Palette case companion to 0-coast, Pico System III, and MiniBrute2

Hello all,
Would love your thoughts on this planned setup. This is designed to be used in combination with the semi-modular gear I already have so is light on basic modules like VCO/VCA. For example, with the 0-coast, System III and mini-brute, I have 5 VCOs to play with.

My goals are to extend my semi-modular setup to have more room for experimentation with rhythms (Marbles, Logic, and Steppy plus my BSP and KeyStep), sound processing (Monsoon, Rings, MMF), and be able to perform live (hence the Palette case) with my other gear. The compressed versions of Rings and Plaits get in the way of easy live playing but the Lapsus Os gives a lot of flexibility in quickly modulating parameters of other modules like those. Drums are through TR-8S and/or Live depending on setup.

Would love thoughts on this general setup and on which to get first. With my budget, I can afford the case, 1u modules, plus one or two other modules now. Thinking of starting with Monsoon and Marbles then adding others next year as I can afford them.

P.S. Thanks to all the posters and commenters here. I have learned a ton just from reading this forum.

How do you intend on mixing everything? How will you attenuate or invert modulation signals? Depending on what you have in semi-modular... I think I'd want the Monsoon and the logic module first. Most semi-modulars don't have logic circuits.

Thanks for the thoughts and questions

For mixing, the Pico III has 2 x 3 channel mixers plus a 2 channel mix out.

For attenuation, the Lapsus Os gives me a 4-channel attenuator/attenuverter. Do you think I need more than that?

Good thoughts on the Monsoon and logic. The 0-coast has a simple 2 in-2 out Maths circuit but without any logic.

That amount should be plenty.

Also, unless you have a specific use for Steppy, you might want to replace it with a 4Robots (1U Intellijel friendly) version of Ornaments & Crimes. It's a multi-utility module that includes a quantizer, basic sequencer(with CV, gates or envelopes), and a lot of other nice features that you can use with yoru system. You might need to ditch the USB 1U... but that's not a big sacrifice. It's a bit more than a standard O&C. But I love mine. The sequencer is basic... BUT it'll be great for those times when you don't want to mess around with your computer and just jam out on your synths. Or if you want a sequence going internally that responds to... your logic module! :)

The 4Robots version can also scale beyond +5 volts to I think around 8volts... giving your envelopes some more bite.
https://www.plum-audio.com/product-page/1uo-c-4robots

EDITED Oct 18th 2019, 23:08

Thanks for turning me on to Ornaments & Crimes - looks very cool.
Now I'm torn as O&C definitely has more interesting and diverse functions than Steppy, but Steppy is nice for easy changes to patterns on the fly right on the module without having to edit menus.
Will have a think about that.

Keep in mind that you have to deal with that tiny OLED Screen.

I bought a mxmxmx micro O&C and I really didn't like to work with that Screen. I sold mine.

The oLED on the micro ornaments and crime doesn't bother me so much. It's pretty straight forward. You do have to learn a couple of key presses to enter different modes. But the main functionality of the module is pretty straight forward. I've had more problems with digital units that do NOT have any sort of screen but instead have a bizarre amount of button pressing and holding with little to no feedback about the changes I'm making.

Units I have with user interfaces that I hate (and probably will end up selling):
Expert Sleepers Disting Mk4
Expert Sleepers FH2
Monsoon (Clouds clone)
Pittsburgh Modular MicroSequencer
Tip Top Audio QuantiZer

All of which have no graphical display except the Disting, which marginally qualifies.

Units I have with user interfaces that I hate (and probably will end up selling):
Expert Sleepers Disting Mk4
Monsoon (Clouds clone)

-- Ronin1973

Have a Monsoon myself. Hate it and bought an Original Clouds. I like sliders but
i can't get along with the sliders in the Monsoon. The additional Knobs are a great Idea
but they are too cramped.

The Disting and its "Display"..... I definitely keep mine. I really like the Chorus Effect :-)

I'd get a bigger case

also I'd want full size versions of the MI modules (I have them and they are nice to use - I can imagine anything smaller being a bit fiddly

if's definitely possible you would want more vcas (get a quad cascading one - veils or intellijel are good starter vcas) and attenuators (clouds or derivitive can easily take up 4 on it's own)

focus more on effects/modulation sources and utilities (especially as you already have so many voices outside the rack)

there seems to me to be some overlap between things (do you really need midi in and marbles??) and a few things I'd want missing (mostly utiltities)

I'd also try to work out how you'd use it and in conjunction with your existing semis before buying anything

and when you do buy - only get as little as you can - ie a minimum viable synth - learn it well and then add modules sparingly, learning each modules ins and outs before you get another

NB disting is one of those modules that either you hate (it's too complicated because it has a menu) or find indispensable - only you can tell