Not contesting your point as it’s perfectly valid. I own, what for me are the best 3 Elektron machines overall ( not saying it’s objective, just for me) which would be TV/DN2/ST. And they’re all great in very different ways. To your point about not needing 16 tracks on a DN2…I don’t think I’ve ever done a song using all 16 tracks as such, BUT Track layering on DN2 is a very powerful thing.
5 Likes
Hit:
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APC40 MK2 (again) - it’s a really nice controller. Whatever software I happen to be using, this makes it better. It works great with Bitwig. It has lovely build quality and feel. Just the right amount of control without being overwhelming or complex.
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Bitwig 6 upgrade - It’s not perfect but they keep innovating. There is stuff in the sequencer, automation and modulation devices that is truly original and not available elsewhere. It’s a mad professor toolbox of stuff for exploring electronic music.
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U-He Diva. It’s an absolute beast. It’s easy to understand and dial in great bread+butter sounds, but it has loads of hidden depths and more than capable of going outside of “vintage” sounds and into all sorts of other territory. It sounds amazing and it’s easy to see why it’s considered an all-time great.
Miss:
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Ableton Suite and Push 2 - I didn’t need a second DAW, Bitwig is enough. It’s just stupidity on my part. No disrespect to Ableton, it’s just down to taste and I prefer Bitwig UI design and the more flexible modulation and sequencing gizmos etc. Also, the Grid is really great fun. Very deep, not just a toy. Push 2 just isn’t that great, too many annoying quirks and didn’t get me away from the mouse and keyboard. I ended up fighting against it.
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Torso S4 - It sounds really nice but everything ended up sounding the same (mush of granular cloud and reverb). I probably didn’t think it through properly, and lack of any real sequencing ended up being annoying. GAS user error. Probably a dream ambient device for many.
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Too many overcomplicated super-synth VSTs - I need to stop buying these ludicrously complex synth VSTs. Too complicated and annoying to program and end up getting stuck in details or trying to use tons FX to make them sound better (the factory patches often tell a story here. Piles of FX that make little or no difference when you turn half of them off!). I get dazzled by these shiny things, and that’s on me. Stop it!
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Hit:
BOSS BX-600 – Found me one of these little classic saturation monsters for a steal from its first owner. It’s in the drawer right now but it will useful one day!
Half a hit:
Analog Rytm MK2 – I loved the performance oriented workflow and the overall sound a lot and got very productive with it in almost no time. After a while my conclusion is: if you want to rely on synthesis only, better shop elsewhere. Sold it.
Miss:
Selling my DN1 just a few months after re-aquiring it to fund the AR. Now I miss it. Time will tell how dearly.
5 Likes
I’m genuinely confused by the second half, can you explain? Do you mean you got tired of the synth sound limitations?
I have the same set of elektrons and am very happy with that. I don’t really want to get rid of my other stuff but could definitely make music happily with only those three boxes for a really long time and not feel like I was missing much, it’s such a great spread of sampling, analog, and digital synthesis.
It’s better to me not to think of the DN2 as 16 tracks. It’s an 8 voice polysynth with as many drum sounds or MIDI tracks as I feel are needed, and usually with a few voices left for some basses or ambient sound or droning if I so desire. I don’t think I’ve ever exceeded 12 tracks on it honestly, because using at least 4 of the voices for chord progressions with a walking lead or bass is too useful.
2 Likes
Yes! While some machines do quite well, at least half of them suffer from limitations through poor design choices. But this is just another very personal opinion. I’m sure many won’t see it that way.
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I revisited Push 2 this year but forgot about it. Definitely a miss for me. It’s too large to be a MIDI controller and isn’t effective enough to mean I didn’t need a mouse and keyboard too. I’m a big Ableton fan, especially M4L, and always had an element of “what’s wrong with me that I can’t get along with Push?” but after trying it twice now I can accept that it just isn’t ever going to be what I had imagined/hoped it could be.
4 Likes
Hits:
- Ableton Push 2. Incredibly inspiring device. I thought I’d like it, but I didn’t expect to love it as much as I do.
Misses:
- Digitone 2. Too powerful for its size, to the point I didn’t enjoy using it. I felt like the immediacy and intuitiveness of DN1 was lost. Multi-machine multi-page screens means I had to browse through screens instead of learning muscle memory actions, and this is a big nope for me when it comes to hardware devices. If I have to use it in kind of the same way I use a computer, I’d rather use a computer.
7 Likes
It’s been a year of slowly finding my way back into music, as my daughter has started at nursery. I should have probably bought a laptop instead of an iPad if I wanted to be boshing out track after track but was so desperate to try a touch-based workflow that I accepted that it’ll take a bit of learning before I’m fully back up to speed. With that being said…
Hits
Loopy Pro - This has effectively replaced my Octatrack for live sets and although I’m still learning its quirks (automation is a PITA, coming from Ableton/Bitwig) it’s an incredible piece of software.
