Teenage Engineering: experiments in modular DIY
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TE Modular DIY · Source: Teenage Engineering
TE Modular DIY POM Modules · Source: Teenage Engineering
TE Modular DIY POM Modules · Source: Teenage Engineering
TE Modular DIY POM Modules · Source: Teenage Engineering
TE Modular DIY POM Modules Dub Siren · Source: Teenage Engineering
Teenage Engineering has quietly released the modules from the POM-400 and POM-170 individually for surprisingly low prices. They don’t come with front panels so you’ll have to come up with your own way of mounting them and TE have some ideas about that.
POM Modules
It always felt like there was a definite possibility of Teenage Engineering releasing a range of modules based on the ones from the POM-400 and POM-170. However, as the front panels on those two modular synths were fixed single sheets there was only one configuration in which you could put the modules. It wouldn’t be of any use to get additional modules as there was nowhere to mount them and you could only swap out like for like because of the arrangement of knobs and sockets.
Then, malm.audio and jklmnt came up with a bundle of front panels that transformed the POM modules into Eurorack modules and were made available through Oddvolt. They also included a power adapter so they could run off regular Eurorack juice – brilliant! It seems Teenage Engineering really liked this idea as now they’ve released all the POM modules individually so you can pick up a few, add the Oddvolt panels and plug them into a proper Eurorack system.
Oddvolt POM 400 panels · Source: Oddvolt
However, you don’t have to go that route if you don’t want to. Through “modular experiments” TE are encouraging us to think a bit more outside the Eurorack box and work the modules into other boxes, environments and experiments. TE has highlighted the work of people like Instagram user Speedbjorn who has mounted a module inside a guitar pedal sized box to create a Dub Siren.
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They also built something nutty out of lego to control the sinewave VCO. I always knew the way the module knobs exactly fitted with lego was no coincidence.
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Cheap as chips
What perhaps might be surprising is the price of these individual modules. They are, for the most part, £29 each. That’s unexpected from Teenage Engineering where it can often feel like they usually make over-engineered and over-priced devices. With a couple of modules and a 9V battery you could be making modular noises for under 100 quid – that’s pretty awesome.
TE Modular DIY POM Modules · Source: Teenage Engineering
Once you factor in the front panels and the power adapters it will start to add up if you plan to put them in Eurorack. Oddvolt can either sell the panels in a complete set for €200 or individually for between €10-€20 depending on the size. But maybe this could be an opportunity to start looking into crafting your own.
- Teenage Engineering blog post.
- Teenage Engineering POM modules.
- More from Teenage Engineering.
- Oddvolt panels.
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One response to “Teenage Engineering: experiments in modular DIY”
I love playing modular and semi modular synths