Bought AR Rytm Mk1 - reasons to keep Mk2? Pls input and opinions

Elektron Gear Analog Rytm
#1

Hi. Sometime ago, I bought the A4 mk1 and fell in love with the mk1 design and touch and feel. And that’s why I got to AR mk1, too. I felt at home immediately and just love the sound.

My thoughts are that I use the analog machines in AR the most, and follow the UNIXoid-ish Elektron approach: One machine, one special task. That’s why I only use some transient and attack samples and absolute classics like 909 ride. And for everything else with sampling, I use the digitakt (1).

Before I let it go (mk2) - I would love to have some serious input and opinions about functions and functionality of the mk2 that I may have missed.

The only thing I can think of right now that I should try first is the CV and use it via CV loopback for a second LFO. And the next thought is, I could easily use midi lanes from digitakt for this purpose ( fast “second envelope LFO” on the AR, slow LFOs via midi).

The situation is, I don’t see me using the mk2 too much while I’m really happy and looking forward to spending some minutes each day with mk1, like looking forward to exchange with a really friendly and experienced and witty collaborator. While the mk2 gives me the vibes of a nothing ever suffered on a high horse snobby super performer in black ironed shirt and tie. (I know it’s not the mk2’s fault.) :slight_smile:

Thanks a lot!

#2

the only real advantages of mk2

  • performance knob
  • cv in
  • straight forward individual outs
  • sampling/resampling

if these don’t matter to you no reason to keep the mk2, I could not live without the performance knob, even that I have EC4 to do that too the performance knob gets used always. I don’t use the resampling that much but on the occasion I do I really appreciate it, the difference between having it and not having it is a big one.

but, it’s subjective, you sure can do without these depending how you use it and you can use external controller for the performance macros instead of the pads.

2 Likes
#3

That’s great, thanks a lot.

  • I will try the performance knob function and see what utility it can add for me.
  • Yes, resampling, had absolutely forgotten about that. I had used this quite often in the exploring phase back then to conserve the sound, sometimes several generations of resampling. (Latter cannot be achieved with AR-DT so easily, although possible, because the resampled sounds would be used in combination with analog machines and filter). I can imagine a work around and would like to test it and how much it would slow things down. Depends a little on if DT dig can send samples via SysEx, which I don’t know from the top of my head. The AR def cannot.

:smiley:

#4

the performance knob is extremely cool and powerful feature, you can bind several of performances together by holding the QPERF button and selecting performances with pads or trigs, then control them together equally, and if you switch to another performance pad the values will hold, I use both the pads and the knob a lot, together they cover extremely wide range of expression.

as for sampling, well, no way around importing samples with mk1, for many that’s ok just import some one shots and maybe some loops around the usual tempo ur working with, maybe some textures too, but if you do think about experimenting with resampling then it’s crucial feature.

3 Likes
#5

alechko listed the main ones I think but to complete the list a little:

  • a dedicated FILL button for the mk2 (with page loop, the individual FILL button makes thing smoother imho)
  • Overbridge can record the 8 tracks + the main outs whereas the mk1 can not record it all.
  • the FUNC/TRK buttons inverted (better than the mk1 for that as I’m always hitting trk when I want to press FUNC… weird muscle memory from the A4 I guess)

I like the mk1 form factor and design more and all the above points (sampling/perf knob…) wouldn’t be enough for me to want to switch.

4 Likes
#6

I will give the AR mkII another shot for:

  • CV input
    • just realized I cannot CV loopback because no CV out tracks like on A4 :confused: so that might be limited and I will see how it differs from modulation via midi (2nd LFO workarounds)
  • internal resampling
  • external sampling for sp1200 like workflow (and kind of sound with BR and analog filters)

However, I am using the mk1 on a daily base right now, don’t know what it is that draws me, perhaps form factor, perhaps UI, perhaps that it can live slid under the bed with PSU and headphones connected. (Or it just does, could swap them for a trial ;)).

1 Like
#7

The resampling is something that makes the mk2 a different beast imo. Just the feeling that you can shape sounds more or less endlessly by resampling and using different filters, lfo etc feels like theres no limits.

3 Likes