Theoretically an approach to investigate the sound behaviour is not impossible.
We would need time series of waveshapes or frequency spectrums … 
with or without filtering.
IMO the frequency spectrum (osc. and filter) and the development over time (loudness, brightness) make the difference between sounds - and decide - whether a sound is “defined” or “muddy” or …
I’m not after replicating a specific sound on another device tbh.
I’m quite happy to use the device, working with its strengths. I guess the dream of an all-in-one box (for me at least) was probably too optimistic.
I should add, that I wouldn’t necessarily call the A4’s sound “dull” myself.
Like I say, it could just be that I need proper parametric EQ, which I’m not fully able to get on my analogue desk.
Found some time to try to get more of a handle on AK. I don’t have any experience with a moog/oberheim etc but managed to coax AK more toward my idea of that kind of poly sound that I was hoping I could get out of it. Theres still a kind of thinness/eq thing there to my ears but nothing I wouldn’t be happy enough with after eq. This is no internal or external fx or processing except normalization. One track played live. This is actually probably ‘too’ bright for my taste now, but should sound nice after tape/fx…
Edit - should maybe add that I’m not saying this is some kind of ‘be all and end all’ patch (and that the recording is just some random notes/chords ;). But that patch is something that I’ll maybe load up as a starting point when I want this kind of sound. Which is something I’d struggled to nail on previous AK sessions and was bumming me out.
good patch 
and one I wouldn’t necessarily have thought the A4 could conjure up, probably because I don’t seek out sounds that go poly, very rich, not dull
IMO the A4/AK is not best choice for rich and deep polyphonic pads, why. It’s “only” 4 voices.
With a 5 or 6 voice polyphony like the Prophets or Oberheims provide, you can have a wide range from the low to the high end filled with notes. It makes quite a difference, if you have a triad, say in the middle-high, and two lower bass notes at the bottom end.
Yeah ideally I’d have a Dom 1 for monophonic and the new Oberheim for poly but financially hasn’t been an option and isn’t in the forseeable so just trying to squeeze what I can out of the AK for now Feeling better about it than I was at least. Though I do hit those voice-stealing/limitations with Poly stuff on it…
totally agree with Orwell that A4 is like a small modular in a box with a great sequencer. I have the Dark Energy but holded back to start into modular world because everytime when I look at the prices of the modular I asking myself … couldn´t I get similar sounds out of my A4? I always discovering new sounds when trying to modulate x with y. Just play around a little bit and exploring the sound possibilities gets me inspired.
But best dirty dub techno kind chords I get out of the Volca Bass … that sawthooth … brrrr 
If you need some more bass on the A4 or more / less brightness or what ever … compressors and eqs can bring in some more charakter. try to use LA2A/LA3A, Pultec EQ or Tape emulation for example. Can bring some great subtle nuances.
Just bought a jomox T-Resonator & hooked it up the the A4 !!! getting some amazing gritty bassy results seriously recommending you guyz to check this fx unit out :-0
Synthorial helped me a lot, this summer i do it all over again, again very helpfull.
I always have to remind myself my music is better with self made patches. There is a better connection with how i want to use the sound to make music
Good decision 
… have one since some months … it sounds great with many sound sources.
You should try inputs from different sources, like left input something rhythmic and right something quite different. It’s amazing what can be done, if we mix two different audiostreams with the two paths the T-Resonator is giving us and using all those cross-modulation capabilities
EDIT: Don’t forget to be careful and use a compressor/limiter with your T-Resonator. This beast can hurt your speakers and ears … I mean real damage … , if you hit the “wrong” resonances
Haven’t tryed two different inputs yet definitly gonna try it out tonight
Stock presets are going to be a bit tame as even new A4 users will be used to them after listening to YouTube demo videos before buying. Another thing to consider is that the presets aren’t as wild because they need to layer nicely inside the demo sequences without making them muddy.
First thing I’d suggest is to head over to https://www.elektron.se/soundpacks/ and download all the freebies and give them a listen as well for a better idea of what is possible.
With any synth there is fun to be had literally thinking outside the box:
Using the A4 as part of a larger system you can create some interesting sequences and play them as patches using the transpose feature. This takes it beyond simple arpeggiation, but I suppose I’m moving away from the topic.
Edit: Couldn’t resist making the joke about the only synth that can do it all is a sampler…as long as you put in the time to get the samples.
I think A4 is a monster capable of beastly sounds and the silkiest smooth ground shattering sub when you get into its sweet spot.
Dunno if it’s been said here, but you shouldn’t be going into the A4 thinking it’s a moog or a brute. It’s very delicate in it’s sound. It has some aggression when pushed, but I think it lends itself more to fx, pads and soft leads best. I make techno predominantly and I think it excels greatly at this task. If I made prog rock I’d own an Odyssey or a Moog instead. Depends on what your goal is. (I have both a moog and the a4 heh)
no no… it can scream and wail like a punk rock banshee… without any external fx
probably the most “edgy” sounding synth ive ever used, actually - even more so than the Evolver and other DSI stuff
Hmm.
Remember this: Moog / Roland / DSI all had Landmark records which solidified specific synth sounds into musical history.
The 303 was not necessarily “good” sounding until acid was invented. … And now people are simply cloning the musical functionality of that synth.
Therefore: the A4 is in a pioneering stage. It’s distinctive sound is quite unique. It totally “feels” only like an A4 and it has a scary depth to it.
SO, be the person who defines the Landmark A4 sound for future generations instead of imitating the legacies of the past.
so much <3
The problem is there isn’t a signature A4 “patch” yet. You hear a Moog and you know it’s a Moog. Same with TB-303, DX7 etc…
The issue may be that A4 is so versatile. Someone needs to come up with a patch for A4 that when you hear it, you can say “Hey! That’s a A4”.
Started a thread on here a few years back about the Feedback Osc on the A4
Some pretty unique sounds come from using that, Osc 2 as a modulator and the Filter1/drive. A feedback path is some thing not a lot of other synths offer. Have seen it in things like Massive, but I can’t think off hand of many hardware synths that have it
Anyways worth a look