100,000 yen to spend, MnM 1 or 2 or A4

The Lounge General Discussion
1

Sorry I know these threads are almost always impossible to answer and appear all the bloody time but I am in a bit of pickle. It’s my 30th in December and I have been saving with the intention of treating myself.

A 100,000 yen is about $1000 by the way.

I was originally planning on getting an A4 until the price hike as many of you may know. AFter that I found a monomachine SFX60+ for super cheap (69,000). I placed the order but it seems someone has it on reserve already so I probably missed out on the great bargain which has left me a little thrown out on what to get.

There is an A4 now online for 84,000 which is a great price but I kinda had my heart set on the MnM. There is also a MnM MK1 on yahoo auction for 55,000. And my final choice is a ten year anniversary blue edition MnM with plus drive for 109,000.

So here are my choices:
Option 1: I was thinking I could get the cheap MnM MK1 and a Novation Bass station II for 57,000(with the idea to also use the BSII as a controller for the OT). This way I get two bits of gear but miss out on the smaller profile (which will definitely irk me) and the userwaves etc.

Option 2: Get an A4 as originally planned. Having the mini keys will be a great benefit for me as I don’t sequence without a keyboard and those mini keys mean I can go sit in the living room and jam away when I am watching the baby. Problem is that its only 4 tracks and I already have a tetra which does analog sounds pretty damn well.

Option 3: Buy the MnM MKII and get the plus drive installed for 109,000. This one is cool cos I get the MnM and all its features but no mini keys (the chromatic sequencer keys arent really a replacement although as playing scales is a mind f#$% so only good for beats) and still a bit of GAS for the A4. Also no poly rythms, individual sequencer lengths or microtiming all features I really enjoy on the OT).

About my set up and style of music. Why do I even want another machine you ask? Well, my music is very synth heavy and with no computer I m mising being able to add tones of synths via VST hence wanting a MnM or A4 as they are multitimbral.

As for the kind of music I make check out my youtube for examples http://youtu.be/fO_SxjIJkp0

Again, I am really sorry for such an annoying thread, I just really am quite at a loss as to what to spend my money. The second hand market is pretty bad in Japan so I can’t by and then easily trade like many might suggest.

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I’d personally say go for the A4. Athough the A4 is the one Elektron machine I haven’t owned, so take what I say somewhat lightly.

If you did get the MnM, definitely get the MK2+ model, as I felt that the extra features of the Mk2 were worth it, and the drive storage helps if you want banks and banks without worrying too much.

The MnM is a fun machine, but one thing that got to me was the filters, which I think were a let down. and while the synthesis capabilities are there, some synth types arent as fully featured as I would have hoped.

I think from demo’s I’ve heard the A4 is both complex enough, and has better filters, plus the new sequencer features are a definite plus. I think the ability to switch through sounds per step is something I would have liked on the MnM.

3

analog or digital? …that is the question :slight_smile:

4

Get vintage stuff…

On your budget:

Get a Roland MKS70 Rack or Juno 60 AND a BSII

Get an Oberheim Martrix 6R AND Waldorf Microwave XT

Get a Korg Radias or Wavestation A/D and the BSII

Get a Sequential Circuits Six Track and the MnM

Get an AKAI AX80 and the MnM

But the A4 looks good for about $8-900. That’s a steal…

I’ve listened to everything you posted and I don’t think you HAVE to get an analog synth. I’ve never owned an MnM but I think you’d get a ton of mileage out of it!

I don’t think you’re “missing anything”, sound-wise. Except irreplaceable vintage sounds…

5

I think I agree you don’t need the A4 - I’d be tempted to get the BS2 and hold out for another MnM MK2 bargain like the one you missed. The BS2 is obviously good if you have a place for an immediate hands on Bass synth that also does good controller duties and it’s pretty compact - and easy to try in a store first and decide if you like it (and return it if you don’t). BS2 is also gonna fill solo lead duties, it’s own flavour of acid lines, some gnarly overdrives there too - the arp and sequencer are great for sketching stuff quickly.

