Hey all,
I am about to dive into the modular world and I couldn't be more excited! Thinking a lot about how to get started recently and there are still so many questions in my head.
Long Background Story:
Firstly, my goal is to process external sound sources with unique modular effects focusing on glitch but also other interesting effects like granular synthesis. My external sound sources are: Novation Circuit Tracks, Arturia MicroFreak, Behringer Neutron and a guitar through a Vox Pathfinder Amp.
How I got here? I was super fascinated by the Hologram Microcosm and its granular synthesis and then I also discovered the Beat Repeat/Slicing/Stutter/Gater effects in the Novation Circuit Rhythm and Pocket Operator K.O. 33 and thought this is exactly what I want and need to make my music more glitchy. However, since starting my synth journey, I was immediately drawn to modular once I discovered it and recently learned that I could achieve similar effects and even cooler ones with certain effects modules. So a nice effects module seems like the perfect entry into modular for me to get immediate usage with my current setup to then use as a base to expand my modular rig 
Up until recently I was pretty sure I wanted to start my journey with the Qu Bit Data Bender but after reading that Mutable Instruments Beads might also be able to do most of what the Data Bender offers but also much more I researched a bit more and am really torn now. (Also the plan for my next addition was actually one of the Noise Engineering Versio line because of their versatility and because I definitely wanted to try out the Melotus for granular synthesis... which I might not need as quickly as this is actually what Beads does.)
My thoughts & questions:
So far I see the following advantages & disadvantages, did I forget anything major?
Beads:
+ lots of different effects possible: typical granular synthesis, delay, beat repeat/slicing, pitch shifting, ...
+ multiple quality settings (including lo-fi)
+ can be used as wavetable oscillator
+ attenurandomizers
+ end of chain reverb
+ cheaper
- hard to grasp/learn at first and to get good results
- can only use 1 effect at a time (+reverb); [however I naively think it might achieve somewhat similar results to multiple Data Bender effects as seen here, is this true?]
- shorter audio buffer (although I don't really know yet how/if this will change working with the module for my use cases)
Data Bender:
+ built for awesome glitchiness
+ immediate results without complicated patching
+ nice saturation
+ bit crush
+ longer high quality audio buffer
- not as versatile
- certain effects are mostly/always random because of less/no control over parameters
- only macro or micro mode at a time
- more expensive
Right now my gut feeling tells me Beads might be better in the long run because of its versatility and this fits better with the whole modular idea to have lots of possibilities but maybe I might not be able to get the same quality of glitch effects?
What is your advice as more advanced modular user? Would be especially helpful to hear from people that owned one or even both of them
Of course I will try to try them out before purchasing but not sure if I can.
Thank you so much!
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