You’d have to import samples then, probably using a computer. And we were discussing using drum machines without a computer. But yes, you can layer samples and thus get the needed transients.
If I remember (but sold my Octatrack 2 years ago so I may be wrong) play free mode is about disconnecting the sequence from the transport. It can be abused in many ways, like most OT functions, but it’s nothing as immediate and simple as the dedicated function on the TR.
Yes indeed.
I’d even put it this way: it is hard to get that sound out of a drum machine with no heavy processing and resampling (and of course computers excel at both 
)
But it should be feasible with any machine with decent fx and resampling capability. MPC live comes to my mind, the Rytm mk2 too… the Digitakt can resample too but its overdrive is a bit lacking for serious destruction.
I sold my machinedrum because it was a non UW version and I might pick up a UW in the future, sold my digitakt because I picked up an octatrack, and I never gelled with the digitone.
Fair enough, but as you no doubt have noticed they are very different in how they organize their samples and are complementary.
Reasons why Digitakt is better for techno as a drum machine:
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Mono samples fit better as instruments in a stereo field allowing for harder beats.
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Octatrack wants to run at 44.1 khz while the Digitakt is 48 khz. This means more control over the tone of samples you have pitched down.
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Digitakt’s mixer is designed with headroom so you aren’t accidentally clipping all the time like you will on the octatrack (especially if you don’t switch each project to 24-bit).
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Digitakt’s sound engine is optimized for one-shot drum samples and chromatic bass lines. If this doesn’t describe hard techno, what does?
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Digitakt’s master compressor is amazing for percussion, with the type of coloration that makes hard beats while preserving low end.
Truth be told, this is just a hot take 
You definitely shouldn’t trade your OT for a DT because the OT is amazing and you should just make techno with what you have. I just have fun making Techno with my digitakt and think everyone else should too.
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I’ve owned almost every machine mentioned in this thread…just finished jamming on my uno synth and uno drum paired together and it sounded like good hard techno! I think anything can work with the right ideas. I didn’t use anything external, it sounded really good to me. Great thread.
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You can. It’s preloaded with samples 
LOL exactly, make techno with what you have. After all that is exactly how it all started.
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Not the one I had unfortunately. Anyway, there’s so much more to a drum machine than pure specs…
THIS
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Not the best audio quality but the Rytm sounds pretty effective here. From the discussion after the performance it sounds like he uses a lot samples in the AR.
Also AR here. Great sounding set:
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well, it’s mainly NERDSEQ, sequencing IME/HARVESTMAN- and NE-modules, going through SHARD though
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Noir iOS app filling a sampler of your choice.
Noir sounds really good.
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“Not bad”:
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That is very good, actually. I badly need to practice more.
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Here’s an AR demo I knocked out in 15 minutes. Just to show an example of a raw techno sound. No post-processing or external fx. Only analog engines used. No samples.
Sorry, the solo’d claps jump out quite hard. Didn’t feel like going back in and tweak the compressor. Of course this is just a basic 16 step pattern. There 's a ton of variations to bring with 64 steps, conditional trigs, etc.
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Thank you very much, this is exactly what I wanted someone to do. Sounds like you can get that raw techno sound with just a machine. I think the AR just moved slightly ahead of the tr8s…
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Has anyone mentioned DFAM yet? It’s a techno powerhouse. Add some fx and I reckon u could do a set with just that alone.
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Sorry for the double post. This is what sold me on the dfam
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Why have you just made things more complicated???