Admittedly the thought was there once or twice in the past…. @CCMP is mind reading pretty well. 
It’s really a shame I didn’t manage to glitch with A4 yet.
I need help here too – would you rather have…
- A Nord Drum 3P (digi), a Tanzmaus (analog), a Digitakt (sampler-sequencer) and an EP-133 (ster-eo), or…
- A Rytm
OT is for sure a good choice aswell, if you havent tried it before, its awesome for everything. But also a time eater.
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Had a DT, like the workflow, but miss the analog part. Nord Drum: Not seeing this as standalone device. Tanzmaus: Same, also hard to find for reasonable prices. EP-133: Not sure about the toy-like build and workflow decisions.
Could possibly imagine Torso S-4 to be of value. But only after it‘s been released.
My current ‘drum machine’ is all of the above (ND3+DT+EP133+Tanz) plus a mess of cables routed through the floor of a road case. Oh yeah, and a Beatstep Pro. Kinda tempted to overhaul with just a Rytm.
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Ah, so you literally do need help, too. 
If you really like the sorts of synthesis power in the A4, I don’t think the AR will satisfy you as a replacement. I am constantly trying to make the sorts of sounds on the AR I can on the A4 and it just isn’t that device. Now, mixing what it can do with samples is what it’s for and that’s very different, but be aware that it is not an A4 with more stuff on top - far from it.
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yeah agree. first thing I do is adjust the compressor to right settings before making a track. And often Ill just copy my kit over to new pattern when starting a new track to keep alot of my same kit settings.
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I sold my OT as it felt more like a DAW in a box than a true instrument. The pads on the Rytm absolutely transform it for me
Just thinking, but maybe it’s some kind of option-paralysis that makes me strive for a simpler but not too limited solution…
Playability. That’s what I had more with a model:cycles than with any other Elektron (A4/DN/DT) – so these rubbery pads do make a huge difference!
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I have a whole ritual of starting a kit, I stroll through the whole fx track adjusting almost every param before starting with the sounds, I almost always come back to adjust them later but I still have to complete my “pre-flight checklist” for every kit…
AR doesn’t have as many modulation options as A4, nor does it have polyphony and the note range is half the MIDI standard with no way around it. Though the pitch range is wider than it used to be and pretty accurate. It can also be a bit of a puzzle figuring out how to do what you want with a particular machine. But it is faster to dial in drum sounds. Also browsing sounds is more complicated.
If you have other means of doing chromatics that you like more than the A4, i.e. you think the AR will slot into your rig better, go for it. I love it. If you are tired of programming drums on A4 it’s a no-brainer. And don’t listen to the people knocking the sound … it’s quite easy to customize …
I wouldn’t be in a rush to “replace” the A4… I find that once you get good with a device it’s generally a bad idea to sell.
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yeah you can see in below YT vid (pardon the shitty sound quality) how I use the pads to really dig into the Rytm for a live performance.
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No need to overthink. Just get the RYTM 
It’s a special instrument that will definitely reward you and it is a perfect companion for A4 
Beautiful machine with so many possibilities.
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Hearing the various patches you’ve made with your A4 and shared here, I think you will ultimately find yourself missing its depth.
If space and cost are a concern, you may consider an ST/DN combo. Total cost and space will be comparable to an AR.
The ST has a good bit of the AR in it, and of course all of the M:C machines. Between the two Digis, with all of the MIDI tracks, you have modulation options for days. The ST has an FX track, and the master drive and filter sound great. The DN will scratch your itch for sound design. Selfishly, I’d love to hear what you could tease out of it!
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Right now I am loving the sonic match of more aliased analog drums via Rytm and Digitone’s crisper and blacker background and higher resolutions. Rytm + A4 are cool together but I find with Digitone it’s easier to hear a contrast in tonality
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The Rtym is very expensive for what it is. If samples are the thing, get a DT. It’s cheaper and has a few extra things the Rytm doesn’t have (bass-width filter, 2 LFOs, etc).
Having said all that, I own the Rytm. The sound is incredible. For the music I make, the sounds that come out of the Rytm sit right in the mix for me. It’s super fun to use and I love it.
Do I wish it was cheaper? God yes! Are there other boxes that do what it does? Yes.
In all the boxes I’ve played with, does it sounds the best? Hell yea it does!
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Think i would keep the A4 and get a 2nd hand syntakt if cost is an issue and then remove some garbage from the desk so you have room with it
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