adm02 - 2io...
From the original Analog Industries archive. Some links and images from that era no longer resolve.
Since the intrepid sleuths over at the Muff Wiggler forum essentially deduced what it is, and in order to at least have the facade of a certain amount of control over the information, we’ve gone ahead and released the highlights. That being the case, there’s no harm in doing a “coming soon” kind of thing.
As most of you have figured out by this juncture, Audio Damage is about to wade hip-deep in to the Euro Rack modular market. The reason for this is that we wanted to start releasing hardware as the next logical step in the progression of the company, and the infrastructure provided by the existing Euro-Rack market makes an entrance in to hardware releasing less risky than, say, making a Jupiter 80.
Anyhow, market-speak aside, we’ve designated a new catalog line, adm (which is obviously “Audio Damage Modular”), and the first product released will be adm02, the 2io module. This is a USB1.1 class-compliant audio interface with two inputs and two DC-coupled outputs. Its main claim to fame is that it will be fully compatible with the iPad, enabling you to use any CoreAudio-compliant iPad app in a Euro-Rack modular environment.
Next, our reasoning was that in a Euro live performance rig, you might want to use plug-ins as send effects, and this would enable you to use a netbook or whatever, and a simple ASIO host, and have low latency insert effects or audio sources with your modular. (We might have a plug-in or two to recommend in that context.)
And finally, with DC-coupled outputs it can work with Volta or Silent Way as a method of controlling a modular. With only two I/O, this isn’t its prime directive, but it’ll work in that context, should you need it to.
Here are some pictures of the prototype:
It is a 4HP module, and is just shy of 40mm deep. And that’s about all the info I have at this time. When we have panel art and videos and more pictures and all that, I’ll drop info bombs left and right.
A couple points. First, you’ll note that this is adm02. Yes, there is an adm01. Due to this being somewhat easier to make, it is coming out first. Second, this shouldn’t affect the software side of things. We’re not giving up plug-ins to make hardware. We hope to develop the two side by side, with a mind to eventual complete integration (and independence.) And finally, we don’t know the price yet, nor the availability date.
35 comments
I'm with boobs.
very cool. slick. i'm sure there are lot's of people figuring out how to use this already.
i hope you are prepared for "20 questions" over at muff's... even though you've revealed your load.. much discussion is certainly to take place as is the way of eurocrackheads.
Damn. How about building one with a possibility to expand it later by adding usb-less modules?
I think I want one, just in case. I'm currently using Silent Way with my MOTU 24i/o (the best use for that ever) and custom cables, but I'm going to need a smaller interface for my laptop.
(How about building a chassis for one module too?)
Does this mean, in the future, someone might be able to have an entire rack of just AD modules from OSC to AMP and everything in between? Or are you just planning to release a very limited number of badass modules like this?
Is just the prototype Made in the USA, as labeled, or are all of them going to be US product?
Chris,
if you need an experienced beta tester or manual writer, i'm in. Did that for multiple projects including tiptop and elektron. Just contact me off-list :-)
Not that I know if I ever will afford building a eurorack but I'm curious. Will your modules be pre-built, sold as kits or just the pcb and a bom list?
Brilliant. Best of luck to you and Adam with your foray into hardware. I look forward to picking one of these up.
Brilliant man, Strength to Strength... thats what you guys are going from and to
I'm with boobs.
Exciting.
Trying to make a little sense of this without wading through the huge thread at Muffs...
So you plug in your iPad or laptop via USB? And, for example, I can run my Euro VCO into the input jack(s) of this thingy, it sends it to my Dr. Device VST in Ableton via USB, back out of Ableton into this thing via USB, and outputs to, say, my VCA?
Or it takes envelopes from Tattoo and turns them into CV with its outputs?
Does this thing use Silent Way/Volta, or does it negate the need for Silent Way/Volta?
In any case, neat.
I manufacture electronics for a living, and my sales manager lives on PHX. Too bad I missed helping this project.
Congrats, and hopefully we can see this demo at the next Trash Audio synth meet.
A super portable rig with just a eurorack modular and an iPad... Great idea!
Congratulations with you guys reaching the next phase of AD taking over the world of music making :)
You've got questions? I've got (some) answers. In order, and two parts:
@Peppe: the chipset on this is 2-in, 2-out. The only feature on the chip we're not using is SPDIF. We thought about it, but couldn't come up with a reason to break out the SPDIF that warranted going up to 8HP. So it's pretty much as-is.
@xmodz: One thing at a time. In an ideal world, that would be the case, but that ideal world is a long way off. It took us 3 years to have any plug-in products aside from a couple delays. All things in moderation.
@darklordjames: We are making a concerted effort to source as many individual parts from the US as possible, but some things just aren't made here. That said, the PCB, the fabrication, the panel metalwork, a large percentage of the parts, and the assembly will all be done in the USA. So it's as "made in the USA" as anything can be in this modern era. (Interestingly, we get a bit of a tax incentive for making things in Arizona, so the fab and final assembly will be done here in the greater Tempe/Mesa Metroplex.)
@Jan: Let me ponder that. I'll drop you a line if we need someone.
