Octatrack FX kick ass

I totally get that with Adam, but I think it’s just because he has that stern yet opinionated professor type deal going on.


Mod Edit : Not the Adam from the post preceding this one, to avoid confusion : >

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I think the issue with it’s quality as a sampler comes down to comparisons with classic 12 bit samplers which rough up their samples in a pleasing way. The OT is pretty transparent, what you put in is what you get out, minus some volume, which if anything is probably why people complain, because quieter usually sounds less punchy.

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This is interesting. After listening to them, i thought the DIST on the Filter is the same as on the Lo-Fi effect. I should have another listen, maybe i’m wrong.


I also don’t get the complains about the effects, i like and use them all.

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Yep… wet / Dry individual controls would help quite a lot. I find they are better on some material than others also. Hard to predict though.

My main complaint with OT fx overall, is

  1. lack of slots
  2. delay/verb only on 2nd slot (sometimes I want to put a flanger or filter after my verb or have delay going into verb
  3. lack of routing (i wanna make fx buses, other than master - the sort you can do on monomachine)

The reverbs can sound meh compared to nice boutique verbs or the newer elektrons, but they aren’t meant to stand alone, and usually just need a little filtering.
The Elektron consistently does a bad job with their BR/SRR algos, in my opinion, but the OT one is one of their better ones, and I use the Lo-Fi fx quite a bit, especially the ring mod/amp modulation on vocals.

Plus the most important thing is those Fx matched with the fader and the scenes, makes the OT one of the best live Fx boxes out there, even if it’s not doing any sample or seq duties, it’s almost always part of my rig as a mixer/fx box.

Edit: would really love if Elektron made a performance mixer Fx box. 8 inputs, 4 outs/sends. super routable signal path, filter, eq, fx slots on each channel. lfos, seq with plockable parameters. Would be amazing, and pretty unique in the market.

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You, me, and the majority of Elektronauts :wink: But don’t forget the linear multitrack audio recording too! :joy:

Back to OT fx, the spring and plate reverbs do a pretty good approximation of their real counterparts, they sound trashy and nasty as hell, delightful!

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When you have effectors from brands like Strymon and Eventide at your disposal, the OT fx might sound pretty “meh” at first. But it’s comparing apples and oranges, really. We can’t expect Eventide or Strymon quality for each of the 2 stereo FX/track on 8 tracks simultaneously on a +/- 1100€ sampler. IMHO, for the money, a OT does a hell of a lot of stuff in a more-than-satisfying way.

One can always use some additional external FX if required.

The only thing I regret, processing-wise is that there’s no EQ-per-track independantly from the FX. Somethimes I just want to roll off some bass to clear stuff up and then I need to sacrify a FX slot. That’s a big sacrifice for a small adjustment.

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,comb filter with suitable root note tuning fixed on percussions…jam .the send level with the slider…or the tune ratio…is one of my most used trix through out all the years i’m using this machine…make the drums sing along…

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Personally think the OT’s FX are a bit plain, much prefer the FX on my Yamaha, Roland and Korg keyboards.

I’ve used an Octa for several years before selling it. Then I bought a MKII, for two hours.

I just… The reverbs, to my ear, seemed not up to scratch. I did like Dark Reverb when I last had the machine, but revisiting it didn’t go too well.

Still kind of miss the OT, so this was a downer.

Yamaha, Roland and to a lesser extent Korg (owned by Yamaha) all have been producing professional FX units for decades so there’s quite a bit of in-house knowledge and a solid code-base available. I’m not saying the Elektron team doesn’t have the skills, they sure have proven to be highly innovative but it sure might help if you have your own patented algo’s , coded in assembly language for high efficiency on embedded processors , ready to be integrated in any product you might launch.

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Plenty of small, even one man, companies knocking out great sounding VST FX (e.g. Valhalla) so not sure that is a great excuse.

Personally would be happy to sacrifice FX modulation for a better range of FX, but that is not the Elektron way.

yeah i love OT FX and it seems like i get better at them everytime i use them. I have also been using neighbor tracks to extend my FX on external synths like my Gamboy Advance or Sega and it sounds so lush now! also i feel super in control of my FX all the time with quick access to the knobs and being able to use the push encoders on the knobs to turn shit off or swell it up when needed. ///ranntt i love my OT!

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EQs and comb filter are legit , feedback on comb filter can get sweet and i use both Eqs to record loops from a Gameboy Advance or DS lite running nanoloop 2.x and by the time im bouncing back chords into the OT they are loud and have EQ and then i throw like reverb, chorus and delay and FX it up! then mapping the filter to 3 LFOs can make some sweet chord movement. :alien:

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SRR with v low intensity and an LFO bringing in a little more makes life in yr track. Using a 2nd LFO on the 1st makes it even more alive.

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I really like Filter, Comb Filters, Compressor.
EQ fx can be efficient too.
I also use LOFI, but it needs plocks, lfos.
I prefer to modulate delay on Chorus / Flanger.
Anyway fx plocks / modulations make them much more interesting. Plock fx types would be great.

I can’t find Dark Reverb great. But I use it, unlike other reverbs.

My case too, especially Eventide Space, Strimon Timeline. I had several if them, sold them, regretting Space I have to buy again, but I recently bought a Line 6 HX Stomp, so I hope I’ll be able to extend fx possibilities.

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Dark Reverb reminds me of an old desktop Yamaha unit I had years back (REX50 IIRC) and I really like it, I think it definitely needs to be carefully dialled in to get it sounding right - and you guys are right - it is never going to compare to a dedicated high end reverb, however of the 3 OT reverbs it is the “nicest” sounding I think and can be used for general reverb duties more suitably than the spring and plate, which I also like but mainly for character/trash :wink:

I tend to roll off most of the bottom and the highest of the top for general room/hall duties, and set a longer time with less send rather than short time with more send, I also like to use it on bass drums to give a nice spacey “shell” I dial the high end right back and have a bit of damping, sounds very nice on more sparse/minimal tracks.

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I guess I think if the OT has no fix at all it would be worth the asking price, but I use the fx a lot. I do often route my GFI Specular Tempus via cue out if I want bigger fancy pants verb/delay. Yet another great feature of the OT :slight_smile:

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Good advice here for reverb in general.

Also I must be crazy but I can’t be bothered to set up external FX and routing them as sends and all that stuff. I’d rather just relish in the convenience of onboard FX and their malleability. In fact I don’t have any outboard gear other than three guitar pedals which stay strictly with my guitar rig… DAW playing is all ITB, again because it’s just super convenient.

I just can’t be arsed to spend $400-$500 on a dedicated verb or delay unit… Even if it does sound really good.

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OT Fx are very important to me but I can’t say they are great. Edit : I think filter is really good.
Not clearly stated in the manual : reverbs are monophonic.
False stereo. Easy to test with a 100% wet reverb and a full panned signal.

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