Description
The CGM Creative Mixer is a modular mixing solution for Eurorack systems. It breaks down the main parts of a classic mixer console into three module families (channels, groups, and masters) and adds plenty of CV modulations to them.
It is an ever-growing mixing ecosystem designed to suit every mixing situation.
The CGM works by connecting its modules through IDC sockets on their PCBs, but some modules work both as stand-alone components and as parts of larger setups.
The various modules share audio, power, and controls through the IDC cables on the back.
You can connect up to eight members of the channel family to a group and up to four groups to a master, for a total of 128 channels in the current largest configuration.
Key Features
We designed the CGM to bring a professional audio console to the Eurorack world.
It guarantees excellent signal treatment, plenty of headroom, and a warm, musical saturation on every module (yes, even on the master!).
Thanks to its modular architecture, you can combine the CGM modules in many configurations, from smaller, compact cases to behemoth-like studio systems.
The body and soul of modular synthesizers is control voltage, so we equipped the CGM with a wide array of CV inputs.
In this way, you can animate your compositions and treat your mixer as an actual musical instrument.
Channel Family
With the channel modules, your Eurorack sound enters the CGM circuit and begins its road to the outside world.
From here, you can define the input gain, the volume in the mix, the effect sends, and the pan level.
According to the module, you can voltage-control some or all of these parameters.
High-standard VCAs with plenty of headroom guarantee crystalline sound treatment, but you can push the input gain to the limit and obtain a smooth and warm saturation.
As of today, there are two members in the channel family.
Group Family
The group is the first section of the CGM that mixes the signals and makes some of the channels’ functionalities effective. It then routes the channels’ sum to the Master module (if present).
With a group, you can mix up to eight channels (of either kind), take advantage of the Safe Solo function, and handle their effect routing through two mono sends and two stereo returns.
You can easily use the group as your latest stage in the audio chain in smaller setups thanks to its Group Outputs.
Master Family
The master section is the gateway to the outside world.
With a master module, you can mix up to four groups. Since every group can mix up to eight channel modules, a master can handle 32 channels. If such channels are QSCs, the largest possible configuration is a mixer of 128 total channels.
Thanks to its headphones output, the master allows you to take advantage of the pre-fader listening function and use the channels and groups to their full potential.
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FAQ
A. Use
Our modules are packed with high-quality components that demand a proper power supply and can get sensibly warm.
That is its normal temperature and we can guarantee their performance.
You always need at least one group if you plan to incorporate a master module in your setup. It is not possible to connect any channel module directly to a master module.
The CGM is designed to let you connect up to eight channels (C or QSC) to one group (G), but there is no way of connecting the same channels to two or more groups.
Yes, to take advantage of the Master module’s functions (PFL, headphones, final gain stage), you need at least one group.
We designed the group (G) module together with the classic mono channel (C), which is 6HP wide. After the QSC release, we developed a new Link System with wider plugs that allow you to connect more QSCs in a row.
If you need to connect more QSCs, check your local shop for cable availability!
If you just need to connect a QSC, the classic group-to-channel cable works great, too.
If you experience an abnormal panning on the CGM, check your case’s power supply and your system’s overall power consumption. We experienced that the CGM system sometimes has trouble working in a system close to its maximum Ampère output. An unbalanced power supply may cause the audio to be louder on one channel than on the other.
Try staying below 80% of the total amperage or switch to a more powerful PSU to solve this issue.
The Mute button closes the first VCA of the channel, thus preventing the sound from being routed through all the other VCAs (FX sends, pan, main fader).
The Solo in Place button isolates some channels and mutes the others. However, the mute function it performs is different since it affects the channel after the fader: the sound will still be routed to any pre-fader VCA such as Direct Output and FX Sends (when set to Pre-Fader Mode).
In other words, the Mute button works pre-fader, while the Solo in Place works post-fader.
B. Design
We have two main kinds of capacitors.
The first one is necessary to AC-couple the audio signal: they prevent any unwanted DC offset, and they offer protection against wrong connections. For this reason, you can patch nearly every input to every output, and the worst thing that can happen is some pops or some silence.
The second one is power filters to guarantee a cleaner current flow across the case. They might sound a bit over the top, but we must remember that a Eurorack system is not something that comes straight out of the factory. Instead, every Eurorack setup is unique and may change according to the musician’s need. For this reason, we want to add as much protection as we can, both to avoid issues with our modules and to ensure that even the other modules behave correctly. We use a wide mix of capacitors in our modules: ceramic, electrolytic, tantalum, and multilayer. They can be assembled thru-hole or SMD, according to what gives the best balance between result and space. For example, all the electrolytic capacitors are mounted thru-hole because they perform better according to our tests.
However, the capacitors have zero impact on the power draw, on which you can read in this other FAQ.
Power draw should always be related to what a module does.
Generally speaking, there are modules like SAPÈL that undoubtedly consume more than other random generators. However, SAPÈL is a double module, so a fair comparison would be between it and a pair of similar modules. The same can be said for FUMANA, the most power-demanding filter bank. However, it is also the only Eurorack filter bank with 32 analog bandpass filters, half of which have a 48 dB/oct slope. So, also in this case, a fairer comparison would be between FUMANA and TWO other 16-band filter banks, which leads to similar power consumptions.
More in detail, we engineer our modules to be safe to use. To protect both the modules and the rest of the case, we add a proper buffering stage to every input and output: even if a single buffer doesn’t draw that much power, all the ins and outs piled together can significantly impact the final power draw.
C. Shop
Yes! We opened our online store in October 2022. Check out the full catalog!
Our resellers receive our modules exclusively through our distributor, so we do not have access to the individual shops’ orders or stocks.
We restock every module at least once over a year: we focus on a module’s batch at a time, then we move on to the next one, and so on.
If you want an estimated delivery time for a specific module, drop us a line! We’ll be happy to answer you.