Product Review - Moon Modular M-564 Sequential Switch

[morbius]

After having the Moon Modular M-564 for several weeks, I gotta say I love it. It's in the Moog/Dotcom-format, matches the looks and front-panel style, and is truly a 'must-have' if you do extensive analog-sequencing. It's a "double-wide" ("honey... let's get us a 'double-wide'!") And.... this module WILL fit in the bottom-row of a dotcom studio-44 slant cabinet!

The M-564 is kinda like the 962 Sequential Switch on steroids. It's basically the same 'kind' of module... it just does more. If you've ever used several 962's patched together (or a second sequencer) as a 'counter(s)', then this will free-up some of these modules, add to them, or even take-over that job. It also functions quite well as a Frequency Divider (as do most stepping sequencers)... but this is a sequenctial switch.

So far, the 'Moon People' have been producing modules with '4' as the appropriate number... the M-563 Trigger Sequencer (with four rows, inputs/outputs)... the M-564 Sequenctial Switch which has four 'stages' - (with four to one, or one to four, bi-directional switch in/out jacks)... and four trigger outs, four trigger ins, four momentary 'set' push-button switches and white indicator lamps... and each 'stage' has it's own count selector switch, which, as implied, sets the number of times that stage 'counts' a cycle before advancing to the next stage. The selections are: 'skip'; 1; 2; 3; 4; and 8. And then, there's the quad-quantizer module, as well. (but- the recent release of the VC-EG would be the exception, to date, regarding the 'quad' fuctions).

The M-564 seems to work equally well with 'gate' or 'trigger' signals... (at least, used within a Synthesizers.com system). Power connections are made for Synthesizers.com, and COTK systems. So if you are set-up on your power connections for either, you're ready to go... just plug-in, and play.

As with any sequential switch which has trigger-ins and trigger-outs (plus the switching section), this module isn't limited to just working with sequencers... it can also be used to control and/or respond to patching-up a 'preset-system'... for live or studio performing.

On a 0-10 scale... I'd give it a 9. Why 9? There's only one improvement I'd strongly recommend (or- performance quirk... if you'd prefer)... and that is: while running, if you change one of the selector switches on an upcoming stage, the new 'count-selection' doesn't take effect immediately, but rather, on the next cycle. This has the unfortunate tendancy to kinda screw-up one's playing 'on-the-fly', regarding the changing of whatever pattern(s) are patched-thru the M-564.

Think of it like this... and use a 960 as a comparison: With a 960... as the sequence progresses from stage 1 thru 8, you can switch the mode of an upcoming stage to 'skip', or 'normal', or 'stop', (or with the Q960... 'reset')... and that change will take effect immediately... as soon as that stage is reached. With the M-564, that's not the case. After changing one (or more) of the counter switches (skip-, the change will not happen until the next go-around (the next cycle). So- the operator has to take this factor into account... and- remember that the 960's behave one way, and the M-564 behaves differently. It's not something that 'screws-tha-pooch', IMO... but- I do consider it "less than ideal", and counter-intuitive. If it were 'my' call, I'd offer a retro-fix... but that's just me.

All in all- I would definetly recommend this module for those who love to do complex sequencing... and/or using modules to patch-up presets. The Moon (Lunar) people are a pleasure to do business with... friendly... responsive... trustworthy... and the time-factor is about as fast as you could ask for, considering they're in Germany. I'd have absolutely NO reservations about doing business with them!!!! (unlike one modular company most of us know of).

~Morbius~

[tyhodson]

Great review, Morb – thanks for posting it. Regarding your comment about changes made on the M564 taking place after the completion of the current cycle, I can see someone else calling that a great innovation. So it may come down to playing style. STG Soundlabs’ upcoming Time Modules behave in the same manner. I wonder if that behavior is something that could be made jumperable (and therefore switchable with the appropriate mod)?

I don’t have an opinion yet whether I’d prefer immediate action, or next-cycle action. One downside I can see with next-cycle action is that since the switch selections are 1,2,3,4,8 (i.e. lacking 5 and 7), it seems like one’s playing would be locked in to more “traditional” 4/4 or 3/4 meter – whereas with immediate action switching (and/or the inclusion of 5 and 7 on the switch dial) you could explore other meters and polyrhythms more readily.

ty

[morbius]

[trontastic]

Great review !!
Do you think this will work well with the synth .com Q119 Sequencer.
By that i mean can i switch and skip between each 8 note sequence row?

See Digisound 80 and Synthesizer.com Q119 on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSCXrxQgf0o

[JohnLRice]

Thanks for the review, Morbius!

Yeah, I agree that the way the switching is handled is not very intuitive!

From my limited experience so far, it seems that it only 'remembers' or 'recognizes' changes made to a stage while that stage is active. Once it switches to the next stage, the next time around it's going to do whatever the setting was when the stage ended the time before. Switching right before or right after doesn't affect the next cycle, just the following one.

While this can be OK for slower sequences, and even desirable in some situations, it can be really difficult to use with fast sequences!

Maybe an extra position called 'Reset' or a 'Reset' pushbutton or a reset trigger jack would be a good improvement so you could force the current switch position to be recognized???

[JohnLRice]

[JohnLRice]

trontastic, give this video a look-see:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rYCM9n9JtU&fmt=18

John L Rice

[trontastic]