I haven’t listened to all your stuff but if you don’t mind I’ll say it’s got a lot of different ‘textures’ going on - for that reason I’d say the two machine scenario is gonna suit you better, but only if you like what the BS has to offer sonically of course.

Apart from the polyphony, there’s probably a fair bit of overlap between A4 and tetra - just guessing really, haven’t played a tetra - so maybe your covered already for an analog small footprint unit?

6

Thanks for the replies guys. Much appreciated as I know these kind of threads can get quite irritating.

A part of me is still hoping that by some fluke I might still get that cheap MnM + which would leave me enough cash to get the bass station as well. It’s pretty unlikely though.

For MnM owners I have a question. Do the synths have presets? I like to program my own sounds but it is extremely useful having presets to use as starting points. I had an MD UW and I found programming kits a chore. Obviously that was worsened by the fact I was quite new to drum synthesis.

Ryan, I think vintage has too large a foot print. Also the benefit of getting the MnM or A4 is that they have inputs meaning I won’t need to add a mixer to the equation. With an MnM or A4 I could route the Shruthi and or bass station (assuming I bought one) through either of them.

I’m kind of thinking of my set up as one whole instrument. And having the bass station would make my axiom 49 redundant as a controller and reduce my footprint making live performances easier. I also had a wicked jam last night and am really enjoying my set ups current iteration. I’m certainly entering the final phase of my set up. Just hard to define that missing final something. Need to fight the G. A. S. and keep things practical.

Also completely off topic but I am listening to John talabot 's destiny right now. Damn, what a wicked track.

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I don’t own an A4 (would love one though) but I do own the MnM. All I can say is what has been and will be said hundreds of times already and in the future - There’s nothing like the Monomachine out there. It is so deep it will keep you experimenting for years. It is the most inspiring piece of gear I’ve ever owned.

However, if you didn’t like programming kits on the MD, you may find getting the most, or even what you want out of the MnM a bit laborious as well. It’s really a synth for people who love to get their hands dirty with sound design.

If you want “more synths”, the MnM will satisfy that craving!

The MnM come with four banks of pre programmed patterns and “presets”. I deleted all of that stuff the second day I owned the machine. The factory presets aren’t great and I don’t think Elektron intended them to be. You can download a free booster pack of patterns and presets from the Elektron site though.

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Saw John Talabot perform live in LA. Great show too!

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Thanks for the detailed reply. I will admit that that is a little disconcerting. But here is my idea. This week I will endeavour to make tracks using only initial patches with the synths I have. If I find that it isn’t too much of a chore then I guess I’ll be fine with the MnM. If however I find it a nightmare well then maybe I’ll have to grab the A4. That seems like a sensible way to decide right? Just need to resist buying a bass station this week lol.

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90% of people could probably make it 10 years with a synth while designing and saving 5-10 patches. I save patches here and there, but I tend to use a patch for a song and then never use it again. Why would you?

Patch memory is important for scoring work, live performance (which you said you were planning on) and for REALLY complex synths that have an Oscillator section that takes an hour to tune in and of itself (ah hem…FS1R =).

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But I don’t know that the MnM is so deep that you couldn’t get by sending CCs and program changes from the OT and be totally fine as long as that’s the way you work in the studio AND on stage.

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Route 1
Recall why you wanted an A4 in the first place. If that need/sonic space in your studio is still unfilled, you may want to go for it as it is bound to give you satisfaction.

Route 2
However, I trust that you have a sufficient no. of synths and are perfectly capable of creatively squeezing them to give more. The money here could be spent/saved for other purposes though.

13

It’s really strange reading Nedavine’s threads here and on Gearslutz purely down to having a similar set up and the hopes each of us seem to have in where we want our set ups to end up. On top of that a young family and a 1 year age gap it’s just getting a little strange haha!

