Hi,
We experienced some issues with the Octatrack and sent it to the supplier for inspection. After performing diagnostics, the supplier reported that the unit is functioning properly. They explained the instrument’s behavior as follows:
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Audio artifacts (clicks) when rapidly switching effects (Filter, EQ, DJ EQ, Phaser)
The Octatrack MKII does not implement automatic smoothing (crossfade) when changing effect types in real time. When effects are switched instantly during playback—especially with low-frequency material—short clicks may occur. This is normal DSP behavior and not considered a defect.
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Audio artifacts (clicks) when adjusting the STRT parameter on the SRC page
The device does not apply automatic zero-crossing detection for the STRT parameter. If playback starts at a point that is not at zero amplitude in the waveform, clicks may occur. This is particularly noticeable with bass samples and is typical for digital samplers of this type.
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Audio artifacts (clicks) during sample preview (FUNC + YES)
The preview function plays the sample without fade-in or fade-out. If playback is stopped before the sample finishes, a short pop noise may occur. This is expected behavior and does not affect how samples play within tracks.
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Audio artifacts (clicks) when working with slices (GRID and manual editing)
Automatic and manual slice creation does not take the signal phase into account. If a slice starts away from a zero-crossing point, clicks may occur. The manual notes that slices can vary in length, but smooth transitions depend on slice placement and the use of AMP parameters (Attack / Release).
Is the information provided by the supplier accurate? Are such behaviors expected when working with the Octatrack?
Thank you!
Yes, it seems normal.
OT is powerful, and often offers workarounds to solve a problem, but it’s also a bit old now, and doesn’t do much “automatic” correction.
So you have to understand the limitations and what the machine does exactly to reach your goal.
Or embrace lofiness/noise to a certain degree.
Do you understand that if you loop one period of a simple sine waveform and you reduce the length of the loop to 3/4, you produce a difference in volume between the end and the start of the waveform that introduces a click?
This is key.
There are ways to get around this, but if what you want from Octatrack is automatic correction of artefacts, you’ll be disappointed.
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Yes. All normal.
What piece of hardware allows behaviour that is 100% free of the behaviours you listed? Id love to know.
As already mentioned, if you are expecting the octatrack to exceed equipment that came out 20 years after its inception, you’ll be disappointed.
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I’ll also add that I enjoy clicks sometimes.
For instance when reducing the length of the loop above, I like it that I can choose to hear it, that it’s not automatically escaping such exploration.
But if I don’t want a click, I’ll use automatic through-zero detection (FUNC+encoder) to jump from one clickless spot to another.
So understanding what is going on and what the OT offers is important if you wish to get closer to your goal with this instrument.
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To get rid of many clicks you can use AMP AHD envelope. Clicks can occur at release, so attack set to 1 doesn’t suffice. You may need to set Release and Hold; Hold duration is set in step units.
Concerning zero crossings, it may not work with stereo files. You can display the 2 channels to be sure zero crossing snaps to the 2 channels.
Some fx induce a DC offset, so clicks can occur if you change fx type; better to change parts with associated patterns.
A hihat track can mask any click. 
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I’m not very tolerant of clicks, so I spent/spend a lot of time working with my OT2 to avoid them. The ones that affect me the most are with the delay buffers (they are sensitive to tempo and buffer length) and the effects. Switching between effects (or even enabling/disabling) can cause pops, as well as switching some settings (switching mix knob from mix to send on the dark reverb, for example).
There are workarounds and best practices that I’ve learned. Emphasis on learned since it was an active process of working with the box to figure out how it worked for me.
Even simple stuff like squarewave LFOs introduce clicks. By design, really. But the LFO designer lets me create a nearly square LFO without the discontinuity if that’s what I really want.
I’ll leave it to the other folks to talk you through the sample-related clicks since I don’t do much work with samples.
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octatrack is a precision tool. expect to use it precisely, or not at all.