Would like advice on a self-contained portable rack

I've been putting a rack (actually, multiple small racks) together for a couple of years now with the intention of having a respectably-sized setup for when I finally retire many years from now. The problem with what I currently have is that I can't just toss it in the car and take to a friend's place or bring it to work to fiddle with during my lunch hour (and maybe when in a boring tele-meeting with the mute on). So, I was thinking of coming up with a small case that is portable that I can just play around with.

I'd like to keep it as self-contained as possible (other than speakers). I'm figuring I'll start with an Intellijel 4U 104HP palette. For sequencing, I was thinking steppy and a mimetic (and though it's counter to my self-contained rule, I do keep going back and forth considering a keystep pro).

I wanted three voices: some form of percussion, a bassline, and a melody voice. After that, I'd like a nice little collection of modules for sound shaping and modulation.

The rack I linked is a first draft of what I was thinking of putting together. I'm not really set on any of the modules, and since I'd only be getting one or two modules each month, it will probably change as I go.

I'd appreciate any advice or suggestions. Am I missing anything? Anything you consider a waste of space? Is anything overlapping functionally?

I think you're trying to do too much in too small a case here...

I'd reduce to at most 2 sound sources (and even that's pushing it imo) otherwise there won't be enough room for support modules... although you might be able to use something like the doepfer mini synth voice to a whole voice in less hp...

personally I'd go for something like a mantis instead of this - still very portable - I've carried one many times on planes, trains and buses... and not much bigger - maybe a couple of inches - but you'll fit a lot more in a 3u row than in a 1u row... and then you'll probably be able to cram in 3 voices and still have enough space to adequately support them

I think I can see where you're going with this, and I have to agree with Jim, two voices max in 104hp. But if this is a first case, I think sticking to 104hp is good. It's a good discipline to stay small at least when starting. Otherwise you tend to try and "fill the gaps" and not spend time with what you have.

All that being said, I have had a lot of these modules in my case, or have them now, so I can give you some concrete feedback. I can see totally see the idea of a bass voice in the BIA and the other voice with Dixie/Fold/Belgrad. Those are great choices, although I chose Bifold. Smaller, two distinct flavors of folder.

As your only sequencer, I wouldn't go with MD. I find it really fiddly to do anything with precision. I always recommend a Beatstep pro. Super powerful, easy to use, 0HP.

Eurorack is all about modulation, and you want to be able to have good control over that. Ochd isn't really that. My current favorite, and "desert island" modulation source would be Quadrax. Easy to mess with, envelopes, LFOs and some random.

I love me some effects in the rack, and the Versios are all great, so that makes sense too. I'm not sure I'd go with those 1U VCAs as the only VCAs. There are good single or double VCAs, with attenuator, in 4-6HP packages, I'd pick one of those.

And then some blank panels to fill the gaps. Beyond that I have opinions as to what I would put in those blank spots, but it's not my rack it's yours, so mess around with the above and fill the rest in once you determine you need something.

Jim and Radical aren't wrong exactly, but I think this is doable with a few caveats:

1) you will be menu diving
2) you won't get the range you want from a full system, but you can have some fun

Here's my crack at it:

1) Steppy isn't a great choice here, we can get better sequencing, so it's replaced with a Duatt in the 1U row to create more mixing possibilities for modulation, a scope (always useful), and a lowpass gate for when you want something a little different
2) an Ornament and Crime creates A LOT more opportunity for generative ambient and such, it's super versatile with a bunch of modes and will open this thing up
3) a Pam's can do so much, trigger sequencing like a Steppy but also LFOs, function generation, euclidean rhythms, etc.
4) Warps over a dedicated wave folder, it gives you a bunch of options for other types of sound mangling, and it's still available both used and new
5) ochd is great but you don't have room for it, Pam's replaces the Clep Diaz, and you need some more VCAs, so a Doepfer quad steps in to do the trick
6) FX Aid XL is cool and has lots of effects, you could also choose the ALM multi-effect though it's got fewer effects
7) 6hp for a mixer is too much here and you can use your Doepfer quad VCA for mixing, so I've replaced it with a Nearness v3 and a Disting mk4 opening up all sorts of other functions plus on the fly recording

All together, I think this thing could keep you busy and be a good learning rack to try out ideas and some demo recordings which is honestly half the battle.

Thank all for the suggestions. I've been using a larger setup for the past couple of years, so trying to squeeze into a smaller space is pretty foreign to me.

It seems like any kind of decent sequencing is going to need a good chunk of real estate. Like I mentioned in my first post, I have considered getting a keystep pro to handle those duties (though that would make it a little harder to use the rack as a laptop). I forgot about O_C (for a bigger rack I prefer discrete modules, but when pressed for space it's a good compromise).

I'm also now thinking about just going with the mantis case. That way I wouldn't need an external sequencer. In my "desktop" rack I have a nerdseq (for when I want to sequence a composition) and an usta (for experimenting). If I go with the mantis, I can move the usta to it and still have a respectable amount of room for other modules. The only trick with mantis is the power zones and remembering that the -12V rail provides less current than the +12.

I think I need to do an exercise with my main rack where I only let myself use a small subset of modules and see where I come up short.

Well, I have some thinking to do. Thanks, again!