It’s so easy to make a kick on DN2, I always have to use LFO on OG DN. Having the ability to make a kick without LFO is crazy and you still have 3 per voice. DN2 is amazing upgrade.
3 Likes
is this you in the picture?
1 Like
Spiritually, yes.
I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH ALL OF THESE TRACKS
Seriously though, I got LFOs slipping through my fingers and tracks falling out of my pockets… DN2 <3
4 Likes
I am considering selling my Syntakt to get a Digitone 2 at this point.
I like the Syntakt but also kinda get frustrated by its unique restrictions and rules that other Elektron devices don’t really have.
Of course every box has a voice count, monophony vs polyphony and what have you. But those “rules” are consistent across each of the tracks.
I think it’s kind of annoying, though I understand why, to have 4 analog synth engines but one of them works differently. But also the Digital synth engines are fine but it seems like the Digitone can really do everything those digital synth engines can do- of course with a little effort put into it.
I also have an A4 so with the A4 and Digitone 2 you really have a more in depth version of what the Syntakt has to offer (I realize though, it’s not 1:1).
Decisions….
5 Likes
Recorded a Syntakt jam the other day, will post it next week. Have to say that the Syntakt is truly special, regardless of the fancy new features of the Digitone 2. Those analog oscillators and drive aren’t kidding around.
5 Likes
well duh, 2 Elektron boxes is always better than one. A4 + DN2 probably make a very powerful combo, especially if you start multing out DN2 voices via OB2 into the A4.
If I had a choice between A4 + DN2 or ST, A4+DN2 would win out in every other dept besides table space
2 Likes
outside of specs , syntakt an DN2 are really different beasts, i don’t know if you can realize via a youtube video but it’s really 2 different worlds soundwise. i suggest you try a digitone in stores because a lot of people don’t gel with the sound, and also be prepared to spend a lot of time sound designing if you dont use presets.
3 Likes
I’m a newcomer to Elektron devices, I’ve only ever owned/used a Syntakt. I absolutely love the thing, but the biggest drawbacks for me are all the things that the Digitone II solves. Of course I mean the lack of proper polyphony-per-track, the lack of “kits” (or equivalent), and the maximum pattern length.
These shortcomings combined are a great impediment to me, preventing me from finishing full tracks/sets on the Syntakt.
I’m so tempted to get a Digitone II, with the plan to use it together with the Syntakt to trigger the delicious analog tracks / overdrive in the syntakt, but I just know that I’ll just use the DN2 by itself and the SN will get forgotten, and I will be sad…
1 Like
This is true, but it also leaves you with the two deepest and most complex modern Elektrons. There’s something to be said about having one machine that’s deeper and one that is more immediate. Depending on what kind of person you are, A4 plus DN II might bog you down or make you fly.
I’m not sure… Syntakt still sounds thicker than DN1/2.
Syntact is great for fans of analog monophonics combined with a sequencer…I use it together with Behr Pro-1 and Behr Pro-vs for polyphonic stuff.
so I get 4 fat analog mono with Pro-vs for poly stuff and remaining tracks for the rhythm section.
This is the perfect setup for old school electronics like DM/Vince Clarke…
The only thing missing is a sampler, but there are plans to buy a Digitakt again.
nope…DN2 will not replace Syntakt for fat analog oldschool stuff
4 Likes
I’ve had a Digitone in the past. Sold it mainly because of its track limitations not how it sounds.
Still own both and still no plans to sell either 
5 Likes
This is another reason to keep the ST.
6 Likes
takes 1 minute to make that with Wavetone or Swarmer, plus there are more filter flavours on DNII
I have been looking at my ST and DN2 for three months now, playing each one in turn, also together. I love one thing about ST, and it’s the immediacy and 1-page synth engines. But the more I use DN2, the faster I get at synthesizing the sounds I want quickly. As DN2 becomes more immediate to me, it’s the polyphony, compressor, layering, note edit and wider sound palette that really get me. I’m not sure if I can justify keeping the ST, even the analog filters don’t really do it for me anymore.
Also DN2 is supposed to have more processing overhead, so arguably has more in store in terms of future updates.
ST is a legendary groovebox nonetheless.
2 Likes
Is the filter on analog ST machines also analog ?
1 Like
Yes, it’s analog on all the analog machines. Plus you have the analog filter on the FX track that you can send any track to (also the digital ones).
I really love the analog filter on tracks 9-12. It’s not as wild as AR, but still has way more character than DT or DN filters imo. Once you play around with frequency and resonance, it starts to shine.
ST does so much that we sometimes forget how cool individual parts alone are. I‘ve just listened back to all the basses I made with SY Raw and DVCO plus the nice phsysical modeling sounds of SY Toy. All in one box. So useful and underrated even if just used as a multitimbral synth.
4 Likes
all right then , i 'm team digitone, the 2nd is a blast and best device to pair with is digitakt 2
1 Like
This video is great but Pikant repeats a common mistake about the FX block distortion being “tame”: it’s a very dirty drive, but you need to drive a resonant filter into it to distort single tracks.
While the DN2 gets some great sounds with its post-filter digital distortion, I do occasionally run into moments where I’d prefer ST’s analog distortion.
Remaining on team Both (but one at a time for my small brain).
11 Likes
Sure DN2 has deep digital synthesis, but it sometimes seems like people forget that Syntakt has the FX track which adds a new dimension. Treat multiple tracks together, change the routing on the fly, or per pattern, sequence/modulate fx, etc… You can do things that would barely be feasible in Ableton. Realized I was only scratching the surface thanks to the excellent youtube videos of @DaveMech
2 Likes