Rytm mk2 or DT + A4 mk2

Elektron Gear
#1

This is probably a topic that comes up alot.
I have DT and DN. I also have Minilogue + XD.

I haven’t used either of the minilogues in ~6 months which tells me I don’t realllly have a need for analog poly, but A4 looks really nice :stuck_out_tongue:

I was thinking of getting a RYTM though as I’ve been using Digitakt every day, and starting to think that scenes + perf capabilities (+ analog filters etc) from the RYTM would be great upgrade.

My problem comes from the fact that RYTM has so much cross over with DT that I feel an A4 may actually bring more new stuff to the table. I could potentially just trigger A4 analog drums from the DT etc.
I’ll be sad to see DT go as it’s my first Elektron, but I think I could sell Minilogues + DT and mostly fund a RYTM. I would still be interested in A4 at some point but just leaning to RYTM right now.

Help me decide which one to get first. :smiley: :smiley:

  1. Sell DT and get RYTM
  2. keep DT and get A4

Going to sell Minilogues either way I think.

#2

You have two analog 4 voice poly synths that you don’t use, and you want to exchange them with one 4 voice poly synth. What makes you think that you will use this one more?
And why sell the DT and get a Rytm, when the DT seems perfect for your needs? What makes you think that a Rytm is even more usefull to you? Will you really need the other Features of the Rytm? What will you gain,vwhat will you loose? What is great about DT and DN?
Maybe you should rather have a look at something like Analog Heat as a partner to your DT. Analog filter ftw.
So i recommend:
3. Sell Minilogue (s), get Analogue Heat.

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#3

Thanks for the reply @pulsn

I think the performance aspects of RYTM such as scenes and perfs are what I’m interested in a lot. I’m really into performing jams on DT and recording those, but I think the current performance capabilities are starting to wear thin for me. CTRL ALL isn’t amazing for perf imo, the fill button is pretty great but it has it’s limitations!

I did look into the HEAT but couldn’t justify the cost for myself tbh. (i know… RYTM is their most expensive unit lol)

As for the logues vs A4, yea I don’t use them so I don’t really think I’ll need an A4 other than to fill the hole of potential Analog drums that I do think I’d like to explore. (maybe some mono synth stuff too but probs cheaper ways to do this)

#4

I have a Rytm mk2 and tbh i rarely use performance or scene- I just use mute and control manually the filter accordingly

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#5

Yea I think I would use those as I like the performance aspect but I do mostly use mute states on DT for perfs and some knob twists.
I have recently been using FILL and finding it limiting me too much though.

#6

Rytm has analog drums too.
Do you have a chance to test a Rytm near you, to see If the different workflow fits you?

#7

I don’ t like the AR internal sounds at all

i use mainly samples

#8

The workflow on RYTM does seem very similar to DT in some ways. I didn’t explore scenes or the perf though which is one thing. I just was creating cool sounds quickly and liked it.
The analog drums would be nice addition (and the dual vco thing is cool).
The 12 tracks instead of 8 (even though it’s 8 voices) would also be quite useful I imagine.

My local music shop offers 30 day returns on all items so I guess I could try it out.
The reason I ask is that they are also on offer atm for about 20% off as they are “display models”.

#9

If you don’t like the analog synths you currently have, don’t bother with A4. Unless what bothered you about them was their lack of depth. I used to have an AK and sold it because unless you want to spend an hour designing one sound it almost has too many options haha. It’s certainly not as quick as DN.

I’m in a similar boat to you regarding DT vs AR. I’m thinking about getting another DT (my M:S doesn’t have Overbridge and it’s really dragging my workflow down) and another DN, or else just to concentrate on saving up for AR Mk2. But I’m also thinking DT and DN is a backwards step for me (time for something new) and I really want to bend the analog engines of Rytm out of all recognition and back again with Ableton automation lanes. DN is great for drum synthesis too, of course, but 4 tracks is kind of limiting for me.

TL;DR Rytm seems your best option – or just sticking with what you have and selling what you don’t need. See how that sits for a while.

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#10

Thanks, Yea I feel somewhat time pressure as my local music shop has 1 of each reduced to clear at 20% off lol! No issues with the units, I guess they just aren’t moving them for a few months and want rid of them :open_mouth:

Alternatively they know something that we don’t and Elektron are about to announce something hahaha! SUDDENLY A SPECULATION THREAD

I do have a feeling that RYTM and A4 will see an update around October as that’s when they were last updated. (DN and DT were updated in the last 2 Junes).
It may “just” be to add Trig Preview though, as I spoke with someone who wasn’t able to confirm it specifically but said “we try to harmonize functionality like this across our product line”.

