Le beertak 
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The outside is identical but the insides are completely different. Of the three Digi boxes, the DT has the least processing power. They looks and feel the same, but their capabilities are not interchangeable across the hardware devices.
Yeah, my bad, was already corrected above. Still, it’s notable Elektron went the new box route and still didn’t go down any saas path as folks predicted. I suspect the Syntakt is the swan song of the current gen of products before the line moves into something altogether new.
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Octatrack keys, or better Octatrack Grid
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It’ll definitely be interesting to see what they do next. The ST integrates a lot of existing tech, feels like they’re wrapping a bow on their current lineup.
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They had a job posting that indicated they’re switching to ARM (current stuff is motorola dsp iirc). Also Rust instead of C++ which is pretty interesting as my understanding is that there’s not a ton of Rust support in the embedded space quite yet. I guess they have enough issues with memory management that they think it’s worth it.
ARM should give them a lot more dsp power for cheap, though I’m no expert on these things. Hopefully Rust will lead to fewer bugs and faster development.
Edit: I can’t find a direct reference to ARM in the post I was thinking of here but it does mention Linux which strongly implies ARM imo.
One of the cool things about ARM is that it works somewhat like software: you license the core that you want, and then license whatever else you want to go with that. Then you have the whole thing fabbed up as a System on a Chip (if you’ve got enough volume) and away you go.
The customization aspect has been great for Apple because they can tailor chips for Mobile, laptop and desktop, fine-tuning performance and energy consumption for each platform. They did something similar with the PowerPC architecture from IBM (G3/G4 era). Apple’s PPCs were different from the ones IBM shipped with the RS/6000 workstations, and I remember my G4 TiBook absolutely blowing the doors off of my prior premium Dell laptop. The x86 era was a disappointment compared to the PPC and ARM eras. It is unfortunate that Intel let their market dominance turn into complacency.
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A solution for looping real instruments. I mean, isn’t it obvious? No one from the guitar world has made the looper we all want. I have been waiting for 5 years. Gaurunteed massive sales. Then you would slowly pull all those bedside noodlers into the synth world. They would get a Digitakt to go along with it first. I just don’t know if it will be on the desktop or on the floor.
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It’s possible that a company like Elektron could build a system such as the Eurorack module ER-301 into a Digitakt-like box, as both Elektron and the creators of the ER-301, Expert Sleepers, are companies that specialize in the development of advanced electronic music production tools.
The ER-301 is a complex and powerful tool that allows users to perform a wide range of signal processing tasks, and it would be a significant undertaking to integrate all of its functionality into a standalone device like the Digitakt. However, with the advances in technology and miniaturization, it’s feasible that a company like Elektron could build a device that offers similar functionality in a smaller form factor.
It’s important to note that such a device would likely be a significant development project, requiring a significant amount of resources, both in terms of engineering and financial. Additionally, the target market for such a device may be limited, as the ER-301 is a highly specialized tool that is primarily used by advanced users and experimental musicians.
That being said, Elektron is known for pushing the boundaries and creating innovative products, so it’s not impossible that they could build something like that in the future. It’s always best to keep an eye on their releases and announcements to see if they come up with something similar.
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ChatGPT is a tool created for generating legal mails to companies withholding refunds. Please, use it accordingly.
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I recently watched (most) of the last Opal show and tell video from Fors. It is a shame that those machines and sequencing abilities didn’t make it into an electron box. Ess and the other fine folk over there have made something really special.
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Elektron will release digital versions of their Digi boxes for monthly subscription with a preset store for “packs”.
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Software coupled with overbridge, which records the pattern and its variations. Or a USB box! Recorded samples would be great!
Do you consider it to have a better sequencer than Elektron boxes? I’m not disagreeing, it’s an honest question.
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I haven’t used Opal firsthand so I can’t really say but the engines are really neat and there are some features to the sequencer such as ping pong that’d be a nice addition to the Elektron sequencer.
It seems unlikely that Elektron would have the sales volumes to support a system on a chip. If they were moving to ARM (and I’m not sure that we’ve seen the evidence to say that this is definite) then I’d have thought they’d just use an off-the-shelf ARM processor.
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Yeah, if korg is using Raspberry Pi’s, I don’t expect Elektron to start spinning their own chips.
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Agree - either fab economics would have to change dramatically, or an audio oriented SoC would need to be designed and offered more broadly. Even then, seems risky.
Opal definitely has some nice ideas that aren’t, AFAIK, implemented in Electron boxes yet (but in general is quite similar to the electron “way”). I like the way that ratcheting is implemented, the integration with the fx/resampling is really fun and the matrix for adjusting the way that velocity/LFO/env modulates parameters is lovely. If Opal had the hands-on interface of an electron device, watch out. I do hope that Fors starts developing interface/hardware products.
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I’d buy em in a heartbeat
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