I’m completely with you re synth capabilities etc. I often use track 8 for bass duties. However the RK002 is a hack and while I appreciate that it is an awesome hack, I don’t feel that it should be featured in a presentation of the basic use cases of the device. But you’re spot on the DT is very capable and whole tracks can be made with it no doubt 
I would also go for an Octatrack, because it’s many devices in one and goes well with your acoustic imstruments (when using a mic / or modify your accoustics instruments with an electric pickup for a few bucks).
IMHO it’s only overwhelming when you try to learn everything at once.
With the OT you get an effects box, a recorder, a mixer, a sampler, a playback machine for backtracks, a live sound mangler, a looper etc.pp. … and you can combine all these features however you want.
Where the OT really shines (in comparison to the DT, for example) are its dynamic possibilities, how you can sample and resample on the fly (incoming audio or audio from one of its track), while everything’s still playing. Just go on and on and on with the flow …
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You make a fair enough point of course 
- I can imagine a lot of folks may not be so happy buying 3rd party cables / whatever, that help provide extra / specialised functionality - I just see it as a huge benefit and was really happy when I found out it was possible. There are other ways to implement this kind of polyphony on a DT but of course it is kind of hacking around with midi implementation - then google is your friend - not the Elektron manual necessarily.
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That’s the key thing right there. When I see people jump in to say, “The OT isn’t really that hard to learn, it’s just that you gotta…” it just sounds a bit boastful to me. Many, many folks feel that for them, the OT learning curve is a bitch. Many abandon the machine because of it. Let’s not pretend that’s not true.
I’m glad I stuck with it because it’s the best thing ever, but I had a brutal first two weeks. The caveat here is that IT WAS MY FAULT for making it so difficult. It’s just way too tempting to jump into all the possibilities of the OT without learning the basics first.
I wish there were more tutorials that stress this point, because it can’t be stressed strongly enough.
If anyone were foolish enough to have me tutor them, I’d be tempted to spend the first day in demo mode. Just have fun discovering some of the basic yet amazing things the OT is capable of.
I had a decent jam the second day of owning mine, so it ain’t like it’s impossible, but starting with the very basics of its layout the first week or maybe even two, then slowly adding in different things is key to a happy user experience, I think.
All that said, if I could only own one Elektron machine, the OT wins by a mile to me. Totally worth it
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It’s definitely a context sort of thing…
The second or third day I had mine, I thought “Okay, I want to record my guitar…How do I do that?” and then went to the manual. Slowly but surely it’s “Okay, I want to do this…How do I do that?” and then back to the manual and youtube videos (and this forum of course).
…Then you forget how to do it and you read the manual again.
Then you just kinda read the manual because it becomes comfort food like rewatching Arrested Development or The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
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Digitakt hits the perfect balance in the Elektron lineup between streamlined accessibility / instant intuitive results on one hand, and depth / flexibility on the other. Most of their other boxes lean too hard on the latter at the expense of the former, and the Model:Sample leans too hard on the former at the expense of the latter. Assuming you’re ok with sampling, I’d have no reservations in recommending going with the Digitakt as the ideal first Elektron box that checks all the boxes with a minimum of headaches and learning curves. Coming from the PO-33, the Digitakt will fit like a glove - whereas the PO-33 is a tiny island of sampling goodness, the Digitakt is a whole planet (and then the Octatrack is a solar system in this metaphor, but you don’t necessarily need to come to grips with an entire solar system to create a really great song)
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@blindeveloper i would say get the OT first and maybe get the Digitakt later if you really need it. The OT is so flexible and such a great machine. Sure, it might be overwhelming at first, but do your stuff step by step and you’ll be fine. My first Elektron was also the Octatrack MK2. Read the manual, watch videos and ask questions and you’re fine.
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Really helpful thread. Just bought my first Elektron, decided on a Digitakt as I felt that if I started with a Model Samples I would only want a Digitakt later on anyway. Been burning through sequencers (Circuit, Beatstep Pro, Electribe) since the Digitakt was released and decided to just bite the bullet and get the machine I have wanted for ages.
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Wow, your first Elektron was OT, and you are still alive? ;))).
As more I am thinking about it, as more I am realizing that I have no answer yet.
Of course. 
I bought the OT because i was tired of creating things on the PC and wanted a more direct workflow. I have not been disappointed, it works very well.
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OT was also my first because a guy at my local music shop recommended it when I said I wanted a hardware alternative to Ableton. They didn’t even stock Elektron machines! Two more Elektrons later it’s still the most used of my hardware.
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I got the AR and OT at the same time… Blew my mind and my bank account… 
I lived… 
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Thank you everyone for your advices. It was not easy decision, but anyway here it is.
It looks like I am going to have interesting year of diving in to the OT. Or even more =))))
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Have fun! It’s an awesome machine 
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Enjoy!!! XD
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Man, that picture makes me want to upgrade my mk1- it’s so pretty and shiny!
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Ha, ha))))
Yes man, it looks beautiful! And sounds amazing. But you know it))
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Thank you! I am working wit it for couple of hours only, but already impressed by possibilities of it!
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Coming from OT, PO33 is my new OT in the pocket! Closer to DT, because of the lack of realtime sampling / playing. Record it with OT.
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