scaling it back for smaller set up

Hey peeps,

after some great advice for JimHowell197o & farkas, on scaling back my ambition on case with 208HP of modules ..

A) cost..
B) getting to know a smaller amount of gear better ..

that all made sense it the light of day..
so I've scaled to a Intellijel Palette Case 62 HP
note: the very top 1U line is what comes with the case.

i welcome feedback & ideas ..

Cheers
BB

link here..

I think this is a very short term solution - so I'd still get the bigger case - yes it's going to cost a bit more - BUT - if you are like most people you will want more as soon as you can afford it - and this way you are prepared...

remember you don't need to fill the case immediately or ever, for that matter - blind panels are your friend...

H Jim,

I know what you mean, but im trying to be conservative for now...
if i lock my self to a smaller space I'm less likely to splurge on more gear..

im trying to have bits of things that i can still experiment with. plus these could be great units in a future set up.
(long in the distance future).... HA HA HA..!!

what do you think of the new layout.. ??
after a lot or reading & watching reviews i think i could make some interesting grooves
plus i still have other outboard gear.

Cheers
BB

hmm - well it's your money! personally that doesn't work for me - having no money means I spend less money - not no space left in cases... I've got at least 300hp free space in my cases - blind panels and panels for diy backlog...

the rack:
too many sound sources in too small a case
ergonomic nightmare:- too many small modules together - disting is a pita with modules that have knobs or jack near the knobs, switch needs to move so that it's at an edge, for the same reason... filter knobs look unusable etc etc etc
steppy and pams - would lose steppy for noise tools if possible...
fx aid and the intellijel - probably wouldn't pick both in a tiny case...

how are you intending to sequence pitch???

hope this helps!

maybe ya right.... maybe a mid size case...

its so confusing ...

have you got any of your case Modulargrid i can look at..?

yeah this one looks vaguely correct
upside down stuff is diy backlog - I'm pretty sure that some is missing (probably 3 or 4 DIY video modules) - or in the case of chromagnon - pre-ordered about 2 years ago...

but I don't think it's going to help you...

there are 8 cases in total - 2 * 9u / 104hp, 2 * 9u /84hp, 2 * 6u / 84hp, 1 * 6u / 72hp, 1 * 6u / 104hp (mantis)

and just at the moment - it's all over the place - cos I'm playing with 3 cases in the living room...

Yeah, I stand by my original suggestion. Get the 208hp case, add some of the modules that you really want, and cover the rest with blind panels until you know what you need. Plan long-term and add modules as need and budget dictate. This is modular after all so you can always take a modular approach to the rack itself if you plan right. I started with a plan of 416hp (i.e. two Mantis cases joined with brackets) and my initial investment was 104hp worth of modules. I then began adding additional support modules when I could. I now have double my original plan. Modular is my main instrument, so that may be overkill for many users, but it works for me.
Buy the modules that will give you the most joy and inspiration. Don't just buy what is small, available, and affordable in the present. You are building a highly personal instrument that could last decades, so build exactly what you want. Don't get me wrong, I've purchased some modules that were duds just because I wanted something (anything?) new, but for the most part I've stuck to my long-term plan. And your long-term plans will slowly shift as you begin adding modules and realizing that your preferences and approach to sound and workflow differ from the capabilities and styles of some module manufacturers.
Above all, have fun with it. Don't go into debt. :)

Edit: Here's my current rack if you are interested. Again, I started with 104hp of modules (some of which I still have in there). Just be sure to cover open spaces to avoid screws and patch cable tips from touching any power headers.

EDITED Feb 28th 2022, 10:16

EDITED Feb 27th 2023, 07:06

Wow, what a monster. So, this is where the buy a bigger case mentality leads...

-- Vow3ll

hahaha, no it's where DIY and video modular leads... I've only ever bought 2 cases & I often think that if I'd been able to buy a mantis first and been able to add Maths to the modules I first bought, without buying that second case, that I'd've been able to stop there... but who knows and who cares - I certainly don't

EDITED Feb 27th 2023, 07:06

hahaha, no it's where DIY and video modular leads... I've only ever bought 2 cases & I often think that if I'd been able to buy a mantis first and been able to add Maths to the modules I first bought, without buying that second case, that I'd've been able to stop there... but who knows and who cares - I certainly don't
-- JimHowell1970

Whatever blows your skirt up, no judgment. I'm obsessed with perfecting the smallest build while still doing everything I want to do creatively. However, the temptation is always there to go bigger...

-- Vow3ll

perfecting the smallest build ...????
how small are we talking here???...
Palette case 62 HP..?

I think this is a very short term solution - so I'd still get the bigger case - yes it's going to cost a bit more - BUT - if you are like most people you will want more as soon as you can afford it - and this way you are prepared...
-- JimHowell1970

I can attest to this statement :) after swearing I would only get one Rackbrute 6U, I now have a Rackbrute 3U also filled in with plans to get another 6U to have two 6Us side by side and to better use my 3U as a complimentary piece to my Minibrute 2 :)

EDITED Feb 27th 2023, 07:06

I tried to go that small, the fact is it's just not workable or possible. For me, the magic size was (2) 6U Rackbrutes, which I've since modded with intellijel tps80's, ventilation. PM-DB25 connections, USB port for Flux, and so on. The 89hp per row just works for layout and module sizes, and the 76mm depth meant that I could run whatever I needed or wanted.
-- Vow3ll

Hey Vow3ll...i would be really interested in the mods you did to your Rackbrute 6Us. I have a 6U and a 3U currently filled up and will be buying another 6U soon to run 6Us side by side...with the 3U complimentary to my Minibrute 2