Low-Gain Electronics 2-Bit Binary Sequencer Module Overview

Low-Gain Electronics today shared this video overview of the 2-Bit Binary Sequencer Module.

Here’s what they have to say about the module:

2 bit binary addressing digital to analogue converter. A four stage gate controlled preset voltage sequencer.

By using either the bit toggle switches, you can choose from manually turning On(up) or Off(center) each of the bits or switching to EXTernal(down) gate control.

2-Bits Truth Table

Bit 1
Bit 2
Stage
0
0
1
1
0
2
0
1
3
1
1
4

The CV output has a range switch to select between a 0-5V or 0-10V range of the stage pots.

The TRIG output sends a roughly 10V trigger any time the sequencer stage changes.

8HP, +/-12Vdc @TBD mA
Retail: $TBD (available winter 2016)

See the Low-Gain site for details.

13 thoughts on “Low-Gain Electronics 2-Bit Binary Sequencer Module Overview”

    1. In a module like this, 90% of the price is related on the cost of the panel and hardware. As for usability – it’s a tool. Don’t blame the manufacturer for your lack of immagination and creativity.

      1. You’re being a bit harsh telling someone they lack imagination and creativity for being able to see that this module is pretty limited. And you can’t blame other people’s opinions on your lack of decorum.

        I agree that the price is too high for what it is, doepfer put out modules with twice the part count as this for a quarter of the price.

        I think the module would have been a lot more useful if there were individual gate outputs for the stages.

        1. > doepfer put out modules with twice the part count as this for a quarter of the price.

          I’d gladly see few examples of that, please
          (I’m well aware of Doepfer’s range)

      2. I’m always amazed at how much use I get out of seemingly simple modules. I think this one will be very valuable at a mere 8hp. $199 may be a tad expensive but not more-so than other “small” manufacturers. A lot of these types of modules are short runs so the cost of manufacturing is higher. I’d also like to hear some examples of less expensive modules that provide so much more usefulness in just 8hp.

      3. I understand your reply.
        However having designed various modules myself (back then) and knowing what types of modules are around I don’t see any reason to change my opinion on this.
        As for the cost of panel, pots and switches, I’m aware of that, but it still seems very out of balance for this module.
        When is appealed to it , likes it and is creative with it, nothing against that. I’ll be the first one to thumb-up any video that demos practiclal use for this module that any alternative, similarly priced module doesn’t do better.

  3. “Ridiculous module with very poor usability. And a bit pricy for about 10$ of elementary electronics.”

    LOL this coming from someone who doesn’t even own a modular synth… Thank you for your “knowledgable” input

    1. I would just ignore those comments. I’m sure you know the internet is a very cruel place for anyone selling any product or service. You grow really thick skin really quickly. The complexity, parts count, or cost of the item is irrelevant as these things are designed for musicians, not engineers, and no one is forced to buy it.

    2. Good, I saw you visited my site.
      Perhaps you overlooked my having built my own modular in the past, and now using virtual modulars. Not everything I (have) use(d) is or need be on that site.
      And, if 90% of the price is contributed by the panel, 10$ of electronics still would end up somewhere very close to 100$, not 199$.
      Everybody entitled to their own opinion, but I challlenge you to do something cool and astonishing with a module with this specs and amaze me. I mightl learn something to.

      1. @Ad Van Gerven
        You clearly know nothing about how manufacturing and selling at retail works.
        A common business practice is the rule of 3rd’s (and sometimes 4ths!) … It costs me roughly $75 (that’s not me paying myself to final assemble/inspect/test the module) to have 100 modules made with all parts and ordering 200 pcb’s (stock, no parts) and 200 panels from a contract manufacturer here in the USA. That’s having the pcb’s Pick’N’Placed, and sent to me with all components required for final assembly. I final assemble the modules (about 20-30mins/module), inspect, and test. I’m a 1 person operation with an intern that comes in maybe once or twice a week. I don’t have to keep inventory of every part i use because of this service which helps a ton. If I chose to go by the rule of 3rds… the street price should be $225. But it’s not. it’s more like $199. So if If a dealer purchases the module from me at 30-35% (very common base percentage for retail markup) that means the retailer and I are both making around $60-65. So that means i’m spending $75 + screws, box, ribbon cable, my time to final assemble, inspect and test to make $60-65 per unit (that is NET total not including the cost of final shipping supplies and taxes). Now i suppose i could lower my price but what guarantee do i have in this small market that it will boost sales enough to justify the extra work i’ll have to do to accommodate the extra sales?
        It’s not easy being a small manufacturer, and I can’t justify the expenses to expand to make my costs go down because I don’t see the market being large enough to justify it for a long period of time.

        This is something that really bothers me when people start bitching about price… and to add insult to injury you tell me it’s “poor usability” !? I’ll be posting a practical uses video just because of you because it’s one of my favorite sequencers I own. And it’s also the basis to my up and coming DAC series Sequencer line which is a highly expanded version of this sequencer that will have all the bells and whistles you could imagine, but it’s too much for someone to understand right off the bat, so i’m introducing the 2-Bit’s to ease people (clearly like yourself) into this idea so that it makes sense.

        But what do I know.. I’ve only been in the manufacturing business for over a decade now and using modular synths for longer.

        So go out and spend $10 on parts and put this module together… I’d love to see you do it. Track your time invested (100%) and parts cost including R&D, pcb etching supplies, etc. and get back to me about how much it cost you to make. 😉 Then let me know how non-useful it is.

  4. While I’ve not had a change to use the Low-Gain 2-bit sequencer yet, I personally think it looks like a lot of fun to work with. For me, having mechanisms to generate different types of modulation patterns really opens up the door for even more complex but interesting modulation scenarios.

    With something like the 2 bit sequencer, given I do a lot of gate generation with our GateStorm module, taking 3 outputs off of that to feed into this module would be FANTASTIC fun. I’d use it with and without a slew module as well to drive like filter resonance or delays, or even FM of associated oscillators.

    The beauty here is that you are getting a 2->4 relationship on patterns. Most sequencers that allow step addressing are typically either by voltage range (Orbitals by Hex Inverter) or with a trigger to a particular step which is a 1->1 relationship (like the Sputnik 5-step).

    Here, with just 2 gate values and a trigger input, you can to sample and those values coming in and generate PATTERNS of 4 CV values.

    That’s fun.

    Then, take something like the fact I can Rotate the outputs of the GateStorm OR modulate parameters with other CV. All of a sudden you get this incredibly expressive CV pattern generator.

    Then you can smooth it out with a slew module and you’ve got even more possibilities.

    So yeah, cool module.

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