I am currently building my first Eurorack using the Arturia Rackbrute 6U. I have purchased several modules and like a noob, I completely overlooked the fact that I needed a module that lets me route all those blips and bleeps to a stereo line out. After realizing this I bought a module created out of a collaboration between DivKid and Befaco called Output Bus. It has several inputs to route my patches to as well as left and right stereo outputs and two headphone line outs. Now here’s where we get to my question. If I were to purchase the Arturia Minifuse 4 would it be possible to connect the Eurorack at the output bus module to a stereo input of the Minifuse 4? And if so, what would be the proper connection cables for doing so? Thirdly I would also want to hear my patches through my monitors as well as connect to my MacBook for recording my patches into my DAW. Would the correct routing be: sound source/oscillator>envelope generator>filters>fx modules>VCA>output bus’ inputs and then the output bus’ stereo line outs>minifuse 4>monitors>A&H mixer>macbook? Also, what cables should be using to go from the Eurorack module to the Minifuse 4 and then to the mixer?
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You shouldn’t have any problems connecting the Output Bus to the MiniFuse 4. It probably makes most sense to connect it to inputs 3 & 4 on the back, as those ones only accept line-level signals (which is what Output Bus produces) while the ones on the front can also handle mics and guitars, if you also use those. If you don’t use those, and you have multiple line-level sources, you can also connect those to the front jacks. You just need to be sure that the instrument switch (with the guitar icon) is turned OFF.
If you’re connecting directly from the Output Bus to the MiniFuse, the best cables to use are two 1/4" TRS cables from the Line Out of the Output Bus. These are sometimes called balanced cables or (less commonly) stereo cables. In this case, you’re using them as balanced cables, but the wiring is the same.
For example (update: I linked to the wrong ones at first, use these ones not the TT plugs I originally linked):
You can also get ones that are joined into stereo pairs such as:
The important thing is that the plugs have two black bands and three metal conductors, the tip, ring, and sleeve (where the name “TRS” comes from).
If you don’t have any cables like this, but do have TS cables (with only one plastic band and two metal conductors, such as 1/4 in TS to Same - Unbalanced Interconnect | Hosa Cables) those are OK, too, but less ideal. The benefit of using TRS cables is that it gives you a balanced signal, which will help reduce the amount of noise picked up by the cable, particularly longer cables).
You don’t want to use a TRS cable to connect the headphone output of the Output Bus to an input on the MiniFuse. That would send a stereo signal to a mono balanced input, and mess up your recordings.
With a mixer involved, it gets a bit more complicated and kind of depends on your needs. You could either put the mixer in between the modular and the MiniFuse, with the MiniFuse outputs going to your monitors, which allows you to record more gear into your computer, but only as the mixed output, not as individual tracks. Alternatively, you could plug the Output Bus directly into the MiniFuse, the MiniFuse output into the mixer, and the mixer into the monitors. Depending on the mixer, more complex routings might be available. The best cables to connect to your mixer also depend on the specific mixer model. If you let us know what it is, what other gear you have connected, and how you want to record, I can give more advice on this.
As for the routing within the Eurorack case… well part of the fun of modular is experimenting with this, but a conventional routing would be something like this:
- Sequencer or keyboard CV output to VCO CV input
- Sequencer or keyboard gate output to Envelope Generator gate input
- VCO audio output to filter audio input
- Filter audio output to VCA audio input
- Envelope Generator output to either VCF cutoff frequency CV input, VCA CV input, or both
- VCA audio output to FX
- FX output to Output Bus inputs
Sorry if any of this is too basic… it’s always hard to know how much someone knows so I err on the side of over-explaining. 