#85

@grey very true. Chronoblob2, a dual LPG, a random source and some slew should get me close.

1 Like
#86

Love my Shallow Water (and all my other Fairfield pedals).

I think Fairfield may be working on a Eurorack version (see picture posted on Instagram below):

12 Likes
#87

Interesting! I hope they make it stereo if they do…

1 Like
#88

I hope they just make it (that post was in March and since then… nothing) :grin:

2 Likes
#89

Ohhhh does anyone know if Fairfield is going to NAMM?!

#90

Just had a fun 10mins with Magneto, Morphagene and Rampage audio and cv feedback - Rampage B>A clocking magneto, Out B controlling speed, then Magneto clock outs triggering the rampage envelopes in a loop. Makes for fun feedback. Rampage is also triggering Morphagene.

3 Likes
#91

now that people have had this for a while, can anyone talk about the evolution of their relationship with it? im tentatively interested in it (well, certainly interested but not sure i want to spend the $$/HP on it)

im new to eurorack and building my first case and kinda loath to dedicate space to FX, preferring external reverb/delay (looking at BAM for the former) but the CV options and, well, it being strymon have me more than a bit intrigued.

what i want to avoid is an in-case delay that starts to feel samey, encourages stagnation and routine in patching, etc (i recognize this is as much on the user as anything)

anyway, would be happy to hear some pro/con reflections from people whove sad with this module for a while :slight_smile:

#92

It is entirely possible to fall into a rut with Magneto, as with pretty much anything else. I’ve certainly overused it in some situations. Some of its features (e. g. the transport stuff) are maybe a bit gimmicky and not that useful in the grand scheme. I continue to be very happy with the core delay functionality, though, and I’m gradually learning to employ it more subtly. I wouldn’t want (and don’t have) Magneto as my only delay. Multi-tap tape delay is a fairly specific thing.

I generally agree with you about effects modules in general—there are some compelling reasons to keep those outboard. Digtial delays are amongst the easiest to rationalize as modules, since they tend to have multiple CV-able characteristics.

1 Like
#93

We need to petition Strymon to make a ~10hp El Capistan.

2 Likes
#94

I think about this with some regularity.

Re: sounding “real”
Magneto is in almost every patch I make. If nothing else the spring reverb sounds really realistic. I’ve owned two actual space echoes (101, 301) and while those had that je ne sais quoi of real tape machines, they also overdrove really easily and are a hassle for all of the well documented reasons. The magneto gets close enough that, with the right settings, I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference once it was in a mixed and mastered track. On some level, most tracks need a little delay and reverb, and this is as good as any for end-of-chain sorts of duties, provided it fits your music.

Sound design: yeah it sounds like itself. But that’s a very good sound. I also recommend other people’s tip of mangling the feedback loop. I get particularly cool results with nasty filters like the doepfer wasp or the Erica vcf1. That is also a general patch tip I’d give for any module—feedback is it’s own subdiscipline in the world of patching approaches.

How I CV it:
It’s not a crazy sound mangling cv-able beast like say, erbe verb or clouds. What it does do in a very cool way though is allow you to move the pitch of the echoes up and down a couple octaves (precision adder from the disting into speed is how I do it with mine) and that sound is simply gorgeous. It sounds almost as good as my MF-104m in terms of spitting out super slowed down grainy warbly repeats, especially in shift mode, and for that it’s a forever-keeper module for me.
I also like to use it as a sort of single voiced mellotron by sampling a single synth note and then playing it chromatically via v/o. With age/crinkle/warble set just right, it absolutely drips with weird BOC type vibes.
In terms of anything else súper avante garde, I admit I haven’t scratched the surface, but I trust there are plenty of secrets still to unlock.

Other thoughts:
Why oh why is it set up the way it is? Why are the ins and outs both on the left side of the module, and the speed cv is on the right side of the module? Because of the placement, it permanently lives in the penultimate top right corner of my rack spot (with a disting to the right for those aforementioned octave shift duties). Because the ins and outs placement though, it drapes cables across everything else, including itself, which is annoying.

TLDR: better than a real tape delay for my needs, not the most versatile module in town but not bad either, probably keeping it forever.

5 Likes
#95

After the initial honeymoon period wore off, Magneto has found a permanent home in my setup.

