Yes. But from what I see I don’t need the overbridge. Taking a look I realized that the only device that is right for me is analog rhythm which has 8 outputs. I’ll have to wait a bit to buy it.
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I don’t even really know where to start but overbridge wasn’t left off the model:cycles because eleaktron thought “this is an entry level product so it shouldn’t get a premium feature”. They developed a product that could be sold at a lower price, partially by using cheaper hardware. One consequence of using cheaper hardware is that the chip can’t handle overbridge output splitting. The developers have said this many times, they would add it if they could, but in order to keep the price low, they’ve used less powerful hardware that doesn’t have the processing power to output on overbridge.
Also, I think there’s some summing being done before the outputs in a more interesting way. For instance, if you distort a low bass sound and play it along with other elements, you get this sort of overtaking/blending sound that you would get from mixing some hot signals on an analog mixer. I don’t think it’s an analog signal path, but that behavior lets me know that there’s likely some mixing of the tracks before they even get to the output stage.
Finally, I’m not sure how many $200 synths or drum machines can output separated tracks over USB, but I’m going to say it’s maybe none.
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Thats not entirely true, all elektron products sans OT use the same Coldfire CPU and the models have a very similar base hardware with the DT1, the only difference I could spot is the lack of AK4621 - 24-Bit 192kHz Stereo Audio CODEC in the models which might explain the lack of overbridge.
The “cheaper” hardware was really just one pcb, plastic enclosure, cheap lcd screen rather than cheaping out on chips. Unless Im mistaken Ess even confirmed the models CPU is clocked at the same frequency as the other Elektron instruments.
(Also the Models are sold for 399 USD on Elektron official online shop, not $200.)
Overbridge gives you multi-outs over USB directly into the app or DAW plugin.
Here’s the Syntakt for example:
20 channels across:
- Main Stereo Mix
- 8 digital + 4 analog tracks
- Analog FX track
- Digital send effects
- Stereo line input
So it’s one USB cable vs say 8 analog outputs from the RYTM, which then have to go into a multi-channel audio interface to get that sound into the DAW.
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Very beautiful. He seems very versatile. I have to watch a couple of videos on YouTube to see it in action. Thank you
I agree with you. In fact, I never said that the overbridge wasn’t implemented on a whim. I talked about marketing choices. Because I still didn’t know how the overbridge worked. Now I understand that it’s not possible because the hardware doesn’t allow it. But thinking about it now, if they had implemented hardware compatible with the overbridge, keeping costs low, it would have been bingo. Making the product pay a little more. And selling the software separately for those who need it. And making a digitakt of 400 instead of 1000. It could have been an even more successful option.
Regarding the sum of the tracks, I also agree. I believe the summing happens in analog or something similar, and is different from the digital summing kneading. The Cycles sounds good. I’ve already said this. But you know, it’s a matter of habit. I’m used to editing all the tracks. And I also think it’s the sound of our era. Much more dynamic and with more loudness. In 2024 I don’t feel like mixing as we did in the 90s. Today, you get maximum performance with a hybrid analogue/digital technique, mixing on an analogue desk but with the in the box technique. And it sounds crisp, loud and dynamic. So for me, multitrack remains a fundamental choice. I repeat for myself.