Getting M:C, a few questions

Elektron Gear Model:Cycles
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I’m about to pull the trigger on a model cycles, have a few questions:

  1. any reason the model samples is cheaper?
  2. any rumors that a new model cycles is about to be released (always a bummer to buy the last of the old model)?
  3. I’ve read a few (early?) users had issues with the “rubber” aka the buttons. Is that still a thing? I’m planning on buying new, partly for this reason, is that being too cautious?

Besides that I researched it pretty thoroughly and feel I know what I’m getting including the cons, and I can see myself having a lot of fun with the model cycles.

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  1. That depends on the retailer. They’re the same price at the ones I usually use.
  2. No rumours. Not even of a new firmware.
  3. I haven’t seen any complaints about the material on M:C buttons recently.

Hope you enjoy it!

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…no new models…m cycles is an instrument of it’s own, while m samples is “just” a sample player and u get a 2nd hand dt1 for not that much more, so ms is a kind of a nice throw away lately…if ur in for nice pads, the models will be too tight for ur liking…but the whole machine is sturdy as fuk…and cycles IS already a classic, since it’s a unique synthesis groovebox with it’s very own timbre and offers that great hands on approach, which made the models a nice piece of gear in the first place…

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I keep the Cycles on my desk at work and mess around with it on my breaks or when I am doing stuff that requires my presence but involves a lot of waiting (applying patches to servers, etc).

The hill that I will die on is that the Cycles is the best sounding drum machine that I own. I am consistently amazed by how great the drums sound.

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Thanks for the replies, I’m looking forward to spending time with the model cycles, it should arrive some time next week :slight_smile:

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  1. no, perhaps supply/demand if anything. M:S has more competition in its space of lo-fi sample playback devices whereas cheerful honky / ideosycratic FM boxes do exist but are not as solid as the m:c. I feel my Digitakt can replace my m:s better than Digitone the m:c.
  2. 0% chance. I could elaborate, but it doesn’t matter really. Tangential- always ignore people daydreaming on gear sites. It’s sort of a collective disease of the internet age.
  3. It was a release problem that was resolved very soon after with an updated design button panel. I’ve had two replaced for my m:s and m:c but no issues since. Tolerances for the connectors between buttons were too thin and a few buttons would crack and the buttons pop off, but those have been made thicker so there is no real wear.
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It’s not the money maker they were hoping (big permanent price drop soon after launch) so no worries about a successor.

Never had a stuck button.

If still worried, buy used. Plenty of mint units pop up for 200 all the time. That way you can resell without losing any money.