Curious about Octatrack durability for heavy touring. I recently saw that Chlaer (Techno producer) switched from performing live with two Octatracks to using two Maschine+ units and mentioned that the Octas are too fragile for heavy touring. It made me wonder how the Octatrack holds up long-term on the road.
For those of you who gig and travel with it, how has it held up on the road? Have you run into any issues, and if so, what do you do to protect it while touring?
Utter bullshit. Unless you’re a carless ape that chucks your gear around like plebs throwing macdonalds wrappers out of car windows.
Ive been around the world, twice, with my OT. Played some rough gigs, rougher venues, indoors outdoors all over the place. Never had a problem. 100% solid. Always starts up, which is more than can be said for macbooks, which dont like humidity or cold starts.
A deck saver and a decent bag (mine is super padded and secure) takes care of it.
Struggle to think of more durable equipment tbh
I agree, that is why i found it curious someone who actively uses it frequently end up with that conclusion. Be aware is the mk2 not the mk1.
He says that in the comment section of the IG post.
The card reader has an annoying bit that pokes out. Be careful with that bit.
My Mk1 Octatrack has a recurring issue that makes me wary of using it live.
Sometimes the screen text starts to get garbled, or the screen is blank on boot. This is always fixable by opening the case and re-seating the ribbon cables. I keep an allen key taped to the bottom of my OT in case I need to do this.
But I have to say my OT is very old. Based on the manufacturing date it must have been one of the first batch made, ie. about 15 years old.
I know a couple of other OT Mk1 users who have had the exact same issue, with the same solution.
I’ve noticed that more recent Elektron boxes (DT, A4 Mk2 etc) have better ribbon-cable headers that lock into place. I assume the Mk2 Octatrack has those, and probably doesn’t suffer the same problem.
The OT has been main component of my live sets since it was released, can’t imagine anything more robust personally.
You can put it in a rack and get a flight case if you are really worried about it
This, plus a second CF card with identical contents.
Many forum users reported CF cards suddenly not working anymore. I experienced this myself, not during a performance but at startup. I started the OT, no „loading project“ popup, the test mode reported something about no sata. I thought I‘d have to send the OT in, but everything was fine with another CF card. So just a random CF breakdown. I‘d always take a second CF card with me, like a second fuse for an Ecler Nuo mixer.
Looks Great!
thanks
…if u r touring frequently, ur gear deserves and needs dedicated packaging…
no way around it…
a flightcase and for elektron machines a hardcover decksaver should be a given if u r growing slowly but surely into pro…
and when it comes to the ot and it’s reliabilty…i had always a second one for redundancy, in case the machine is dying on me and i need to replace it for the next tomorrows show…
but for hundreds and hundreds of shows, ot1 never ever let me down and ot2 had never to play not even once…
