Questions before i bought dark trinity

So, Octatrack is long time unavailable now, why? Its born 3 year ago and time to update very soon, as i see in history of Elektron products. Electron make a new version with Overbridge? I need to complete my setup, but i don’t want to spend 1,2k $ for hardware, if new version coming soon.

Elektron has claimed that the unavailability is due to a temporary shortage of parts.
Elektron does not have a history of periodic releases of updated hardware units.
Nobody knows what is coming from Elektron or anyone else in the tech world until it actually happens. If you need to complete a setup by buying an OT, go ahead.

Elektron has claimed that the unavailability is due to a temporary shortage of parts.
Elektron does not have a history of periodic releases of updated hardware units.
Nobody knows what is coming from Elektron or anyone else in the tech world until it actually happens. If you need to complete a setup by buying an OT, go ahead. [/quote]
Well the history of periodic releases is a fact just because a shortage of parts (or availability!).
Here is the timeline of hardware upgrades:

2001 Machinedrum SPS-1
2003 Monomachine SFX-6 & SFX-60
2005 Machinedrum SPS-1UW & UW Upgrade
2007 Machinedrum SPS-1 mkII , Machinedrum SPS-1UW mkII & Monomachine SFX-60 mkII
2010 Machinedrum SPS-1UW+, Monomachine SFX-60 MKII+, +Drive Upgrade & Octatrack DPS-1
2012 Analog Four
2014 Analog Keys & Analog Rytm

So far 3 hardware releases for the Machinedrum & Monomachine!

Maybe they’re bottlenecking the system so that more people buy the Rytm, Four, and Keys.

My guess is they are just overloaded. They sound like a small company, which is typical for synth manufacturers (DSI has a grand total of 10 people) Heck on Elektron’s site, they said that during the second week in July there would be no shipments because the entire company was on vacation.
You probably have a higher demand for their newer stuff (A4, AK, AR), so that’s where they are focusing their attention.
And speaking as someone who just completed my dark trinity…do it! I’ve barely touched any of my other gear since. You pretty much have everything you need to make any kind of style. Not to mention that OT is pretty frickin awesome.

Elektron has claimed that the unavailability is due to a temporary shortage of parts.
Elektron does not have a history of periodic releases of updated hardware units.
Nobody knows what is coming from Elektron or anyone else in the tech world until it actually happens. If you need to complete a setup by buying an OT, go ahead. [/quote]
Well the history of periodic releases is a fact just because a shortage of parts (or availability!).
Here is the timeline of hardware upgrades:

2001 Machinedrum SPS-1
2003 Monomachine SFX-6 & SFX-60
2005 Machinedrum SPS-1UW & UW Upgrade
2007 Machinedrum SPS-1 mkII , Machinedrum SPS-1UW mkII & Monomachine SFX-60 mkII
2010 Machinedrum SPS-1UW+, Monomachine SFX-60 MKII+, +Drive Upgrade & Octatrack DPS-1
2012 Analog Four
2014 Analog Keys & Analog Rytm

So far 3 hardware releases for the Machinedrum & Monomachine![/quote]
Maybe I didn’t phrase my response quite correctly in my previous post.
NikitaM’s concern is whether Elektron is about to launch an OT Mk2. Elektron only ever once replaced old models when the MM Mk2 and MD Mk2 replaced the Mk1 versions. The UW and +Drive were/are available as hardware upgrades to existing units. There have been no hardware replacements or upgrades for OT, AF, AK, or AR so far.
So there’s no pattern of periodic updated models (like other manufacturers who release new models every year and cease new OS releases for their old models). There’s no way of telling when if or Elektron would release an OT Mk2 or a new product that would do some of the same jobs as the OT.

OT, A4/AK, AR is a killer combo (it’s my core setup), I definitely wouldn’t wait around for an updated OT as it just may never happen. I would suspect an OS update before any kind of hardware refresh.

Since I hung a Minitaur off my dark trinity is it now called a dark trinitaur? What about when I hook my Sub37 into the chain? subdark trinitaur? :slight_smile:

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My guess is they are just overloaded. They sound like a small company, which is typical for synth manufacturers (DSI has a grand total of 10 people) Heck on Elektron’s site, they said that during the second week in July there would be no shipments because the entire company was on vacation.
You probably have a higher demand for their newer stuff (A4, AK, AR), so that’s where they are focusing their attention.
And speaking as someone who just completed my dark trinity…do it! I’ve barely touched any of my other gear since. You pretty much have everything you need to make any kind of style. Not to mention that OT is pretty frickin awesome.[/quote]

Right, but hasn’t the Octatrack been sold out for what, maybe 2-3 months now? Pretty much since the Rytm started shipping, Octatrack was sold out, then MD.

