Machinedrum UW == MD sps-1 + OT?

Fatu · 2022-07-25T09:40:47.135Z

Hi! I have a divine machine OT, but want to supplement my setup with sps-1 and creating incredible drums part on this machine and use both machines on maximal possibilities. I am not interesting in sampling signal from other source in sps1, OT makes this better. Can anyone explane me, please, is sps-1 mkii UW == sps-1 mkii + octatrack? Why many people say: “you can’t do things like in UW having the MD SPS1 combined with the Octatrack… “ I read a lot of such topics, but anyway l am not understand what I will lost in sound design \ rythm aspect if I will use sps-1 mkii + octatrack instead of UW version? Yes, sps1 don’t have RAM and I can’t make some fun buffer tricks into sps1, but what’s problem, i can put 1-4 jacks with signal from sps1 and use flex machine on OT and having fan of buffer tricks there. May be I losing sight of some features of Ctrl All function and it interaction with some UW features?.. I never had
this machine on hands and it is so hard to understand all features… I want to create experimental/idm music with Machinedrum and I scare to buy gear and then meet with some sad limitation… May be I should wait and buy the UW model? What is reason buy UW instead of sps1 if you have OT? Please, sorry for my english… And thank you for answers!

Dylanblacktone · 2022-07-25T10:10:05.023Z

Hi Fatu,

I recently acquired a machinedrum UW mk2 and also have the sps1 mk2 non UW.

Here are my thoughts.
Both amazing drum machines, my favourite, with heaps of internal synthesis to shape your sounds. Super punchy, deep and crunchy.

The UW sample playback page is very similar to octatrack as it offers start and end parameters as well as retrig / retrig timing. It has a great bit crusher but so does octatrack in the lofi effect.
Sampling in the UW is similar to octatrack with the use of record trigs, but only up to 32 steps.
Also sample memory is far more limited than the octatrack even with the plus drive.

Loaded samples sound great in the machinedrum if you like the machines deep and crunchy sound - which I do.

But the best bit about the machinedrum is it’s 4 internal synth engines and extremely broad sound design capabilities.
Control all function rules as there are so many parameters to twist your patterns into something so far from where you started. Master effects are also killer with EQ, compressor, gated reverb and delay.

All the best features come in both the sps1 mk2 and the UW mk2.

The octatrack is by far the best for sampling and any machinedrum you find will add a huge amount of creative potential for you.

Good luck!

Fatu · 2022-07-25T10:45:47.130Z

Thanks so much! You put me easy.

lyhraam · 2022-07-25T11:34:09.543Z

Only benefit of UW over OT would be that it allows for far greater pitch manipulation while OT only allows for two octaves. Other than that, OT is better for sample mangling.

sleepfc · 2022-07-25T21:19:23.216Z

Get a UW+ MKII
12bit sampling, 16 LFOs, CTRL machines, individual outputs, amazing compressor. X.07 firmware, possibilities are endless

Schnork · 2022-07-25T22:41:39.501Z

lyhraam:

Only benefit of UW over OT would be that it allows for far greater pitch manipulation while OT only allows for two octaves.

Yep, only +/-1 octave with the pitch parameter, but rate (set to pitch, not timestretch) will go down 6 octaves if I’m not mistaken.

Rate +63=original pitch
+32=minus 1 oct
+16=minus 2 oct
+8=minus 3 oct
+4=minus 4 oct
+2=minus 5 oct
+1=minus 6 oct
0=stop playback
Then, in the minus range the same thing again until original pitch, but backwards playback.

Fatu · 2022-07-26T04:44:13.981Z

I’d be happy to get UW… but I want to get MD in close time, now UW version is not available for sale and it is so soo rearly happen🥲
“16 LFOs, CTRL machines, individual outputs, amazing compressor. X.07 firmware” — it is about nonUW too, isn’t it?

lyhraam · 2022-07-26T04:53:44.383Z

yes x.07 applies to nonUW too
I think I saw a bunch of mk1 and nonUW mk2 on reverb recently around ~$1400.
try offering to pay directly on paypal to bypass reverb fee to see if they’d be willing to sell for cheaper

yoyz2k · 2022-07-26T09:09:52.457Z

If you don’t have experience on the MD but have good experience on the OT. I don’t think you will feel limited by using MD+OT with a non UW MD.

MD is really deep just on synthesis and fx side. I had the MK1 non UW for years and replace it with a mk2+UW. And I don’t feel I master it completely on this side. My favorite stuff on MD are based on retrig and filtering to generate some tone. But those tone are not pitched so usefull for techno tracks but hard to use for melodic track.

There is thing like resampling inside the box you can do with the MD UW which might be more challenging to program and setup if you use MD+OT. Just because it’s two beast to manage and not one. But if you feel experience with the OT, it won’t be a problem.

Non UW MD has really lots to offer. Every time I play on my MD I mainly use internal sound.
But today, I would not buy a non +drive version. Just because the way memory is managed. Being able to save project is definitely something I want on a Elektron box.
The newer firmware X.06 give a bit more stuff, nice addition.

Fatu · 2022-07-26T19:08:26.144Z

Thank you so much! Today I bought nonUW, i am so glad…!!
Yes, I have good experience with OT and yes, it is more difficult to manage two machines, but if deal only in this… if I lost only in comfort, it’s not a problem, musical possibilities are more important.

Fatu · 2022-07-26T19:09:51.869Z

Thank you! I bought it today. Yeach!