Best portable setup for small apartment

The Lounge General Discussion
#1

I’m moving to a new apartment guys and whilst I love my current setup I am planning for the eventuality of not being able to fit it in the small apartment space.

I’ll be selling my Octatrack (again) and using the funds to fund a new purchase. I can add more if needed to but I don’t want to contribute more than a 1000

I want something battery powered to jam with and I would prefer it to be fairly intuitive to use.

I imagine I’ll be sat in bed or on the floor making electronic music.

Possible options are to get a passive mixer and some volcas (don’t know which combo) or get an MPC Live but I don’t think its that intuitive. Maybe model series? OP-1? But don’t know how to sync gear with the OP-1 as I hear its tough.

I would prefer more than one machine that can work together for more of a setup than a one machine solution.

Right now I feel that I’m not using the OT to its full capacity as it just pairs with my guitar now as an effects processor and looper / backing track machine. I want to make electronica again.

Just thinking out loud with you guys

#2

The Digitakt is good option. It really can do it all from drums to synths to sampling. It’s affordable and way more intuitive than the Octatrack.

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#3

I would add one at the to that too - maybe a micromonsta or similar. Sample it to death in the Digii!

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#4

I can recommend the ART Splitmix4 as a little 4 stereo channel passive mixer: https://artproaudio.com/product/splitmix4-four-channel-passive-splitter-mixer-2/

However it’s line level so you’d need some sort of headphone amp too, presumably. So you might be better with a small active mixer. That said I’ve never actually tried to use one to mix multiple headphone outs, it might work but I suspect you’ll get problems with impedance mismatches.

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#5

What’s it like running off a battery pack?

#6

This thread’s got tons of suggestions: Digitakt : External battery / Power pack options?

#7

I’ve been looking through and I think I’ll get the Omnicharge and keep the octatrack for now. I read it can run for 8 hours on it

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#8

a small line mixer will serve better, with the ART you are loosing gain and reamping is needed.

why not this one

or even this

the Behringer would not burning holes thru your pockets regarding money

#9

I would suggest two things.

Don‘t sell the Octa and pair it with a mikrofreak. Then you are flexible as hell.

Or if you really want to get rid of it.

Just get a maschine plus.

In both cases you have your „can do everything“ set on the floor. I would not go for so many small boxes and cables and a mixer instead. Its slways a mess in my opinion.

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#10

I sold mine but the best portable and tiny setup could be the OPZ (for some folk).

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#11

TR-6S and MC-101, plus a small mixer.

#12

Octatrack (it’s also a mixer) + microfreak (general synth) + Norns shield (fx, sampler, synth, anything really) and a cluster of 2 or 3 power banks.

EDITED - or micromonsta2 instead of microfreak

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#13

You will possibly regret the Octatrack sale, keep it. I can also recommend the MPC One - its small footprint - and sampling is easy.

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#14

MPC Live II, Force or Digitakt.
Small footprint, tons of possibilities.

The Force is not so small, but it would be my best choice, super easy to go from loop to finished track.
Maschine + seems good too, but I have no experiennce.

#15

Ableton + max for live + a4

#16

My core setup that I use daily is fairly minimal, but full-featured, at least to me. Perhaps you’ll get some ideas from it.

Digitakt
Digitone
MicroMonsta 2
Circuit Mono Station

This all goes into a little Mackie ProFX4V2 mixer.

I also have an Arturia Keystep, an Akai MPD226 and a Novation 49 key controller, each of which gets used for different situations.

Also, have you considered an iPad, plus an external USB control surface like one of the ones mentioned above? I’m a big fan of apps like Drambo paired with, say, my MPD226.

All that being said, if you DO love your OT, are you going to regret swapping all that power for something else?

#17

For a small and portable setup for electronica, I’d be inclined to go with the Digitone and a Polyend Tracker. You can get both for about a grand, cheaper if second hand and the tracker can be battery powered. There are battery solutions for the Digitone too, but there might be a few reliability issues, don’t know, haven’t personally tried it.
Also, you won’t need a mixer, as the Digitone works brilliantly as one.

#18

Octatrack is not already a small setup by itself ?

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#19

Armk2 and iPad. Amazingly flexible setup, almost unlimited potential. Analog drums and dvco; iPad for FX and synths (drambo), all piped to AR master outs via usb. Can compose, record, mix in this setup, with access to some of the most innovative FX and synths (iOS).

#20

Can be if filled wirh nice samples of your choice