As for the Dark Trinity, it looks awesome, but not for me. I’m going for Octatrack, Machinedrum, and Rytm sometime in the future. The keys or the four just don’t appeal to me.

Elektron has claimed that the unavailability is due to a temporary shortage of parts.
Elektron does not have a history of periodic releases of updated hardware units.
Nobody knows what is coming from Elektron or anyone else in the tech world until it actually happens. If you need to complete a setup by buying an OT, go ahead. [/quote]
Well the history of periodic releases is a fact just because a shortage of parts (or availability!).
Here is the timeline of hardware upgrades:

2001 Machinedrum SPS-1
2003 Monomachine SFX-6 & SFX-60
2005 Machinedrum SPS-1UW & UW Upgrade
2007 Machinedrum SPS-1 mkII , Machinedrum SPS-1UW mkII & Monomachine SFX-60 mkII
2010 Machinedrum SPS-1UW+, Monomachine SFX-60 MKII+, +Drive Upgrade & Octatrack DPS-1
2012 Analog Four
2014 Analog Keys & Analog Rytm

So far 3 hardware releases for the Machinedrum & Monomachine![/quote]
Maybe I didn’t phrase my response quite correctly in my previous post.
NikitaM’s concern is whether Elektron is about to launch an OT Mk2. Elektron only ever once replaced old models when the MM Mk2 and MD Mk2 replaced the Mk1 versions. The UW and +Drive were/are available as hardware upgrades to existing units. There have been no hardware replacements or upgrades for OT, AF, AK, or AR so far.
So there’s no pattern of periodic updated models (like other manufacturers who release new models every year and cease new OS releases for their old models). There’s no way of telling when if or Elektron would release an OT Mk2 or a new product that would do some of the same jobs as the OT.[/quote]
I only believe this if Elektron is going to promise that within the next 12 months there will be no hardware upgrade (or next gen.) of the Octatrack. But it’s quite simple, they can’t…
Especially because of Overbridge what the topic starter mentioned!

I think eventually they will release a new hardware version of the octatrack.

I think it took off and they didn’t anticipate it’s wild popularity.

I think they know there’s a lot of money to be made in revising the OS and fixing some of the long standing issues with the octatrack. Not sure if hardware is what is needed to fix the problem(s).

but yeah, the push for the next year or more will definitely be over bridge and selling us a lot of downloadable content.

I think a new octatrack/sampler will come…but not until early 2016.

i’d say you have a solid year and a half of the octatrack …

it’s amazing…is elektron the only company making these sort of groove boxes (for lack of a better word) ?? machines with built in sequencer, multi-layerable tracks and sound banks?

Just got a response from Elektron they expect new octatracks in stock in 4 weeks.

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I think they would alienate a good chunk of their client base if they released a new Octatrack…

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Would maybe be less so if they actually finished what they started.

Meh, I’m pretty nonplussed about Overbridge.

Already doable.

Would be good.

Sure, why not. Fuck it. Put a solid state hard drive in there.

Already doable

Still waiting for the ones for the OT…

Nah, I like those :slight_smile:

Polyphony would actually be number one on my list. 8 monophonic voices is pretty poor imho.

Anyway, even if they did release a new OT, I would consider that the original OT will still see an OS upgrade with bug fixes, new features etc… because, well, Elektron are just like that :slight_smile:

See above.

I’d probably black list Elektron immediatly. :imp:

I don’t think Elektron will take the risk to release another hardware sampler anytime soon. They have already many things to address with the software side of the current one … and so much to do for their analog line !

And no one will stop you to use whatever analog hardware to process the OT as you wish, me think.

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First gen OT’s would still sell secondhand for a good amount of money if an OT MKII were released.
I’m not sure I see the appeal of using SD cards over CF cards. CF cards are faster which reduce project loading times and effectively increases how many static samples can be used at once. The addition of an eSATA port would be cool though. BYO external SSD.
The amount of tracks really doesn’t phase me. Honestly buying an OT for me was a toss up between using the four track sample playback on a Kaossilator or the OT. I went for feature overload and the OT will be more sampler than I will need for a long time. Only missing key feature for me is MIDI scene control. Seriously, how hard would it be to make the crossfader do a filter sweep?

