Why are you so disappointed? Two and a half years in, it already got six new machines since launch, a Euclidean sequencer, page loop, LFO slew and some other stuff I might not remember. Only looking at this list, it’s pretty impressive and imo not worse than any other Elektron, probably a lot better and more than OG DN ever got during its lifetime, for example. Maybe Elektron didn’t do themselves a favor when they decided to promise new ST machines in their promo material, so we can always be disappointed by unrealistic expectations.
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I’ve read the previous posts carefully and I’m still wondering why it’s important to weigh up these comparisons. 
I mean, no offense! I love my OG Digitone and the Syntakt. Both have something unique and individual for me. The Digitone 2 may have some overlaps with the Syntakt - and also be a further development of the OG Digitone, but I would not and will not sell either the Syntakt or the OG Digitone. I would rather expand the setup with a Digitone 2 if I felt like it. I mean, there will always be successors that are better, no matter what profession you’re in. That’s the way it is with technical devices. And some of them have their very own charm, others less so. But what’s in today will be old and uncool tomorrow. Personally, I don’t give a damn, because it’s not the devices that write the songs and tracks, it’s me. To be honest, I’m too old to be seduced by the cult of devices (anymore 
) - but I’d rather try out what’s out there. And admittedly, that feels pretty good. 
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The digital machines are just too few and not that great. I think that’s the main thing people complain about.
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I want a master compressor. It’s the only practical way to actually balance master levels across patterns with a single knob. Lowering levels track by track for a live set is crazy. And not to sound like a broken record but not having a compressor on a percussion oriented machine is a wild choice…
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Oh, and the mod triggers need some development
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After having my DN2 awhile, I can still say I love the ST and don’t plan on getting rid of it, BUT…
When I look back on the last 10 tunes I wrote only on the ST and contrast that with the last 10 tunes I wrote on the DN2 only, I think the DN2 tunes are much more to my liking. If that means anything 
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Very interesting, can you tell a bit more about the differences between these tunes and why you like DN II tunes more?
I’m asking because I can relate to that and have similar experiences. But it’s hard to tell for me how much that is really because of the machines. Because I’m working on tracks I wrote on OG DN right now that are from a time when I was more focused on making patterns quick and getting different variations that could form actual tracks. Whereas my ST material is mostly from a time when I became better at making interesting individual patterns but probably worse at making tracks and progressions.
That’s really interesting!
I’m not 100% sure why I’m preferring my DN2 tracks completely, but I think polyphony is a very big part of it, as well as layering and the fact that I’m a huge fan of FM in general.
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one of the awesome things about the syntakt is the unique way in which the audio tracks interact with each other once they’re driven through the fx track
it’s very different from the master overdrive on dn2
this is more efficiently articulated in a video by blankfor.ms in which they create beautiful textures with a very simple pattern (don’t be discouraged that it’s for guitar center lol) :
while it’s certainly possible to produce full tracks with them, the digi boxes are best suited for performative jamming in a way that balances complexity, fun, and ease of use
with this in mind as criteria (and after having owned them all at one point), it can still be safely said that the st- with its streamlined easy-to-understand graphic parameters, very fun (and relatively bugless) ui, and almost-instant useable results- is still the apotheosis of the digi line
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Very fun, that’s it. I love how playful the Syntakt is. I wish other models, and other synths, would consider this as a criteria when designing their boxes.
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Oh my gosh… I just remembered that I have a Digitone 2 with fx track in the drawer… with all machines polyphony except analog cymbals… 
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Funny but not really comparable, IMO.
As someone who’s been using the Syntakt for 2.5 years now, I must say that Digitone 2 feels like a pretty substantial upgrade.
I made a tutorial which is really just scratching the surface on the types of sounds you can create on the DN2 with track layering. I’m not saying this automatically makes the Digitone 2 the winner, it depends a bit on whether you prioritize drums over synth sounds in the music you’re making, and whether you prefer immediacy over fine-grained control. This isn’t a Digitone 2 vs Syntakt video (though I’m working on that too), but rather just a tutorial from the point of view of a Syntakt (and now Digitone 2) fan.
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Made a similar comment on your YT channel… this is fantastic stuff, so much so that I’m wondering if I really need that Waldorf Iridium I’ve been GASing for.
There are some seriously wide and huge soundscapes in your video - love it. Exactly the kind of sounds I’m after for ambient techno.
Thank you!
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Still learning my Syntakt. I think it took years for me to learn my way around the Rytm, ST will be no different. I dont have time to learn yet another box right now, I’ve got years before I exhaust all my options with ST & M+. Use what brings joy, life’s too short to waste energy fighting over gear
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Are you publishing your music somewhere? Thanks for the comment/feedback!
You’re welcome!
Nothing published yet. I’m still fairly new to electronic music and am gradually working out what I like and how to make music I like. I’ve been playing music for over 50 years (including touring and session work in my 20s) but all of it in rock/fusion/jazz/blues bands. Covid lockdowns killed all that off, and I decided to try something new and get into electronic music production. Absolutely love it but I’m still learning. Hopefully I will start releasing music this year.
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I‘m glad I didn’t sell my Syntakt, since I really missed that immediacy coming back to DN II after a few weeks. Not that I ever thought of selling ST.
I‘m really happy with having all three digis but only using one at a time. DT II has become my best of box that’s housing my favorite ST, AR and DN samples (mostly drums) as chains of 8-16 slices. I also use it in my band where it‘s really useful to play my favorite synth sounds and I don’t have the capacity to tweak sounds anyway. But when I‘m back in jam and songwriting phase, ST will most likely be there again, because it’s more open and inspiring while still giving you restraint. DN II is there for the moments I feel like doing weird sound design, but mostly for the times where I just want the Digitone sound and those lush poly pads. I would never take that thing to band sessions though with these menus that are several pages deep. It’s also a bit of a vibe killer for solo jam sessions for me personally. I prefer how ST just gets everything out of my way.
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Yeah, they’re all great in different ways. I just recorded a couple of new Syntakt jams the other day, one of them really pushes the analog fx bus and produces sound that the DN2 can definitely not produce. 
I find the switch of button layout to be confusing though! 
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A key concern I’ve had around the Digitone 2 vs Syntakt is the lack of immediacy on the DN2 when it comes to drums. As a way to answer these questions for myself, I made this tutorial that tackles the task of creating drums from scratch in the context of sketching out a song.
It gives anyone used to the Syntakt workflow a glimpse into how the DN2 workflow compares.
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