The kick and clap on the Tanzbar are perfect to me. I have to hear how well the Rytm does claps and 808 kicks; if I love it as much as the Tanzbar tone, I’d definitely want to have all the extra goodies (Elektron sequencer, effects, etc.). When I did have an A4 side-by-side with my Tanzbar, I much preferred the Tanzbar though…
A month ago I was deciding between a Tempest, Tanzbar or the new Elektron mystery box. If the new AR has individual Outputs, then it is case closed at this point. If the AR only has stereo out, then I still have a decision to make.
So I’ve carefully listened to every demo I can find of the AF (several times for some), and have been playing with my Tanzbar much more than usual so I can really figure out which I’d rather have (since I’d have to sell my Tanzbar to fund an AF).
Purely based on sounds; from what I’ve heard (even by just comparing Youtube videos of each), the Tanzbar has a more appealing sound to me. The kicks have a fuller tone, the snares sound punchier, I like how the Tanzbar’s high-hats sound tingy & sizzle, the claps sound amazing… it has a really warm, punchy, lo-fi analog kind of sound that I really like; whereas the AF has a cleaner analog sound that I’d say is more similar to something like the Tempest.
But the AF has so many nice features; and ways, perhaps, of dirtying up the signal to something more of my liking. I like how you can actually tune things chromatically instead up tuning by ear on the Tanzbar. The sequencer on the AF is far more capable, but the Tanzbar has a groovier feel I think, like an old-school drum machine… not sure if that’s just my imagination, or not.
I really want to hear more good samples of the AF. But for now, my Tanbar hooked up to a Mackie 1202 with a Boss SE70 on the effects send, and an MXR 136 dual limiter strapped across the master is sounding really good.
@Prints I’m going through the exact same thoughts with my Tanzbar. From all I’ve heard (and of course I want to wait to hear higher quality AR demos), the raw sounds out of the Tanzbar are better.
That said, the AR seems to be clearly more flexible. With the Tanzbar (which I sequence through my Octatrack since I need patterns longer than a single bar), I’m gonna have trouble getting the drums correctly in tune at live shows, whereas w/ the AR I could have saved projects for every song. On the other hand, I love that you can tweak everything with knobs.
I guess ideally, I could keep both. But I’d rather master one drum machine than mess around with two.
You should really try messing around more with Tanzbar’s sequencer; it’s great being able to do all the parameter locks with that awesome boomy kick, and on hi hats, etc. You have 32 steps if you want, and you can program flams/rolls which sound awesome… tons of space in the pattern to do a lot of variation, and it’s really easy to manually change patterns & mute sounds. Tuning drums wouldn’t be an issue since your sounds are stored in the pattern.
Yeah I’ve used the sequencer, it’s really cool! Never used the classic analog drum machines, but I’m sure it blows them out of the water in that regard. I got some really great patterns with it automating HH length, BD pitch, etc.
That said, for a live set, I need more control. Even two bars isn’t enough. For more complicated beats, it’s nice to have drum patterns linked to my OT patterns.
jamrod have you tried to chain patterns, its super easy and allows you to have as many bars as you want. I do think the tanzbar will be better at ad lib performance because of the knobs, but the AR will be better if you like to plan a bit more.
Ill be getting the AR and keeping the tanzbar because of those reasons above.
I sold the Tanzbar. The thought of acapella & softsynth samples being mangled by analog filters and all those effects excites me; I want to be one of the first to get one.
I would too! You’re in modern drum machine heaven with those. Best two claps ever, in the tanzbar and vermona IMO.[/quote]
Yes, I’ve been through them all to be honest. Jomox and tempest were sold.
I’ll add the AR I imagine for sample ability and the pads at some point. I really wanted to like the tempest. But in the end I ended up bloody hating it and DSI too for that matter!
First world problems