From knowing your set up, from the things you’ve said previously and from listening to your music I still can’t decide what I would do in your shoes. It’s something I have considered a few times myself in terms of saving up for that next “big” purchase though.

There probably is better ways to spend the cash like others have suggested but gut feeling is I would go for the Monomachine over the A4 - but only just. Would probably have thought different if the Tetra wasnt in the equation. You have some good FX, some other handy bits and bobs, have you considered an iPad and audio I/O dock? That might deliver a lot of what you are looking for - Nave in particular is a great synth. Or even an OP-1? Anyway, I dont mean to come up with alternatives!

The monomachine does look like a heck of a beast to master in terms of programming though. I quite like presets myself and working backwards but you’ve managed to get your head round an OT, I’m sure you can get churning out some cool stuff on a Monomachine!

Saying all that for some reason I can’t get a Tempest out of my head just now so that’s currently sitting in #1 in my next big purchase list ahead of the Monomachine and one or two other things.

Maybe you don’t need anything just now? Folk have told me this in the past and its been like talking to a brick wall when you have that itch to buy something mind you! I say next time your gut instinct takes a lurch towards one or the other options then just jump on it and go for it. If a few months down the line it isn’t working out as planned then sell. It’s worked well for me this year and I’ve now landed somewhere Im far happier with.

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Yeah it’s definitely a case of pocket itch. Part of me wishes I had a little bit more self control so that I could hold out for a P12 rack! Considering the keys is four times my current budget I wont hold my breathe.
We are indeed on a very similar track in terms of our set ups. My OT brother of sorts :joy:
I’ve been eyeing the tempest myself for quite sometime, but the massive price has held me off. Although there is one on Yahoo for 140,000 … G.A.S.
As for an ipad I have one. I may try adding some animoog for fun. I also had an OP-1 but I got rid of it. It’s great fun and all but it didn’t feel like a serious synth. Actually it was the OP-1 that made me want the A4. The A4 to me seems like the OP-1’s big grown up brother. OP-1 is a ukulele and the A4 is a Les Paul kind of thing.

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You have an OT, thus you can do all these on the MNM with the OT’s midi tracks.

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This decision is difficult because you don’t have a clearly defined need. You’re just looking for a new toy, which is fine, but it makes it hard to decide which toy will give you the most joy when there are so many cool toys to choose from!

If you use an OT, then you can certainly get along with the MnM or A4, no problem! But the MnM is going to be less “immediate”, and require bit more experimentation.

You will not regret getting either the MnM or A4. But if you already have analog gear, I would be inclined to try something totally different.

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Thanks. The need is for more sound sources. Admittedly I could live sample more and just get by that way but basically what I feel I need is something multitimbral to replace my vsts that I used when I was DAW based. But that could be done by anything from a virus to a blofeld. The Elektron boxes give me inputs and effects making it so that I don’t require a mixer which is why they are my first choice (also I like elektron gear).

But as mentioned above being able to sequence the MnM tracks from the OT makes it even more appealing.

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Okay - this easy now - if you are REALLY looking to replace VST’s then MnM is clearly the better choice over the A4. Why? Because it gives you the sonic versatility you’d get from a host of plugins, in a hardware box with the bonus of a great sequencer and the easy hookup to OT.
You get FM, SID machine, custom waves, Vowel synthesis, Ensembles, etc etc.
With A4 you get a pretty standard subtractive synth (when you boil it down to the sound). Now you could have a bash at building some of the sounds that the MnM can do - but you’ll never have the ease of just selecting a machine, tweaking a bit and getting on with making music.

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Yeah, I think you are right. Just sticks in throat having to pay 400 extra when I could have got it so cheap. Thanks for all the help guys. It’s a shame there’s no way I can get out and actually play with these machines.

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If you haven’t read it already there’s some good real world opinions on A4 v MnM over here:
http://www.elektronauts.com/t/have-you-had-an-epiphany-on-the-a4-or-went-from-disliketo-love/1334/9720/page:2#9720