I apologize, I have read a few threads and scattered forum posts about this question but I am having a hard time deciding between these two machines. Regardless of the price (I am willing to spend some more considering that I want a streamlined setup but I cannot afford to get both), I would like to just get the machine that I will gel with best and will allow me the best workflow and control over what I would like to do and something that I could have a long time and be happy with
For background, I donāt really enjoy working on the computer that much for music, but I have mostly used Live up to this point, so I am just largely looking for something that is OTB. I like playing with samples a lot, and I sample a lot of records onto my SP404 and then chop them on the computer or in the SP404. I would like to eventually be able to perform live with the machine that I buy. I have 2 synths, an ESQ-1 and a MS-20 Mini. I am looking for something to chop and mangle samples and help sequence my synthesizers. I like my SP404 but I would prefer precise waveform editing, I have a lot of trouble with everything syncing up and I do not like the sequencer that much
Here are the cons in my head of the Octatrack vs Digitakt weighing against each other with some of my concerns (based on what I have read/seen
Digitakt
-No song mode
-No sample slicing/sample zoom
-No sample backup (as far as I have read/seen?)
-Patterns/pattern chains do not save (not sure to what extent this is limiting)
-seems maybe less versatile to perform live than OT
-no time stretching
Octatrack
-Reverb/other fx are not as good as the Digitakt
-Not as many octaves to play chromatically (I believe I would use this feature a decent amount, but I am not sure how limiting the octaves in comparison would be)
-Harder to learn/less immediate than Digitakt
-some say sound is less good than digitakt (??? I am not sure on this point other than conjecture on what I have read people say)
Please correct me if I am wrong on any of these points, this is just what I have gathered since reading about these machines a few weeks ago. I really appreciate any help