So reading this thread and already owning a Moog Little Phatty I think the Digitone will fit my setup better than an analog four.
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Yo if you been dialing in subtractive synthesis , DN will be an breeze ! 
I think a4 is more diverse than digitone, also analog (in contrast to digital fm) , two lfo, second multy filterā¦ cv outputs, midiā¦ great delay and reverb and parameter lockable fx tracks. I would go for secondhand mk1. Love this synth
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Yes, the advantages of both machines are (somewhat) clear to me. But itās more about what would fit in my setup best. The Moog will take care of the low analog bassy sounds, so an FM synth would complement it well. I donāt say an A4 wouldnāt. Itās a choice based on the assumption that an Analog Subtractive and a digital FM would be a good pairā¦
Both make excellent bass sounds. Also consider the recent update to A4 as well, which opened it up a great deal as well. It would be a tough decision for me as well but I would eventually have to have both. Then it comes down to which one to get first. My choice would be Digitone first.
for me one big advantage the DT has is the voice count. theyāre both great flexible synths but if the A4 was an A6 or an A8 Iād probably still have one.
de facto
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they are both so equally great in their own way, itās really a tough decision. Love them both for different reasons.
Iām about to simplify my setup so I was thinking if I let go of one or two elektrons (all of them just do so much things)ā¦ I tried to make a decision which one the two to keep, but I really canāt decide.
They kind of overlap, cause I do similar things with both. Great for pads (DN with more voices obviously), both great for basses, drums, fxā¦ But different in the ways they approach it.
The recent OS update brings the A4 closer to the DN in terms of featuresā¦ but Iām still letting my A4 mk1 go. I have a number of other analog subtractive synths here that I prefer tonally to the A4 (not that thereās anything wrong with the A4ās sound - itās just preference) whereas I have nothing comparable to the DN. Iām just finding the DN more inspiring and more unpredictable (a good thing).
Just to confuse matters a bit more for you :P, I really love and appreciate the A4 (mk1) as a pad machine, it makes BEAUTIFUL pads, evolving and āorganicā sounding. I pair mine with a Dreadbox Erebus (mainly bass duties) and a Dreadbox Nyx (mainly soundscapes/atmospheric/sfx duties) and they are all three very complementary.
I do like the DN sound, but FM synthesis just has that quality that sounds phenomenal first but tires me out quickly. The DN/DT form factor is really great though.
I think you canāt go wrong with either.
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Another view: As youāre coming from the DT, the DN might be a better fit for immediacy and familiarity. I have the DT (my first Elektron) and was in the same quandary. I went for the Analog Keys instead of the DN. Although i donāt regret it (it sounds amazing), the AK is deep and takes much longer to learn than the DT did - and comes with the head-slapping kit/sound/pattern/project file saving system which is pretty convoluted. For good reasons, like, but bear it in mind if you have little time to read manuals, watch tuts etc. Still trying to remember how to save stuff 5 months onā¦
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I feel for lo-fi hip hop the A4 would fit better. You can get a nice warm sound out it. The Digitone sounds more futuristic and super clean. It can sound like crystals echoing through space. The A4 sounds earthly, warm and rounded. Both bring the bass, the DN sounds subby and the A4 as well but a little more warmth and fuzz.
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Thatās true, although if you arenāt playing it live via a keyboard I would argue 1 voice of A4 is more equivalent of 2 voices of any other elektron device, you can set ups some simple waveform but really nice stab chords on 1 voice and having the different layers in the sequencer for note mutes, slides, accents makes the sequencer all the more preformable. Just the depth that you can program each voice is pretty greatā¦ itās like 4 full featured monosynths not one 4 voice polysynth. Not to say I wouldnāt like a A8 but I also have made tracks with nothing but a single track of mono synth with a whole ton of automation and a subtle delay.
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true true
I have cut the knot. Recently I bought my Digitakt from a near seller, who is selling his DN now , also. So I am buying that one. Now I will have the DT DN combo combined with a Moog Little Phatty. I think that will give me some interesting possibilities.
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I think they both complement one another. I use DT for pads and it metallic sound, I use the A4 for the raw analog sound. They sound great together
Hi
I was going to buy a digitone this month (ā¬655) brand new , but then recently I seen a very good deal on an Analogue 4 mk1 for ā¬600 if you had to pick from these two options ?
What would you go for ?
depends on what you have now. I went with the A4 first and I think you should do the same! If you want FM sounds, go DN, if yhouāre more into basic bread and butter analog, go A4!
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Iāve heard too many great examples of both machines to be objective, but in the end Iāve always been drawn to FM. Saw this last night and it kinda sealed the deal for me
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At the minute all I have is the Octatrack.
I have both and honestly, I feel thereās a lot of crossover with the digitone. So much that Iām considering trading for another box.
Great synth, great sound etc. Just overlaps.
Ymmv.