Since the A4/AK have digital noise… maybe switching to a digital oscillator could be a possible feature?
Seems logical since everything is already in place.
depending on how the digital oscillator is configured, it may be able to do something like that… either by itself or in conjunction with other internal components
who knows what mysterious hidden features lie dormant within
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Interesting.
Forgive my ignorance, but when you say digital oscillators, do you mean wavetables, single cycle waveforms, dsp code like a VA, or what?
I’m currently eyeing the DSI Pro 2, but if the A4 could get me some of those cold digital sounds… noice! (still wouldn’t have all the knobby knobness of the Pro 2 though)
I have no idea about the internal synth architecture of the A4 though. I’m interested to hear what more knowledgeable people say.
Don’t hold your breath - why would they ? cpu is busy deployed doing a lot of nice things already ? it’s an analog machine - they do digital ones - it just would be messy on so many levels, not to mention menus - sure, you could bolt a roof-rack on your ferrari, but if you wanted something different, get it, sometimes a paired down focus can be the very making of a product - i think the balance is just about right in these boxes, but we are all inclined to want more, i’m not entirely sure it adds up - however, adding something like key tracking as a modulation source, that would make a lot of sense with no real penalty…
anyway, i cannot see that this will ever change and that’s the right call in the big picture - these boxes retain a strong identity and each has usps - i don’t buy into the sales conspiracy bull though, i think it just makes a lot of sense if you have a product with a certain balance -if youtube videos started appearing with folk solely abusing the digital oscillators it could be something fantastic sonically, but it could also put off the unwary who may mistake it for a poor analog … who knows !
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this is no more knowledgeable than the next worthless opinion, but i confidently say there is zero prospect of this
This has been discussed before. The input is in place to use any source you wish! 
Just a simple but clever alternative digital sound with a couple of controls would be fun.
Yes it seems logical to buy a MnM.
multiples of dig synths and user waves
roll em thru the A4/K inputs thru either way
Shazzam…since everything is already in place
Have you ever had a look at the MiniNova? There is a lot of digital synthesis onboard, wavetables, digital distortion, effects etc. And there is a lot of modulation capabilities, loads of EG and LFO. You can really get it to cry out … and it’s not expensive.
IMHO the Pro 2 is more intended to be as much analog as possible. I have had a look on the Prophet 12, which seems to have the same synth engine and compared it to other analog gear and a Virus. It sit’s somewhere in between. If you look for digital sounds, the Pro 2 could be not the best solution.
For digital synthesis I would recommend to check out the MODOR at http://www.modormusic.com/ … a very innovative machine.
I’m with Naboo. I really don’t want all the options of a MonoMachine, just thought it’d be fun for a new bit of functionality or different character in the A4. If that makes me spoiled, so be it. I think the Teenage Engineering model of adding fx or synth engines every once in a while to the OP-1 is more what I’m thinking of (yes, I realize it’s digital). But people who know more than me think the A4 might already be maxed out?
@ SoundRider
Thanks for the info, SoundRider. I’ll check those out.
I hope they’ll never do that - I didn’t buy na analog synth to have digital osC. Besides that, I think it would’t be simple - as some suggest - and they would have to be keytracked, lockable etc… - noise needs no keytrackin THERES ENOUGH DIGITAL STUFF outhere ! Let them keep their hands of my analog !
I 've been listening to the PRO 2 and I don’t like the sound at all - no matter how many paramers and knobs … I prefer the Monomachine over it !
NABOO > have you digged deep in this machine ? I’m playing it for over 2 yaers now and Im still discovering new sonical ground !
I’ve posted someting a whyle ago - how it would be nice to have analog filters in a Monomachine - Oh man ! got immediatly reactions of users who said they like it the way it is - AND I understand their reaction !
Put some money aside and go for a monomachine
I’ve had a pittsburgh cell 90 sitting un filled for about 6 months. I finally just purchased my first module, a mutable braids. If you are looking for a digital osc on the analog keys, I’d recommend going this route. I’ve got to actually follow the instructions and rtfm to get it tracking right (I’m not concerned, just lazy and wanted to play with it first) but feeding it through the AK signal path in one of the synth tracks sounds great. It definitely opens up a whole new batch of sounds and really drives home the amount of power you get with the cv integration on the ak/a4. Basically for the cost of the power supply amd a single module, you can create a digital/analog hybrid out of the analog four/keys. Pretty cool.