Intech Studio PBF4 - I had one of the early models and loved it for travelling but thought that a Launch Control XL would be better, as there are more controls, so I sold the Intech to buy the Novation. Regretted it almost as soon as I received the Launch Control and immediately bought one of the new PBF4 models with the new buttons. Worth every penny and I’ve been getting into the LUA side of it too.
Misses
Pioneer Toraiz SP-16 (used) - It’s a truly brilliant machine (despite the not-finished firmware) and if I was starting again from scratch, I’d go for it, despite the price. However, it’s pretty large and ultimately I’ve moved to a mostly iPad based workflow, so for the money it was somewhat redundant… I may buy another one some day.
Teenage Engineering EP-133 (used) - This is a very good little sampler that punches well above its weight. However, as with the Toraiz, I’m just better off with KOALA sampler and a graphical UI. I feel like “arbitrary” limitations are more frustrating than creative things to be “worked around” at the moment. Especially seeing as I’m trying to find my new workflow.
Behringer Pro 800 (used) - I had high hopes for this one (Basic Channel for cheap!) but ultimately my Virus Snow makes better noises for my tastes (especially given its built-in effects), even if it is a little less immediate to program.
Jury’s Out
Drambo - I’ve been trying and failing to get my head around this, despite having worked in electronic music for a long time and having used various DAWs and modular and so on. I can see the power and potential but every time I get going with an idea, I’ll get stuck on some minor routing problem or something similar that sucks all the energy and drive out of me.
I’m in for NGNY in 2026 though, as I realise that I truly have everything that I “need” to make music (except tons of time like I used to have) and am tempted by GAS because I’m not making music enough and it feels like some kind of productive activity (even though it’s a distraction). I’ve also sold an absolute ton of stuff (Bunch of pedals, mics, controllers, TT-303, Blackbox, Quadrantid Swarm…) that I wasn’t using, looking back over the year and am freeing my mind up to sell even more next year (I’m going to finally tackle the vinyl…).
5 Likes
All hits
- Tonverk: Almost bought the Digi double but had to pick a lane. It’s deep but a proper poly Elektron sequencer is fantastic if you’re a sample person. It sounds amazing, and yeah, it looks like an interesting road ahead for this one. I still would like a DTII for simplicity and Overbridge, but any lingering questions with TV will likely be blown away by regular use. It’s a really fun machine to write on.
- SH-4D: I wanted access to the Roland sound as a sound module. It came down to this or the MC-101, and I went with this for more hands on control. Purely using it sequenced by the Tonverk.
- Polyend Tracker+: always going to be a hit. Brought back due to missing it as a couch companion. Now also with the double whammy of creating loops to put into TV, to mess with even further. Happy to have it back for doing my best impression of The Field.
One thing to note about these, is that none of them is trying to be the alpha number 1 in the studio, but they’re not support act either. They can all do things on their own, but they complement each other too, and choosing 2 of them is usually a nice combo.
I really like how I can just plug any of these boxes in via USB, create an aggregate device and be off to the races. To me audio over usb or a dedicated VST that works with hardware is a no brainer.
Miss
- Launchkey mk4 I do much prefer the layout of the newer Launchkeys with everything in the centre. The arp is good as always and the new musical extras like chord sets are fun. However… I recently got out my mk3 Launchkey and the old pots are much more useable than the mk4. I feel this warrants mentioning because the new ones are pretty hard to turn.
Lesson learned: new controllers aren’t always better.
What next?
- Incoming: Keystep mk2. I condensed my Launchkey mk4 37 and Minilab into this one. The goal is to have keys that fit on the desk with the above hardware boxes when the LK is away, and to make use of the sequencer.
- Question marks: Push/Move: Got both of these last year as my only HW at the time. This is a story as old as time “got Push as the ultimate controller but wasn’t unhappy with a launchpad.” The buttons are really stiff, and as many have said, it’s often quicker to do stuff with keys and mouse. However I think on balance it’s more about whether I can balance these boxes into a hybrid setup. TBC…
Overall though, I’m pretty happy with this setup.
6 Likes
Def interested in this as an Ableton controller. I do love the way the Novation controllers work, plus they work with general MIDI. That said, this is a Launchpad (sort of) and a Launchcontrol in one, and it has all the buttons on the faceplate. Device locking and all that stuff too. Sorely tempted, but I also like the modular-ish way you can combine the Launch products on the desk. Are those little. track buttons easy/big enough to hit when moving around a live set?
Name names! Haha. I know what you mean though. I can both gasp in awe at the new Serum update, but also know that it’s probably too much and there’s not much wrong with v1.
No problem - Phase Plant, Current, to a lesser extent Serum.
If you scroll through the factory patches in Phase Plant, some of them have 10 or even 20 FX in them, and in many cases they add little or nothing to the sound and you can turn them off and barely notice the difference.
To be fair nobody is forcing you to use all that crap, but if you need to try to add all that to make it sound good it makes you wonder about the “raw” sound quality.
Go and listen to a simple 2 or 3 oscillator bass or pad patch in Diva, no abundance of FX needed. I think I’ve just realised that there is a lot to be said for good analogue modelling or a good “raw” sound.