SSD wouldn’t make a lot of sense for removable media

CF is totally fine IMO, it’s used a ton in computer gear

If they were to do anything in terms of connectivity they should look at adding an ethernet port or thunderbolt. An upgrade to USB3…too many things really…not sure why we are talking about it…it’s a long ways away if it happens :slight_smile:

While I am also fine with CF cards an SSD is basically the same thing as a CF card only much faster. The internals are for the most part the same (flash memory) and can be formatted the same. As it is you need to unmount the CF card so I don’t see any difference with using an SSD.
I would really love to see some feature completion on the OT first through OS updates. I say they should solidify this product over the next few years. They are already arguably the top or one of the top producers for a hardware sampler. They should wait out a few more years, let DSP tech continue to evolve and then deliver one bad assed upgrade. More than just Overbridge integration. Maybe analog and digital filters :astonished: ?

If they released an OT Mk II that addressed some hardware issues (like actually having 8 outputs for an 8 track sampler for example), without having an extremely low cost upgrade path for existing OT owners, they would piss off a lot of folks.

I could care less about Overbridge, SSD vs. CF, faster processor, etc. The OT is currently a very deep box with a ton of capabilities. Simply fixing bugs and fully implementing features and MIDI control would almost make it a Mk II. Sure, adding more dedicated buttons and/or cleaning up some of the more arcane menu diving and button combos would be nice, but I can certainly live with those aspects now.

IMHO you could spend 2 or 3 years solid just using the OT and still be discovering new and exciting ways to manipulate sound with it. I do believe in the OT (I own more than one of them), it’s my faith in Elektron that is waning.

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While I am also fine with CF cards an SSD is basically the same thing as a CF card only much faster. The internals are for the most part the same (flash memory) and can be formatted the same. As it is you need to unmount the CF card so I don’t see any difference with using an SSD.
I would really love to see some feature completion on the OT first through OS updates. I say they should solidify this product over the next few years. They are already arguably the top or one of the top producers for a hardware sampler. They should wait out a few more years, let DSP tech continue to evolve and then deliver one bad assed upgrade. More than just Overbridge integration. Maybe analog and digital filters :astonished: ?[/quote]
keyword, “removable” media :slight_smile:

I agree, I would rather see some OS updates right now.

Respect your opinion, but I don’t understand it.

Re. upgrade path, maybe, they did this with the +Drives on the older machines, but surely new products would have to be released at full price, how else is the R&D to be paid for?

Anyway, Elektron are an outstanding example of a capitalist business in terms of updates and support for their products, who else does the things they do? OK there are some, but they are few and far between!

I’ve certainly never experienced this before, most manufacturers of hardware don’t even update their products once or even keep drivers up to date, sometimes to the point of rendering them completely useless if you update your computers OS for example, never mind release a whole series of free updates that add significantly to the baseline functionality. I find this a very refreshing change and it is very welcome :slight_smile: If they are falling short of their own very high standards in any way it is because of an increased product line and not enough staff to cope with the increased workload, not because of a change in philosophy - to throw away all their previous hard work would be madness!

Also, they have clearly stated that the OT is not forgotten and more is to come - so, you will get an update, just not quite yet!

In all likelihood, OT will get some issues addressed, others will be left never to be resolved for one reason or another, and then a MKII will appear and those who are interested will step up, but loads of folks will continue with the original, which as you rightly point out, has literally years of study and enjoyment in it!

Shrugs… this is why I’m not sure what there is to be pissed off about?

Maybe you could explain it a bit more?[/quote]
The summary of why I and others are and would be annoyed is that Elektron sold the OT with a beta, buggy OS that still has not fully delivered the promised original features unless anyone here considers the Pickup machine to be a fully functional looper as originally promised.

Second, why would a manufacturer implement key features like timestretching and then disable it when the device was slaved? That would seem very small-minded for someone competing in a global business where many people run DAWs and have multiple pieces of gear.

There’s more, but maybe you can see my point.

It doesn’t prevent me from using the OTs, but it does prevent me from using the OTs seamlessly in my setup.