Worth it still to get MK1?

Elektron Gear Octatrack
41

No.

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42

No.

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43

Iā€™d say MK1 unless you need to see the buttons in a totally dark environment.

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44

iā€™d say mki unless you plan to play live with it. last time gig with unbalanced audio out , the mixer was like 5 meters from my octa and the noise floor was bad

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45

if i had the cash to update my mki iā€™ll do it right now, better audio out not only balanced but better quality ( more dbu ) , encoder resolution is far better on mk2 ( 0,00 vs 0,0 ) , oled screen vs lcd , etcc

2 Likes
46

My main worry concerning the mk1 is the longevity of the switches. Iā€™ve had two switches disintegrate on mine. I have an old unit (2011), but itā€™s never been abused. The plastic in the switches gets brittle over time. I expect more to break down, so Iā€™m gearing up for a complete overhaul. New switches are easily available, but the soldering operation is best left to a professional.

4 Likes
47

the most important difference for me is the input headroom of the mk1 compared to mk2. if you donā€™t work with the inputs, you can ignore this fact.

MK1
mk1

MK2

mk2
mk2448Ɨ106 14.9 KB

7 Likes
48

Thatā€™s the main reason I got my OT MkI.
I didnā€™t know if OT will be something I like enough to keep it.
I was ā€˜afraidā€™ of using a so expensive gear (for me) like the MkII, even used ones.

So here is the value of MkI for me : great to learn OT at low cost/risk.
When I can afford it I get a MkII, for sure, for long term since itā€™s a unique instrument.

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49

I picked up a mk1 Analog four recently (for Ā£350!) after owning a grey mk2 A4 a few years ago

Considering the absolute bargain price I payed for a mk1 Iā€™m more than happy BUT the logic layout of the mk2ā€™s is probably worth paying more for although there is no way Iā€™d personally pay over Ā£600 on any of them considering their age

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50

I just recently sold my mkI for a mkII and was disappointed that the crossfader on the mkII was getting stuck. I got Elektron to send a replacement crossfader part, but that one has the same issue, so apparently itā€™s ā€œnormalā€ and just something I have to deal with.

So it seems to me like the parts and quality control on the mkI was much better than the mkII.

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51

I have a mk2 now and the extra buttons, and better labelling really does help. I do prefer the mk2 design, but the rubber buttons are horrible once they become sticky. Otherwise, for me it does sound better too than mk1, maybe in my mind?. Plus I love the grey color.

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52

I have 2 mk1ā€™s. Bother 2011 vintage. I notice the xfader on one is smoother than the other. Could just need a clean out, though they both operate perfectly. Main other issues are the grey knobs can get gunky and discoloured. Easy to replace. Also check how wobbly the encoders are and that they have good feedback click when pressed and donā€™t skip/ghost parameters. The usb ports are another point of weakness, along with the cf card ports, which need to be treated carefully when inserting cf cards.

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54

This

And that.

I prefer MKII, I didnā€™t keep MKI after buying MKII. I had faulty buttons on MKI.

But if you find a good deal, you can do everything what does MKII with MKI.

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