@Trackdriver: These will only be sold as completed pre-built modules. They are almost all surface mount; very difficult for a hobbyist to build. I couldn't make one, and I'm pretty skilled at that sort of thing. It takes a special kind of crazy person (e.g. Adam) to build SMT kits. Some of the parts on this are so small I can barely see them. When I saw the resistors for the first time, I was like "you gotta be shitting me..." I'd sneeze while I was building it and lose $50 worth of parts.
-CR
@MrBiggs: Think of it this way: it's like like any other simple stereo audio interface, and can be used however you use those. It just has 3.5mm jacks instead of 1/4", and has a Euro-rack faceplate instead of a cheap plastic box. It has one feature specific to Euro-Land: the DC-coupled outputs. In that manner, it can be used with Silent Way and/or Volta, to do some CV stuff.
-CR
ok thanks Chris. My thought was that if it's just for iPad audio, one could just use audio jacks from the headphone output. No USB necessary. I use my iPhone like that with my modular quite often, sometimes with Naughty Panther apps. If the CV is for use with computer (volta etc), that part makes more sense to me.
A crafty developer could make an iPad app using CV output. Nothing preventing it. Os has done that for the iPhone.
-CR
Exciting stuff!
Did you guys (Adam and Chris) do the hardware design yourselves?
We added some Experience to the party. I'll just say that it's more than just Adam and I. adm01 is Adam's design for the most part, though.
-CR
Thank you for finally giving me a reason to buy an iPad.
I've soldered my share of SMT parts for Flight of Harmony, i know how much of a PITA they can be. Those resistors ARE tiny as hell. They come on a role of paper, like those candy beads that you peel off. But, once you get hang of it, it gets easier.
SMT is certainly doable at the DIY/hobby level. There are some tools and techniques that one must acquire, but that's true of just about any DIY/hobby activity. Probably the biggest reason that we're not doing kits is that when it comes to documentation, packaging, and support, it's actually harder to do kits than to do finished products. (Ask Paul Schreiber of Synthesis Technology, who shut down the kit side of his MOTM line several years ago.) Given that we believe a majority of potential DIY customers would balk at the teeny SMDs we use, there's not much business sense in trying to make kit versions of these modules.
--Adam
exciting product chris, congratulations to both you and adam, your user base model seems salient as well, and it seems like i know a lot of people that will find this a great tool. brilliant way to break in on that market with a product need that has not been executed. onwards and upwards! :)
The time has now come for me to jump into the Eurorack market... finally. The adm02 is the "killer app" that just pushed me over the edge.
BTW -- I hear Roland is looking for some good ideas. You guys available?
I just watched about three or four disastrous Jupiter 80 demos from Germany. I'm going to assume y'all know the ones I mean. Looking to the right of the touch screen, we see sections labeled "value" and "reverb". I doubt "value" should be printed on a Jupiter 80, regardless of the context... but I digress. I'm a big fan of the SBF-325 Stereo Flanger. The big boy in that series was the Dimension D. Duh, winning! Roland could have scrapped the weak shit and included a dope, marketable effects section instead. Oddly enough, the JP-8080 has a simplified, yet effective, implementation of this very idea. Instead of letting UA get love for this branded stuff, Roland could have jammed all this classic shit into one killer section, with basic realtime control.
Why did I bring this up? Well... let's say I doubt I'd kick Fluid out of my Eurorack for eating crackers. Hey, it worked for the MXR lunchbox range!
ecallender your second post looks (to me at least) like it could've been written by Mark V. Shaney...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_V_Shaney
I am terrified of becoming an analog modular dude. I quite simply cannot afford it unless I drop something else in my life.
Like food.
I'm currently saving up for an FCS compressor and a pair of Cartec EQ's. This is the kind of shit I like. I like what I like.
I can't... can't.. CAN'T become a Eurorack dude. I can't!
When I think about the Eurorack scene, I become frightened of myself. Do you hear me? FRIGHTENED OF MYSELF!
- c
(Translation: I'm tempted.)
- c
I guess i have held off long enough. Time to give Shawn a call (the Tiptop stuff had me on the verge anyhow).
@CR - will end up being sold through Analogue Haven or will it be a direct sales deal?
@Chris Randall
I dunno if you've divulged this info before but what modules are you packing in your Eurorack at the moment?
I know about the Rene sequencer in there but I'm wondering about the rest.
I've got René, Intellijel uStep, Synth Tech Cloud Generator and Resampling Mini-Delay (those two are on loan, not mine), Tip Top Z3000, and Doepfer A-106-5, A-143-2, A-143-3, A-132-3, A-138, and A-190-2.
About to add adm01 and adm02. ;-)
Once I give the Synth Tech stuff back, I'll have 2/3 of a row free, so open to ideas. Adam has a mostly similar rack. We bought them for development, not music making. If I was going to put together one to meet my own needs, it would be, needless to say, significantly different.
-CR
I'll also admit that I went somewhat overboard on the modulation sources when we put together our reference systems. I was thinking a bit too hard about my own use of my own modular and how I never seem to have quite enough LFOs.
--Adam
Impressive. Most impressive.
Not that I can afford to start building a rack anytime soon but it's fun to read about.
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