New Eurorack System

Eurorack
#1

I want to build a eurorack system. I have no eurorack modules now, except a 2600. I have owned a prebuild eurorack system before, but I ended up selling it because I was happy with the sound I got out of it.

I want to limit myself to buying modules of one company, because I find all the module choices on the market today overwhelming. From my research I find the Intellijel modules most appealing appealing to me, both sound and user interface wise, therefor I think I will buy modules from them.

Do you think this could be a good way to start My jasp Eurorack - Eurorack Modular System from Miehlvin on ModularGrid? I want to be able to sync Metropolix to Ableton. Do you know if I can connect USB extender and Mixup with the outputs on the Intellijel 7U x 104HP Performance case with TPS80W MAX?

#2

Hello and welcome!

I agree, the amount of choices in Eurorack is very overwhelming, and I have found that the hobby has great potential to take me away from the process of making music by encouraging me to constantly reconsider my setup and its future.

I have taken a similar approach to you and focused primarily on Intellijel modules. After about 1.5 years of patching, I now realize that Intellijel’s easy-to-understand designs really appeal to me. Where I feel other Euro companies tend to sometimes take a rather complex, esoteric approach to design, I appreciate that Intellijel has always seemed, to me, to lean more toward the fundamentals. That leaves a lot of the creative process in my hands, from the way I choose to use the modules to the way I patch them.

Looks like you have a nice two-voice starter setup you’re working on. One thing missing is envelopes. The Shapeshifter has a decay feature, so you could get a (limited) envelope that way, but I think it’s only for oscillator 1, not both. For envelopes, Intellijel has ADSR and Quadrax, though I think they will be hard to find at the moment.

As for USB MIDI, not sure what you’re proposing to do but from what I’ve read, the expander doesn’t connect to the ins and outs of the case, it connects directly to the USB output on the back of Metropolix.

EDIT: @svarta.kusten corrected me below, apparently the Mixup does in fact connect directly to the 1/4" outputs of the 7U case. However, all the Mixup manual says about the signal is that it will be “unbalanced” – is that Euro or line level? I would guess Euro like @svarta.kusten, but to me, “unbalanced” suggests line level…though I have no idea how the circuit board for the jacks would achieve this…?

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#3

Are you sure about this? I did a quick check and I think the 1U stereo mixer for sure can connect to the audio I/O on then Intellijel cases with 3 pin connectors on the back of the module and the Mixup manual has a respective chapter on this!

Keep in mind, though, that the Mixup is mixing Eurorack level audio signal, not line level. It is louder than regular/standard audio instrument and related equipment. Does anyone know how it works if you input line level signal into the Mixup or 1U Stereo mixer?

Regarding the USB extender, as far as I understand it can extend the USB on any module that has a USB connection n the back of the module. The extender just extends a regular usb sockets with a standard usb cable. This goes for modules from any manufacturer.

A slightly related question: does anyone know if the built in USB in the Palette cases can be used with other modules than the 1U MIDI one? I would be very interested to know this! :slight_smile: I know there is an adapter cable to connect it to the o_C (which you could now probably also use the extender for!).

Take care!

#4

There’s a thread on these forums that details the pin out on the MIDI connector. You can connect it to a Disting for example with female-to-female cables. There are cables/adapters that can be found as well to do this. Keep in mind though that in doing so you would not be able to use either of the Intellijel MIDI modules 1U or 3U variant.

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#5

Thanks for the correction, though the question remains: What would be gained (no pun intended) by connecting a Mixup directly to the 1/4" jacks on the case (other than 1/4" jacks) if the signal is still Euro level, i.e. why not just go straight out of the 3.5mm stereo outs on the front of the module?

#6

What are you planning to do with the output of the system? If it’s going straight back into the DAW, you may not need effects etc.

If it isn’t going back to the DAW, consider adding some basic effects processing: for instance, the Digiverb 1U or the Multi-FX 1U. If you’re a guitar person, you might want the Pedal I/O 1U to leverage your existing FX collection.

Also, get a Quadratt 1U. It’s like a multitool for adjusting CVs. It’s not quite as useful with an all-Intellijel case because those modules are pretty good about providing attenuverters for most CV inputs, but still really handy.

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