Perhaps they’ll release new algorithms the way they normally release new engines for machines.
Though, the sonic ability is so broad and mysterious with the 8 I’d be hard-pressed to imagine what greater capabilities could be done with further algorithms…
Honestly I don’t think anybody knows if this will happen besides the Elektron folks…
You’ll just keep getting a bunch of speculative theories… 
Excellent. Like I said it’s possible then that Elektron MAY add more algos in the future. That’s the answer to the OP’s question here
oh come on now that’s just silly! Any FM synth, Digitone or Yamaha or Operator is capable of infinitely many “musical” results. 
And DXes are easy to use imho.
Good thing you don’t work for Elektron marketing 
Highly doubt we see more than 8 Algos on the DN.
I’m fine with that- 8 is a prime number(in a figurative sense)- it’s a sideways infinity, afterall.
If additions to the firmware to happen I’d be more interest into what could be done to the sound after the synthesis stage- as it’s alresdy quite infinite and perfect as is!
The retrig menu and plockable arp are my go-tos- after that unexpactable desire, my realistic goal would be for the pattern option to not pop up after a pattern mute
(Also Overbridge 
)
The real question is… Why do you need more than 8 algorithms?
I’m being a bit cheeky here, but my point is that there aren’t that many routings that are interesting - after a few combinations you will only have slight variations. (just have a look at the FS1R algorithms!)
I think the 8 algorithms each have a good reason why they exist - they all provide something clearly different from each other. They are hand picked and well thought out so to speak - not just a bunch of random combinations.
That said, I have some ideas for additions, but for now the 8 algorithms are the ones that are there, and I’m confident you will be able to spend many, many, many hours on them before you exhaust the potential.
(Please don’t see this as a confirmation for more algorithms in the future, just that it is left open at this point…)
Yes ! As is, the Digitone is a very good balance of features and ease of use, something not that common in FM synths. More features is nice, but only as long as its original qualities remain
The theoretical number of possible algorithms can be assumed taking a piece of paper, drawing the 4 OPs in various combiniations and count. I didn’t do it for the Digitone, but it would go like this:
4 single OPs without interconnection, 2 columns of 2 OPs without interconnections, 2 columns of 2 OPs with interconnection, but this would equal to having a single OP and a tripple with interconnection … and so forth … ending with 4 OPs in one single column …
There are plenty of possibilities, which might not be adressed by the DN to keep things simple.
Alternatively compare the DN to full blown FM-synths like Native Instruments FM8, Image Line Sytrus, or Korg Mod7. Those even don’t prescribe to use “algorithms” and allow to interconnect the OPs more or less freely (including feedback), giving a tremendous amount of combinations.
Since Elektron decided to keep things easy and, I think, easy enough to play and change the sounds in a live situation without beeing a FM-specialist, they could decide to do without more algorithms, even if theoretically possible.
I would assume, everybody wanting to exploit FM-synthesis at it’s full potential … but as you say that was not intended to be delivered with the Digitone. Since many musicians shyed away from FM in the past beeing intimidated by it’s potential of complexity, the decision of Elektron was wise, to try a simplified implementation first.
Better to get as many synthesists or musicians using FM at all and having much of fun, rather than producing an instrument, which might be of interest for a very small user group only.
As for analogue circuits a small deviation of the synth engine technology (here algorithms) can have a significant influence for the scope of sounds. Particularly a flexible cross-modulation and feedback-modulation between various OPs is interesting. An additional cross-modulation option between two strings of OPs might be seen as a small variation, but can open up complete new sound territory. But … it makes things more complex too, of course
I printed these out and gazed at them for a while:
TX81Z, an older 4op FM synth: 
Digitone:
Looks to me like only 7 and 8 aren’t represented in Digitone (and they’re quite similar), although the X Y outputs make it hard to compare.
Maybe it’s not the amount of algo’s , but what they do and how all the other parameters impact the sound.
I’ve been happy with the sounds from digitone , seems to cover a wide range , I haven’t turned on any other fm box since I’ve had it.
Plus nice external fx processing and clean overbridge stream into my Mac which seems unique .
which Digitone algo would you say corresponds to the DX algo 3? obviously Digi 2 and DX 5 are matches but less sure there is a Digi match for DX 3
I made an overview for myself regarding DX vs DN algos some time ago. Not sure if I’m matching them entirely right but still it’s probably helpful to anyone.
Edit: Apologies for posting into this very old and somehow unrelated thread… I’ll leave it there. Feel free to mod it away if there’s an urge to do so. 
Not that it really matters but the DN does not have an equivalent to the DX 8 algorithm, which has 4 carriers. The most any DN algorithm has is 3 carriers.
I suppose if you are a fan of pipe organ sounds, and your only synthesis source is FM, then you would appreciate the multi carrier algorithms.
Don’t know if the number of carriers impacts voice count/polyphony?
The Digitone has a solid set of easily understandable algorithms that all produce useable, varied sounds.
It is an FM synth with depth and variety that rewards tinkering and allows for a fast workflow.
Is there a place for an Elektron FM synth with 20 algorithms and 6 to 8 operators? Yes. Its a different product tho and could sit along side the A4 and Rthm.
Trying to force the Digitone to do more, when it already occupies a sweet spot in FM synths, would more easily detriment it than enhance it.
BTW if you want to get crazy with FM synthesis on a modern device, go look at the Waldorf Iridium
Carriers and polyphony are unrelated element of the Digitone.
I was thinking about FM synths in general.
Does the carrier count impact polyphony much like playing stereo samples impacts polyphony on romplers/samplers?
The way I read DN algo 7 is that it can do exactly what DX algo 8 is doing. Mainly it’s just additive synthesis of four operators without any FM happening. Algo 7 can do the very same, right?
In the DX 8 algo it is possible to hear 4 unmodulated carriers, i.e 4 pure sine waves.
In the DN 7 algo, carriers C and B1 are modulated by A and B2 respectively. It would not be possible to hear 4 pure sine waves.
The DX8 algo allows you to recreate a basic 4 stop organ sound and use the carrier volumes like drawbars.
Of course non of this detracts from the DN’s sound shaping capabilities mainly because it excels at having wide sweet spots which is unusual in a FM synth.
The solid lines in the DN algo diagram indicate a direct output of the respective operator. So you can have 4 sine waves and (de-)tune them against each other. I’ve seen it in the manual.
But with regards to individual volume levels this is obv not possible like with a DX.
Generally speaking, I don’t see so much use for more algo variations. I’d rather have a broader range for ratios and fixed ratios probably.
