Hi there!
I have a little dawless setup, consisting in a 0-coast, Evolver desktop and a Preenfm2. Can an A4 mk1 act as a brain sequencing them all or another Elektron box would be preferable?
You can use the fx track and the cv track to sequence external (midi or cv) gear without loosing one of the 4 tracks for the internal synth.
It could be a brain for all of them but then, you would loose 1 of the 4 internal tracks
Its midi capabilities (midi CCs etc) are also very restricted. A digitakt or octatrack would be better options for midi sequencing.
If it has to be a synth, then the Digitone is an option. It has four dedicated midi tracks.
A4 is a great option for sequencing and modulating your 0 coast via Cv
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Yes, small midi brain! No CCs, editable program changes, aftertouch, pitchbend…only notes sequencing.
(Edit : Clock, Transport, program changes can also be sent in Sync menu, knobs and some buttons can also send CC/NRPN, notes)
DN and DN have plockable program change per step, 1 midi lfo.
OT has midi arp, 3 lfos, but program change sending is more restrictive (at the beginning of the pattern, and require a part change).
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So, both Digitakt and Digitone are superior options for midi sequencing!
But Digitakt and 0-coast pairs well together?
(Not going to buy an Octatrack, is beyond my current budget 
)
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yes both superb options regarding midi.
Digitakt has double the midi tracks compared to digitone.
The 0 coast has a midi input, so sequencing it is fine.
The A4 lets you send modulations to the 0coast like lfos and envelopes, also p-locks via Cv. That’s not possible with the Digis.
But as a brain for all three synths you mentioned, get one of the Digis…
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Apart from program changes sending and midi length display, I thing OT is superior with its arp and more lfos, but Digis are good and simpler.
DT : 8 audio tracks, 8 midi tracks
Dn : 4 audio tracks, 4 midi tracks
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Last curiosities: no song mode on the Digitakt, am I right? It’s a problem?
Can I use the Digitakt inputs to effect external gear?
no songmode.
It‘s up to you if that’s a problem or not.
For some it is, others don’t care and are fine with jamming and pattern chaining
Octatrack has the best songmode of all elektrons
since the latest update - yes you can
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You can use A4 song mode !
Well, in that case, we can say it’s the brain ! 
I’ll add 1 stereo or 2 mono inputs.
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Yep, 32 voices max for each !
But I prefer more tracks, as you can layer several tracks on the same midi channel, this way you can have access to more CCs.
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I should have say x-note polyphony
Look at Korg SQ 64 if you aren’t looking for a specific voice to accompany your sequencing. It’s a lot of fun, and has CV chops, but nowhere near as accomplished as the A4 despite having more than 4x the number of CV lanes. A fun option to explore along with arturia’s offerings I guess. Sometimes less is more. A4 would be a good option if Midi was further down your priority list if you wanted some of its timbres and other goodies. FX track can be p-locked too for FX
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That’s a fair close call, because on one hand the A4 has great integration with 0-coast, a dedicated effects track that could be p-locked, 3 mono analog tracks and song mode. On the other hand Digitakt has way more midi capability to control parameters and notes on Preenfm2 and Evolver, and it’s a sampler, so no overlapping with nothing I have now.
Roughly same price on the used market. I have to think about it…
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Digitakt makes certainly more sense in the brain scenario.
A4 is amazing though 
but for me as a synth in the first place
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I’ll remember it
Ah I thought you already have the A4.
I’d buy DT or DN first, then A4 !
4!
A4 can send up to 16 midi notes at a time (4 max per step / track)
I’ll add DN is also very good for drums you can plock at each step.
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Also consider the Analog Keys. In addition to what the A4 already has, you get a very nice keyboard (Fatar TP/9S unweighted with aftertouch), hold button (to hold notes, arp) and a midi controller mode. No cc sequencing, though and the midi controller mode only provides 10 assignable ccs (I guess per global, so switching between the four global settings could give you different sets of cc and/or different midi channels) and the joystick sends modwheel cc01 (up), breath control cc02 (down) and pitchbend (left/right), so the AK would make more sense if you’re primarily looking for cv sequencing + some midi control with a good keybed in a nice package - not so much for midi sequencing.
Great for sequencing and modulating cv, tho!
AK combined with an OT or DN or DT would make a pretty decent midi sequencing/cv sequencing and midi controller package!
I always have my AK’s midi controller mode set to OTs autochannel, so I can control and record into the active track on OT.
A4/AK has no note retriggering/ratcheting and no p-lockable arp - but the Octatrack does and also can retrigger notes on midi tracks.
Elektron machines are really meant to play together.
Used prices for Analog Keys are usually around 800€, crazy for what you get.
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Ahh, I‘d like to swap my A4 for a AK, but my A4 has a light display issues. Not sure if I can sell it like that…
Sorry for off-topic, but lately I‘m really thinking the AK is really adorable
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Changing the display is pretty straight forward and you can get them from about 25€ to 100€ (for fancy looking black white/blue white LED) Check this this thread.
Not sure how much Elektron charges for a new display, but if you don’t feel comfortable doing it yourself, drop them a message.
And yes, the AK is great! Feels very much like a complete instrument, if you know what I mean.
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