Elektron

For which specific applications or uses have you chosen this product? I play IDM electronic music, and I chose this device as I was after a small mobile studio without having to sacrifice functionalities, so I don’t use it either to complement a set or as an addition to it. I sold my Circuit and gave up the iPad for this one. Does it seem sturdy? Are its sequencer and various parameters well-conceived and easy to use? It’s very sturdy, up to par with Elektron’s reputation. I feel the supply jack will need to be cautious while using it, though. The screen is awesome with a very sexy touch, even if you’re not yet used to the keyboard. Beware though, the keys are noisy: no way to use it without disturbing the neighbours, so go easy while having fun next to a TV set or bedroom. The more you learn, the fastest you go, a real pleasure – unseen as far as I’m concerned. What do you think of its sound? And of its edition and processing capacities? The sound is crystal-clean, but can easily be as dirty as you wish. No separate outputs except through the upcoming overbridge. Effects are limited to reverb and delay, but they’re typical Elektron fx so they take time to get used to. The lock parameters allow diving into that Dataline-like typical Elektron sound, and I’d say the 70 param. locks settings easily make you forget about the limits of the effect section. A little compression will still be needed for mixing. What are the pros and cons of this product? The Digitakt can easily be turned into whatever you want – whether it be a drum machine, a sampler, an outboard sequencer through the 8 MIDI tracks, so in the end I’ll only judge it on the use that I do make of it, which is a mobile machine that works as a small studio. It has its own workflow with pure Elektron DNA, and considering the price I’ll say it can also be considered as a first step into discovering the brand’s universe. Pros : - a trippy machine with a very tactile use - very compact and rather sturdy - very clean and Elektron-typical sound (see the Dataline video) - designed for live, with a workflow which encourages experimenting - the overbridge feature is very promising - very good value-for-money considering the brand Cons : - mono sound - requires time to get beyond its apparent simplicity - the 8 tracks are quick to fill - a young, buggy OS - as with the Octa, it easily induces a love-hate relationship with it, I’d say you shouldn’t expect too much from it from the start but rather let yourself go and discover the complexity which can emanate from its apparent simplicity. - no “song” mode – it was really made with live in mind - sample adding has to be done blindly In the end : frankly, I could do everything that it does using Ableton, but it’s awfully sexy and features an amazing workflow. A real trip when in the end a loop comes out of it, you tweak it and have fun, so for the price it’s a real, big crush. A machine to be discovered at length, now as I said it all depends on what you want to do with it. And, shall I add, at last there is an affordable Elektron product, and to me it’s up to par with the expectations you would have from such a brand. A little loop to conclude :-D

A good device. Honestly, it’s great! You could just pass it by if you were to just try it too quickly, but it has an incredible potential. I use it to make small loops, to write things I think of on the spur of the moment. It’s the very first “composing” machine that I’ve owned, and it suits me perfectly (I’d already tried with a computer before, but making music using a mouse and keyboard just isn’t my thing). I intend to use it for a live set soon, but nothing precisely planned yet so far. One thing is for sure: it will perfectly find its place in a live setup. Design is flawless: it’s sturdy, you could pogo on it and it barely would feel it (it’s just a figure of speech – but you can try if you feel like it). Seriously, the aluminium front seems reliable, the control buttons seem unbreakable and the machine itself is a very sturdy metal block. The sole problem comes from the knobs which may end up moving in an undesirable manner, but nothing too bad. Soundwise, the device unveils itself as a first-class synth. It has a sound of its own, which may seem quite repetitive in the beginning (I must admit that I first started to wonder why I’d bought it), but once you get familiar with it its capacities appear endless, from beautiful, long pads to tech-like aggressiveness. The principle behind the Elektron “machines” – with one machine corresponding to one given type of synthesis – is very simple to understand once you got it. As stated earlier, some machines sound very much alike, but they reveal their interest once you’ve started to tweak the sound: yes, there are a lot of possibilities for modifying the sounds and they’re really interesting, including Sample Rate Reducer, single-band EQ, delay, VCA, filter and envelopp, disto, 3 LFOs – and this goes for each track! Needless to say there’s room for experimentation: I’ll leave you calculate how many possible combinations this offers, considering that the device allows to layer up to 6 tracks simultaneously. It’s also particularly interesting for external synth sequencing (it’s basically one of the things it was designed for btw): it can control up to 6 synths at once, which is quite practical (and really, really great). While I have explored this aspect very little so far, I have tried a bit external sequencing and it’s incredibly easy. Just a word on the onboard sequencer: it’s somehow the core of the machine, as it has a major role in the sound design process. The “parameters-locks” allow to modify the patch thoroughly for one precise given step, all while featuring easy copy/paste features to copy songs, patches or full tracks and paste them for other uses. In the end of the day, the balance sheet is easy: if you have the opportunity to use one for long enough, go ahead and do it! Now yeah, granted, the learning curve can be relatively long, and one of the reasons for that is the interface which at first may seem terribly complex. However, once you get used to it, it appears logical and user-friendly (yes, I swear it does!), yet it clearly seems intimidating at first. Something I regret is the fact you can “only” use 64 steps: sometimes it’s well enough, but sometimes it’s not. Now, you can’t always get what you want, and you still can chain two patterns to turn them into a longer pattern. Anyway, at first, you’re bound to have a hard time, finding a precise feature will take you hours (reading the manual is vividly recommended, especially considering how comprehensive and pleasant to read it is), you’ll feel like the sounds resemble each other too much and that you always end up doing the same thing, and you’ll get fed up with it; then, slowly, its capacities will appear clearly and you’ll feel that you can’t live without it. Because it allows crazy sounds (just have a look online, there are so many examples), because it’s very user-friendly once the learning curve absorbed, because it’s an exceptional device, and because it has no direct competitor, being in a league of its own. Of course, you’ll have to like the sounds it creates. But if you like the demos you’ll come across, then it’s very likely that you’ll like the machine too!

