If I understand correctly, when just selecting a performance and using the physical knobs (without going into the performance/edit mode), if I turn any of the physical knobs, it will look to the Common/Audio destinations, and never the PART asgn knob destinations directly (indirectly yes, if PART asgn knob were set as destinations for one of the Asgn Knobs in the Common/Audio area)..!?

No, if you select a PART - while in the HOME screen - what you will see is a white bold box surrounding the PART you selected. On Montage, you'd see the bank of buttons on the far right side (the grid for Number A [1]-[16]) illuminate to show which PART is selected. Either, on Montage, touching the PART select buttons in this grid - or touching the touchscreen to select a PART (but not going in to edit) is a way to select the PART. MODX has additional touch-screen controls, since they do not have the physical buttons, where they can press on the touchscreen to select a PART without the popup "Edit, Properties, etc" showing up.

I think I am over explaining what I think I understand it to be, and incorrectly using certain terms, such as 'Default', so let me try again:

If I power on the Montage and all I do is turn the 8 physical knobs on whatever Performance is already selected with the [ASSIGN] button lit, it will modify sound based on the Common/Audio destinations that were set, but not the PART asgn knob destinations directly (indirectly yes, if PART asgn knobs were set as destinations for one of the Asgn Knobs in the Common/Audio area).
If I go to the Home screen and select PART 1, then when I turn the knobs, it will modify sound based on the PART 1 asgn knob destinations that were configured & not based on the Common/Audio destinations at this point..!?

You said defaults again. I think that's the wrong way to look at it. Quick Edit can change the actual value of the knob. To me, a default is a setting. A parameter. A controller that has a position represented by a number I do not see as a "default". When you change the number in quick edit - the knob is turned - right when you press "OK" to the value you entered. It's not changing a default which says "next time I load this performance, I want the value I put in here to be the default - and no matter how I change this knob, whatever I type now will be the default".

So if I understand correctly, whatever I set the Quick Edit parameters to be in a Performance is only temporary, and does not stick/save when I save the Performance & recall it later..!?

[qupte]= (16+1) * 4 + 1 * 3 = 71 personalities
Then there are 3 more modes of these Knobs [1]-[8]

MULTI Pan 1-8
MULTI Reverb 1-8
MULTI Variation 1-8

Got it! That's what the 1 * 3 was (I did not see it the other night)
Also, lol ... I used to be a math teacher & teach this stuff, but still I managed to apply the simple order of operations incorrectly in my head. This is what I was seeing:
(((16+1) * 4) + 1) * 3 = 71

... it was getting late and I was half asleep reading it at this point ... that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it 🙂

Also, a footnote - it would be much better for you to start your own threads on the Montage area if you want responses that do not reference MODX. Even though the two keyboards are highly related - there are lots of differences in the GUI and control surface (buttons, LEDS, etc) which is why there are two groups. As confused as you are about MODX differences - think about the MODX readers who have to sort through many Montage specifics mentioned here because you are requesting support for your Montage usage.

Definitely, will do! I agree, it will avoid some confusion, especially as I am just learning the basics. Thanks!

If I power on the Montage and all I do is turn the 8 physical knobs on whatever Performance is already selected with the [ASSIGN] button lit, it will modify sound based on the Common/Audio destinations that were set, but not the PART asgn knob destinations directly (indirectly yes, if PART asgn knobs were set as destinations for one of the Asgn Knobs in the Common/Audio area).
If I go to the Home screen and select PART 1, then when I turn the knobs, it will modify sound based on the PART 1 asgn knob destinations that were configured & not based on the Common/Audio destinations at this point..!?

Correct, personality of the Knobs [1]-[8] in your example will be set to Common/Audio assignable 1-8 and then manually selecting PART 1 will change the personality of these knobs (the mode) to PART 1 Assignable Knobs.

So if I understand correctly, whatever I set the Quick Edit parameters to be in a Performance is only temporary, and does not stick/save when I save the Performance & recall it later..!?

The position of the fixed-function knobs are saved when you [STORE] a Performance. So if you change the knob's position by using the quick edit menu and do not move the knob after doing so - then the value of the knob will remain as you set it in the quick edit menu - therefore, this value will be saved when you press [STORE]. My main point is that the quick edit menu is nothing more than a way to organize the physical knobs and is not somehow different than the value you set when spinning the knob. I wanted to be clear in the relationship between the knob values and this menu screen - since the thread is primarily focused on what various knobs do. Your initial thoughts about how the system worked may match what I've described -- I just thought it was sounded like there was too much wiggle room in your description and wanted to nail down how the system works.

The position of the fixed-function knobs are saved when you [STORE] a Performance. So if you change the knob's position by using the quick edit menu and do not move the knob after doing so - then the value of the knob will remain as you set it in the quick edit menu - therefore, this value will be saved when you press [STORE]. My main point is that the quick edit menu is nothing more than a way to organize the physical knobs and is not somehow different than the value you set when spinning the knob. I wanted to be clear in the relationship between the knob values and this menu screen - since the thread is primarily focused on what various knobs do. Your initial thoughts about how the system worked may match what I've described -- I just thought it was sounded like there was too much wiggle room in your description and wanted to nail down how the system works.

So if I modify the Common 'Resonance' to be quite high in Quick Edit and then [STORE] the Performance ... the next time I select that Performance, if I select the [Tone] button first thing, will the Knob 2 'Resonance' jump to where I had last saved it? Or will the 'Resonance' be up high on the Performance (same as I had set in Quick Edit) even if I don't press the [Tone] button right away?

So if I modify the Common 'Resonance' to be quite high in Quick Edit and then [STORE] the Performance ... the next time I select that Performance, if I select the [Tone] button first thing, will the Knob 2 'Resonance' jump to where I had last saved it? Or will the 'Resonance' be up high on the Performance (same as I had set in Quick Edit) even if I don't press the [Tone] button right away?

When you edit the common/audio "Resonance" - you are setting the knob position of [TONE], Knob 2 (Resonance)
If you had [TONE] lit - editing the Common/Audio "Resonance" in the quick edit would instantly change the position of knob [2]. If [TONE] was not lit, the knob associated with [TONE] still moves - you just don't see it until you press the [TONE] button.

If you did the quick edit modification to Common/Audio "Resonance" then immediately pressed [STORE] - then [STORE] saves the current position of all knobs. Since the quick edit and the knob are the same thing - [STORE] would save the Resonance value you just entered.

When you recall the Performance after this [STORE] - say you switch to a different Performance like "CFX + FM EP" then back to your user Performance with the tone knob change - then you would see the same setting you stored previously when pressing the [TONE] button and looking at the Knob [2] value. Even when you're not looking at the knob - the Common/Audio resonance is still set to the value you defined when you saved it. No need to press the [TONE] button for the value to change.

If you want the Performance, when recalled, with the Knobs acting as assignable knobs then make sure the [ASSIGN] button is lit when you [STORE] the Performance. If you want [TONE], instead, to be be the mode of the Knobs, then [STORE] the Performance with the [TONE] button lit (which turns off [ASSIGN] ).

Most of this stuff is very easy to experiment with to get a "behind the wheel" experience rather than academic. Prepurchase, it may be important for you to know some level of detail of how things work - and I get and appreciate that. But if any questions are not necessarily affecting a purchase - then I would say to do some level of experimentation playing with this on an actual unit.

There are some areas of quirks and weirdness - this whole section doesn't happen to be one of them. The system is fairly intuitive and does what one would expect.