Is machinedrum uw mk2 worth buying?

Elektron Gear Machinedrum
#1

Hi I became obsessed with elektron products very recently and I’m planning on purchasing both MD and OT used for about $2.6k (1.3k for each) in two months time.

The original plan was getting just the OT but you know, the usual story of watching a few youtube videos due to recommendation algorithm and now I’m hooked by the look, sound and feel of MD also and I feel like I should get this one also lol

But then again, I have about two months till I pull the trigger (rather odd arrangement with the seller…)
Since I have some time to really think about this decision before I actually pay, it got me thinking, is MD really worth spending the extra 1.3k? I understand that it’s become a modern classic of sort now and I think I kind of understand why and how it was able to, but at the same time 1.3k is quite a lot of money to spend unless it can really be justified.
I do love the sonic capabilities of MD and I think having a designated drummachine to feed into OT would be quite handy but I also heard that its sequencer is lacking compared to the more modern Elektron models. Could I save some money by getting the digitakt instead? What would I be missing by doing that? What are some key features of MDuw2 that you think justifies its high second-hand price as of now? Am I over-paying?

In all honesty, I know myself pretty well and i will probably end up buying MD no matter what you guys say because I’m absolutely hooked by its design, but I ask just to see what you guys enjoy so much about this machine.

Pls feel free to go overboard sharing your enthusiasm and love for Machinedrum! :relaxed:

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#2

I owned both an MD mki and mkii. I really like the MD. I wouldn’t pay 1.3k for one. I don’t think anything about it justifies the price.

The DT and MD are apples and oranges…one synthesizes drum sounds, the other needs samples.

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#3

Yeah, I also love the Machinedrum and went from a mk1 to mk2 UW about a year ago. Have done very little sampling with the MD so far though but then again I ”only” paid 900€ for the MD UW (and sold the mk1 for 650€).

I know from personal experience the obsessive behaviour the shiny MD looks can cause but 1300€ would be pushing it, even for me. I’d think long and hard if you need (a relative word if there ever was one) the sampling capabilities of the UW, because the Octatrack covers that territory (and then some). Ordinary MD mk2s should be available for less than 1k regularly.

Mind you, if you’re looking to get the grey Octatrack mk2, 1300€ is overpaying for it. There are units available second hand for less than 1k all the time.

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#4

It’s all about what you like, and what the moneys allow to you.
The MD is a very nice drum machine. It’s deep and powerful.
To me, and that’s a matter of taste, it’s the best sounding digital drum machine (except modulars).
But then let’s face it: it’s not the most recent piece of kit l, and there are some features that were not updated. The sample management is outdated… it’s much faster and user friendly to load samples in the rytm…

Take some time to think about it ?
If you don’t buy that one, you’ll of course find another one later on! Except if you find a (very) good deal, why rush ? :slightly_smiling_face:

But then, if you are fine with spending the cash on it, you’ll enjoy it. It’s fun and capable, no doubt about it!

Good luck!

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#5

Probably.

You can research this for yourself by looking at the manuals for both instruments.

In my opinion, the price is defined by its scarcity, not by its features.

That’s completely up to you. What would you do with the MD if you bought one?

How much do you want an MD?

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#6

I think it’s worth mentioning MD and OT are absolutely impossible to come by where i live… this is kind of what got me rushed into thinking of getting them in the first place…as they are very very rare to find even if I wanted to. Now that there’s an opportunity given to me, I’m like…if I miss this chance, I will probably never have another, or at least for a very long time.

#7

It is hard to say how I’d actually feel if it were difficult to come by because of where I lived. How reasonably priced and easy to get is new gear? If it is easy to come by and price well you could get any new drum machine for that 1.3k (maybe even two, depending on what you chose).

#8

nah, they’re the most uncreative, uninspiring, unintuitive, crappiest sounding music machines ever created.

(btw i’m posting in opposite mode today)

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#9

That’s a tough one… If the 2,6k is not food off the table, then why not go for it. MD UW mk2s have been sold for about 2k recently so paying 2,6k for a MD AND an OT isn’t a huge risk. You’d most likely be able to sell the MD at cost (if not profit), if it turned out not to meet your expectations.

#10

I would also say it’s a question of sound. The sequencer sure lacks a couple of features to compete fairly with nowaday gear. But, to my taste, the sound is perfect. I started to go Elektron with the Analog Rytm, which has much broader features. But I got tired of the sound after a while (I cringe at the AR cowbell now). When I first got my MD, I was amazed by its sound and character. It came at the sacrifice of a basic sequencer but I really don’t regret. If anything you could sequence it with the OT.

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#11

Yesterday I bought a MDUW SPS-1 mk2 for 1000€ incl. shipping and the turbo midi usb thing. The unit has been pretty much unused for the last 10 years so I think was a good deal. It seems to me that the prices have started to rise significantly in the last couple of years, and tbh I´m not really wondering why.

