#1

So managed to sell my E340 Cloud Generator and I’m considering replacing it with another oscillator.

I’m letting the E340 go because I’ve sort of grown tired of the sine and the saw sounds just too harsh for my ears. I find myself barely ever using it.

As to what I’m considering to get as a replacement: Mangrove or maybe an STO? I’d even consider an E330 because of that beautiful 2-op fm sine.

So the big question: What are your favorite oscillators and why?

#2

well if you’ve got 14hp to fill from that E340 have you considered Tides? lots of self patching to do and plenty of options for making it stable and trad or weird and twitchy, just on the factory firmware. way overlooked as a “voice” oscillator (partially bc its a killer modulator). maybe not as singular as Mangroves, lack the sub osc from STO, but has a lot of flavor.

also has Sheep and Parasites if you dig firmware.

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#3

^ I’d second checking out Tides. I haven’t delved into the alternate firmwares yet, but even without them I think it is an underrated module. I got Tides when it first came out to mainly use as a complex modulator with a bonus VCO and was very pleasantly surprised by it as a voice.

Do you already have other VCOs in your rack?

#4

I have both the E330 and Tides.

The E330 i mostly use the fm mode and the cloud mode. The wavetable mode i haven’t explored much, but you have some nice sounds in there.
What i use the most is the cloud mode, which is a copy of E340.
I should explore the fm mode more, as you can use the 2 outputs, and probably with something like MI Warps create a different but related sound.
The E330 is a good module, good build and good price.

As for the Tides mode, i have it with the parasites mode.
In parasites mode you have the normal Tides, a harmonic oscillator and a random walk generator.

  • Normal tides can be used as a modulator (and it excels at that) and also as an oscillator. You can obtain various sounds from it just by modulating the shape, slope and smoothness (and has a level input, saving you a VCA)
  • Harmonic oscillator has 16 voices and is an amazing mode for oscillator (and modulator). The also has a sub osc.
  • random walk generator can be a powerful tool for modulation, but i haven’t explored it yet.

( checkout the website for more info on parasites: https://mqtthiqs.github.io/parasites/tides.html )

VCVRack also has the tides module, so you can “try before you buy”

I also tried the Sheep firmware, but didn’t like it much. Not as versatile as Parasites.

I have also been looking at the STO, which for the price seems like a good oscillator, but i have other needs as far as modules go.

I would sell my E330 and probably would’t miss it much. I wouldn’t sell my Tides. (if i could i’d buy another, but i just got a R*S DUSG mkII so no money for modules at the moment)

I also have a cheap Doepfer Osc (A-110-2 Basic VCO) for the square, saw and tri waves, because it just works.

#5

Dixie & STO are the good cop/bad cop that gets things done. No matter what the pencil necks in City Hall might want…

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#6

Regarding the Dixie II, is it in general worth it to go for the II+ over the II? Or does that really depend on how you want to use it?

#7

Personally I have the Dixie II+, and what really made me chose was the octave switch. Really nice to play with it, especially when lush with delay after. What I miss tho is the ability to CV controlled it. If your after that feature, maybe consider the Befaco VCO.

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#8

Yeah, I’ve got a 0-coast, Piston Honda Mk II and Hertz Donut MK II.

Tides really seems interesting. The way it’s described it’s as if it might be a perfect replacement for an E355 Morphing Dual LFO.

#9

STO is really versitile and I like that it has the S/gate input for the sub.

I really like the sounds from Weisolator E.X.O.S. and I’m hoping kits come back in stock soon.

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#10

That E.X.O.S. sounds good. The DIY kit is at a nice price.

#11

I still think Tides is great, but a Dixie II or II+ might be a nice, “vanilla” analog change from what you’ve already got available and gives you multiple waveform outputs. Also, plain old PWM is nice sometimes, and Dixie has that. If I were getting one, I’d probably go for the II+ for the octave switch and sub output.

#12

Does anyone have any experience with the bubblesound VCOb?

#13

I got a STO recently and really enjoying it. I’m in it mostly for timbre so fits my needs well.

#14

I recently added a Mangrove into my system and am absolutely loving it. Its functions quite differently than most oscillators I’ve used but is fairly intuitive and can produce a variety of sounds. Being only 10HP it packs a lot into a small package.

~ just my two cents :evergreen_tree:

6 Likes
#15

Constantly seeing videos of Mangrove demos, it has been on my wishlist for months.
Too bad it is out of my budget.

#16

Yes. It’s lovely. Does what it says on the box. Compact. A pair of them is a lot of fun to cross modulate.

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#17

After 5 or 6 years of trying almost everything I settled on these oscillators -
For analogue I have DPO and STO and Livewire AFG
For FM - Akemie’s Castle.
I also use a Mysteron but it isn’t an Oscillator but i do like it as a sound source.

#18

Dixies and STOs seem good if you’re looking for a straightforward oscillator. Dixie can also be an LFO, which is nice (not sure about STO). Something to think about is a small mixer module (Manhattan Analog DTM for example) to blend the waves that oscillators like these produce. Don’t see that recommended too often.

There are interesting things going on in the realm of modules that blur the line between envelopes/modulators/oscillators. Just Friends/Tides/Kermit. Also, the Serge DUSG mk2 kit from Random Source. I love Maths, but it doesn’t have 1v/octave, so that’s not something to consider probably.

I’m currently working with a pair of Mangroves - there’s something very pleasing, warm, and unique to their sound, at least to my ears. I’ve wanted to get a pair for quite a long time after hearing them in many of the monome videos. The fact that you can use AIR as a built in vca is very useful and BARREL + FORMANT give you some interesting sound shaping capabilities.

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#19

A crossfader/panner to fade between different waveform outputs is also fun.

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#20

So this was announced/shown yesterday, quiet a lot of options