Octatrack Mk II and Polyend Poly 2 (transport sync issue)

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#1

Has anyone been using their Octatrack with a Polyend Poly 2 eurorack module? I can’t get mine to speak to one-another properly.

The clock sync going from the Octatrack to the Poly 2 works fine but the transport “start” message seems to be delayed coming out the Poly 2. I’ve got the clock and start/stop running from Poly 2 into Pamela’s New Workout for clocking the rack. So everything in the rack often (but not always!) falls out of sync by whatever PPQN setting I’m running. (And if I run at 1 PPQN then the clock takes a couple of beats to work stabilize.)

The Poly 2 start/stop works fine when synced from my keystep; the Octatrack similarly clocks my Intellijel uMidi without issue. So it’s definitely the Octatrack/Poly 2 combination that’s acting funny.

Any ideas?

#2

A quick search on the forum shows that a few people are doing so.
https://www.elektronauts.com/search?q=polyend%20poly

I found only one topic that reported problems with Elektron gear and the Poly 2:

#3

Thanks for the reply and linking to the search!
Looking through this, I can’t see anyone having the same issue. Will press on and update here if I find a solution.

#4

I’m thinking about pairing the poly 2 with my octatrack. Did you get the two working together?

#5

Bit of an obvious one but is your OT configured to send transport data?

#6

Nope – didn’t get the synchronous stop/start message sorted. As noted above, once the clock starts, it’s solid, but the initial delay to the clock starting is unresolved. (Luckily for me I still have my Intellijel uMidi and some spare rack space, and that works fine for OT stop/start, so I use that for that function. Not an ideal solution, I’ll admit.)

In all other respects the OT/Poly 2 pairing is great (e.g. can send OT’s LFOs as CC messages to Poly 2, which converts them to CV; can also send parameter locked CCs for synced “custom LFOs”).

And yes to confirm I have the OT sending transport and clock data!

#7

Cool, I have a uMidi in my rack currently not doing anything.

Using Octatrack LFO’s in the modular is my main reason for getting the poly 2 :+1:

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#8

Any update on this? I purchased a Poly 2 so I could use the Octatrack sequencer with my Modular. Any info would be appropriate

#9

Nothing to report, I’m afraid. If you come up with a solution I’d be grateful to hear it!

#10

I bought a polyend poly 2 recently because of the high number of outputs available. The manual was enough for me to give it a go.

It ended up being very buggy and unreliable. I wasn’t going to complain about the plastic jacks figuring I could replace them if I needed down the road.

It would miss messages all the time and have little delays and hiccups when sitting on the Home Screen. It was even worse trying to navigate anything while it was playing (which is stated can cause problems) where it would freeze up and need to be power cycled.

After reading more forums I found that people have been having issues all along and the developers (Polyend) have no intention of fixing them. Stating in a support email to a poor Poly 2 owner that the product is at the end of its life cycle and there won’t be anymore firmware updates.

They are still selling their broken overpriced feature defunct unit to unsuspecting customers unfortunately.

I was in my 15 day no questions asked return window at Perfect Circuit. Dropped it in the mail today.

Expert Sleepers FH-2 arrived as a replacement and I’m a much happier MIDI to CV device owner.

Wanted to share my experience somewhere here that seemed relevant and save you the hassle.

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#11

Do you have a few links? I was also thinking about the Poly 2 OT Pairing but that reads not good.

#12

Maybe we can help each other. I think I have the same set-up, (OT using Poly 2 to drive clock on PNW). I found that switching “Play Modes” to “Channel” on the P2 got my start/stop working fine. Dunno if you’ve tried that?

I’m trying to get my Clock synching correctly, which multiplier are you using? (sounds like that’s working for you?)

To all else reading this thread & looking to learn more about Poly2 & OT. I bought an FH-2 and pulled my hair out for weeks trying to get it to work. I gave up, sold it and bought a Poly 2. It worked within minutes of hooking it up with almost zero config headache, I’ve been pretty relieved. I just have a clock thing to debug with Pam’s. Seems like @Airyckand I had exact opposite experiences…no idea why.

As for figuring out the FH-2, I posted on multiple forums trying to get support from Expert Sleepers, and got nothing. It was disappointing.

