I speculated that the Tonverk was definitely rushed to boost the books. The talks likely have been going on for some time now. The OG owners must be ready to move on (though I have no idea how the company is structured).
but what exactly made it itâs best machine?
1 Like
Every machine since Digitakt II was rushed. They all launched with bugs and lacked Overbridge support.
1 Like
Yeah this opinion canât even be substantiated by any proof beyond your own opinion. No shade, but comparatively speaking, they have easily one of the most solid records of studio and performance grade instruments of any brand. All of which have held up over time.
9 Likes
you canât acquire the Digitakt, The Digitakt Acquires youâŚ
5 Likes
Thatâs two. I didnât have a lot of issues with the Digitone II, though I get there have been bugs. Tonverk was a botched launch from a QA PoV in my opinion.
Key Music Investments (Bonnier Capital/Ventures):
- Starmony (2021): Swedish music startup that enables users to create and release music via mobile. ( Bonnier link. ) ( see post above )
- HIFI: A New York-based financial management platform for artists and creators. ( Bonnier link. )
- COLORSxSTUDIOS: A Berlin-based aesthetic music platform for promoting emerging artists. ( Bonnier link. )
- Jukebox ( formerly JKBX ): A music tech company focused on the creator economy, specifically music royalty diversification.
- Chord Music Partners: independent music rights platform that acquires and manages premier music intellectual property (IP) from influential artists.
- Zymphonica: A music venture company made of a collective of professional musicians and music producers that create symphonic experiences to some of the worldâs most popular songs.
A list of other Bonnier ventures not specifically related to music, from their website.
I put this together rather quickly. Please give me corrections for any errors.
10 Likes
thatâs what happening at Elektron
4 Likes
Ouch
I just hope for no sudden price rises and loss of customer support. I still have a Tonverk in my sights, the news doesnât change that and my digi boxes are here to stay.
2 Likes
Ha! Like it or not, Itâs already happened and out of any of our control!
I much preferred it yesterday when Elektron were state owned.
12 Likes
The right time to buy is now
1 Like
Now that is a sound investment!
I would like to pay thousands of dollars to a slick financial firm based in NYC to manage my thousands of pennies from my streams.
1 Like
Right. If I remember correctly the MD was going for fire sale prices at the very end after it was discontinued. None of us know sales figures but you donât do that on something that is successfully selling well. Itâs a legendary machine due to a handful of excellent musicians using it to its full extent. I love it, I used to own one, but I canât say in good faith itâs where the company peaked.
Time will tell if this is a good or bad thing. Iâm pessimistic due to the general reputation of private equity, what Iâve seen it do probably hundreds of times over the last decade or two, and what it did to my former employer. But that doesnât mean Iâm right and I would absolutely love to be wrong.
6 Likes
Add Auxy to the list! 
1 Like
The good old days when life was easier!
2 Likes
Peter Kirn is spot on:
11 Likes
Great piece. I agree, growth is not the best idea for all businesses. But you see it everywhere, all businesses want to grow. Each year must be better than the last.
I hope I am wrong on this, but I am sceptical to say the least.
This whole thing triggers mixed signals in me. On one hand, itâs not a good sign regarding the health of Elektronâs business. On the other hand, the Tonverk launch points to bigger problems. I hope the acquisition means that Elektronâs product portfolio will be streamlined and âshrinks back to health.â
3 Likes