Thanks for the reply…valid points.
Do you find the A4 user friendly or was there a steep learning curve…does it pair well with the software?
A4 can do a lot, there is basic FM and also AM, so you can go pretty weird… Plenty of modulation, excellent FX…
Pros for Digitone : you can control external gear, you have 8 voices of polyphony, a good synth to discover FM synthesis…
Pros for A4 : direct pattern jump and other pattern switch modes, song mode (means a big deal for some people), CV, perf, subtractive synthesis with good distorsion on the filters…
Both are pretty powerful.
You first want to decide if you prefer digital FM or analog subtractive, that’s the main point. And if you are more inclined to control external gear via MIDI or CV, secondary point.
EDIT : A4 mk1 has OverBridge already, so it’s better if you use software.
Digitone should get there at some point. “When?” is a big question, but I would say in the coming months.
And analog filters bring something when you play mainly ITB, whereas Digitone may be replaced by Ableton Operator I guess.
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Hey thanks man…I will pair it mostly with My digitakt…I dont have much cv gear…my gear list is Op1,digitakt,juno6,es2,microkorg,minilogue,volcafm,volca sampler and few other things. I never really used cv.
Ah ok so OB works flawlessly with it?
I got one after only using a Digitakt before.
No real learning curve at all, I was making quick beats within hours of it arriving. Getting the exact sounds you want takes a bit of practice, but once it clicks you’ll be making music in no time.
I make Lo-Fi stuff too and I find that the A4’s vibrato feature makes for excellent warbling pads.With P Locks, you can detune oscillators per step and make it sound like there are far more than four voices.
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Hard decision really. I love my A4, sold it only to get the mk2 which I love even more. It has become the heart of my setup !
I don’t use Ableton that much to play music, mainly for editing tracks.
But when I used OB with A4 it was working without any problem, indeed.
I know that OB can really be interesting to understand quickly how A4 works. It’s make more sense to identify what a parameter does when you have the curve in front of the eyes, and the UI is really extremely well done IMO. You have almost everything under the eyes.
I’ve used a lot A4 as a soundcard to record separately the 4 tracks + FX + Inputs in Ableton, and it was working great !
Check this track, that shows my love for A4 mk1 :
And @Scot_Solida making sense of OB interface :
This album was made with A4 only :
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Damn man I think you and Flying Dalai sealed the deal !!
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Thanks alot man…you guys making my decision easier. Thanks for your help. Gonna check these after work tonight.
Also, remember that the Digitone is this month’s new toy.
It’s a great machine, but it’s getting a lot of praise right now because it’s new and exciting. Just because more people are raving about it than the A4 doesn’t by any means make the A4 bad.
FM synthesis is very cool, but I would say it doesn’t provide the analog sound that a lot of people have come to associate with synth-based music.
If I could only have one, I would probably choose a subtractive synth every time.
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I tried a used A4 this week and it’s really good. It’s deep which I consider a good long term thing. I opted for a moog DFAM though because I wanted something rhythmic and immediate to pair with OT. So it also factors how you want to integrate into your setup. Seems to me the A4 is a centrepiece (except no midi out so you can’t sequence your other stuff through it, which is a consideration). People suspect the DN apiece will drop after the fuss dies down also.
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Yeah, the Digitone is still available in loads of stores. I think it’s more of a niche machine than the DT. I’m hoping the price will drop down to £550 by the summer, like the Digitakt did.
The cool thing about Digitone is that it comes with the dual filter and in that sense is like a hybrid FM/subtractive synth. I agree though that it’s a lot easier (well, for me) to work towards a given goal on an A4 than it is on the DN. For the latter it’s a lot of - mostly aimless - exploration for me.
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Nothing wrong with experimentation, but sometimes it can be good to have a reliable workhorse when trying to be productive. That’s a role my A4 can definitely provide.
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“FM synthesis is very cool, but I would say it doesn’t provide the analog sound that a lot of people have come to associate with synth-based music.”
If anything, people associate electronic music more with the digital sound, as it’s the industry standard, and has been predominant since the 80’s new wave scene took over with the DX7. Analog is a lot more common in 80’s hiphop, niche genres like acid-house, and and 60’s/70’s rock music and funk.
Pick any electronic music hit since 1985 on and 9 times out of 10 it’s going to be a digital synth or softsynth they’re using.
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I guess I prefer analog sound. 
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Aren’t most of their songs sample based from the 70s?
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So reading this thread and already owning a Moog Little Phatty I think the Digitone will fit my setup better than an analog four.
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Yo if you been dialing in subtractive synthesis , DN will be an breeze ! 
I think a4 is more diverse than digitone, also analog (in contrast to digital fm) , two lfo, second multy filter… cv outputs, midi… great delay and reverb and parameter lockable fx tracks. I would go for secondhand mk1. Love this synth
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Yes, the advantages of both machines are (somewhat) clear to me. But it’s more about what would fit in my setup best. The Moog will take care of the low analog bassy sounds, so an FM synth would complement it well. I don’t say an A4 wouldn’t. It’s a choice based on the assumption that an Analog Subtractive and a digital FM would be a good pair…