of modules, while being a module inside of a rack... I actually dont know why but this thing makes my laugh.

[@maquettemusic1623]

I just couldn't get along with the pedal. It was so fiddly and frustrating with no immediacy - but here as the hector is what this device was really meant to be from the start imo. Nonetheless, I still don't think I'd want one again, it's just not fun to use in anyway.

[@marcusfreeweb]

14-18 ms latency is not good. Anything above 10 is often noticable. Bela (open source) is under 1 ms, so it's possible. I think they used some stock Linux kernel for easy access to programming libraries. Seems a bit lazy to me.

[@Kkidzz]

Curious when _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ is going to send over their OBXa when it’s finalized?

[@NicholasBryantBonzaiSequoias]

Is it possible to transfer patches from other users? Did not see an SD card slot. Seems a bit slow otherwise (replicating by hand..).

[@loopop]

yes, through the USB port

[@jessebuehler9082]

I was really into this until I saw that marbles>rings>clouds killed the CPU. That's only 3 modules. I think you'd be better off with an iPad running mirack with a audio/midi interface.

[@polypedals]

I actually wonder if he hit a bug there. I'm running a marbles into 3 rings into 3 clouds right now and using 64% of CPU. The earlier patch he showed with the 2 convolution reverbs is way more CPU heavy.

[@RedCloudServices]

wait…does Beebo also have a Euclidian module?

[@loopop]

Yes same firmware

[@RabRabNZ]

that latency would be absolutely unbearable

[@Voyagermusix]

"I'm really taxing the CPU here" * has three modules inserted *

[@polypedals]

check out the recent post on our instagram, with every mutable module port loaded at once and a few other things. I'm not sure what bug Loopop hit there in the pre-release firmware, I can't reproduce it, so either it's new and exciting or I've already fixed it. That shouldn't be using more than a little of one core.

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

Concept in theory is great but sorta defeats the whole fun and purpose of modular and eurorack.

[@ryanpwm]

Jesus 14-18ms? That’s not usable as anything but a post processor or master sequencer. Even as a reverb that’s just absurdly long. Daisy is more to setup and you have to learn max gen, but you have to struggle to get daisy to 1ms i/o if you run 96khz patches. If only they had a deluxe model like twice the size… In the meantime for mutable modules, can just run all of the mutable clones on iPad with like 2ms of latency. No offense to these guys. Wonderful idea for a do all touch screen module. I’ve contemplated a tiny 19” rack screen running some os to just have that sort of access. But that’s just so long for all the things you’d want it to do. I hope they fix that because if they can do most single effects in less than a ms it would be a game changer.

[@markbooth]

Great video as ever, and this is technically brilliant, but why..... just why? You'll spend all your time wondering what to use it for rather thank creating music. Just get an ES9 and put VCV Rack on an iPad next to your case if you want free Mutable, Befaco, and Instruo modules. Edit: lol posted this just before getting to the alternative recommendation section.

[@coolo73]

Yeah just take an ipad/iphone with miRack (vcv port) pair it with a cv interface and velcro it to a blank rack panel. 10x the virtual modules (that actually look like hardware), 10x the CPU power, plus if you use a mixer app like AUM you can add all the high end plugins like Eventide, Fabfilter, etc.

[@firstandlast4415]

too much menu diving = too much menu drowning

[@laurencevanhelsuwe3052]

Sounds like the defunct Arturia Origin..

[@ShaighJosephson]

Sorry, this is absolutely ridiculous... Just make a Beebo on steroids with CV and software control...

[@uly1981]

Eurorack really has gone too far (i'm saying that as someone with a full 15u rack). Sure, not everything has to be a pure, single purpose, analog module but why bother with this? Put VCV on a touchscreen device, get a nice midi controller, don't buy a car worth of modules and be done with it. I wouldnt be surprised if someone puts a pc running Ableton in a 15hp module any time soon.

[@TomMadisonSoundsLewis]

My thoughts exactly....even MiRack on an iPad with an ES9 for example....

[@ktreier]

Agree. It’s moving away from the analog ethos.

[@maquettemusic1623]

@@ktreier lol "analog ethos" is the most gatekeeping sentence I think I've ever heard. Why do you lot care about what others make music with?

[@KipFox]

@@maquettemusic1623 Right? Willing to bet every one of the whiners has at least one module containing those evil bleep blooping microchips. Here I thought we were all out here to have fun and be creative, didn't know there was an asterisk attached about "purity" being the requirement.

[@maquettemusic1623]

@@KipFox Those who came before us would be in awe at the amount of possible ways to make music nowadays. Try everything I say, you never know what might give you inspiration!

[@ryanpwm]

Jesus 14-18ms? That’s not usable as anything but a post processor or master sequencer. Even as a reverb that’s just absurdly long. Daisy is more to setup and you have to learn max gen, but you have to struggle to get daisy to 1ms i/o if you run 96khz patches. If only they had a deluxe model like twice the size… In the meantime for mutable modules, can just run all of the mutable clones on iPad with like 2ms of latency. No offense to these guys. Wonderful idea for a do all touch screen module. I’ve contemplated a tiny 19” rack screen running some os to just have that sort of access. But that’s just so long for all the things you’d want it to do. I hope they fix that because if they can do most single effects in less than a ms it would be a game changer.