Hi guys!
I bought my Digitone in March this year. Now I’m tempted by the Digitone II and mainly attracted by the new machines and the 16 voices/tracks instead of 4.
However, an upgrade will probably cost me 400-500 euros. Thinking about the option of investing this money in another synth (e.g. a Blofeld) and get “more”.
How do/would you deal with the situation?
Thank you!
I’m in a similar boat in the sense that I could just stick with what I have - DN/DT2/ST and Micromonsta2, or ditch the DN and MM2 and grab the DN2. On one hand, having all 16 voices in one box with 16 tracks and all those machines is really nice. On the other hand, the MM2 is 12 voices on it’s own, or 2 6-voice tracks, with more modulation.
I do like only using 1 or 2 boxes at a time (usually the DT2/ST with MM2), but I think if I had the DN, I’d mostly just use that and the DT2 or ST, or completely standalone. I don’t have any standalone synths anymore besides the MM2 simply because I like the sequencing/groovebox aspects too much to not have them in a device.
You don’t invest in synths. In fact, it’s a terrible investment. If you frame it like so, it sounds sus and feels more like gaslighting yourself into needing something you actually don’t.
But if you really want a new synth, then perhaps just buy it. In this case, it doesn’t matter which, as long as you have the money to do so. Why not buy a new Digitone II and sell the old one? It’s obvious that it’s better than the old one and probably much better than Blofeld. Blofeld is rather old, quirky and temperamental. I “invested” in Blofeld a while ago, and it was a bad “investment”. While I liked it as a synth, I was always tempted by these newer “investment” product options.
yeah i second this, tried to use my blofeld without an editor the other day, it’s long …and i was just on one patch , imagine when using it as a 16Xmultitimbral synth.
You got me, haha! 
I actually thought about that word the longest when formulating the post tbh.
And you’re right, it is of course a kind of gaslighting and finding reasons to buy something new. But to be fair to myself, i had the Blofeld on my list for a long time and the release of the DN II has given me the nudge to fill a gap in my hardware setup - now the only question is with which synth.
I think I will have to try out the DN II soon and then decide. The only question is when that will be. In the meantime, i am open to ideas and arguments.
Thanks!
Investment can be time, learning, etc. and the reward can be enjoyment, musical development, etc… It’s not all about money…
while i agree with this, OP did specifically say “investing this money”
I missed that, stand corrected.
I have the Iridium, and i agree, sound design is much more labor intensive, but i can get far different results from it, compared to DN1 or Vital, because i can follow different recipies, and no one stops you from creating templates, i started with a Waldorf Micro Q, and sold it, still regret it sometimes, because they are so flexible.
I would suggest to create template patches, which you tweak and improve over time. Flexible is more custom, more your own soumd at the end.
(And i am very tempted with DN2 …)
I think the question is whether two boxes are actually “more” than one. You’re dealing with the bigger footprint of DN1 + Blofeld, plus learning your way around the Blo (although it isn’t hard). Then you are MIDIing them together so the DN can sequence the Blo. The biggest argument for the DN2 is the simplicity of having everything “under one roof.”
The advantage of the two synths would be that the Blofeld is an entirely different core color, a different sonic mood, than the Digitone. I personally think the Blofeld sounds really beautiful, icy and clear but not harsh. It is also a full-fledged wavetable synth, vs. DN2 which doesn’t have a lot of tables in it.
For a little more money, you can also get a sample license for the Blofeld, although I didn’t find it very useful; it isn’t really a sampler, but more a way to get some short factory samples into the synth as additional colors.
The Blofeld allows also custom wavetables, as far as i can see - so you could have your own stuff loaded, or make a prophet, moog etc kinda thing out of it. (Which is one of my top requests fro the DN2 ofc.) Parameter locking WT scans, LFO depths to WT position on the sequencer would be a dream.
You have thoroughly explored the DN and have exhausted possibilities with the current engine? The max voice count/# of tracks is holding you back that much?
Of course you can always buy a new synth… I wouldn’t consider it a replacement to an upgrade to a box you already like that has different capabilities/workflow/etc though. It’s just another synth you could or could not add.
You can still invest money to reap more gains than just the item. There is no immediate resale value on learning. (either via device, or say piano lessons/education, or enjoyment and mental satisfaction) I mean, I know what you’re saying, but I disagree with the concept personally. Just like “your car is depreciating the minute you drive it off the lot”. Which, yes, that’s generally true. However, the uses you get out of it, the enjoyment you get from it, the freedom it provides, etc. may outweigh the monitary outlay. Also, I’ve proven the car thing wrong with my last car. For the first time in my life (after owning maybe 12+ cars since my first one) my car has gone up in value while I still own it. 
Never thought that would happen. Some of the ones I owned before are now worth more, but I don’t own them anymore. 
You know you’ll be wanting that sweet shiny Digitone II.
I know that I do. I’m considering selling my DT2 for it. I love having the DT2, and it’s my absolute favorite sampler that I’ve owned/used, but I’m SO much more of a synthesis guy. While I can do some pretty cool synthy stuff with the DT2, I know I’d get more regular use out of the DN2. I also don’t feel like I need more than one Elektron currently, since my setup is only two devices. DT2 and Super Gemini now. I feel like the DN2 + Gemini would be a bit more flexible for the way I use things. I always leaned a bit more Syntakt/Digitone over the Digitakt, just because I’ve always been less a sampler guy. I just loved the DT2 upgrade over the previous Digi-format devices. (more channels, features, etc. packed into the same space).
I guess so 