Future Rack Feedback

Hey! So I'm looking for some advice and feedback for my planned expansion to my current rig.
At the moment, I have an Intellijel 4U 104hp case and currently own the Batumi, Rings, Clouds, Overseer, Kinks, uScale, TT One, Function, a Varigate 4+ and a 2hp TM, but am planning to upgrade those last two with Metropolis and Marbles respectively.

My intention is to create generative ambient sounds using Marbles for random, Rings and Plaits as my sound sources, Clouds and the Magneto and Overseer for effect, with minimal percussion elements coming from the plonk, and everything else for cv / gate. The TT One I use to play longer field recordings.

I'm curious what you think I might be lacking with this current set up or how I can improve it.
For me, I imagine having another OSC in the mix to add sub-bass elements (maybe a Dixie2) would be beneficial, and think I could remove the Metropolis to gain space, but keeping my Varigate4+ doesn't seem to appealing to me. I've read it doesn't work well with Pam's, and although I like the ability to output multiple gate or cv combinations, I find it uninspiring. If I do go that route, perhaps removing the Magneto instead for another OSC and a few dedicated effects is another option.

Anyway, let me know what you think!
Thanks.

Whupped on it...

There was some stuff in there that was superfluous, I though; the Metropolis internally quantizes, there were a couple of unnecessary buffered mults, the Mixups seemed a bit much alongside the QuadrATT (they're not all that stereo...more like glorified TriATTs, really), and the layout was kinda hodge-podged.

The result I came up with is above, natch. The ordering is clearer now (audio on upper 3U row, control/modulation on the lower, and the output section and processing modules are now all together on the right). I also reoriented the Rings so that it can also be in position as a second 'filter', added a quad VCA/mixer (with switchable log/lin response), and jammed in more envelopes as there was only that single Function. Control section flows better, too...Pamela's left to act as the 'master clock/modulator', then the Marbles and Kinks as those pair nicely, and the Metropolis. Also, I tinkered with the tile row, reordering that so that the reverb is right by the I/O now, and the headphone jack is far-right to help keep the headphone cable out of the pile of patchcabling all over everything else.

The idea now is that you'd want to use the QuadrATT to submix as well as to split off individual attenuators as needed, plus the quad VCA module can be dealt with in the same way. The Magneto and Clouds are more or less reversable; they can be switched around to whatever order plays better, but at the same time this places them to output directly to the I/O, chaining one into the other; I like the 'mangle-then-delay' configuration, but you might find the other way around works better for you. Seems a bit more cohesive now, tho...

Thanks for the feedback.
Now that I'm looking at it - you're right. I did have everything arbitrarily slotted into place without a thought for workflow, and it seems much better with that layout. Also, the addition of more envelope & VCA is a wiser choice in the end. I do have some personal thoughts on it though...

So I understand your removal of the uScale, since the Metropolis does it's own quantizing, but now I'm beginning to think I should forego the Metropolis altogether for something that's more of a brain / control centre, like a Hermod -- hear me out. What I enjoy and find most exciting about the uScale is using the shift function to switch between my pre-programmed scales and emulate 'chord' changes, and from what I've read, this is something the Metropolis doesn't do well without feeling clunky and rigid. Hermod might not be any better (I'm still reading about it), but my first impression tells me that it would facilitate those changes a lot easier.

Okay. Tweaked a bit:

I left one of the Mixups in, since I think I'll still want to be able to sub-mix pre-Clouds or Magneto.
The TT-One should be on the top rack, but I have it on the bottom at the moment just to show potential available space (6hp).

Actually, the Hermod might well be the better move. The Metropolis is based on the RYK-185 sequencer, which was originally designed for the Roland System-100m way back in the early 1980s. The idea behind it was primarily to allow sequencing that included ratcheting behavior, ala TD's late 1970s work, and while Intellijel did a lot of updating, it still has its roots in that older device. The Hermod, though, is an offshoot of the much more complicated Pyramid, Squarp's standalone sequencer, which was more of a 'ground-up' creation. It also helps that the Hermod can provide MIDI support, plus USB hosting, which would allow you to connect something like an Arturia Keystep directly to provide keyboard control (and an extra sequencer, too).

Still, consider that Bubblesound 8 hp quad VCA/mixer...it gives you back 4 hp, and would open that last space on the bottom tier to 8 hp, allowing that second Function to go in. And once the ONE goes back up top, you'd still have 2 hp, which is plenty for a little 4-in submixer after your source modules and before the VCF if you want to sum-down a couple of sources to a single signal. Overall, this is looking way-snazzier!

EDITED Apr 3rd 2018, 23:02