Hi folks
Newbie here, so apols if weve been round this before . I am really enjoying the complexity of my OT but its already clear to me that it needs a midi friend to play with its sequencer
Im thinking 2 options :-
(I) buy a decent interface( like an iconnect 4 +audio )and use my ipad pro apps as midi sound sources and use it for sampling duties as well
(Ii). A four voice synth ( preferably multi timbral ( but not essential) with effects?) - if so what are the best buys new or second hand below ÂŁ600ish .
Ambient, minimal and glitch type stuff
Needing your experienced opinions people on which is the best idea (i) or (ii) , and best options within (ii)
Thanks in anticipation
Chris
Nord rack 2 x or a1r with effect
Waldorf blofeld
Digitone
Ms 2000
Radias
A4
Im just rocking digitakt alone actually, and would already have a nord 2 if digitakt could applie fx to input. Take something knobby!!
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I’ve tried the iPad way, thought it was the perfect combination of possibilities and userinterface. But i was wrong. I find the touch interface not musical/tactile enough. So i would go for option ii. Maybe a Nord Rack 2. Can’t go wrong with that one, nice interface, enough voices, drumprograms and 4xmultitimbral and 4 outs. Although it has no effects, but you can use the OT effects.
+1
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System-1/1m.
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My midi partners for the octatrack are:
1 - Novation Circuit
2 - Ipad + interface
3 - Korg MS2000R
All of them are cool, but today I really like to use it with the novation circuit, because it opens up a whole “chromatic” world which OT does not have + sequencer + it gives 2 synths and some more samples, also it sounds good to my ears. When I dont find a good sound in the Novation Circuit synths I plug the iPad in the midi out of the circuit and use some apps in ipad (you can even use the knobs in the circuit like a midi controller for the ipad, to turn knobs in the apps). Its super fun and efficient.
But, my opinion is: if you find a hardware synth that has THE sound that you want in your music, go for it. For ambient I would check Waldorf Blofeld.
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I really like my Micromonsta, super user friendly, much more than Blofeld I sold without regrets, better filters, full midi control, clever simple interface. I want a 2nd for poly chain 8 + 8 = 16 voices, MPE, microtuning, but Monotimbral (not with 2).
It’s just Ot’s half width so 2 MM = OT width, would be perfect with an appropriate stand. 
Very light.
My 2 first recordings with it (Micromonsta only, sequenced by OT, one take recorded in OT).
Maybe my first choice is A4, I have too. Don’t know. Waldorf Pulse as third choice maybe (8 paraphonic voices).
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had a nordrack 2 and it was a great partner 4x multitimbral. Great for drums too. perfect interface
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My two partners are Dave Smith Evolver (I haz keyboard but module works nice for midi seq) and Ensoniq ESQ (have rack verison, multitimbral lots of great possibilities)
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I would second the Blofeld, but am intrigued by this Micromonsta setup. Also, maybe a bit out of your budget, but 
pairs very well with eurorack gear.
I have done some really good work with just the and Blofeld.
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Digitone partners really well with Octatrack, it fits your budget & is multitimbral. Then buy this soundpack https://www.elektron.se/soundpacks/haunted-hearts/ for great ambient sounds. I have a Digitone, Novation Peak, Dreadbox Nyx & Soma Lyra-8. If I could only pick one of them to go with my Octatrack, I would pick the Digitone 
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It dawn on me the closest synth is the ideal partner. There is alway resample and fx it needs more more.
In my setup I have:
- a Minilogue, great because you can control everything with CC
- KingKorg
- Blofeld, very versatile
- Roland JP-8080, a classic
I think every synth is great with octatrack as long as CC works.
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I love the + Digitone combination, works great together. The nice part is that you can play around with the Digitone also at its own, create patches and sequences without any incomming MIDI.
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I guess any of the elektron synths goes great with the OT 
I thought he’s looking for something without its own sequencer
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Honestly anything.
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Great choices. I think you could get both of those for around $800 in the US, not sure about the UK. They might fit in at that ÂŁ600ish limit.
An older virus might fit the bill. There are several Novation synths that would tick the boxes for knobby, multitimbral and within the price range.
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yeah, you are right, it might be close to that figure, but not sure about over the pond side. I whittle down to these two. Evolver does all you standard mono plus a massive helping of strange. The ESQ are great for all sort of keys emulation, multichannel drums, noise galore. Very happy with this combo, and the resample and abuse with OT
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