OT limitations, is it worth it in 2020

“Sample a loop into Octatrack buffer, then what?”

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I picked up a Mutant Brain and it’s been a lot of fun integrating the OT in eurorack.

As far as the “in 2020” question, the only aspects of the OT that feel dated are the limited Flex memory (not really an issue) and a lack of MIDI over USB. In every other aspect it feels great to me.

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I’m not far from buying one. Checking a lot of videos comparing the DT vs OC and my only concern, and this is where it can be outdated to me, is the quality of the sound and FX. DT is more hi-fi quality than the OT.

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If I remember correctly the DT has an added boost in the high frequency. You can easily do this with the various EQs on the OT. The OT sample playback is crystal neutral.

Re fx OT has fx per 8 tracks visavis one DT send blah blah blah

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You will not regret at OT purchase unless you are impatient in wanting to learn it. It is the single most rewarding piece of gear I own despite its limitations. A classic for years to come IMO.

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So this has been talked about at length on this forum.

I even did a shootout.

And while that shootout gives you an objective comparison to study, there is also the subjective and practical comparisons to be made.

Something I’ve learned this year, while really digging into using the OT by itself, is the newer Elektron Reverb algorithm is not at all missed when I am using the OT. It really does depend on how I’ve set up the Part for the tune I am making.
Of course YMMV, but again this is my own experience in practice, a plate reverb on a drum sound here, a dark reverb on a lead synth sample there, perhaps even some reverb that already existed on the sample I imported from Reaktor, and I don’t find myself needing that more dense modern Elektron reverb often at all.
When the tune does need a little more, a carefully crafted dark reverb on the master track FX2, with HPF and LPF dialed in meticulously almost always does the trick.

The variety of reverb algorithms, combined with the ability to use up to 8 of them at a time, each with different parameters and effecting different frequencies, modulated by dedicated LFO = complexity.
Even only 1/4 of this complexity more than makes up for that added bump of density the modern Elektron reverb has over the OT’s dark reverb.

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Quick question, what is max midi note polyphony per step?

if i remember correctly 4

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I often thought the complaints about the OT reverb were overblown. Glad to know I’m not alone. The only type of reverb I like that I cant get out of the OT is a shimmer.

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Yeah, I use differently set up reverbs across my OT quite often, nicely glues everything together and lets shine individual tracks easily.

Also it’s always possible to use external fx.

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what Jay said is right… after more than 10 month i just turned on my OT and tried to transfer the sounds and pattern to the MPC Live … what a difference and what i archived with the OT… although the FX on the OT are somehow more LoFi, they improve the sound a bit over there and over there

i really like the combFX and the darkreverb, not bad at all, also the delay

i see the FX not as an extra unit, but more as an integral part of soundshaping the samples

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Yep, 4, notes (one root + 3 offsets), but multiple tracks can be used to output midi on the same midi channel if you need more than 4 notes.

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Exactly. The end result is more personalized to the producer and less distinctive to the tool. Because you have not only the various sounds changing the character, but also the various reverbs and how you use them.

My A4 and Rytm tunes were all washed with the exact same send reverb, and after a while began to sound too distinctive for my tastes. OT gives me more dimensions to explore, and that is why (to keep it on topic), even with the limitation of no “Supervoid” reverb, it is worth it in 2020. :slight_smile:

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I sold my DT in favour of an OT (mk2) last year and I have zero regrets. Love the Digitakt for how immediate it is and just how much fun it is to program and play, but the way you can sculpt sounds on OT is so amazing and also a lot of fun (even though it’s not as immediate).

I liked the compressor and drive on DT, but I thought the reverb and delay effects sounded a bit like they were too much for the drum samples I was using. Yes they are more modern and hifi sounding, but somehow I couldn’t get them to really blend with the samples I used them on in the way I’d have liked them to. Now, that’s just drums I’m talking about cause on guitar or synth chord samples the DT reverb sounded very good.

Sure you can hear the OTs effects are a little bit older, and it’s a matter of taste of course, but I wouldn’t call them outdated. On drums it’s actually a kind of sound I like better. Dark reverb is really good, the EQs and filters I think are great, some spatializer and a compressor on the master go a long way. And if you do want that super modern reverb or delay sound on one of the tracks, why not route it through the cue out, into a nice stompbox and then back into the OT?

if you are a hardcore user you can hook up 24 midi-lfos for one external synth on one midi-channel

madness

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if you are a hardcore user you can hook up 24 midi-lfos for one external synth on one midi-channel

I don’t understand how we can do this but can’t have midi scenes :smiley: I’d happily sacrifice an LFO for each midi parameter that I want to control via scenes. Surely that wouldn’t overload the midi buffer or whatever the reason is?

I think with this particular thing, (no midi scenes) it feels like something I’d miss. Perhaps not though.
I am diving into my DT again exploring the fill button and all the possibilities for performance,
This is with the hope that if I run out of possibilities for a single button and some knob twists, I can really have an excuse to get a box with “scenes” - currently I just think it looks cool but dno if I “need” it.

Speaking of lfos…OT has the lfo designer! :wink:

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Thanks ! That was enough to justify the purchase of an Octatrack !

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I like the cut of your jib!

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like the MIDI ARP, yet another sequencer inside…

y0 dawg, sweet octatrack you got there

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