To get back on topic, I guess my point would be to celebrate the current state of the machine and appreciate they’ve already given it the ability to use a digital source for the oscillator. You just have to pay for it 
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This is a very tempting idea, metalfalcon. Been eyeing the Mutable Instruments stuff for quite a while. I’m just afraid of falling down the modular rabbit hole. Hmmmm.
I’ve hesitated dipping my toe in for a long time. I acquired the case in a trade through here awhile ago and thought long and hard on what module to go with first. The braids just made a lot of sense as I really love the AK workflow in terms of building songs and I do love hybrid synths. It’s a topic beaten to death but I think think the flexibility of eurorack could actually help to quell my GAS for the onslaught of full fledged synths that keep coming out. As a gear shuffler, I think it may be simpler to get new sounds in my set up so when I want something new, I don’t have to give up any of my bigger synths in order to afford something.
I was at Robot Speak in SF yesterday and got a chance to see the Mother 32 in person. It was real tough to pass on the shiny new moog but I’m really happy I went with the braids instead. It adds something very unique to the AK. I got the calibration set up and have been sitting in my studio playing with it.all morning.
Funny. I was there too. Bought the Mother.
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The A4 would greatly profit from additional digital oscillators to boost the sonic power and flexibility. Everything else about the A4 is awesome, great sequencer, CV control, great effects, but the raw oscillator and filter sound is just useless. It’s probably the worst sounding synth I ever laid my hands on. The Ferrari analogy is kind of out of place here. I had to sell mine for that reason.
Of course you can go the route of using external synths. But I just couldn’t justify to myself having 1200€ worth of analog synthesis hardware and then spending additional cash on external voices to get usable sounds out of it.
Sad but true. I like the drums and the line in effects but when it comes to charisma, it lacks a bit and since it is so broad, there isn’t much room to tweak.
All is a matter af taste ofcoarse but USELESS ??? not for me …
Did some great sounds not using FX or plocks at all …
More even … have you digged all the Sync an AM options ?
There’s some sonic ground in there I never found in any other analog.
And digital oscillators sounding better ?
But I’ve read this critique before - so apparently you’re not the only one who dousn’t like the sound of them.
Personnaly I don’t care how a raw oscillator sounds - it’s the end result that counts for me. and that’s always the result of intarction between multiple parameters. You could define a filter as FX too.
But these are not synth’s that give fast and easy sathisfaction - to my opinion.
That makes me wonder, what you are after …
The A4/AK has features that not much other analog synths can be proud of:
- two filters
- an additional non standard waveform (called transistor-pulse)
- all waveforms support PWM
- AM as crossmodulation
- path of feedback
- two analog distortions, classical and clipping
- extensive modulation capabilities
IMHO a A4/AK opens sonic territory that is beyond most other analog synths. The sound quality is excelent and I like the fact that Elektron did not try to copy a Moog, an ARP, a Roland, or Yamaha just to name some of the big boys.
As an example, I can get modern gritty formant like sound out of this box that I don’t even need to try with my Moog - no chance. It can scream, howl, purr and generate the usual bread and butter sounds too.
But personal tastes are different and that’s okay.
As an example, I can get modern gritty formant like sound out of this box >that I don’t even need to try with my Moog - no chance. It can scream, howl, >purr and generate the usual bread and butter sounds too
Sorry to hijack the thread, but how did you setup the filter to obtain formant like sound ?? Im very interested in that
It’s probably possible with all digital oscillators. But to build on the Analog I think the coolest would be to have the analog circuitry play back looong digital wavetables, like… seconds… rather than having the digital engine spit them out in digital perfection. Also, when this is in place it would be cool if they created more digitally generated analog waveforms, other than the pure analog waveforms that are probably souldered in? A digitally generated analog waveform could probably be a frequently interrupted existing waveforms, like pulse or triangle, to emulate new waveforms. The resolution is up to how fast the processor can restart the waveforms. But since they can already sync it should be possible to make it really fast, and perhaps even as smooth as a sine, perhaps with some steppy quirks as a colour of the interrupt hack. This would be kooool.