The Rytm is similarly rubbish with its inputs, unfortunately. Everything’s so quiet - I tried putting my iPad through there, but even with its output boosted via the iTrack dock, it was still much quieter than the Rytm’s own levels. I had to lower the volume of my Rytm tracks way too much.
However, the AK’s inputs seem much better in this regard. I now run my Rytm into my AK and not the other way around because of this, and the iPad works fine in the mix too. I wonder if the low input levels on other Elektron devices are something that could be boosted with a firmware update, or whether the hardware is hardwired to them.
my live rig includes a slim phatty and xoxbox going through the A4’s external inputs, and the A4 going through the OT, along with a MD.
i’ve had a few issues with the lower external input levels on the A4 too, but i’ve worked around it/worked it out now, and the ability to add (and plock and use macros for) the A4 fx to the external inputs outweigh any dynamics issues that might be happening.
i’d say the same of the OT inputs too. the practical advantages of using the OT as my mixer, fx and arranger in a live situation outweigh any impact on the sound.
sure, the gain staging/structure is annoyingly mysterious sometimes, and the studio tracks that i make using my analogue mixer do sound a bit fuller, but it’s not really a dealbreaker for me.
devil’s advocate: when doing a full DAW-based mixdown of a track, aren’t many sounds going to have their dynamic range reduced with compression anyway?
i would love to hear some examples of OT/A4 inputs vs mixer inputs, both on individual sounds, rhythm tracks and synth sounds. anyone got any/other threads?
For a while, i thought I would never use the OT to mix other gear. Now I actually like it. Particularly good for gluing drum sounds together. Would rather route non-drum synths through a mixer though.
and sure, does a true analog untamed direct signal with it 's own gainstage on a mixer loose some shine or bite, once you listen to it a/b with a 44.1 /16bit realtime converted version of it…
but most of that impression is the old louder is better trap…
once i managed the gainstaging again, the difference was more or less gone…
next day i pretty much could’nt tell the difference anymore…
at least on pa…i always record the most direct signal possible…for production.
but on a live pa…
chaining the audio outs is fine and a big advantage…