Mod your Moog Minitaur into Eurorack with this DIY conversion kit
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Moog Minitaur DIY conversion kit · Source: Million Machine March
Moog Minitaur DIY conversion kit · Source: Million Machine March
Moog Minitaur DIY conversion kit guide · Source: Million Machine March
The Moog Minitaur is designed as a desktop synth. But it’s tantalisingly close to the Eurorack form factor. Unlike the Mother-32 which can be dropped straight into a rack, the Minitaur needs a bit of serious modding. Million Machine March have just released a DIY conversion kit complete with a custom made front panel, instructions and everything you need to do the deed. So grab your soldering iron and great big fists full of courage and let’s void our warranty.
Minitaur DIY Conversion Kit for Eurorack
The kit includes a new 43hp front panel which has been CNC cut, bead blasted, powder coated and screen printed. There’s a bunch of wires, some standoffs, jack sockets, power cable, shorting stickers and sandpaper. You’ll need to bring your own soldering iron, solder, wire cutters, glue, tape and screwdrivers.
There’s a 30 page guide taking you through every step in the process. It’s illustrated throughout with photographs and arrows and lots of important instructions IN BOLD CAPITALS. It’s a fabulous piece of work and really makes me think that perhaps, even with my meagre DIY skills, I could attempt this sort of thing. Although “attempting” is not really what you’re after. You are messing with an expensive and probably precious synthesizer with ample opportunity to completely screw it up.
There’s some scary stuff in here. The original PCB is just too deep to fit in the 3U Eurorack space and so you’ll need to carefully and methodically sand a few millimetres off the edge. You have to de-solder all the external connections. There’s also some slicing with sharp knives before things start coming back together with an awful lot of soldering. All the CV and audio connections have to be relocated to the front panel. The kit can also include an extra panel to house the USB and MIDI sockets.
It’s no small job but the result is simply stunning. They’ve done such a great job on the front panel – it looks like its always meant to be this way. And in the end you get to integrate an awesome synthesizer voice into your modular system.
The kit costs $118 or $158 including the 6hp USB/MIDI expander. They say they are only making one batch of kits so if you fancy trying your hand at breaking a Moog then get one while they last. More information on the website.
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