Tempting…
However, with Elektron’s current track record, I cannot help but think that as soon as the OT MKII is sold out, they’ll come out with an OT2.
So, I wait.
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What current track record? When have they done a mk ii then soon after made a completely new competing product?
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Let’s see :
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releasing the DT, making sure it gets sold out, before announcing OT MKII. A good amount of my students would have bought a new OT rather than a DT as a sampler. It simply is a superior sampler. I wonder why Elektron waited until the DT was sold out to announce OT MKII
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releasing an upgraded AR with added features (sampling, which is a big deal), without any warning or indication. Again, a few students bought the AR in the past couple of months, and would most certainly have waited before buying it if they had known that a new, clearly better version was just around the corner.
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showing a complete lack of direction in the design of new machines, with a new look for the AH and DT, then a completely new one again for the A4 and AR MKII, which doesn’t inspire any confidence in their long term vision.
It feels to me like Elektron are a bit lost, and using their undeniable clout to exercise shady practices that leave long term users and supporters baffled, and unable to really recommend their machines. Should I encourage my students to buy an OTMKII, or should i tell them to wait a few months in case Elektron decide to suddenly discover they’ve been manufacturing an OT2 ?
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I personally think you should wait for an OT2, otherwise you are only going to feel extremely hard done by, if you buy an OTmk2 now, and then they release an OT2 4 or 5 years down the track
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Hmmm… Not sure what to make of this!
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While the OTMk2 timing is questionable (DT sales would have taken a hit for sure) I don’t think they waited until stock had run dry. If your students knew their stuff they would have flocked to the OTMk1 surely?
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Most tech companies do this. It would be business suicide to pre announce stuff or issue a lengthy roadmap of intentions. Noone would ever buy anything - we’d just be waiting for the next thing forever! Other than forcing stock to 0 for a period of months and then announcing something I just don’t really see what they could do differently with a product revision.
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I do think the design decisions are a little odd and borderline flippant but it’s left me feeling more curious than anything else. There is clearly an overall plan to things - a little patience and I’m sure it will become clear.
I do agree that something feels a little slapdash at the moment. I’d love to know what the guys are thinking and planning. But, in short, I’d encourage your students to just make music rather than worry about gear so much. In fact, I beg you to do it as it’s held me back for years!
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Even if I LIKE Elektron, not for Elektron itself… but because I like to make my beats on the ANALOG RYTM and I like to synthesize sounds on the ANALOG FOUR … I can completely make my beats on GEIST or TREMOR and synthesize my sounds on STROBE 2… i can even Dirty and spice up things with MAUL without to rely on the Analog HEAT… (for those who didn’t know it’s from FXpansion and it’s a very nice alternative to the god Native Instruments, well there’s alternative to the God Roland, etc…)
I can give dozens more of example in both hardware or software…
at the END I draw my drawing with my mind and my hand! My pencil and my gum decides very rarely to gives a sparkle in the right eye or not…
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I believe no one but Elektron has a clear view on the decisions of past year.
But from what I’ve read it seems they were pressed by time and in the necessity of doing what they did to ensure making these machines…
Would be cool to know more, but so far we’re left with amazing machines and I trust Elektron it’s not going to end soon.
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You can consider me as your student, cause your OT tutorials were/are the best out there 
I learned most from this series… Cheers
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1- DT sales would have been non - existant. Hence the wait for stocks to go down before mentioning anything whatsoever about an OT MKII. All my students have an OTMk1, that’s the issue. Some bought it only very recently. Had they been aware of the upcoming revisions, they could / would have held off.
2 - the fact that most tech companies do this, does not necessarily mean that all should do it. Comparing Apple to Elektron is also a bit disingenuous. Elektron is a boutique company, with few, dedicated users, that deserve a bit more information than the average Iphone consumer. Having a roadmap of future releases would certainly not dissuade me to buy any of their product. And, to be completely honest here, if the roadmap presents upcoming products that don’t cannibalise each other, then what’s the problem ? If Elektron were to announce tomorrow that they’re issuing a new machine with crazy FM and granular synthesis, that wouldn’t impact their current products as they are different. Of course, though, if you keep creating iterations of the same thing, then you’d want to keep your schedule under wraps in order to sell out each iteration.
3 - people I work with are usually interested in gear, yes. It’s a lot of money to spend for most people. But, they also make music. I’m not sure why you assume they don’t. You can make music AND be concerned with your spending.
cheers 
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Heya ! Thank you for the kind words :0 i’m glad to hear that those are still helpful. I’m actually planning a new series on the AR soon !
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I’m not talking about 5 years down the line, but 6 months from now.
thank you for your insight, it’s been really helpful.
