This article draws on a practice theory perspective to investigate instances of sound practice in a particular community of technology use by focusing on the community and product offerings in and around contemporary modular synthesisers and their growing popularity in the ‘Eurorack’ format in order to investigate the attraction and allure of analogue things in a digital age. This article identifies issues of authenticity, legitimacy and creativity as key drivers of the way we project our identities onto objects and the intimate technologies we own, and the search for meaningful technological encounters. In the realm of sound practice, the follow-up questions are similar: why when there is software and affordable digital alternatives, do some musicians swear by modular synthesis given the commitment this practice requires in terms of money, time, self-education and exploration (and for a lack of a better term) tinkering? With Eurorack as a case study, this article investigates the attraction and allure of analogue things in a digital age by investigating meaningful sound practice as emerging out of the discourses of online communities around the modular synth phenomenon.

本文从实践理论的角度出发，通过关注当代模块化合成器及其周围的社区和产品供应以及它们在“Eurorack”格式中的日益普及来研究特定技术使用社区中的合理实践实例，以调查数字时代模拟事物的吸引力和魅力。本文将真实性、合法性和创造力问题确定为我们将身份投射到物体和我们拥有的私密技术以及寻找有意义的技术相遇方式的关键驱动因素。在声音练习领域，后续问题是相似的：为什么当有软件和负担得起的数字替代品时，考虑到这种练习在金钱、时间、自我教育和探索（以及缺乏更好的术语）修补？本文以 Eurorack 为案例研究，通过调查从围绕模块化合成器现象的在线社区的话语中出现的有意义的声音实践，来研究模拟事物在数字时代的吸引力和魅力。