NANO EXP4 Modular System

NANO EXP4 Expander — Stereo Outs and CV Control for the Performance Mixer

The NANO EXP4 Performance Mixer Expander is the dedicated add-on module for the NANO Performance Mixer, designed to extend the flagship mixer into a fully patchable performance hub. The NANO EXP4 Performance Mixer Expander sits next to its host module and adds the routing and modulation points that the Performance Mixer itself does not expose on its 28 HP front panel. Inside the slim 4 HP board, every channel of the mixer gains its own dedicated stereo output pair and its own CV input, opening up workflows that would otherwise require additional splitter modules or external summing stages. For modular performers who already rely on the Performance Mixer as the centre of their system, the EXP4 is the missing link that lets the mixer talk to the rest of the rack in both directions.

What Sets the EXP4 Apart in the Eurorack Mixer Category

Most mixer expanders add a handful of extra sends or returns, but the EXP4 is built around two specific upgrades that change how the Performance Mixer behaves in a live patch. The first is the post-VCA stereo output pair for each of the four channels, taken after the channel's VCA so the level fader and any recorded motion loops still shape the signal. The second is a CV input for every channel's Mute function, accepting any high voltage to silence the channel while still allowing the front-panel Mute button to override the modulation. Together these two additions turn the mixer from a static summing device into a voltage-controllable performance instrument.

Connectivity and Physical Format

The expander is designed to live directly beside the Performance Mixer in a standard Eurorack case and connects to it through the included 16-pin ribbon cable. Its compact footprint keeps it out of the way of larger modules while still exposing every connection on a clear, single-row jack layout.

• Width: 4 HP — leaves room for the host Performance Mixer and surrounding modules in a standard row
• Depth: 40 mm — skiff-friendly and fits shallow cases alongside the Performance Mixer
• Inputs: CV Jack 3.5 mm TS — standard Eurorack patch cable format for control voltages
• Outputs: Jack 3.5 mm TS — one stereo pair per channel, post-VCA

CV Modulation and Mute Control

CV inputs are the EXP4's main reason to exist, and they cover both the Mute function on every channel and the Aux Send on the stereo channels. The Mute inputs are designed to be driven by sequencers, LFOs or random voltage sources, so channels can be cut in and out rhythmically or by chance without touching the front panel. The Aux Send CV on channels 3 and 4 recovers modulation control that the stereo channels give up to make room for their right-channel audio input.

• Mute CV: One 3.5 mm TS input per channel — any high voltage silences the channel, with front-panel buttons able to override the modulation
• Aux Send CV: Two 3.5 mm TS inputs for channels 3 and 4 — restores voltage control over the stereo channels' auxiliary sends
• Stereo Outputs: One 3.5 mm TS pair per channel, post-VCA — sends the channel signal to external effects, recorders or additional mixers

Power, Compatibility and Package Contents

The expander connects to the Performance Mixer through the included 16-pin ribbon cable, and a power cable is supplied in the box as well. It is purpose-built for the NANO Performance Mixer and will not function as a standalone mixer.

• Compatible With: NANO Performance Mixer, Eurorack systems — designed exclusively as an add-on to the host mixer
• Power Socket: EURORACK — powered from the standard Eurorack bus, no external adapter required
• Package Content: Power Cable, 16-pin Ribbon Cable — everything needed to link the expander to the Performance Mixer
• Controls: None on front panel — all parameters are accessed through CV inputs and the host module

Who the EXP4 Is Built For

The NANO EXP4 Performance Mixer Expander is the right choice for modular performers who already use the NANO Performance Mixer as the centre of their system and want to push it further into voltage-controlled, multi-track and effect-routing territory. Players running complex patches with several stereo sources will appreciate the dedicated post-VCA outputs, which let each channel feed its own effect chain or recording channel without re-patching during a set. Live performers who sequence their mutes from external clock or random sources will find the per-channel Mute CV inputs especially useful, since they turn the mixer into a performable instrument that responds to control voltages in real time. Studio users who want to multi-track each channel separately for later mixing will also benefit from the individual stereo outputs, which provide clean, post-fader signals ready for an audio interface or external mixer.

Brand and Product Story

NANO Modules is the maker behind the Performance Mixer and its EXP4 companion, and the expander belongs to the same product family. The Performance Mixer was designed as a central mixing and control hub for Eurorack systems, with built-in knob recording and motion looping for up to twelve parameters, and the EXP4 was created to give that hub the additional outputs and CV inputs that performers asked for. Together the two modules form a tightly integrated mixing and routing solution, with the EXP4 specifically aimed at users who want to expand the Performance Mixer's reach without adding a second full mixer to their rack.