How close is Syntakt to Cycles?

Elektron Gear Syntakt
#1

I’ve wondered how close is Syntakt to Model:cycles sounds. Actually I’m an owner of both, so I’ve started to try “clone” sounds from my cycles to brand new Syntakt.
Just in case someone would be interested, drop here my conclusions for the moment:
Syntakt vs Cycles

In my test I modified each parameter on syntakt machine with the same value it had in cycles… and those sounds timbrally exactly same (sonicly with slightly differences) .
If I’m wrong, please let me know to correct :slight_smile:

P.S. I’ve not tested yet PC Carbon vs Perc… but I guess would be similar. For chords, I’ve tested but I guess they are changed because sounds different.

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M:C obsolete now there's ST?
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#2

On M:C, vol+dist is a macro. On ST, it’s splitted over Amp level and Overdrive.

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#3

And doesn’t the Overdrive also just sound different (tonally) on the ST than the vol/dist on MC ?
It does to my ears. More saturation, less clip and breakup.

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#4

Yes, that makes sense.
Anyway, if I would like to make a sound closer to cycles and I turn the vol+dist to max on cycles, I guess I need to turn over on syntakt to get the same characteristics, isn’t it? Maybe not exactly the same, but closer in practice terms.

#5

Yes, you’re right, in cycles sounds harsher than syntakt.

3 Likes
#6

Which is good! I think on a 6 track groove box the dist does the job very well.
But on a 12 track machine having a bit more control and color to play with is beneficial.

I think in both instances, Elektron did well with the voicing.

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#7

Yes, clearly that macro vol+dist give to cycles a very characteristic sound. I guess I prefer more control on Syntakt :slight_smile:

In other hand, I didn’t find similar behavior between the chords on both machines… For sure the wavetables are changed, what about the other parameters, are they changed too?

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#8

I thought that might be the case.

#9

Is the difference in the distortion between the 2 units due to different algorithms or different converters?

#10

My guess is algorithms. The sound is too different to be from D/A conversion. It’s a tonal thing, not a dynamics or clarity thing.
And when not employed both boxes sound much more similar.

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#11

…run cycles through a heat and it’s basically getting close…
but not too close, still…since u simply got way more options to shape the individual voices and let them interact with each other…and as mentioned already, apart from the heat part, all digital distortion options seem way more advanced alone…

the more hands on layout of the models are a great approach to kind of fake it til u make it…
lot’s of magic can happen here…
while on the other hand, imagine what any ordinary midi knob controler could do with the syntakt…

#12

It sounds exactly the same with slightly differences? :slightly_smiling_face:

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#13

Are you sure? I saw an @AdamJay livestream where he talked about position 84 being the nearest thing to a saw on Syntakt’s Chord machine. I put a scope on my M:C (Chord Unison 2), it looked saw-like. I found another saw-like wave at position 102 and he confirmed that it was saw-like on Syntakt. That’s only two data points, but still. Maybe someone with an oscilloscope and both machines can do some comparisons.

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#14

:rofl: :rofl:
:sweat_smile:

Well, so close… just try and judge by yourself :wink:

#15

I don’t know, maybe they are order/short changed? For sure I can’t get the same sound with the same parameters. Or maybe I miss something :thinking:

#16

I believe that they sound different, but it might be due to how the sound is handled elsewhere in the device. In the end, it doesn’t really matter, you use each machine for what it’s capable of on each device. I’m just intellectually curious.

#17

…sure they got lot’s in common still…
i mean hey, a few machines from the cycles simply came from there in first place, but with quite some sonic upgrade…

#18

What are the actual differences in the options of the Syntakt for editing the machines? Everyone keeps saying they are the same “but you have more control over the parameters” without saying what that control actually is? I’m assuming it’s not just the Cycles repackaged with a couple more effect options. Unless it is.

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#19

Yes me too :slight_smile:
Anyway, I have plenty patterns and sounds in cycles, and this is a good new for me, because it means I can “clone” the content on syntakt to get some extra values and control (more tracks, machines, lfo, env,filter…)

#20

It would be cool if Elektron (or someone who can sufficiently reverse-engineer the sysex) could write a tool that converted an M:C project to a starter Syntakt project.

4 Likes