Yeah hard to say. I kind of like hitting the edges of a more limited box.
OT might offer more for me to grow into but it will also still be there for me in a year or so.
Right now I’m kind of liking the idea of working with just the AR and pushing it to do more than you’d think it could on paper. 
Thanks for the thoughts yo
Nice problem to have @philroyjenkins 
I’ve been in your position and I can truly say that it depends on the person and how they work. My wife often laughs at my blood type “o” tendencies. For me, there are so many reasons I’d pick the AR mk1 Or 2 over an OT.
OT was my first Elektron box. I acquired a second in a deal for my Machinedrum because I liked it sooooo much. I always had my eye on the RYTM and then I bought one. After many a time dreaming of a more streamlined setup and getting a tighter work flow the RYTM stayed, one OT left and the other OT is currently cupboarded and in its box.
The RYTM is my dream box. It fulfills in places the OT can’t for me. Again, it comes down to a difference of opinion and truly advise you to find out for yourself to disintegrate any burning questions.
Final thoughts;
I hope this helps.
EDIT: The RYTM is my only audio output. I have been considering the repurchase of an AR and I’ve tried to fit the OT back into my set up on more than one occasion. Just one box is best for me.
Nice man. I wanted to hear from someone in the AR camp. Maybe it’s showing that I came here with an answer in mind.
Those analog filters are a big part of it for me but also the simplicity.
The Swiss army knife thing makes a lot of sense and it is appealing to pick up the OT because it would likely fill a random use case I don’t even have now but I’m going to try the AR first.
A bit more info because you struck something with me on the “focus” thing.
If we look at gear as filling a void or fixing a problem, Elektron in general has been amazing for me in terms of structuring songs. I love how dramatic yet simple changes to the fx, dropping out tracks and changing patterns can be done on the fly.
I’d rather use this to achieve variation and evolution in a piece of music than typical horizontal daw style arranging.
Anyways, I’ve gone off the deep end with sound design through other avenues over the last few years. Right now, I want to turn my focus towards adding variety and a fullness to the structure and arrangements of my jams.
Something about the AR looks like it’s just limited enough to push me into certain choices structure wise. “Only one lfo? Ok I’ll make a new pattern when I want to change what the lfo is doing and build a different section around it.”
Thanks all.
I have both and I definitely think both are capable of what you want, they are both great, the ARmkII perhaps more immediate but not quite as flexible as the OT in some ways.
On the AR MKII don’t underestimate the 2 CV inputs, you can add 2 more mod sources there and right up to audio rate too. I made a dual knob box for mine which adds really great extra tweakability, and you can also route audio into the CV ins even from the separate outputs, which is quite handy. Or you could add some modular to spice things up without losing the immediacy.
I forgot about the cv inputs. Thanks for reminding me 
Here is that knob box I made, highly recommended!
Details here:
And some more here:
I’be had both and ended up keeping the Rytm around exactly because it’s more of a “groovebox”. The workflow is much faster and it has many many quality of life features that the older sequencer of the OT lacks.
The OT is great for live performance, or crazy live resampling. Outside of that its flexible but its much harder to get a groove started on.
I’ve had an OT (now an MK2) since 2012ish and an Analog Rytm (now using an MK2) since 2014.
I’ve still BARELY used the OT and I use the Rytm 95% of times I sit down to make music. Rytm is more effective as a groovebox because it actually has very well-thought-out limitations. It feels like an “instrument” after much fewer hours of use.
Here’s the thing. If you derive more enjoyment from creating new SOUNDS and TEXTURES using samples, then OT is for you. But if you enjoy getting a beat going, getting your body moving, and then sculpting and interacting with it, Rytm is faster.
I read your original post @philroyjenkins …Rytm MK2 ALL THE WAY
Rytm is great for any of this. To be honest…if I EVER get around to using my OT more…I will probably take what I’ve made on it and LOAD IT INTO RYTM just so I can stay in the “drum machine/groovebox” environment that I work so well in.
The OT seems to have this strange stigma that it’s difficult or less friendly.
Yes the AR is simpler, and very streamlined, until you wanna back up samples along with sysex files.
I always found the OT to be simple to grasp at it’s base features, and the FX sound AMAZING, especially when you start stacking FX with neighbor tracks.
You can do tings with scenes that no other hardware device can do.
Outside of being able to plock multiple trigs at once, the sequencer on the OT is just as capable as the newer boxes.
If you spend time with the compressor, you can get solid results, granted adding something like and FMR RNC really beefs it up.
The AR really does add a nice character to samples, but the OT can give you a complete character style.
Dealing with project management on the OT is extremely better than any of the other boxes, especially compared to the AR and sample management.
Just my 2 cents, but when people say the AR sounds better, I get the feeling they mean “cleaner.”
The OT can go from clean to crazy with a much wider range than the AR.
Lastly, you have twice as many bank per project on the OT.
Perfs, Scenes on the AR are great, but with perf mode, it’s not very precise, you’re just mashing as best you can.
The OT crossfader/scenes is just out of this world fun for performance.
whoa whoa whoa whoa now… Are you telling me the AR has a functional way of achieving the FUNC-YES thing we all want?
Just to clarify. Can you preview a p-locked trig by holding it and pressing the pad? That would be bonkers
dude, sick stuff! Up to audio rates? Wow! Does it hold up well? I’ve looked into making similar boxes for some of my DSI synths but the CV in is still quantized through there system so it sounds no better than the digital LFOs at audio rates.
Total nitpick of course.
Also what kind of stuff could you achieve with the audio out into that CV in? Can you rig it as a sort of reactive feedback/envelope follower vibe?
E: just scoped that instagram post. This is sick! I really envision doing a lot of droney weird stuff with the AR but I just haven’t seen enough out there. Thanks for confirming it with this.
Seems to, I did not experiment too much with it yet but yes it can do envelope following type stuff, here is a basic example where I route the BD into the CV in, just an experiment/proof of concept but something I’ll explore further.
wow very cool concepts. Looks like a pretty usable sidechain right there.
I didn’t have a ton of use for the individual outs in my setup right now but this looks promising even standalone.
I have a Mooger LP filter with a killer envelope follower. I bet I could get something wacky going with it as well.
This thread is super helpful… I’ve been thinking to switch my OT mk2 to AR mk2, just can’t decide.
I couldn’t really gel with OT even after using it for a year, just too many intricate menu divings. Recently got DT, love it, then I found out about AR - it does feel more like a standalone groove box.
I have been using OT as just a one shot sampler in the end and feel like I am not using OT to its full potentials.
My only qualm is I can get bored with having sound engine which happened with MD. I tend to use heavily on 1 machine. But I am told with AR I get updates and sound packs, so I won’t have this problem. Plus sampling is so much easier then MD.
Still torn, half of what I make is techno but also I do make some weird experimental tracks.
do you suggest the switch?
If you’ve already had the OT for a while and it just isn’t you the choice makes a lot of sense.
That being said, if you love the DT and aren’t opposed to multiple boxes you might like a DN or the new MC to pair! Just food for thought.
yea probably going to end up with AR soon… after couple of last tries with OT. Thanks!
Yes you can. Hold down a trig and hit a pad and it plays the sound including all trig locks. Analog four and analog rytm only.
I add glitch sounds and vocals to my top 4 pads on the AR and then play them in chromatic mode and run them with lots of reverb and delay.
Both machines are awesome. RYTM ist supreme at percussive stuff. That overdrive warms more than my heart! And the workflow is awesome.
OT to me is the perfect pairing for it. Vocals, chops of them, melodies, or percussive stuff mangled with the LFOs. Great for humanizing.
I love both. RYTM is for me more the workhorse though.