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#12

I live in Australia

Gear prices are relevant and relative to property prices…everything is unobtainable…and expensive…dreams are expensive…

If you see an opportunity to get what you want…swoop…! Choice is a luxury where I’m from…

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#13

Newbie question, but I feel like this is as good of a place to ask as any. My understanding is, that only the UW version of MD is able to do resampling in the box. Is that correct?

#14

You can always sell the MD again, maybe even without losing any money.

When you buy a classic item and take care of it, it’s more like renting than buying. Sometimes it’s even an investment.

/Thomas

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#15

Yes

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#16

I think the best Elektron bargains at this point are the A4mk1 and Rytm Mk1. I have a MDUW mkii as my primary drum machine and it works for me. But in context I bought it from a seller who listed it for $1400 cad (Cad= canadian dollars) and reduced it to $1000 when Elektron dropped their prices on the MD and MM before discontinuing them. So $2000-2300 cad was the new price if I remember correctly and it was considered a premium product for quite a while. Worth buying? I’d say wait until you get the OT spend a year or two learning it and check to see if Elektron or another competitor has released something to suit your needs.

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#17

Asking myself the same question as a new Monomachine owner…

#18

Weighing in since I’ve been isolated for the last couple of months and have been trying to put in quality time with my MD mkii UW+.

Reasons to get an MD mkii UW +: Other than they are really, truly fun and cool.

The sound.

Most user videos/recordings tend to emphasis the sounds that one cannot easily pull from other machines and are quintessential MD sounds. The metallic and woody clanks and beeps in all their digital glory, the out there bass lines and drones. That’s why I bought mine and they are great. But the MD is also capable of being the drum machine that can approximate other drum machines, which is what was often pushed by Elektron at its inception. User waves took that a step further.

Sometimes the digital sheen does wear on me a bit but only if I am using the MD alone. Pair it with your choice of outboard effects and many of the concerns regarding its basic character go away.

Other than the Roland TR-08 I don’t think there are any other mainstream drum machines that offer this kind of flexibility in a XOX package.

+Drive

This is my second MD. My first was stolen from me. I couldn’t justify the upgrade to a +Drive model at the time but I am glad I have it now as it creates a couple of conveniences.

I have a couple of stock sample sets that I constantly use: a couple of acoustic drum kits, tablas, taikos, drones and some single cycle wave forms. Without the +Drive my MD was tied to my computer as there was not enough memory to hold more than one or two of these sets. Now I have a handful of sample sets that I approximate to the stock button assignments so I can swap them out without reorganizing them in any particular snapshot.

The other problem is organization on the non-+Drive MD required a computer hook up or a notepad.

I have a scratchpad snapshot and snapshots that are dedicated to emulating particular drum machines, or snapshots that are centered around a particular sample set or project.

Do I use it a lot for that sort of thing? No. But it is wonderful to have when needed.

The Sequencer

Yes, time has marched onward. Heck, the MD’s sequencer was pretty limited for its time. So? If I want a sequencer that can do everything I can sequence in the box or pair up the MD with something like an MPC or Emu Command Station (both of which I’m sick of and will be selling - :duck:).

It is a great sequencer especially for running multiple outboard synths. I pair it up with a Virus B Indigo and an Evolver or two and have instant Berlin school synth jams.

Reasons Not To Get An MD

Sadly, this is financial. The MD had a long enough run that they are not rare. But prices have shot up. I would almost be tempted to sell mine simply because the return on my “investment” is huge (an easy $300-$500 profit).

For the reasons stated above, I have no reason to do so.

Should one spring for an MD today?

That’s a very subjective decision. The MD-UW+ is a historic piece of equipment. If that means something to you, good.

I see no need to find a vintage Mini-Moog or VCS. But if I won the lottery? Sure, why not?

From a financial/current tech perspective, unless you must have that sound, you could get a lot of the same functionality with a TR-08S for 1/2 to 1/3 the going rate of an MD. Or you could go for a current Elektron box.

Would I buy the MD today if I have never owned one? Probably not but I would never dissuade someone from making the leap if it is an otherwise smart decision. Remember, rent and children are not getting any cheaper. :thinking:

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#19
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#20

Dont care for the UW at that price but a fine condition MD is an excellent companion, specially with the megacommand to sequence (plus all the other functions) and with the new custom / beta OS for MD developed together with the mega.

Edit: i´m lucky to have a mint MnM mk2 and a same condition machinedrum mk2 and i got then a few years ago when they were pretty cheap so sub $900 for both of them together. They are really unique and wonderful instruments with no equals. Ok, the sound is not for everyone. Especially the MD can sound pretty thin in certain sounds, but i also have a Rytm so… But they are so much fun, and specially the MnM is a pinnacle of digital synths. My Iridium sounds fantastic but i would NOT replace the MnM with it. And it´s multitimbral or poly! Sure, no instant gratification but if you get to know it you will love it as long as you are ok with it being digital.

They will stay with me until i die or until they burn, break and cant be fixed or get stolen.

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