Saturday, 28 January 2012

Trunk-line Module

I was commissioned by a client to make some Trunk-line Modules. These are similar to the Analogue Systems RS-250 module but offer rear facing jack sockets instead of unterminated jacks that you have to solder wires to and is ideal if soldering is not your thing.

8HP 10-channel Trunk-line Module front jacks

8HP 10-channel Trunk-line Module rear jacks
The point of a Trunk-line module is to provide front panel access to either outboard equipment such as mixers, sound cards, MIDI/CV units etc., or to provide connection across a very large synth (using two modules) so you don't have to use very long patch cables on the front panel. Most of us don't have big enough synths to warrant this so these really are for large synths that are more like installations.

The photos show an 8HP 10-channel module; I have made a few of these modules to order and because of the small quantities involved there are no screen-printed markings (due to the setup costs). I'd like to know if anyone else would be interested in a Trunk-line module and, if there were large enough numbers, I'd do a small production run with screen printed markings, so please let me know; I could also do a 4HP 5-channel version and versions with solderable sockets too.