1010music Nanobox Razzmatazz

Omar · 2024-04-14T21:06:10.968Z

(was about to reply the same)

topo_explo · 2024-04-14T21:31:00.273Z

Omg 🤦🏻 that’s it… I don’t know what else to say except that I’m pretty embarrassed for putting so much energy into a non-issue… I guess I had to though, cuz I wouldn’t have discovered it until someone else pointed it out. Thank you

Now I’m going to delete my previous posts.

KF6GPE · 2024-04-15T02:28:03.936Z

Don’t delete them!! Someone else may learn from them.

It’s not a big deal. Better to ask than be stuck.

And I’m sorry I didn’t see the thread earlier, or perhaps I could have chimed in.

topo_explo · 2024-04-16T18:50:16.528Z

Now that I have the Razzmatazz working with my M8, I’m really enjoying designing sounds and programming sequences with it. Maybe it’s the combination of the sound engine and the quality of its converters, but everything sounds really crisp and high def (for a lack of a better term).

My only gripe with it at this point is the fact that it isn’t multitimbral. It puts a real limitation on how many cc’s I can send with the M8 and Octatrack, since both have their midi tracks tied to cc assignments. I did put in a request on the 1010music forum. Hopefully it gets a good amount of upvotes so that 1010music acknowledges it as an important feature.

jdaddyaz · 2024-04-17T00:37:53.223Z

Yeah, being able to have all the sounds on different Midi channels would be great. Hopefully it’s not too much hassle to do.

mrjayjayjay · 2024-05-21T17:01:21.705Z

Your wish is their command! Tangerine.

LAFF · 2025-03-21T09:37:07.633Z

Are the Nanobox being discontinued ? The Razzmatazz is on sale or already out of stock in many shops, same for some other Nanoboxes. Overall, it has been very quiet and not so much content online about the Razzmatazz (last comment here almost one year ago, 1010 forum with many unanswered posts…). About to pull the trigger, sounds amazing, but I wonder if they will at least get some needed updates (especially midi management, multitimbrality + configuration files between presets to avoid programming the CC manually each time).

Omar · 2025-03-21T09:59:27.678Z

I love this machine, for sound design and, strangely enough, for its sequencer, because it gives you a neat overview of all your patterns at a glance. This is really useful for a live performance.

But it’s such a bundle of missed opportunities. There are jarring lacks in MIDI and sequencer features which made me move away from it, in spite of the immense amount of time I spent on it. It used to be the backbone of my live set.

As a sound module, I still think it kicks asses. Sound is pristine when played on a big PA. But I wanted to use it as a full solution, and it’s not how 1010music sees it, it seems. Sad.

SonWu · 2025-03-21T10:25:20.579Z

I think a Blackbox sized version with individual outs would have been nice too…

Omar · 2025-03-21T10:37:39.216Z

Yep, it definitely has some juice for a slightly bigger interface.

On the other hand, I really liked the power it offered in such a small form factor. I used to carry it everywhere with me, it easily fitted my pocket with its power bank. A BlackBox sized unit might not be so extremely portable. When it comes to handheld devices - among other things - every centimeter counts ^^

If ever they came up with a slightly bigger mark II, I hope you could be able to transfer projects made on the original to the newer version of the box.

But Steve recently mentioned on the 1010Music forum that the Razz was no near EOL, in reply to a user comment. So, not sure about a MKII coming up soon.

mrjayjayjay · 2025-06-06T14:42:40.499Z

Omar:

But Steve recently mentioned on the 1010Music forum that the Razz was no near EOL,

It’s more like an elderly relative in a care home that no one visits.

Some of the shortcomings could be mitigated with an external sequencer but the MIDI setup is infuriating. If they’d just allow midi number per pad, I’d be able to send it all the patterns I have, and also allow sending notes to a pad for pitched percussion, melodic stuff etc. Not a huge ask but would be transformative.

Their fixation on midi learn only is really limiting. Making the user set up the CCs over and over per kit is ridiculous.

Even having velocity implementation - which is excellent btw, a lot of different modulations can be patched to it - makes it seem bizarre that most of their own kits don’t have it enabled.

