The Magic Bus – Updated 3/24/02

What in the heck is a magic bus? The magic bus is simply another name for
mults that are integrated into a synth cabinet. This integration into the cabinet design
completely eliminates the need to take up valuable module space with mult panels.
One magic bus is the equivalent of 3U wide of mults. And, they are right under the
module jacks. So, you ALWAYS have a mult right where you need it.

And what else is different you ask? Mults are both grouped and distributed. So,
connections from high on your cabinet to low in your cabinet can use the magic
bus. The same is true for side to side. Think of the magic bus as a free ride
for your CV or audio signal from one side of your modular to the other. Two short
cables at each end of the bus connection replace one or two long cables strung
to some out-of-the-way multiple panel. Here are some photos and details. Click
on the small photos for the big picture. J


Here is a portion of the front. Distributed busses use tags to indicate their group. This is row 3, there are 7 distributed groups in this row, 31…37. Letters indicate groups from row to row (up and down)


Looking from the top you can see changing the wiring to the jacks will be easy. The bus pops out of the cabinet with 3 screws to make changes


The bus also includes standard grouped mults. They are shown with a standard grouping line.


Here is a shot of the entire bus. I need to wire it and then it will be inserted in the cabinet.


Here is a shot of the cabinet with the bus (no wiring yet). The bus inserts and removes from the front.
The next series of photos will deal with wiring of the magic bus and the hardware that holds it in place.

03/24/02 - I spent the better part of today wiring the magic bus. Here are a
couple of photos. Click on the thumbnails for larger versions.


The magic bus wiring is complete. The bus consists of 11 multiples. 4 are grouped. 7 are distributed. The wires you see hanging from the back are the 8 lettered jacks. These multiples connect up and down from magic bus to magic bus. These wires will go to jacks on the back of the cabinet so that even separate cabinets can share distributed multiples.


A close up of the wiring shows that the group multiples are connected with hook up wire. However, the distributed multiples are all connected with RG-174 shielded cable (like used in MOTM modules). Plenty of wires ties were used to keep the bundle under control

The next photos will show the mounting hardware used to hole the magic bus
in place in the cabinet. See the cabinet page for other wiring and installation
of the magic bus.

"Magic Bus" is an unregistered trademark. Steal my idea = no problem. In fact,
I encourage it. J Steal my name and you get a Stooge-style, double eye poke.

Crazy Larry, inventor of the magic bus.

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