Syntakt II speculations

wavecircle · 2024-10-25T12:42:19.783Z

They had little issue porting a sid emulation to the Monomachine, surely there must be someone at Elektron who can navigate in C?

Didn’t Ess build the digitone engine in Max? That was then converted to hardware so the people there have some degree of skill.

JoyrexJ9 · 2024-10-25T12:43:14.583Z

I very much doubt SY CHIP was ported from anything

EDIT: I’m not doubting anything about the skills at Elektron, in fact I’m in awe of them, but my point stands - porting stuff is hard.

Source: I am a software engineer

Zac · 2024-10-25T12:43:46.154Z

I think a Syntakt II is inevitable. It could quite easily be elektron’s next machine IMO. Even though the Syntakt isn’t that old we’ve already seen with the e25 editions that Elektron have no qualms releasing updated machines soon after an older version.

This is just my opinion.

yoyz2k · 2024-10-25T12:44:50.161Z

Hippertronics:

they are transitioning to a new software platform and it makes economic sense to stop development on the older boxes and concentrate resources on the new platform.

What is this new software platform ? I hear that regularly and there is no proof that this exist. And rust is not a software platform. The only fact is they use today in DT2 and most probably DN2 an additional SHARC ASIC in addition to the coldfire CPU. Because it allow to offload load of computation to this ASIC.

And this ASIC might be there new solution for giving lots of power to there digital box. MachineDrum, MonoMachine and OctaTrack used also an additional ASIC to there older coldfire, the DSP56300 also found on various Novation, Virus, Nord synth.

So I would bet this SHARC to stay here for probably 10 years and be included in the next OT or similar box. But I don’t see them getting rid of a full analog line of products. Because if you have those skill in the team you can definitely do some high price product using those Analog technology. And analog/digital does not offer the same sound and set of features. So that’s useful for them to keep both.

Gral_Kerkila · 2024-10-25T12:45:43.013Z

yes that’s why I continued that the Syntakt is definitely of value, just not sure how an “All in one box” II would be a viable business decision, if they decide to double things and make them much more in depth. Would be too powerful for other boxes to sell well. But as it is, with maybe some sampling or at least sample playing added, it is still a very viable option. The addition of euclidian mode, page loop, it seems Elektron does not mean to update the hardware any time soon.

alechko · 2024-10-25T12:46:12.920Z

it’s not

This tutorial on the new SY Chip engine is insane

SY CHIP is by no means a complete simulation of a SID - or the 6510 assembler programs in a C64 controlling it - but it can do a lot of things that is typical for many of those songs.

This tutorial on the new SY Chip engine is insane

The oscillators in the SID are actually digital, while the filter is analog. Something I think is fun with SY CHIP is that it is utilising the analog voices of the Rytm to create some of the sounds, which gives it a nice edge to the competition.

I’m not sure if it was ported from the SID Station to the MNM though, could be

bibenu · 2024-10-25T12:50:25.709Z

yoyz2k:

I hear that regularly and there is no proof that this exist.

No there’s no proof. But @cuckoomusic, who you might expect to have a close relationship with Elektron, referred to it as that, pretty much. And the recent recruitment of rust developers and significant changes in the hardware (I understand) all contribute to that picture.

But from outside side the company, you’re probably never going to have proof.

yoyz2k · 2024-10-25T13:07:20.681Z

bibenu:

No there’s no proof. But @cuckoomusic, who you might expect to have a close relationship with Elektron, referred to it as that, pretty much.

Yeah I fully agree with you, and I remember this video where Cuckoo speak about that. Not to say that Cuckoo is wrong or the guy from Elektron which say that is also wrong. I’m nobody to say that.

But it would be really bold from Elektron to rewrite the whole operating system from C with a bit of assembly (most probably) to Rust AND add a new ASIC on top.
It’s a full operating system with years of polishing.
Nothing is impossible, by the way, but nothing say that those rust developers were hired to work on embedded platform, could be used for overbridge or working on a new embedded system like Tonverk.

And it’s also possible Elektron is thinking of moving from Coldfire CPU as the brain of there system. I mean it might be possible to find ARM CPU which provide a better alternatives price/perf and those rust work on a next/next thing for OS running on a future CPU….
What is sure, is if they want to get rid of the main coldfire, then they can change the OS which mean, yeah we can go full rust.

bangonadigi · 2024-10-25T14:21:36.130Z

I just don’t see the need for a Syntakt II at this point. I think it’s a different type of machine that’s focused on immediacy with some tweakability. The only thing that would justify a 2 would be adding sampling capabilities and I don’t think Elektron would do that as it would cannibalize DTII sales.

I could see it eventually being a bit discounted compared to the II models and replacing the Models as the main Elektron gateway drug device. For people who want super deep sound design or sample mangling the DN II/DT II exist. For people who want a more immediate and straightforward experience Syntakt, with hopefully some incremental upgrades over time, fits the bill.

Tchu · 2024-10-25T14:54:47.796Z

We will see Tonverk way before ST II.

alechko · 2024-10-25T14:59:07.881Z

wanna back it up with “I’ll eat encoder on live stream” statement?

Tchu · 2024-10-25T15:03:35.475Z

Sure.

alechko · 2024-10-25T15:04:04.382Z

I’m bookmarking this

Noisebuddy · 2024-10-25T15:38:21.804Z

I would welcome a ST2… small, better portable than my AR, but let’s see what they have in their pockets

Feature wise:
third LFO
compressor
advanced kick engine (wave morphing for example sin>tri, sin>squ)
simple but powerful digital EQ, even on the analog voices
12bit sample layer
fx block from DT 2

just imagine

Raskal.X · 2024-10-25T15:58:33.622Z

Azzarole · 2024-10-25T16:31:04.493Z

Tchu:

Sure.

Let’s please spice things up a bit. How about eating an MD cog wheel? Or a models power handle?

OneJohnFourTwelve · 2024-10-26T03:44:26.147Z

Tchu:

We will see Tonverk way before ST II.

This makes sense, actually. Or maybe a HW update to their other devices.

The FW 1.30 on Syntakt that brought in the Euclidian sequencer (aside from a generous number of machines) as a feature puts it closer in league to DT2 and DN2. (I understand DT1 and DN1 do not have this type of sequencer as a feature, please correct me if I’m wrong.) Elektron might be content with ST being part of the V2.0 Takt/Tone trinity for now.

jaekae · 2024-10-26T06:35:46.385Z

Think its very likely they quite fast update to the new 128 step platform, make more sense for a company to manufactre parts for less ”platforms”
And think st2 will be much smaller upgrade than dn2 and dt2 was
Probably just 16 tracks instead of 12, and some new ”machines” 128 steps and those shared II platform feautures like trigmodes etc

mleaf · 2024-10-26T07:17:44.540Z

Do you think updating the Syntakt just for 4 more Page LED’s is worth a STii, though? It would have to expand in some other way, I’d think, as you say. It’s already a pretty well fleshed out beast, so yeah any additions, not sure if it warrants a new box.

I’m probably on the same page as Tchu, the Syntakt will just chill and the Tonverk will arrive to eat its lunch.

snake-soap · 2024-10-26T07:34:42.154Z

I don’t see a Syntakt II coming very soon. There’s still a lot of life left in that box and a lot of profit left for them to cash in on new purchases.

Used prices of Syntakts are still high whereas the DN and DT fell off the map last year. I use that as an indicator. But who the fuck knows with Elektron.

Anyway, why bother with a Syntakt II when you could have an OT III?