REVIEW - Option for Digitakt Hard Cover

Elektron Gear Digitakt
#1

Hey all, been lurking these forums for a little bit now so thought I’d give a little back

I recently bought a Digitakt to perform live with and now it has become an integral part of my workflow - what a machine…

I travel quite a bit to jam in other peoples studios and will be flying for gigs etc and was transporting the unit in the massive box and padding that it originally came in. Naturally I started looking for slim line covers so the unit would arrive intakt and wasn’t really too keen on paying 40 pounds for the legit cover so went searching for options.

I found a guy on Ebay who is extruding his own plastic covers and paid 24 odd pounds with shipping and it even came with a small packet of Haribo (score!). The cover arrived this morning so thought I would give my impressions on it

Protection

I was a little worried that it wouldn’t be as rigid as the PL-2 and actually messaged the seller about it but he assured me it was quite tough. The plastic definitely does have a bit of give when pushed (especially the flat section over the keys) but the little bubble around the rotary encoders is rock solid. I would comfortably put the unit and cover into a backpack and not worry about it being damaged

Fit

The cover has to be gently pressed onto the unit where the fit is snug and won’t fall off even when turned upside down. Even when firmly pressed onto the unit, there is no contact with the keys or encoders so the fit is really great.

Build Quality

There seems to be a little over stretching on the corners so it might be a weak point for longevity but the whole unit seems sturdy so I’m not overly concerned

Bonus Round

The fact that the cover isn’t see through is a real bonus for me. Not only does it look like a black storm trooper, it’s almost hard to tell what the unit is with the cover on.

Conclusion

Really happy with the cover, perfect for dust protection and general moving around. The fit is very comforting, in fact - much better than the fit of the Decksaver for my SH-01a which swims around on it.

Well worth saving the extra money but does have a slight DIY feel. If you want it to be perfect, spend the extra and get the real deal.

(I have no affiliation with this guy but was great to deal with)

IMG_1835
IMG_1835.jpg4032×3024 1.52 MB
IMG_1834
IMG_1834.jpg4032×3024 1.33 MB
IMG_1833
IMG_1833.jpg4032×3024 1.46 MB

2 Likes
#2

As a new user, it does sound very much like an advert.
I see the non affiliation statement, so just an observation.

#3

Looks good at half the price of the official cover. Messaged to see if there are plans for the larger machines.

1 Like
#4

Sorry to note on the negative side but isn’t there enough plastic waste in this world? I honestly think that a nice piece of fabric would do, especially to less mobile setups.

We are lucky to have all those wonderful instruments to play with but let’s not just add unnecessary junk.

1 Like
#5

Totally understand. This is my first unit therefore have recently joined the forum. I’m an engineer and artist - I can assure you I’m here for the music not anything else

#6

I agree - plastic is a big issue in our modern world. However, it’s impossible to entirely eliminate plastic from our world at this very moment. I carry a stainless steel water bottle with me, I use glass whenever possible, I don’t use straws and I take my own bags to the supermarket (where I try and avoid buying anything in plastic packaging where I can).

This piece of plastic is going to keep an investment in good working when travelling unlike a nice piece of fabric and I would argue that there are a lot more useless bits of plastic being put into circulation at the moment. Would I prefer it be made of something else? Absolutely

5 Likes
#7

I recently read an article about lead in the caps of many stainless steel water bottles.

#8

Interesting. I just did a search and theres a bunch of info on it but the manufacturer of mine guarantees that its lead free among other things. I think we have pretty high health standards in Australia compared to other parts of the world

1 Like
#9

Thanks for the review, I’m thinking of buying a couple as I tend to move countries a few times a year, and travelling with all my gear makes me anxious as hell every time.

Also; you’re music is dope, I’m a fan.