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Depends on what you want to perform on stage …
If 8 tracks of sample mangling with one OT are not enough … well … two of them might be the answer.
If it’s about one groove box more, or to have more than 8 rhythmic sequences going on, I would recommend to use two different machines to have more different options.
The Rytm would extend or augment your sample based sounds by its analogue sounds 
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I know that @tr909 gave two OTs a shot, wanting more outputs than the 4 of a single OT, but ultimately decided that OT+Rytm was a better spread of resources (and more outputs). Maybe they can chime in.
Frankly I think 2 x OT is overkill.
The benefits of OT + Rytm exceed doing 2 x OT in my opinion.
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You can run OT output through Rytm and use the very nice stereo analog compression with a wet/dry mix on your master output
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Rytm UI is geared for rhythm composition more than OT is…I own both and find myself making rhythms much more quickly on Rytm…if you find this to be the case for you as well, then that opens up the potential for integrating LIVE, improvised drum pattern creation while OT provides backbone/background…yummy.
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The performance and scene pads on Rytm are badass
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If you want to do hardware compression with sidechaining (using a dbx166, FMR Real Nice Compressor, or similar) you’ve got tons of physical outputs on the Rytm to dedicate to a channel that is just for the sidechain key signal. I have used the bass tom output for this many times.
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Forgive me for copy/pasting my own stuff, but the same questions come up over and over and I can’t keep typing the same things all the time. Here’s some recent posts, for me OT+AR all the way…
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2 x octa live
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I’ve only recently purchased the OT MK1 and loving it but I have no ability to talk about the AR. however I would imagine a cool thing about running 2xOTs would be the ability to resampler the output of each one into the other and manipulate it.
So let’s say you build something on the OT live and then you sample that into OT#2 on a track then switch to the second one and you still have exactly the same bar looping but this time on 1 track. This let’s you manipulate the master loop easily on 1 track plus gives you other tracks to build up on. Then vice versa: you messed up you loop enough on ot#2 and added a few samples on it as well then you record that back into OT#1 and do the same thing again.
There’s a way to do this with a single OT it’s not as fast unless you create a different part that has a flex that plays a buffer recording of the internal mix of the ot. But this doesn’t work nicely for live improv.
Of course I’m sure If i ever try an AR I’ll take that over a second OT.
personally I’m more interested in getting an A4 as my next elektron purchase but that’s a long ways away and that depends on the type of music you do as well.
My humble noob 2 cents.
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Panda bear uses two Octatracks live…idk what he does exactly, maybe uses one for FX/transitions while the other starts playing his stems? I think it all depends on the music you make and how you feed your machines.
Great idea! But I will say after setting up the parts and patterns and then saving the part and project, the track combining can easily be easily done live on one OT…
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Two OT’s would be insane! It just seems nice to have a device that is an actual sound source to feed your OT with, AR is incredible for that. There’s no wrong decision though…
If you’ve prepared the sounds and parts and patterns in advance and are just performing a pre organized set then yes, but I’m trying to live improv and let’s say I have my thru track or whatever with the recording trigger on part 1 and part 2 is identical but it has a flex that played that recorded loop. Let’s say I start adding more stuff in part 2 I have to go back to part one to record and my sound changes won’t move.
If I do it all in a single part it’s doable but you really have to be quick with the muting and unmuting.
Nothing is impossible with OT (except p locking multiple steps at the same time for some obscure reason) but while it might not be impossible it’s quite risky for live. I’m still trying to figure out the best way to do this.
Perhaps there’s something I’m missing in that case PLEASE HELP!
I do improv too but not from a blank project or anything like that. I’m not with my OT and don’t have full OT brainpower cognition to think through specific details at the moment, but I’ll get back to it. What I can hint at right now is that full improv can me made with the OT while also sticking to some kind of customized workflow that you create, and you can make patterns/parts that do things to your audio/tracks but can be used for a multitude of source patterns/audio material. Some organization is needed as far as what material is on what track and which tracks to combine, but the material can be vastly different. You can switch to a pattern that for a cycle combines things and switch to another that plays them combined, and the audio will sound the same like it just cycled a few times. It doesn’t really take you out of free flow improv to have a premade track combiner sampler, even though you set it up beforehand. It’s almost like you can create your own functions on OT and you wouldn’t call using a function of a device to not be improv… There’s always other ways too on OT, I’ve learned to never say “can’t” with Octatrack…
That might be kind vague, I’m tired… 
I’ll get back to this later…
Hahahahaha I have so much to learn! The simple fact that I already came up to this idea after only a month with the OT makes me realize there can be way more done with it that I can’t even comprehend yet.
The OT discovery journey is the most fun I’ve had in music for a long looong time
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The OT just keeps going and going. I know you didn’t say it couldn’t do something but for fun I’ll mention that probably over 90% of the threads that come up that claim an OT can’t do this or that, @sezare56 has a solution for… It’s insane… And there’s usually multiple ways to approach the same thing from different angles…
And as far as improv, nobody will judge you for having pre set up track recorder settings and things like that, I don’t see any reason one would be setting input source and qrec on stage… OT improv to me works best with lots of settings already saved into parts and the project, and that absolutely doesn’t take away from spontaneous live creativity, it enables it. Many devices are preconfigured, the OT is not. The way I see it you at least want to have it configured according to your preferences, setup with other gear, and various other tidbits of customization that basically make it so you create your own device with customized workflow, then your ready to improv with it with all your parts saved and a master improv template project set up…
What is this box? 
#UFOtech
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Actually you cannot have enough OTs. Ideally 8 of them.
Seriously though, a heterogenous setup will give you more joy (diversity yeah) and flexibility in performance as well as structuring your tracks / sculpturing your sound.
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2xOT have an incredible arp potential about progression in key (arp OT setting in key) you can use arps in keys, with differents speeds, legato or not, If you have a daw this is something other machines cannot as easily do. But for sure I think Rytm has a lot of potential because of the sound routing ( personnaly I do not have rytm but my A4 has a kit with analog fxs for drums input from OT for example, an other kit for pad inputs and warming the sounds as pads and chords from OT or Daw ) Then I can re rec in OT etc.
I would like to try OT with an other OT because of notes and arp facilities.
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What a place to do a set!
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I literally just picked up an OT to go with my Rytm and Digitakt.
Highly recommended combo.
He uses them like a DJ, as 2 separate decks. They are not midi synced. Each one is loaded with parts that have his song stems and he mixes the songs live between the two OTs. It doesn’t look like he uses patterns, maybe oneshots if anything.
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