If I had a RYTM MK2, A4 MK2 and Digitone, could I go mixerless with my JU-06, SH-01A and MB-33 Retro? The Digitone would have to send MIDI notes to the synths.
Edit: I should also add that I don’t use a computer, so no USB Overbridge outputs and no audio interface. Hardware only.
I have a Rytm, A4, Digitakt, Sh-101, Alpha Juno and a few other hardware synths and I’m more than happy without a mixer. I bought a usb hub so the rytm and A4 audio go into Ableton via usb where each channel has its own track, eventually I’ll do the same with the Digitakt when it’s supported. The rest of my hardware synths go into my audio interface (Steinberg UR44) and to their own channels in Ableton.
So at the end of the day everything can run at the same time, ready to be used, and each has its own channel and is either sequenced via digitakt or A4. If you go this route an audio interface with enough inputs is essential if you want to track things separately and use your DAW as a mixer.
Sounds like a nice setup.
Just wondering here; why do you want to go mixerless?
I would get one if necessary, just curious if it could be done without
I do not like to, but have gone mixerless for some setups. What I was doing was with a Rythm, tempest, and analog 4, running the Rythm and Tempest into the A4’s audio ins, then from there to the soundboard.
You have a bit more things in there, Unsure if any of those besides the A4 and Rythm have audio inputs, but get some cables and see what you can come up with. I would personally want a small mixer for that setup.
Keep in mind that the output levels from the Boutiques tends to be a bit low, which might make the lack of gain control when going without a mixer a bit annoying.
Another thing to note is that a lot of people (including myself) had complaints about the external input on the RYTM Mk1 lacking a gain control which made it hard to get a good level when you wanted to route everything through its compressor. No idea if this is any better on the Mk2.
All the gear you list except for the MB33 (which I would frankly get rid of once you’ve got the A4) has mix inputs in some form of another. So yes, it could most certainly be done.
The boutiques do have Mix inputs. The MB33 does too but it runs through the filter
I don’t own the Elektron boxes yet, but thinking about what I would need if I wanted to go this route
I didn’t think about the low output of the boutique, hmm, maybe better to get a small mixer in this case.
Get rid of my MB-33? Not a chance. I love that little box. It’s the best sounding TB emulation IMO (minus a sequencer so people don’t rave about it). Infact I have two! LOL.
The extra money for a mixer compared to Elektron boxes is almost nothing, it would be a time saver for gain staging, with the possibility to send fx, and have real balanced outputs.
Ask people having Avalon Bassline ! 
MB33 is cheap. I had a MB33 MKII.
I ordered a cheaper XOX Heart assembled PCB (made for modular) I will sequence with A4. 
Seems better than MB33.
They’re great boxes, but that really is a bit annoying. I even built a little box to boost them: https://forum.mutable-instruments.net/t/simple-amplifier-circuit-to-boost-a-weak-line-level-signal/13063/20?u=t2k
The Retro is a lot better sounding than the MKII. You should try one, they are only £70 second hand. I’ve adjusted the trimpots on mine and it is extremely close to the reference TB I compared with, much closer than the TT and x0xb0x IMO. And far better than the TB-03. But those have sequencers so I can see why people go for them over the MB. The only one I haven’t tried is the Avalon but it does sound good, but more than 10x the price of an MB and I don’t need the extra sound options.
Quite a lot of gear to go mixerless IMO.
You can as long as all boxes have a input/feedthrough which you can daisy chain. Me personally Id get a decent mixer.
I love my MAM MB33 Retro. It’s a brilliant little box that I sequence from Novation Circuit. You just send full velocity notes to trigger Accent and overlap note for the slide. Great pairing.
Yes I tried it with a circuit before and it works great
Yes. Only thing: On rytm mk 2 sampling and audio in are two separate inputs, i think… you could solve that via a4 headphone out maybe…
Otherwise I go digitone into a4 mk1 into ar mk1 with no problems…
You mean you use the headphone as a send? Would that work?
I guess you could use the headphone out from both the A4 and DN into the RYTM sampling inputs? As the sampling is mono anyway?
Do you have any problem with gain staging using this setup?
I don’t know if this is in topic, but I used to use a RME Fireface (very good sound) and plug everything into it (AR external outputs among others), do the mixing on the software mixer (TotalMix, it’s called). Once you’re satisfied, you can unplug the interface and go computer-less. The RME will retain all the mixer settings you made and operate standalone.
yes. kind of a send, but the mainout and headphone levels are coupled together, so only one volume knob.
no problem with gainstaging, as the individual track levels are easy to manage on every machine.
