intellijel performance case gen.2

Hi guys,

I have a question regarding the configuration of the Intellijel Performance Case Gen.2 that’s about to be released.
I’m thinking about building an almost all-Intellijel case and I have a few questions where I’m sure many of you can share your experiences and opinions.

Do you think it makes sense to build a case that contains mostly modules from a single manufacturer like this?
(Pro: the modules work well together. Con: maybe it’s too limiting?)

Do you think this case is well put together as it is, or would you swap some of the listed modules for other Intellijel modules instead?

I’ve never worked with 1U modules before. Do you think the 1U modules chosen here make sense, and do you find it useful to have the 1U row in the middle of the case instead of installing the 1U rail at the top of the case?

Thanks a lot for your feedback and help.
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a calm, relaxing holiday season.

Cheers

Its me again... I think about to kill the 1U FX and put the 1U noise generator with random and sample and hold in it... maybe the better choice?

intellijel gear is very well made, but personally I wouldn't stick to one manufacturer. what are you attempting to achieve? answer that question first, then look for modules that go in that direction , then consider manufacturers. at least that how I approach it. if you don't know what you're hoping to achieve , go step by step to discover it

Hi

thanks a lot for writing to me. I do see your point as well

I’m happy to explain what I’m searching for or what I want to do, so you can better judge what makes sense for my setup.
I’m not looking for a classic studio- or DAW-oriented case. I want a case that is mainly suited for live performance, play along and have fun and also (maybe a little bit of experimental, but i think modular is this anyway). It doesn’t need classic drum modules, since I already have a small case with Queen of Pentacles and Ghost,... I think ambient, chilling sound and adding field recordings is important for me.

Also what is important to me is having a granular module in the system. I compared Multigrain with Arbhar and Morphagene, and I think Multigrain fits best for what I want to do. But its hard to say, if you had never one of these to choose the right one.

I’ve read a lot about Metropolix being very intuitive, melodic, and well suited for live use, which is why I decided on it.

Since I already have hard-hitting drums with Queen of Pentacles, I thought a physical modeling percussion module like Plonk would complement the setup nicely in terms of drums and percussion and the ambient vibes?

I already own Pamela’s New Workout and Quad VCA, and they will definitely be part of the system.

Of course, regarding the synth voice and its signal path (Dixie, Rubicon, Morgasmatron, Quadrax), there are thousands of alternatives for building such a voice. What I’m lacking is experience, and I don’t know the other modules any better than the Intellijel ones. I could also go in a more classic direction with something like Plaits and a Wasp filter, or XPO and QPAS and Maths…
In this area, I’m honestly quite unsure about what exactly I should do.

In the end, live playability is very important to me. I mainly want to enjoy playing the system and discovering new things over time. It doesn’t need to be integrated into a studio setup.

Maybe you can recommend something based on these thoughts?

Thanks a lot and best regards.

Looks like a really well designed case! Some people would say the point of modular is to create your own instrument's ethos instead of following that of a single manufacturer; but actually the point of modular is to do whatever you want. The Intellijel ecosystem is very robust.

A couple notes from my perspective:
- I think you're right -- ditch the 1u effect. A noise/random source would be good (though I think Pam's can do some of that too, so you're not totally without as is? I don't have one so I'm not sure).
- In general where I think you lack is CV utilities -- you can generate a fair amount between Quadrax, Tete, and Pam's, but you don't have a lot of options for mixing/scaling/offsetting let alone folding/comparing/rectifying etc. I wonder if you need all of Dixie/Morgasmatron/Rubicon: you've got a lot of voices for a small system. I'd maybe ditch either Rubicon or Dixie, and this is where I'd consider stepping out of the Intellijel ecosystem for a compact, CV toolbox type module and, if you have the space, a dediciated LFO (either complex, Batumi-style, or freeform Ochd-style, depending on your use) module perhaps.

Hope this helps. Happy Holidays!

Thank you very much for your insights and your help.
I think it probably makes the most sense to give up the Dixie — if I were to remove the Rubicon instead, the Morgasmatron would probably feel oversized in relation to the Dixie, wouldn’t it?

If I do remove the Dixie, I only free up 8 HP, which isn’t a lot of space.
Could you give me a clearer, more concrete suggestion of how you would approach this? What would you remove, and which modules would you add?

This is mainly to help me see beyond my own perspective and think about the system in a different way.

That depends on if you see the Morgasmatron as just for filtering a VCO vs other things in your rack (eg. Multigrain). Hard to give specifics because usage is so subjective -- I'm not sure what you want this thing to sound like. If I were to swap the Dixie out with anything, for example, I'd swap it for a Cold Mac to add complexity/weridness to my CV, but maybe you want something more straightforward. I think the exercise for you at this point is to run through some imagined patches thinking about how you want the CV to interact with your modules and work backwards from there. Not sure if this is an unpopular opinion around here, but ChatGPT can actually be really helpful for this.