Help: 4 Ksoloti > Serge inspired panel?

Hardware
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Hi everyone!

I am looking to throw myself into a diy-project based around Ksoloti-boards, and was hoping i could get some help.

My prior experience with electronics is limited, as will probably be evident by this thread, but hopefully someone can help me. I have previously done a lot max builds, had endless amounts of modular and have two axoloti that are very dear to me - so the patching i’m used to - but now i want to built something more of a physical instrument using the Ksoloti-boards.

Here’s what I want to do:
Use 4 Ksoloti Core built into a panel similar to a Serge Mantra II 4u banana plug panel. (for reference, not exactly).

Essentially an idea similar to have a eurorack system using 4 Ksoloti Big Gene-modules.

The main differences are:
A) i want to make my own single front panel
B) ideally i’d want to build jacks and pots etc without PCB - or make a custom PCB if needed.
C) i want to use banana jacks instead of euro rack jacks

Some questions I’m looking to answer:

  1. Is it presenting a problem to use banana jacks? If so, can this be resolved?

  2. What are the possible ins and outs from the Ksoloti-core, and what are their limitations? what outs and ins already have specific use case?

  3. For example, the Big Genes have 32 pots, jacks and encoders, and on top of that some LED’s and a screen. These are also midi and audio ins.
    Would it be much easier to simply replicate Big Genes in and outs etc, compared to another solution?

to summarise, i’m trying to understand what limitations and exact uses of ins and outs i need to adapt to, when figuring out what i’m actually making.

In short - I want to build a 4 ksoloti module modular, and i’d ideally want to know how many ins/outs and the limitations of these to plan for.
I hope this makes somewhat sense, and feel free to ask questions where iv missed providing information for what i’m trying to accomplish.
Thanks in advance for anyone willing to help a hardware building noob in beginning to realise a dream.

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from what i understand - i’m limited to 2 cv outputs and 2 gate outputs per ksoloti unit - is there any way of expanding this?

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Hi and welcome! Saw the discussion on Modwiggler, too, but I’ll answer here to keep the information for the future!

or is this just a choice made for the big genes module?
my apologies for stumbling in the dark outloud.

In short, a barebones Ksoloti Core has 17 analog input pins (CV or pot, or any analog voltage sensor). Or better, 17 pins that can be setup as analog inputs, among other functions.

It also has 2 more or less “CV-type” (DAC) outputs, but the two pins that can do this are among the 17 analog inputs.

So if you use the 2 CV outs, you’d have those 2 pins occupied and would get only 15 analog inputs.

Then there are lots of digital I/O, pins, which each can be setup either as input or as output, in a “1 or 0” fashion like you mentioned on Modwiggler. (I guess you could even switch the function between input and output from within your patch. But then it would be easy to make a mistake and fry the pin unless some protection is added?)

Big Genes only has two gate outputs because there was no space on the panel, and because all available pins are used for other things, like pots, encoders, display, CV in, CV out…
This is also the reason why Big Genes does not have “gate inputs” (the CV inputs can “double function” as gate inputs).

There were plans to make a Big Genes trigger expander board, using which you could easily get dozens of additional triggers and/or gates and/or CV.
Maybe of interest for you, there is one user who was working on interfacing Axoloti/Ksoloti with MAX11300 which would give you lots of additional inputs and outputs –

If you want a Serge-type digital modular, you will have to decide if you want the system to be self-contained (0 to 3.3V, in other words you would plug one Ksoloti’s output into another Ksoloti’s input), or should all be available to external modular voltages, in which case you’d have to add a bipolar power source, and a few opamps to do the CV voltage scaling, and some power protection for all pins…

So although it would be possible to solder all this with wires, it sounds like a lot of dedication would be necessary to realize it. Why don’t you take the first step and figure out what you want it to look like and what it should do, regardless of if is possible. Only then the more experienced makers here, or on Modwiggler or Discord, will be able to help you figure out if and how this will work.

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I’ve built a patchable synth/drum machine/effect thing with Bela & BeagleBone Black before. I actually thought of using Axoloti before. never thought someone like you would have a better idea than me.

my advice to you is to start small. Starting small for you could mean building a patchable Ksoloti prototype with banana plugs, with only 1 Ksoloti Core. once you know what’s possible with Ksoloti Core, then you’ll know what’s achievable or not.

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Nice idea. One Ksoloti patched into itself already sounds powerful…

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