Someone is offering me a Digitakt in an exchange deal. I have the Octatrack MK2, and love it. And to me, the Digitakt sounds like it’s the same device but with more limiting features, and no time-stretch.
So my question is: What is there to gain from adding a Digitakt to a setup that already has an Octatrack?
I sometimes feel limited by the number of channels on the Octatrack, is it maybe vice to think of the Digitakt as adding a few extra channels to the Octatrack?
I don’t have a Digitakt but I did buy an Octatrack MKII recently after spending quite some time comparing the two (loving the OT so far). I would agree with your line of thinking that the Digitakt would add a few extra channels to the Octatrack workflow. For example, you could offload the simpler one-shot samples to the Digitakt and have more tracks open on the Octatrack for more complicated time-stretching and other processing.
I originally thought they were competing ,but someone here mentioned the DT shares more with the Rytm and that makes more sense now. Digitakt - it’s in the name- drum sampler. Obviously more.
But OT with its 3 lfos and fader is just awesome. So the two together I can see being really nice.
Quite like the look of bit reduction and filter fx built into each channel. Then nice bus fx.
Previously on Elektronauts:
and maybe also:
I think if I were to pick only one thing, I’d say that the biggest plus on having a DIGITAKT as a master over an OCTATRACK, is BPM per pattern.
The DT is a fair bit better as a ‘synth’. It has a wider re-pitch range and sounds better if you’re using single-cycle waveforms or re-pitching plucked sounds etc.
I also prefer the MIDI sequencing on the DT. It doesn’t have arpeggio, but you have access to the MIDI channels on the same ‘page’ as the internal channels, which makes a surprising difference to me. It also allows you to record polyphonically without all the notes of a chord having to start on exactly the same beat.
(I still upgraded from DT to OT for all the other bazillion things the OT does that the DT can’t.)
Thanks for the input. The Digitakt is obviously an amazing machine and could couple well with the OT. But I think I’ll spend my money rather on some effects pedals or something with another sound-palette like a DFAM or LYRA.
I recently got the Analog Heat, and it’s definitely the best hardware investment I’ve done! I have a bunch of Elektron gear, but nothing has made such an amazing impact on the quality of my output than this small distortion box.
Wow…
Actually had no idea the digitakt could do this
I agree about both of these points - single cycle waveforms worked better for me on the Digitakt as well because of the range and I dislike having to page between audio and midi tracks on the Octatrack.
Other than that, the Octatrack is a much more capable device, while the Digitakt is a bit more immediate/fun. I traded my Digitakt for an Octatrack and am really happy about the trade but occasionally miss the Digi when I’m traveling. The Digitakt is small enough to easily cart around; the Octatrack not so much.
I don’t think so, different handling and simpler, sure, but Octatrack has more depth, 3 LFOs, more fx. The DT is no slouch, nice granular type stuff, but OT has allowed me to make almost any sound from almost any source material, no joke.
You are so good at finding all threads related 
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I don’t think it’s vice. I will say that having owned both (and still have the OT) I’d say it depends on workflow too. The DT workflow is nice and you don’t have to worry about messing around with samples so that they won’t effect other tracks. Honestly the biggest thing for me is inputs and effects on the OT (though the DT has a nice reverb)