I’ve found Magneto to be an instrument in its own right, not just a delay or an effect. I’ve found it to be very hands-on, especially when getting into the looping side of it. The hands-on approach usually includes bringing the playback heads in and out, turning feedback on and off for specific heads, playing with the tape character controls, playing with the head spacing/shift control, locking the loop or buffer, turning up the repeats, playing with the spring reverb control, playing with the speed/pitch control to change octaves. Some of that stuff isn’t CV-able, but there is enough CV to get creative with things. I do prefer the subtle approach to modulating on the Magneto.

It does have a distinct character, but that’s a positive in my book. Like the El Cap (or many other delays), it’s always going to sound like itself.

I think it just comes down to preference. If you are into its sound, into tape delays and loopers, and think you’d get use out of the controls present, it’s magical. For those expecting a versatile or clean delay, it’s going to come off as one trick-ish. It’s expensive and takes up a lot of real estate, but it’s worth it if you are fully into what it does.

12 Likes
#96

just when i feel settled on “maybe i ought to just do a chronoblob 2” i read something like this and am given significant pause yet again

#97

I opened up this thread to ask about this very feature! I loved Strymon’s video where the guy is melodically playing back a sample (inexplicably, from a keytar).

Here’s an idea. In delay mode, mult a keyboard CV to an oscillator and a slew generator -> Magneto time CV in. In my mind I picture the feedback turning into a Swarmatron-esque cloud of notes drifting to the tonal center of the note you’re playing, as the previously played pitches warp to match the new one. If someone tries it out post a clip!!

2 Likes
#98

Yes. All of this. I suppose I do all of this, too.
I tend to “play” my modular much more than “program” it. CV is cool, but let’s not forget that well trained human brains have plug and play wireless sync capabilities :sunglasses:. When my hands are free, I like to take full advantage of that.

3 Likes
#99

after some months i still love it. use it mainly on an aux send from my desk (mono to stereo).
do a lot of classic dub delay stuff but also am totally in love with the pitch shifting, a lot of times i end up freezing the buffer and playing the speed by hand (that big knob just calls for it) generating those rich organ like tones…
very hands on in live situations.
i sometimes use it as a crazy tape machine with tons of gates and cvs everywhere and it shines there too. but being a fan of warm tape delays i usually use it in a more classic way.

4 Likes
#100

I had both and have just this week sold the Chronoblob 2. I liked the Chronoblob and, truth be told, I didn’t get the most out of it at all - mainly because I was just having more immediate fun with the Magneto. I can send something really quite simple to Magneto and without much work turn it into an, I think, quite pleasant wave of sound. Yes, it’s an identifiable sound (though I think this is mostly a result of the reverb along with the tape age/crinkle/wow effects - without these I’m not sure it’s so familiar), but it really is a beautiful sound. I’m particularly talking about shift mode. Again, once you introduce the 5ths things can get samey and limiting (maybe?) but even the octaves sound lovely. The other day I just sent a very simple repeating note into Magneto but had Magneto clocked at a different speed to the repeating note. Magneto in shift mode. Played some piano over it. Could have sat there for hours. Still, I regret not taking more time to learn Chronoblob. My bad.

1 Like
#101

is magneto sold out/hard to find right now? would be surprising to me kinda but damn if i can’t seem to find it new at a place that isn’t saying “call for more information”

#102

That’s normal with Strymon, you almost always have to do the “call to order” thing with their retailers.

1 Like
#103

thanks yeah i found one. such weird brand posturing from strymon haha

#104

Hey All,
I’ve had my Magneto for a few months.
The honeymoon period is over and now I’m experiencing some growing pains:

As a straight delay and reverb, hands down, excellent module still.
The sound of the reverb is excellent. The sound of the delay is kinda fake to me, but still full of character and warm sounding though. I’ve owned real tape delays and it doesn’t totally sound like one to me.

The problem for me is the looping modes. I think its implemented kinda clumsily and I have two main gripes: I can’t seem to get the incoming dry signal be processed by the delays while the looper is locked in infinite mode, which is annoying. But, also, it seems when I’m in that mode that it randomly starts recording and playing back audio even if I don’t engage the looper with the Tap.

Does any one else notice this stuff?