The SFX60 MKII is a table top sequencer and synth that has a 6 track sequencer. The effects are really what stand out to me with this synth. The compression is very good and so are the reverbs and chorus effects. There are a total of 54 effects on it and I am a big fan of all of them, most table top synths do give a lot of effects they focus more on the sound engines. There is no sampling on this unit but it does have 2 input types and 6 output types. It is MIDI capable with MIDI in , out and thru. This unit does not work on batteries just on an AC adapter (which comes with it). UTILIZATION The value for the price of this sequencer/synth is right on, I think it is priced accordingly. I have been working with it since 2010 and having had any issue with it or had anything stop working. Elektron has always been so good to me and if you keep your eye out or join the mailing list they will send out coupon codes and let you know when they are having sales so you can save some good money. SOUNDS This synth/sequencer has 128 user programs and 24 user program songs. There are 6, 1 band EQ’s and up to 6 chorus and ring modulation effects. I do not recommend purchasing the SFX60 MKII unless you have a general knowledge of working with synths of this style because if you are a newbie it could leave you scratching your head for a while. If you are just starting out with table top synths I suggest going with a basic version just to get your feet wet. This synth is definitely for someone who knows what they are doing. OVERALL OPINION The sequencer is good and the sounds are even better. This little box can really do a lot for anyone and I recommend spending the money on it because you will your money’s worth out of it pretty quickly.

The Electron Machinedrum SPS-1 UW MKII is a drum synth and sampler that you can sequence on and program all of your kits with. It has a 2.5MB memory on it. Also, it does have some pretty simple and basic effects. The cost of the Machinedrum SPS-1 UW MKII is about 1200 USD, it seems expensive but once you get the chance to work with it you will realize that it is worth the money. UTILIZATION The sound quality of the Machinedrum SPS-1 UW MKII is top notch. You can really get some good sounding drums while using it if you know how to add some flare to them. If you are a sound designer or want to get into sound designing then you will love the Machinedrum SPS-1 UW MKII, it will allow you to dig deep into the sound creation process and come up with any sound you can imagine. SOUNDS Most all of the drum machines and generators of today are all software based. It was sort of like a breath of fresh air to get to use a hardware unit that can do what software drum machines can do plus more! It gives you real-time control and 130 MD machines. If you want you can even expand the drive to 6000 ROM samples. OVERALL OPINION The Machinedrum SPS-1 UW MKII does have 64 kits and 128 patterns for each individual song. There are 2 ¼ inputs on it and 6 ¼ outputs, including a headphone output. This unit is very portable and can be taken anywhere with you because it only weighs around 5 pounds and is about a foot wide. It comes with everything you need right out of the box to start using it right away. If you are into sound creation, this is where you need to invest your money. I love the Machinedrum SPS-1 UW MKII; it has added some much needed creativity to my set up.

