OK so I only have the Model Samples and it’s great, syncs up perfectly with my AK, retrig functions are great, trig conditions are awesome, but it seems like it is essentially the Digitakt without the bigger screen, and missing a few key functions, which kind of makes me wonder why it’s 400$ cheaper. At the same time, I have to wonder why it’s not even less than 300$ though because there’s a incredibly small amount of samples built into the unit, and just about everything it does can be handled by a DAW sequencer instead. The Digitakt on the other hand definitely has some interesting features that go beyond what a DAW sequencer does, like the ability to change sample starting/looping points on individual steps and things like that, but let’s be honest again, why is this feature even needed in something that’s mostly just for rhythm production? Sampling directly on the unit is nice, but I just do the exact same thing in Audacity and send the samples via usb to the Model Samples, so yeah. If I wanted to use melodic samples, it would be smarter to just repitch a sample on different steps than select certain areas of a whole melodic phrase to be triggered on different steps. Which leads into the Octotracks completely insane sampling and fx capabilities.
Here’s what I propose to Elektron: merge the Digitakt and the Model Samples, with a price point somewhere between the two (maybe 450$) and put the focus on rhythm production and simple sample based melodic capabilities, and give it a little more FX capabilities. Keep the trigger pad/sequence pad layout from the Model Samples but use the pads from the Rytm or whatever. (I will say right now, as someone who plays drums in real life and would really really like to do real time drumming with my fingers, trigger pads that are touch sensitive, and don’t require the pad to rise up before registering the next note would be amazing. But that’s a story for another day.) Load it up with some really great samples to further the incentive to buy it over just using a controller for your DAW.
Then, for the Octotrack, keep it basically as is but add some pads so it can be better used as a rhythm production station in addition to it’s insane remix/looping/sampling/djfx capabilities that I have no experience with.