Intellijel Metropolix Eurorack Step Sequencer (Sneak Preview)

In his latest loopop video, Ziv Eliraz takes a look at the upcoming Intellijel Metropolix step sequencer, the successor to their Metropolis sequencer.

Metropolix looks much like its predecessor, but its capabilities have been expanded to allow for much more variation to its eight-stage sequences.

Topics covered:

0:00 Intro
1:00 Sliders & switches
2:05 What’s old?
3:30 What’s new?
3:55 Two tracks
5:10 New lanes
6:30 More news
8:45 Stage buttons
10:40 Track controls
13:35 Knobs & IO
15:10 This setup
17:10 Home screens
17:35 Mod tracks
21:15 Skip invert
22:30 Decoupling 1 & 2
23:20 “Split view”
24:20 Pitch override
26:45 Accumulator
28:40 Loopy
29:20 Split kbd/seq
30:30 Using presets
32:40 Pros & cons
37:45 Outro track

Here’s a summary of what’s new:

One of the biggest updates to the Metropolix is that it offers two separate pitch and gate outputs, corresponding to two tracks each derived from the main set of sliders and switches. The unique settings of each track are determined by the white buttons in the bottom left, providing independent playback order, length of the sequence, division of the clock rate, and settings for swing, slide, and gate length. Diving deeper into the Track menus will reveal further capabilities, such as pitch transposition, note ranges, and more to give each track some further distinction from its counterpart. Metropolix also supports several parameters that can be assigned on a per-stage basis, allowing for things like ratcheting, probability, and other ways to inject new twists on your musical ideas.

Metropolix also offers eight internal Modulation lanes, which each offer eight stages of stored values and can be routed to the assignable A or B outputs, or a variety of internal parameters. These Mod lanes can have their own individual playback order, length, and clock division rate. For external modulations, three Aux inputs with attenuverters can be assigned freely, and two Ctrl knobs are available for hands-on control of assigned parameters at the twist of a knob (or two).

While Metropolix will remember its current state on power down, presets  can be stored as well. Eight banks of eight presets can provide 64 states of stored menu settings, without overwriting the current pitch slider and gate switch settings, allowing for powerful change at in instance without being musically jarring in a live setting.

Features:

  • Eight stage, 2 track sequencer
  • Master settings for Pitch, Pulse Count, and Gate Type provide the foundation for the independent sequencers
  • Per track settings for Order, Len, Div, Swing, Slide, and Gate
  • Per Stage settings for Slide, Skip, Pitch override, Gate override, Ratcheting, Probability, CV Accumulation
  • Eight modulation lanes with eight stages each, with independent Order, Len, and Div
  • Activate Loopy mode to trigger subsequences on a whim, or hook up a keyboard to access each stage manually
  • Assignable A and B modulation outputs
  • Mod lanes, Aux inputs, and Ctrl knobs may be mapped to a wide range of internal parameters
  • 64 presets stored in eight banks of eight presets each
  • Additional gate outputs available by connecting a Gx or Qx expander

Note: Eliraz makes clear that the video is sponsored, in part, by Intellijel.

Pricing and Availability

The Metropolix is priced at $579 USD and is officially ‘coming soon’.

 

6 thoughts on “Intellijel Metropolix Eurorack Step Sequencer (Sneak Preview)

  1. love my Metropolis and it’s simplicity. This looks intriguing, and i hope it has the same immediate feel of the old Metropolis, as I purposefully avoid modules that are extremely deep, hidden features, or menu driven (IMO).

      1. Thats what I thought until I got an Octatrack, no amount of manuals can get you off the ground with that thing. Takes a bit more research, videos, Merlins guide to get up a running fluidly. Count that time and subtract it from your music making time. It matters and theres a market for both. Spent last night with the Ornament and Crime…. should just been making music but I know how to run Enigma. My thinky brain says – Sell OnC, buy Permutations, make more music.

      2. It’s just my preference, i have no ill-will to those who like the deeper ones. I personally use my modular as a surface-level sandbox to get away from the deeper DAW, or menu-ey synths that dominate the rest of my work time. INTELLIJEL RULES

        1. yeah, that’s always been my feeling. in the 21st century, if you want to have interfaces and menus and endless depth, just get a computer and a DAW and some VSTs and your off.

          If you want to play around with real knobs and buttons and keys and make music by exploring and manipulating, then get hardware. I love knob-per-function. I will say though, it is nice to have a little screen somewhere for exact feedback/info and setup, but please only one level of depth.

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