Paid $1150US Store: novamusik.com As a Techno producer looking for futuristic, high-end percussion sounds, the Machinedrum, loaded with effects, filters, LFOs, a kick ass equalizer and even a compressor (not to mention the best sequencer I've had so far), offered all I was looking for. 1- If you can dream it, you can make it: From cold,electro type percussion, to warm, deep tribal sounds and everything in between (including some filtered pads, LFO'd bass lines and more), the possibilities are endless. You can say anything you want about your 909s, 808s, JoMox, whatever, I've played with them all... NOTHING compares to a Machinedrum as a stand alone unit. 2- Sequencer heaven: When I made the concious desicion to make electronic music using machines, rather than a computer, I decided everything I bought would have a sequencer of some sort. Having said that, the sequencer in the Machinedrum is my favorite. 16 tracks for either internal sounds, external gear, and any combination in between thanks to ingenious "midi machines" that convert tracks into controllers that go beyond simple note imput sequencing to controlling effects, filtering BY NOTE (up to 64 different parameters per note, if not mistaken). 3- Better built than Angelina Jolie. My one little qualm with the machine is the distortion. It's not as crunchy as I would like (in general the sound of the Machinedrum is rather clean, and you can get dirtier stuff, but it would be nice if the distortion were a lot more..."distorting". Other than that, I'm really the wrong person if you're looking for somebody to diss' this baby. Like a Volvo. If you are a freak for techno, percussion and verything cool, you are a fan of the Machinedrum . If my machinedrum were lost, I would cry and buy 2 more. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

<p class="bbcode-cite">Quote: <span> What connection types are there (audio, MIDI...)?</span> Midi in, out, thru, headphones out, 6 separates mono outputs (from A to F, A+B can be used as stereo main out) and two in that can be used as trig. <p class="bbcode-cite">Quote: <span> How many different sounds and/or styles available?</span> You have about 9 synths (GND, TRX, EFM, E12, P-I, MID, INP, CTR, ROM and RAM) divided in machines. Machines can be bassdrum, snare, audio in, external/internal midi controller... tons of stuff. <p class="bbcode-cite">Quote: <span>Can they be edited? Through a Mac/PC utility software?</span> Elektron made C6 for sysex and samples transfert. You can dump all your kits and patterns, or juste some of them. And for the UW version, you can sand/receive samples in the rom section. Some people created editors made to work in a musical way. <p class="bbcode-cite">Quote: <span>Is there an effects section?</span> Each track have his own FX page, with a two-band filter, a sample rate reducer, a eq thing and a modulator fx that gives something close to ring modulation. Via the routing page, you can send each track to reverb and delay included in the MasterFX wich also contain a compressor and a multi-band eq. But the MasterFX only works in main out mode. <p class="bbcode-cite">Quote: <span>What are the features/Characteristics of the sequencer?</span> It's a Tr-like with avanced features : a swing for groovy patterns, the setting is global but you can set the swing steps for each track. Same thing for the accent. Also a mute mode. Sequencing md is all about the parameter lock. It makes you able to set different machine settings for any step of any track... it is simple to use, and powerfull. There is a slide function that you can activate for any step for all track at once or for each track. And sound become powerfull and versatile in way you often can't imagine. Seriously. UTILIZATION <p class="bbcode-cite">Quote: <span>Is the sound or effects editing easy?</span> Oh yeah. This machine is made for live and on the fly work. You can edit everything and hear the result in real time. For each track you got three pages : synth, wich is specific for each machine, efx page and routing page wich is the same for all track. In routing page, you can set the amount of disto, volume, pan, reverb/delay send, lfo speed/depth/mix. 16 lfo, one per track that can be routed the way you like (yes, you can rout 16 lfo to one track), set the speed, the depth, choode one of the 6 waveforms + the same waves reversed. For each lfo you can use two waveforms at once with the mix function, working like a crossfader. SOUNDS <p class="bbcode-cite">Quote: <span>Do the sounds suit your style of music?</span> Yep. Made for various kind of electronic music. With the sampler... why note make drum'n bass? Nothing is impossible. <p class="bbcode-cite">Quote: <span>Are they realistic?</span> Nope, but you can use samples, so... <p class="bbcode-cite">Quote: <span>What do you think about the effects?</span> Good, pretty good. Simple and effective. <p class="bbcode-cite">Quote: <span>Is the expressiveness acceptable? (touch sensitivity, aftertouch)?</span> There is no velocity, but you can play with volume setting and accent. The sequencer is truly binary. I mean, you dont have that groove feeling, like in 909 or 808. It would be sooo cool. OVERALL OPINION <p class="bbcode-cite">Quote: <span>For how long have you been using it?</span> Two years. <p class="bbcode-cite">Quote: <span>What thing do you like most/least about it?</span> His potential, this machine can make so much more than basic rythm... and you work with it totally on the fly, very intuitive, you can put your brain on the desktop and have fun. <p class="bbcode-cite">Quote: <span>What is your opinion about the value for the price?</span> Expensive, but it can worth it. It's a matter of the way you work and the sounds you like. <p class="bbcode-cite">Quote: <span>Knowing what you know now, would you make the same choice?...</span> Oh yeah. No hesitation.