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#11

They are very expensive mistakes to make! Don’t rush it. Really decide on the pros and cons. The nice to haves versus the essential features!

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#12

Yea definitely, I did really enjoy the Minilogues but once I got DT I fell in love with elektron and began to get frustrated by the lack of depth. I have been very much set on the A4 since, however after seeing the RYTM on offer, I was then getting confused about what I wanted. So many reviews call it “the best drum machine ever” etc. And as I’ve not used minilogues in so long, I feel like I can almost get away without A4 in a way.

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#13

I personally think the Models will be updated next. Elektron support told me an issue I was having with M:S will be solved with the next firmware update, which kind of implied I shouldn’t have to wait too long. Anyway, if AR/A4 don’t suit you now they won’t suit you in months to come even with small updates :slight_smile:

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#14

I would say 8 Tracks if you use the 4 MIDI Tracks to sequence Soft Synths in Ableton.

#15

Actually I’ve been using M:S to control DrumSpillage 2. A decent enough drum synthesis plug-in but the snares are garbage, hence why I’m thinking DT or AR could do the same job and they can compliment DS 2 with their own samples/sounds (especially snares!). It’s just that AR is so expensive! So I feel OP’s pain here haha.

#16

It’s weird that you have 8 MIDI Tracks with the DT and you don’t use them to sequence your Minis. I prefer way more the Sounds of those Machines than, as an example, SCW on the DT.

#17

So tricky…
There is ALOT of cross over between the DT and AR but once you have an AR, chances are, if you still have the DT you would start to use the DT for very different tasks… (as your drums are covered mostly by the AR)… and… some of these ideas and discoveries would not come easy on the AR or A4…And some of these discoveries are where the DT shine, especially in the simplicity department…

I found this at least, and since then my DT has become integral in ways I never anticipated, until I didn’t need it for drum duties and was searching for a purpose for its Audio tracks…

Also many quick creative ideas that are easily discovered in the DT have been translated into my more complex AR and A4 workflow…
because stumbling onto those same ideas would take pre meditated performance and scene set up to find, and you are always less likely to experiment with your kits given that messing with your kits in one pattern messes with them in all patterns with that kit…unlike the digi series where you can you can mess up a pattern completely and not worry about other patterns…this makes you less precious and more willing to recklessly experiment…

Truth be told…consider keeping the DT and think of adding a DN! That is a smashing combo, Or get in an AR and wait to move the DT after you have used them together a bit…those 2 are actually a powerful combo…

If I had to choose from your original question then AR and A4 would win as a combo for possibilities alone (unless you want to control multiple bits of outboard over midi) then definitely keep the DT…

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#18

I did that too but started to get frustrated with having 4 voices but not being able to do much modulation with the individual voices, sure you can map velocity to a parameter and then just have each voice played at different velocity to sort of change the sound a bit, but yea, I think the possibilities of elektron boxes really just changed how I view other things :frowning:
Also annoyed with the lack of input for FX routing on the XD!

Maybe I just need to sit longer with DN DT combo, I’ve had this for a while. It’s a great combo but can sometimes feel like I am missing something but don’t know what. For performance the RYTM just seems well suited compared to those 2 boxes.

#19

So is it just the performance aspects that you want - rather than analog drum synthesis? Because OT could be perfect for the DT and DN combo. Feed DN the OT’s midi arp and you’ve got generative heaven too :slight_smile:

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#20

I think both, the performance is the main draw at the moment but the analog drums / filter overdrive per voice is really nice too tbh.

I had looked into OT too, started reading through manual etc to be sure and it does look really nice.
Though I think the lack of OB will potentially be annoying to me (having started with DT and now DN)

I like the idea of multitrack recording my performances into Ableton (which I use as my mixer instead of having a dedicated hardware mixer).

I know OT has many uses but one I haven’t been able to find is if it can record each of it’s 8 tracks to separate files on the CF card, in order to record a full performance worth of multitrack in order to have a mix in Ableton.

The only way I can see of doing this with OT is to record each track separately, but then this isn’t really a “performance” as much.

I know I can also mix in the OT itself but it’s hard to know if the limitations will be too much for me having come from Ableton.

If I was to sell DT I’d probs want to pick up OT eventually for the midi and stereo samples and all the other mangling/live looping etc but yea, it’s such a tough one lol

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