The OT is still one of the best pieces of gear I’ve ever owned. Ironically, for all it can do and for the far less feature-rich things the Rytm can do, I still prefer the Rytm. I don’t require much in terms of features, but I’m very specific, and the Rytm just happens to tick those boxes. For example:
Sound - The OT sounds great. The Rytm sounds spectacular.
Filters - The OT’s filters are average. The Rytm’s are great.
Performance - While the OT has its scenes and other stuff going on for it, the Rytm feels more like a tactile instrument to play with live.
Effects - The OT has plenty of them, most of them good. The Rytm has few, but they’re are top notch and as a consequence, always usable.
Chromatics - The OT has it. It’s okay. The Rytm has it. It’s a lot better. It suits my keyboard mind.
There’s so much you can do with the OT, it’s a lovely instrument and it’s unique in ways that the Rytm will never be. I’d like to see a fusion of the Rytm’s qualities in terms of interface and audio, with the OT:s take on structure and composing.
The two philosophies of those machines combined into one, would make for a legendary piece of gear.
And also most likely hurt sales for Elektron, since you’d have fewer reasons to own more than one of their boxes if this happened.