Why is it so expensive to get started with a Doepfer A-100 system?

[program_insect]

At Analog Haven, the g6 rack enclosure with psu is $530. The psu alone is $130, which means I'd be paying $400 for some mounting brackets. Seems a little ridiculous! Why are these so expensive? Is this how Doepfer recovers money on their cheap modules? Is there a cheaper way to start up an A-100 system?

[coyote-1]

You could always go purchase some sheet metal, cut it and bend it and weld it and drill the holes and bolt it together....

 

Ya gotta understand that Doepfer is not selling 8000 synths per month. They don't get the benefits of mass production - so neither do you.

[mate_stubb]

Thanks to the monumentally weak dollar, anything made in Europe is astronomically priced right now. That doesn't help things.

[mytee2.0]

no its not the dollar, it was ALWAYS expensive.

 

all modulars are expensive, just look at some other enclosures and what not.

 

and no one says you have to buy a doepfer case. AS cases are nice.

[droolmaster0]

There's truth to all of that - analog modulars are expensive. Doepfer is one of the cheaper ones, even when considering the price of the case/cpu. It's also true that the price has gone up with the weak dollar. It's worse than what it was. The real killer with a Eurorack system is when you've filled one case, and want to buy 1 measly little module...

[mytee2.0]

The real killer with a Eurorack system is when you've filled one case, and want to buy 1 measly little module...

 

:mad:

[idiotboy]

This subject flames me up big-time.

 

{censored}ing Eurorack cases are STUPID expensive. Frac-rack cases are simply not. Eurorack enclosures are, at a minimum ~ $300. Frac-rac enclosures are ~$50. {censored} that.

 

There is no {censored}ing reason why eurorack cases should be as expensive as they are. There is absolutely nothing special about them that would demand such a premium. And Mighty is right, it isn't because of the weak dollar. They were just as stupid-{censored}ing expensive when the dollar was strong.

 

There are more modules available for the eurorack standard, but the {censored}ing cost of the eurorack enclosure was a deal-breaker for me. So I build a frac-rac modular (Blacet).

 

Here's the killer, in Europe, they cost peanuts. If you are in the US, and are patient and persistent, you can get a used euro rack on the German eBay site for ~$30. Of course the shipping will cost you $100, but it's still $130 vs $30.

 

I bought a used rack on the German site, because I wanted to have some euro modules. The Plan B and Livewire modules look mighty appealling to me. But it took me months to get the eBay transaction done, and was only possible with a very patient and accomodating seller.

 

So, arrrgghh.

 

[mytee2.0]

every euro rack case I own (3, 1 doepfer 2 as) is built like a tank (heavy and sturdy), frac rack cases have always looks a little cheap and flimsy to me

 

Ill get a much better idea when I eventually get a frac rack modular going

 

On a side note, the as ones (newer ones) have built in protection for when you plug in modules wrong. I dont think doepfer and frac racks have that.

[6.4 Billion]

If you are in the US, you can buy a eurorack case direct from Schroff or buy separate parts from Schroff or the company that makes T-struts (Vector, I think?). Of course, you then have to deal with adding a powersupply.

 

I have a Schroff rack, it was about $180 or so, but the rails are not compatible with the Doepfer rails... you need to use different size mounting screws.

[idiotboy]

every euro rack case I own (3, 1 doepfer 2 as) is built like a tank (heavy and sturdy), frac rack cases have always looks a little cheap and flimsy to me

 

The frac-rack cases are flimsy. But, these cases are built to be screwed into a rack. So ultimately it doesn't really matter how flimsy they are.

 

On a side note, the as ones (newer ones) have built in protection for when you plug in modules wrong. I dont think doepfer and frac racks have that.

 

Dude. No. Just....no. The frac module power plugs are keyed in a big way. It's really hard to plug them in wrong. "Built-in protection" ? Just...no. Really. No. :poke:

 

If you are in the US, you can buy a eurorack case direct from Schroff or buy separate parts from Schroff or the company that makes T-struts (Vector, I think?). Of course, you then have to deal with adding a powersupply. I have a Schroff rack, it was about $180 or so, but the rails are not compatible with the Doepfer rails... you need to use different size mounting screws.

 

Yeah, but when you total up the extra costs and hassle, you don't save that much going this route, for some of the very reasons you mention. But, it is possible.

 

The whole thing is just a really dumb problem that, I guess, isn't big enough for someone to want to solve.

 

I may have had too much coffee today.

[idiotboy]

One way around the problem is to buy a complete, used Doepfer or AS rig on eBay, and then re-sell all the modules (or just the you don't want). If you make good enough deals, you'll end up with a case for much less than buying it retail.