#13

The Poly2 with PAM does not work in my experience.
There are 2 modes, as far as I can understand.
The first using start/stop + Tempo PAM inputs, I configured Poly2’s CV 11 & 12 to send tempo and start/stop. Configured the clock multiplier to the maximum, I think 8PPQM.
Pam can detect the tempo and start when the midi flow starts.
But the output timing of the PAM is totally unreliable. Checked with a Mordax DATA oscilloscope module, the BPM oscillates in the range of 10+BPM, no way.

The second using only Tempo input (freerun). the PAM starts when clock starts. Measured very similar results as the first mode.

Tried to send a gate to the PAM input to reset the midi clock, once every 4 bar, just to test. Similar unreliable result.

Tested the clock from a gate out of the poly 2 sending 1/64th notes from an MPC Live, and it is rock solid.
Tested one gate of the PAM at 2x 120BPM and it is rock solid.

But I can’t find a way to sync both.

The PPQM of the poly 2 is only 8PPQM, probably it is not enough for the PAM to stay in sync. I wrote to Polyend to ask if they could change the output to 16PPQM but they said the firmware of the poly 2 is finished and they do not intend to make any modification to the current firmware.

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#14

Ahh thanks. You seem to have tried everything. Very thoughtful of you to write it all out. Shame they aren’t going to support the module anymore. (I’m sure they’re doing better selling the other components, but too bad.)

#15

I just ordered the Poly 2 then read this. Immediately cancelled my order. How’s the FH-2 been? Looking for MIDI to CV from OT into rack.

Curious to hear! :slight_smile:

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#16

Good choice! That Polyend device was a train wreck of a module.

FH-2 has been a workhorse! I recently bought the FH-8GT as an expander for the FH-2 so I would have 8 gates/triggers as well as 8 CV ports (can be expanded to 64 I believe).

I have it wired to my intellijel 7U pallet case MIDI ports via header on the back of the FH-2. It’s very integrated and slick. Setup takes a bit but you can have multiple configurations saved that you load for different purposes (like Octatrack with default MIDI cc’s to CV ports for example).

It’s been solid as a host (USB), client (USB C to Ableton), or through MIDI DIN. It even worked with my Sensel morph w/Buchla Thunder Overlay via USB host.

I have still had a total of 0 problems with it, no regrets. I would make the purchase again without question.

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#17

Awesome! Thanks for the quick reply! Even though I ordered then cancelled the Poly 2 within 3 hours, I’ll have to wait for the refund to hit my card. FH-2 plus the CV expander it is :slight_smile:

Cheers!

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#18

I think someone was asking about the thread where I read issues (I experienced them myself) with the Polyend Poly 2 so I’ll post that here.

https://www.muffwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=221437&hilit=Polyend+Poly+2

The FH-2 is absolutely solid. There is a configuration application to help with setting things on the FH-2. It “is” complex but it works really well once you have it setup how you want it. The complexity is due to the massive amount of things you can do with it.

Once you work your head around it (OT users are good at this :wink: ), you’ll be able to adjust it pretty quickly.

Everything can be adjusted on the module but it’s easier to use the configuration application. Once you save a configuration you don’t have to worry about it anymore.

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#19

Good call here, was also going through the options again for getting OT midi into cv. Poly2 was also high on the list but it’s very big, Mutant brain is not available and I already have a very good experience with Expert Sleepers (ES-9) so I will also go for the FH-2 in one of the future rack upgrades. Good to have read this though, thanks.

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#20

Hey everyone,
I work hard on this and i found a solution !!!
On Polyend 2
–> Pitch1 and Gate1 st on midi 1 for the example
–> cv1 (for example) on clock in (for my example Pamela’s New Workout 8ppqn)
–> cv2 on start / stop and patch in run (for my example Pamela’s New Workout) set also on midi 1
–> set cv3 (for example) with cc74 (for example) and set also on midi 1
(Patch cv3 on a filter cutoff : Erica Synth for example)

And on now on OCTATRACK MKII : activate one cc (FUNC+OK) and set it to cc74 and DONE the start/stop is running and the clock is stable on PAMELA NEW WORKOUT

PS : Don’t forget to activate “cc send” on octatrack

I hope this example suit you

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