Samples on Rytm compared to Digitakt

I’m very close to buying a drum machine and have always liked the analog power of the Rytm. Now that Digitakt is available I’m reconsidering and also like the idea having a powerfull sampler. So my question is, since the Rytm can also run and modulate samples, how different is this part from the Digitakt? Do the sample capabilities of the Rytm come any close to the ones of the Digitakt?

I already own a DSI Tempest, which is a great machine, I’m just not satisfied with the kick…Also have a Jomox Xbase 888 with its enormous kick, but never liked the live performance capabilities. So my idea was to sell the Jomox and get either a Rytm or a Digitakt (loaded with Jomox Samples;).

Any thoughts on this – especially sample handling on both elektron machines?
Thanks!

Well I do still have the Tempest for a lot of drum sounds, it’s just a fat kick I’m missing, that’s why the Rytm was my first choice. What i like about the Digitakt though, is the possibilities of creating unexpected sounds from random samples. But AR can also play and modify samples, but is it any deep as the Digitakt?

Buy this, all the kicks you want.
Love it.
That is, if the Tempest is a keeper you can sequence your BDs with this.

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You can definitely get a lot of wild and unexpected stuff out of samples in the Rytm. You just have to prep a little and load. With start values from 1-120 and no decimals it’s tough/impossible to dial in a start point with out preparing the sample to an exact BPM in your DAW, but if you don’t care about that you can do some REALLY cool stuff with samples.

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…yeah the Digitakt is based on the Sample engine of the RYTM.

it’s really powerful and you can do most of the DT tasks (without sampling) and the Granular stuff because rytm is missing the start/end movement thing.

…+ you’ll get Analog voicing which is uncontrollable fun. :slight_smile:

i hope they’ll update the RYTM in the near future with midi tracks and the missing sample options.

it’s a bomb.

I#ve recently build a new project called Digitakt DIY to come as close as possible to the digitakt performance while waiting for videos of it.

Its a damn good drummer. (rytm)

Samples in AR get a lot of power through the Analog Filters and Drive (although what i heard from Digitakt sounded also great).

AR is not as flexibel when it comes to the start/endpoint of a sample… here the digitakt seems much better. Also if you want to record things directly into the machine, the sampleedit/recording is cool at digitakt. On the other hand the pad modes on AR a great to easy modulate the sounds live… on digitakt you can do that with parameterlogs…

General: i would use both machine just for short to medium sounds (like maximum 2 seconds)… on AR it takes a long time to upload them (and backing up is a real overnight-thing, so cant quickly change the soundpool. 1 GB is great for drums and short sounds, but if you use long atmosphere or loops, your storage is full very quick)

digitakt: Also great on digitakt is the possibility to sequence 8 miditracks… so you could sequence the Xbase also from the digitakt… i did that with my xbase09 and the octatrack… if you parameterlock things on jomox, you get crazy stuff coming out.)

all in all: if you dont need another analog soundengine for drums (tempest even has more options for synthesis than AR already) i would try the digitakt, if i where you… :slight_smile:

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Rytm’s VCAs and analog filters (with so many filter modes) are determining factors in what has kept Rytm in my possession.
They make bad samples sound good and good samples sound great.

In fact, I think they’re good enough to merit the additional work of importing samples (though SDS Drop for Mac makes it damn simple).

Without the warmth they impart, I’d have traded it for a Digitakt

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yeah they sound very different… even a clean sample with default settings (open filter) gets some noticable color on the Rytm (this is not audiophile mumbojumbo - it really is immediately noticable). If the sample volume is above something like 60 I think, there is already some soft overdrive happening… the overdrive sounds very, very different, as does the filter.

On the Digitakt, everything is a lot more clean, including pitching a sample up/down and the bit reduction effect.

Dunno, but it seems the digital sound engine in DT runs on higher bitrate/samplerate internally…? it’s also quite noticable on the delay/reverb FX.

It’s far easier to get gnarly, crunchy raw sounds from samples in the Rytm, and far easier to get cleaner hi-fi sounds from Digitakt.

(haven’t done a one-to-one comparison with the same sample on both machines yet - would be interesting to see it in a 'scope)

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Rytm also has great distortion and compressor, which let you get some really unexpected sounds out of samples.

Combining samples and analog machines gets great kicks.

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I own both and these days i love to prepare loops on the rytm, that gives me lot of versatility , and then sample them in the DT , where i can add some twist.
I think they work nice together.
If i would play mostly sample based i would grab the DT , very fast and intuitive.

Thanks for your opinions! Still a hard decision though. Of course an analog drum machine is great to have, but there is my Tempest I can use. So maybe i do go for the DT…On the other hand, AR is both, sampler (of course without recording) and analog drum machine AND has a huge kick of course. But again, I can use my sampled Jomox Kick in DT.

I guess I would have to try them both and not only in the store for an hour. Gotta have them in the studio for a couple of days/weeks, in order to know in the end.

Rytm can modulate sample parameters with scenes and performance macros, velocity, and aftertouch… You can do things like change the start and end point at the same time each to its own variable amount dynamically by applying degrees of pressure on a pad. :ecstatic:

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I own both a Rytm and as of last week a Digitakt. In my opinion sample sound quality/playback sounds far superior on the Digitakt.

That’s not to say that the Rytm doesn’t have its charms. Samples on the Rytm get coloured from the offset and sound nicely squashed/saturated (due to the analog overdrive/filter audio chain). If you are into making somewhat dirty, analog flavoured, lofi tracks this may be for you.

I must say that I prefer the “hi-fidelity” playback and live sampling on the digitakt. I don’t know what Elektron have done but the sound engine is incredible. The send FX sounds clearer, crisper and 3 dimensional when compared to the Rytm. The Rytm shines in its analog drum voices but doesn’t compare when it comes to sampling. The envelope shaping is way smoother and snappier on Digitakt too. Start/end point and loop controls are more useable on the Digitakt with more granularity.

Also, I am willing to put it out there that I prefer the overdrive on the Digitakt than the Rytm. It’s cleaner and less destructive :slight_smile: (if that is what you are after).

To summarise I really really like the Digitakt and haven’t made music this quickly in a long time!

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Agree with above. Rytm’s cool. Digitakt sounds amazing.

Just got a very good deal for a used Rytm (1.040 EUR). Now I’m definitely gonna try and sell my Xbase 888 and hope the Rytm will please me not only with its analog capabilities – I’m sure they’re impeccable – but also with its sample handling.

how bout some levelmatched A/B demos then, hmm?

stereo samps thru both machines (so two voices, hardpanned), samp vol at ~60, full master section bypass.

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Good thread this one, glad that I went with the Digitakt. Sounds really good.