Keep learn and add a fixed midi chart. That and allow CC access to the distortion page / comb filters, set up page etc would make it really special.

Add a basic pattern chaining mode for songs. It’s silly they have defended limiting it to a 4 bar loop.

What’s the point in having slice mode with no way to add markers, or a sampler that doesn’t even have start and end point cropping? What purpose does that serve?! Their set response is use your laptop. In which case, why buy a £400 box at all?

As it stands, it’s deficient as a stand-alone and too closed off to allow it to effectively interface with something else to support it. It could be amazing and a cult classic but as has been pointed out, there is no content coming out for it and a ton of frustrated users.

Q is do they want to make an effective instrument or a novelty toy? Is it supposed to be a self-contained unit or part of a system? It doesn’t work adequately as either, and their attitude that ‘it’s not meant to do that’ clearly won’t wash.

Omar · 2025-06-06T14:47:51.871Z

I concur with everything you write.

No way to CC assign Mutes of the pads is also a massive miss. You can work around it by assigning a MIDI note to pad level. Then it will toggle between 0 and a default level. That’s what killed it for me: I got a decent MIDI controller to easily control mutes (at least) but I could never find the energy to go over all my kits to redesign each pad according to this default volume. Deep sadness.

If @KF6GPE still works there, maybe he could pass on this request? Because submitting requests on the forum seem to lead to absolutely nowhere.

mrjayjayjay · 2025-06-06T14:56:43.495Z

Q - is there a way to change which pattern is playing via CC? I cant find it but it would at least provide a hack for the lack of pattern chaining.

Omar · 2025-06-06T15:02:44.034Z

I don’t think so

Using program changes, you can change songs (I forgot how they call it, but I mean a series of patterns with a kit), and it will begin with the first pattern. So you could theoretically change patterns by changing songs, using the first pattern in each song. Transport doesn’t stop when you do so, IIRC.

chriisu · 2025-06-06T15:22:03.824Z

I agree with the previous posts. I kinda thought that most of the parameters are midi assignable but found out otherwise. As an example the distortion and comb filter stuff is cool and would be lovely but it’s a shame the only way to interact with them is to menu dive into the correct page and select param and then change with the internal controls.

ramram · 2025-06-06T15:42:46.022Z

They did have a good thing going but most of these nanoboxes were borderline abandonware. Even when the last update came lots of features did not make it in.
Now the bento is here I doubt we will have much good news.

On the subject of which, these nanoboxes seem mightily expensive compared to the bento.

At least I know what this company are like without spending bento monies!

The tone of their staff on the 1010 forum is astounding

KF6GPE · 2025-06-06T16:58:24.306Z

If you post it on the 1010music forum, it does get added to our backlog. One of us does sweep the forum regularly for suggestions and update the backlog. Given the small size of the team and the number of products we support, along with other constraints (our vision for products, the hardware constraints, etc) we can’t accommodate all requests, of course.

I’ve filed this in our backlog so that it’ll get picked up, but in the future please do post suggestions there rather than here and @'ing me. I may not always do that depending on how busy things get and what I look at here — my presence on Elektronauts and elsewhere is a purely recreational, not work-related, endeavor.

We’re heads down now on our next bento release, slated for the end of June. I can’t promise timelines for updates to other products, except to say that we know it’s been a while since we’ve updated the razzmatazz (or any of the other nanos) and it’s on our list to revisit later this summer.

Omar · 2025-06-06T19:02:56.707Z

Point taken

Omar · 2025-08-13T13:25:49.367Z

Today I came across an old recording of mine while listening to my playlist on random. While I cannot say I’m super satisfied with the live set itself, I was surprised at how the Razz cuts through the mix.

I have moved on to other beat machines now, but to me the Razzmatazz is still one of the best sounding and creativity sparkling pieces I’ve had. So sad it doesn’t get its major issues solved.

mrjayjayjay · 2025-08-13T13:36:47.759Z

A little bit more work and it could be a classic.

I’d favour opening up the distortion page to modulation, CCs etc - get at that comb filter properly! and being able to send notes to the pads would make it more like a nord drum for pitched percussion - midi channel per pad. And definitely fix the buzz on the kicks.

the nanoboxes pair nicely with small instruments like the M8.