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@secretmusic11m
2 - the fact that most tech companies do this, does not necessarily mean that all should do it. Comparing Apple to Elektron is also a bit disingenuous. Elektron is a boutique company, with few, dedicated users, that deserve a bit more information than the average Iphone consumer. Having a roadmap of future releases would certainly not dissuade me to buy any of their product. And, to be completely honest here, if the roadmap presents upcoming products that don’t cannibalise each other, then what’s the problem ? If Elektron were to announce tomorrow that they’re issuing a new machine with crazy FM and granular synthesis, that wouldn’t impact their current products as they are different. Of course, though, if you keep creating iterations of the same thing, then you’d want to keep your schedule under wraps in order to sell out each iteration.
cheers
Small company needs those 6 months of sales to stay relevant.
Few pushback, shipping issues and how do you pay 40 people without making a dime for so many months?
It doesn’t work like that.
Not to mention that in Elektrons case the changes are nowhere near as to obliterate the MK1s.
This only hurts if those tiny detail are necessary for you or because you MUST have newest and latest.
Aren’t they in a boat with investors recently. I think there is not only pressure from competition, but also from investors’ side. Maybe this is the reason, everything new from Elektron is about.
yes apparently so. i’m not asking for much, just a vague plan.
well, up until this new wave of releases, i DID indeed HAVE to have every Elektron (and I do).
I understand money considerations, and I certainly cannot pretend I know anything about Elektron’s business side of things, but they have to understand that their reputation is getting degraded by these latest offerings. I speak with Elektron users every day, and I cannot help but feel their disappointment, and confusion. I am the one recommending the gear, and it feels like I’m betraying them when they come to me and ask my why I didn’t tell them about the new AR that can sample. Only reason I care is because I care about Elektron and their magical products. I’d like to advise people properly and if that means holding off for a few months until the new, upgraded version, so be it.
If Elektron were making ground breaking, innovative products instead of iterations of the same thing, we wouldn’t be having this discussion.
Cheers !
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Yes it was and it is a very good series of tutorial, indeed
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thank you stay tuned for more !
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@secretmusic
I understand money considerations, and I certainly cannot pretend I know anything about Elektron’s business side of things, but they have to understand that their reputation is getting degraded by these latest offerings.
I bought OT and A4 brand new in the last three weeks. Both in full return period.
I saw the MK2 announcements and called my vendor. Got a beefy discount that pretty much leaves me 1/2 of what I need to get the Rytm brand new as well.
In my eyes their reputation went even higher because MK1s didn’t all of a sudden became useless. They will still get updates/fixes and sound just as good as they did 24 hours ago.
I keep asking this question a lot lately here but I’ll do that again… Are you making music or you want shiny new just because?
Have you looked at JunkieXL studio? Elektronic music is his middle name. Can you see he still uses stuff from 30+ years ago and loves it? That’s because he is a music producer not stock market player / brand fanboy or feels entitled to something.
I must be getting old or something but this negativity towards non issues is blowing my mind.
The A4 and OT are still as awesome as they always were and people should enjoy their time making music instead of chasing the newest or latest while loosing creativity because their machine is now MK1 out of two.
Brand new will not make you a better musician and that is a cold truth so considering the MK2 updates are minimal what is there your eyes that makes Elektron look bad? Serious question.
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I was surprise at first by your post…
https://www.elektronauts.com/t/introducing-octatrack-mkii/41258/1021?u=william_wild
THEN, with some extend and the few next post to follow it start to make sense. In normal times i would have suggest you to do the following :
As a kind of Elektron Teacher specialist by your own side, why not asking them to be in relation with communication department , explain your special case and ask to be part of a special mailing diffusion list for new iteration of existing product to be announced a bit before than public people. I think that’s kind of subject should be bring on the table as it’s very specific.
But as people do not respect anything nowadays, i guess it’s the kind of thing with a contract of non disclosure to sign etc… as we are in ERA of LEAK, so many LEAK and it’s so much detrimental for small company like small label records where whatermarked promotion stage are LEAKED and shared, then its everywhere as it’s spread on the web like a virus before even to sale the first EP or digital pack… i know that too much fine @secretmusic and i think you have a pretty good understanding of that too …
So i imagine the high level of complexity to maintain everythin in the right place.
Very difficult
EDIT : Also Elektron like to make surprise and announced things new or iteration when nobody waiting for. Maybe i’m a bit sadomasochism but i like that way 
i find that FUN / PUNK …(kind of)
again, you’re assuming that anyone with an opinion about gear is not making music.
and, again, you’re wrong in that assumption.
people can make music AND also be commenting on gear.
as far as Elektron looking bad, again, if you actually read my post, it’s the feedback I get from my students. THEY are disappointed. THEY feel let down and cheated. I try to actually make them feel better. All I’m doing here is asking a really simple question on behalf on my students :
is an OT2 in the cards for the next 6 months to 1 year ?
that’s all I’ve been asking. no need to imply that people are not doing music. I run a few electronic music studios myself, and yes, most of them have a 909 in them, it’s a pretty old drum machine, but it still delivers.