It’s just a matter of taste in the end I suppose, I don’t want to be unkind to those other developers.
They seem fine to me, but I’m rarely navigating massive session view sets. I’ve also realised the value of keeping things simple, or at least group things so I’m working on a single “page” if possible. But I have simple hobbyist needs.
2 Likes
I had that same experience with the Push 2… couldn’t take to it at all.
But, the Push 3 is everything I’d want it to be, love that thing. So, don’t write off the P3 through a negative P2 experience.
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I signed up for No New Gear 2025, but I didn’t even make it half way through 
Although, I didn’t buy much and some stuff I did end up buying was because something broke and needed to be replaced.
Hits:
- This year, I’ve spent more time on bigwig with recording and mixing the album of my band than on any of the gear listed below combined, so I guess my biggest hit was renewing my bitwig license.
- TE TX-6: My old edirol sound interface broke after some good 15+ years of being used. So I mainly got the TX-6 as a multitrack sound interface. Works fine for everything I need it to do, but it freezes occasionally when connected to a MacBook and I don’t know why. Still very happy with it.
- Elektron Tonverk: Rough start, but I love it. It’s the closest thing to an all-in-one-box Elektron ever did, to me at least, and already does almost everything I need it to. I know there will be lots of great things to come for the TV. But I do hope sampling at pressing play will be one of those
- Dadarrio Eclipse Rechargeable Tuner: I had a really cheap guitar clip tuner from Thomann, which refused to work after about 1,5 years. Got a slightly more expensive one from Dadarrio now and it’s rechargeable and works fine. Hopefully for longer than the previous one.
- Kinotone Ribbons: Had my eye on this one for years, but they were a bit hard to get in Europe. Until they announced a new batch that was available from a Danish shop. Couldn’t resist and it’s great. It replaced my CB GenLoss2. They only thing I miss from that is the magical reel to reel EQ setting, which I loved for my guitar. Still, all in all I prefer the filters, compressor/saturation, and finer control of every parameter on the ribbons.
- Chase Bliss Lost+Found: I’ve still got a lot of exploring to do with this one, but I really like playing my guitar through it, especially the delay algos. It could probably replace all my other pedal in a pinch. Might be a fun challenge to restrict myself to only Lost+Found and amp sim for my guitar sound for an album.
Unsure:
- Volca FM2: For whatever reason, I had a lot of unexplainable GAS for this one for months and bought it when a cheap b-stock unit on Thomann came up. I like it, but I haven’t used it much. I don’t really need it, especially after getting the TV. I’m probably gonna multisample a few favorite patches into the TV and pass it on. Or I might as well keep it as a small travel synth to mess around with on the train.
That’s it, no misses.
2 Likes
Interesting. Maybe I’ll give the 3 a go at some point in the future, although I replaced the P2 with a bunch of Intech Grid controllers so I will likely want to exhaust the possibilities of those first. What made you tempted to go for the 3 having not clicked with the 2?
Yeah it’s a good point. I get that there is joy in that complexity for some types of music and all that. But mapping stuff to your own tunes is handy. I was listening to a blind test of synth filters the other day, and what surprised me was a) how similar the soft synths were, but b) how a powerful basic oscillator and filter gets 90% of the job done. So it’s all good. But I appreciate the lure of the shiny ones, I know exactly what you mean.
Yeah absolutely. Keeping everything in the 8 columns is a big one for basically any of these controllers. I think what’s good about these controllers is how quick and easy it is to get into the various parameters. I definitely wouldn’t want to be wandering round a big set or anything like that.
1 Like
Hits:
MPC Live 3
Tr1000
IK Arc on ear
Launchkey 37 mini mk4
Rodecaster Pro 2
iPhone 17 Pro Max
Apple MacBook Pro M5
*to soon to call: Moog Messenger, ASM DioSynth
Miss:
DT2
DN2
I miss both of em.
11 Likes
Initially for the Standalone-ness… I was thinking I could lose my laptop for live shows, but I couldn’t ultimately.
That didn’t stop me taking to it though, it just made way more sense to me in use, particularly the new jog wheels approach… there’s now a lot more that I really enjoy doing on the P3 over mouse/keyboard, and it just gets better all the time too.
1 Like
Megahit:
Digitone II [had it since 2024 but it is the ultrabomb also in 2025.]
Hits:
Tonverk
Faderpunk
Zoom LiveTrak L-6
Erbe Verb
Exquis [didn’t have much time to do use it, but it does what I wanted it for]
Vhikk X
On the Fence:
2HP Blur
Battering Ram
14 Likes
Hit…
Maschine Plus Ltd Edition Vapor Gray (already love the M+, but always wanted the Vapor Grey too)
Cool, but I never really use…
Patterning 3 App. Inspiring beat creator, when I do actually get around to using it.
A few Korg iOS apps and Korg collection for the computer. I’m a sucker for classic vintage synths, but they take up too much room.
Misses
Roland J-6. Bought mainly as a chord machine, which it’s a bit meh at imo
Alphatheta Chordcat. I didn’t like anything about it, even the Cruiser mode.
3 Likes