Are the Analog Four and Syntakt's analog synths very different?

Elektron Gear Syntakt
21

I own Syntakt and used to own A4. I struggled to get sounds I actually wanted to use in my music out of the A4. Something about the filter was rather uninspiring. It took a lot of effort to get it to sound like “me.” I also just didn’t like actually using it - using ST and A4 in a short timespan or together really messed with my muscle memory. I bought some lovely sound packs for it, but ended up not liking that they made my music sound like the sound pack creators’, not my own.

In contrast I still have my Syntakt and will only sell it to upgrade if Elektron releases a MkII.

3 Likes
22

I have both AK and ST. I think that, before any filters or modulation, the ST oscillators sound much wilder, more drifty, and I generally prefer their sound. ST can do a whole lot with modulation, but it still can’t hold a candle the depth of AK for sound design, so ultimately I think A4 has more range and can go to some pretty extreme and wild places that would be tough to find on Syntakt.

If all you’re doing is running a sawtooth through a couple of filters and envelopes, maybe one LFO on pitch or filter, they have utterly different character, as others said. Syntakt DVCO by default is relatively less stable sounding but more “classic” in terms of tone. A4 is more stable, and a bit muted or flat in tone by default.

I think A4 particularly is all in how you use it. You have enough sound design possibilities for decades of discovery there, and you can make it sound a ton of different ways if you’re creative enough and gel with its workflow. Syntakt is a lot more approachable for making “classic” synth sounds and can be pushed in a lot of directions, but it’s certainly not limitless.

3 Likes
23

The only Elektron with five knobs instead of four. It didn’t mess with me when using those with four, but I always changed the envelope curves on A4 when I just wanted to adjust something else (release?).

1 Like
24

I don’t have syntakt, but the A4 is definitely a grower synth, you have to dedicate to it, but honestly it’s not hard and this forum is full of really helpful resources to make it shine.
Also the mk2 flagship form factor is really appreciable in comparison to the digis, but that’s only my opinion.

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25

can you please explain what does 'less Lo-F’i and ‘more Hi-Fi’ means on a musical instrument like a synthetiser?

I do not understand what you really mean here; are you referring to the 2 machines having different DAC that sound lower or higher quality?

26

It’s about the high-end frequencies of a sound, above 4000 Hz or higher.
Those can either sound

  • pure and pleasing (a spectrum without “spikes”)
  • coloured in a pleasant way (extreme exampe: cab of a guitar amp)

or be

  • unpleasant (narrow peaks and notches)
  • not exist (dull)

(In this case, I was refering to some of the possible combinations of overdrive and the two filters on the Analog Four.)

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27

sooo different
you have a very nice mono on the syntakt and on th4 a4 you have four mono which you can combine and rotate and go mad with