A few days ago, it was noticed that the Model:Cycles got a price bump. In that thread, an idea began to circulate that the price increase indicated a significant, value-adding new firmware update on the way. I dismissed this idea initially, given that some quick searching found that it wasn’t just the M:C – Elektron’s entire product lineup just got a price bump across the board.
Today, however, we were greeted with just what was predicted for the M:C, only for a different product, the Digitakt. A huge firmware update that massively adds to the power and flexibility of the device.
Now, this could be a one-off, and it just so happened that DT was tapped for the big firmware update this year, and the price increases have nothing to do with this. But what if there is a connection?
Here’s my theory…
Supply chain issues have been wreaking havoc in the synthesizer market for three years, and while some things have improved, others haven’t (I still think it’s the reason the DN Keys has been ambiguously “semi-discontinued”). Building a completely new hardware product is super tough right now, especially for boutique companies like Elektron that assemble domestically.
So what if the 2023 (and possibly 2024) roadmap is this: “soft MKII” versions of the Digis, maybe the Models, too. Possibly even some long-requested additions to the flagships. No new hardware, just new firmware that unlocks new value in the existing gear, coupled with capturing a little more of that value at retail.