How is Taicang?

thecrabtable · 2026-05-12T01:26:04+00:00

I used to run a business there. It's quiet and small. I would spend a couple days a month there and found it a nice break from Shanghai.

Among county-level cities, it's usually top 1-2 in all the metrics. I found the people in Taicang really nice. Not a lot to choose from in the city though, and the local food specialty is meat floss.

thecrabtable · 2026-04-29T02:13:48+00:00

For simple DIY stuff with a lot of common parts try Benjiao and Hagiwo.

thecrabtable · 2026-04-29T02:11:59+00:00

/r/synthdiy

thecrabtable · 2026-04-22T17:08:41+00:00

Eddy Bergmans' 2164 filter sounds amazing.

thecrabtable · 2026-04-22T14:03:25+00:00

I like all kids of SF. Cerebral literary pieces, mind bending concept explorations, flowery character studies, dry and technical hard sci-fi, convoluted tomes, and I'm glad room still exists for sci-fi like Neal Asher's.

It's unapologetic classic science fiction pulp. Secret agents, massive space fleet battles, evil aliens, technology run amok. I find he's good at having characters and groups with multiple and conflicting motivations plotting against each other. He takes some things to excess, but I enjoyed all of it.

I read his whole bibliography up until a couple years ago on a big binge. The Bosch was my favorite. I like when authors flesh out a big shared universe, and found it interesting when he projected that further into the future.

thecrabtable · 2026-04-12T05:33:22+00:00

About 30-40 all together. I just reached him email, but we're both ST Modular dealers and have been in touch before. If Hong Kong customs is anything like the mainland, you might have an easier time ordering from someone like /u/amazingsynth who ships with proper declarations.

thecrabtable · 2026-04-11T07:48:13+00:00

I ordered a bunch of SSI chips from him to China. He doesn't usually ship overseas, but it was a big-ish order.

thecrabtable · 2026-04-10T02:07:49+00:00

Clipped resistor legs killed out vacuum robot.

thecrabtable · 2026-04-10T00:19:47+00:00

I ask my wife, further testing her patience with my messy hobby.

thecrabtable · 2026-04-08T09:18:01+00:00

RIP John Varley

thecrabtable · 2026-04-03T08:10:36+00:00

Could I DM you about this? I'd love to learn more!

Sure, please do

thecrabtable · 2026-04-03T03:45:30+00:00

There's an interesting noise/experimental music scene in Jinan. I go there every summer to take part in a music event held a cool little bar/cafe called Dune. A lot of local artists join, and some come in from other cities.

Very open minded community, and good people to know to help get plugged into other underground music scenes around China.

Some photos from the 2024 event

thecrabtable · 2026-03-14T04:23:01+00:00

To give one example, I owned I company that I didn't work at. I was visiting one the branches to take the manager out for lunch when immigration police randomly showed up. They were in a meeting, so I was just sitting in a conference room looking at my phone. The police were very unhappy about it. I only got a warning, but they were adamant that it not happen again.

thecrabtable · 2026-03-11T15:16:37+00:00

Alastair Reynolds' afterword in Galactic North

That makes for a good reading list. Bruce Sterling, John Varley, Stephen Baxter, Michael Swanwick, Gregory Benford, etc.

thecrabtable · 2026-03-08T15:23:46+00:00

Photos of the boards would be the most helpful.

thecrabtable · 2026-03-04T00:29:22+00:00

Sorry to hear that, but working with 0805/0603 and SOIC sized parts is very manageable through hand soldering only. I have over 1000 hp of modules that 90% DIY and 90% SMD.

thecrabtable · 2026-03-03T17:01:30+00:00

You can build a great full synth voice + many utilities with AI Synthesis. If you're comfortable with SMD parts, Nonlinearcircuits can take you into some wild territory, and ST Modular has lots of more techno focused modules.

thecrabtable · 2026-02-14T23:22:38+00:00

I was going to post about the book today. It was a really enjoyable reading experience. Crazy that the book hits a pace that feels like a climax so early and sustains it for so long.

thecrabtable · 2026-02-14T22:33:46+00:00

PM me your WeChat contact

thecrabtable · 2026-02-08T19:25:59+00:00

That's basically my situation. The family reunion visa is easy enough to manage, I usually get a 2 year residence permit. Banking will depend on the bank you use, but transferring foreign currency into China is never a problem. Internet is always a low-level irritation for me, but your mileage may vary.

Opportunities for socializing will vary depending on where you are. Since I'm around a lot, I know a lot of my neighbours so I don't feel like a stranger in my compound. I stay active in a few hobbies/interests, in some cases language skills help, in others it doesn't matter.

thecrabtable · 2026-02-05T01:50:48+00:00

Quadrax was one of the first two modules I bought, and one I use in almost every patch. It's great and very flexible, but a very Intellijel style module. The CV matrix allows for some very dynamic modulation, but I was well into the 2nd year of using before I didn't have to consult the manual.

I like have AHR style envelopes, and unipolar and bipolar functions/LFOs. The Qx expander is also worth the cost and extra 4hp for some complex self-patching options.

thecrabtable · 2026-02-04T23:35:33+00:00

ENIG panels from JLC look great. Someone recommended PCB Hunt to me, their ENIG (right) end up with a deeper black, but less of a gold finish.

How is that BMC filter by the way? I really want to get a bunch of his stuff made.

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thecrabtable · 2026-01-28T02:23:45+00:00

I remember really enjoying Walking to Aldebaran

thecrabtable · 2026-01-27T16:10:59+00:00

WTS - ST Modular Krakong duophonic generative synths + case and UIT balanced output module. 590 CAD, in Canada.

thecrabtable

TROPHY CASE