Hey guys…
I’ve currently got two MFs and am probably going to add a third. I would like to be able to rack them, but I’m not really sold on using the Moog Music MF rack because the form factor seems pretty awful. I’d rather not leave two open rack spaces above them just to have room for cables/patching. I’m also going to rack my VX-351 and the CP as well (but those look like they will rack with the factory kit just fine!).
I was wondering if anyone has had luck racking these units in other ways (perhaps using sliding/pull-out shelves or something like that) that are a bit less cumbersome/awkward than the standard solution.
I’d also like to hear from any of you who use the Moog rack and think that my fears might be unfounded or overblown.
I bought the rack. I own an OSP mixer rack cabinet, so the Foogers being at the top of the front panel, those 2 spaces aren’t lost. Behind that 2 spaces of space where the Fooger jacks are is the mixer, where the top rails start so Im happy with that.
I really don’t like to remove my cheek pieces and expose the electronics to dust just to have these racked, but at the height they are, they are a good sitting or standing level (the top of a 22 space rack rail) and the fooger panels are almost equal to the voyager’s.
Overall, Im happy with this. I intend on getting an identical rack cabinet for the other three foogers, and more modules, the second cabinet housing what will be an upgraded power supply and amps. This will make my modular synth really portable as far as the house is concerned. I can move the cabs into other rooms to process and record other instruments until I can get everything situated in one studio area.
This will take years of corse, but all studios are generally evolving.
We used long (1.5") bolts which were put on “backwards” (from the inside of the 'foogers) in place of the rubber feet. These bolts protruded out from the units and were attached to a wooden box.
Works well!
It really is a bit of a pickle if you need rack space badly. Mounting in draws could be problematic as you wouldn’t have instant access to the knobs
It would be cool to have flat panel-mount 'foogers… (WIP)
Moogers on the top, VX-351 and CP-251 below, then a three-space gap followed by a KLON Centaur and Mayer Voodoo Vibe racked onto a Moog 3-space bracket on the bottom.
Flip the rack over from the position they have it pictured in and you can fit pedals on the floor underneath. I stow the wall warts on the little tray along with a power strip.
I have been thinking about this myself. Right now I use a tilting rack system like the one posted here and I use the Moog rack kits. You instincts are dead on with rack mounting these which leaves no room for access to the connection and requires the side panels to be removed.
The Moogatron is an incredible design but of course a whole not of work on the part of the builder.
Elegant, room for 8 foogers and CP 251s and it looks like Voyager expansions on the bottom. I have been considering buiding a modified version iwht extra room for few rack mount electronics one which is a “Switcblade” automated patch bay (for fooger audio and my keyboards) and then a patchbay for the foogers.
I have been wanting to integrate all my equipment together and perhaps even deisgn some graphics for the patchbay. I would love a custom patchbay but making one the the Moogatron is a massive soldering job.
I’m just soldering yet another patchbay right now **
If you don’t want to solder you can always buy a commercial one. The downsides would be increased cost and rigid layout.
**For your interest:
One thing I’ve made is a normalled stereo output for the Andromeda (which doesn’t have an insert point). Because I like to use filters etc. fully wet, I need a connection which breaks the signal going to the mixer so it can be re-routed. Using just two TRS sockets and TRS jack cables (with the ring not connected) I can have three modes of operation:
No jacks inserted: the left and right channels are normalled to the mixer
Left jack inserted only: the mixer connections are broken and both channels are summed together and output as a mono signal.
Both jacks inserted: this configuration is a stereo direct output.
This could also be useful for using effects for the Voyager in a variable stereo/mono config.
I have been working on a design for a cabinet for my foogers and some other electtronics that I want to integrate.
It’s going to have room for 2 rows of 4 foogers, CP-251, Voyager Expander and about 6 racks spaces for patch bays and a few rack mount units I have including a matrix patcher which will integerate all my audio.
I want to create shelves for the foogers and even find ways to run straps through them so that they will stay put but easy enough so I can also use them seperately and take them off the rack.
I already have a basic design and just need a carpenter with the equipment to make the wood pieces and possibly the cabinet.
Here is mine, fashioned from the one post above but made of a 19’’ rack system. It is awkward to haul to shows, but not necessarily more than a huge case.
**