analog four- new elektron box

it sounds pretty fantastic all around... it does quite a lot in one box... and 1100 bucks doesn't seem bad at all. they will probably try and charge 1600-1700 in stores up here... but second hand it may wind up being cheap.

psr wrote:I have no clue on how the Elektron operates, i've heard they have a different workflow fore their boxes but the A4 joint is impressive.

its true - the workflow is totally unlike working with an mpc.

this is not a bad thing, just worth noting that going from say mpc->machinedrum means basically learning all over again. asides from the usual concepts like lfo, amp, etc, very little translates to the elektron paradigm.
i think this turns a lot of people off when they realise box a cannot do the exact same function box b can.

still it seems they consistently push boundaries and the way of working is actually nice and lends itself to live setups very well.

the major elektron selling point is the 'parameter lock'.
in mpc terms, this is like the 'note var' parameter that you have access to for each step in the sequence. the difference is that while an mpc uses max 2 (as far as ive seen) variations on a very restricted set of params (filter, tune, etc), EVERY parameter on an elektron machine can be set per step.

something they are touting for the new a4 is the ability to switch sound programs per step - that is nuts.

im not really believing how much power you get for this price.

tapedeck wrote:
im not really believing how much power you get for this price.

it's like they took the chemical brothers and put them in a small box.

mr_debauch wrote:

tapedeck wrote:
im not really believing how much power you get for this price.

it's like they took the chemical brothers and put them in a small box.

good god yer right
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... 13LE#t=12s

Grant wrote:Pre ordered!

dope man!

mr_debauch wrote:it's like they took the chemical brothers and put them in a small box.

Whoa, I thought I was crictical of Elektron products but you guys are brutal! What a ruthless putdown. Then again I can see people being attracted to the idea of placing the chemical brothers in a small box and burying it underground, but I would prefer to leave it there. Somehow I don't see target market future hardcore dystopian industrial doodz wanting to dig up the chemical brothers in a box, either.

I mean I know it's now a scientific fact that we are all target market future hardcore dystopian industrial dooodz who know from our little chats with our target market future hardcore dystopian industrial dood slashed wrists that somewhere out there is our drummachine sword of excalabur with which we will surely smite the evil forces our our target market future hardcore dystopian industrial dood world. The question is, would that box really have the name "Elektron" stamped on the front of it?

I may have become the resident Elektron skeptic on here but the truth is I sincerly hope they succeed in making the best gear possible and I wasn't even going to comment -- till I saw those promo vids. After that abuse I guess I don't feel the need to pull any punches. Those kinds of antics tell me that a company is putting more emphasis on image marketing and either skimping out or completely clueless about the the things that really matter like basic engineering. Unfortunately Elektron has a history for that kind of thing. I agree that the demos sound very good, but producing awesome demos was never Elektron's weak point. They're still dealing with that "poser" problem of theirs.

Here are some background posts to futher illustrate my position:

viewtopic.php?f=38&t=156352&hilit

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=89850&hilit

Glad they're doing something besides bleah DSP sound again, but they really had nowhere left to go with that and the fact remains that their first hybrid box was a disaster. I'm not convinced that the much hyped DSP boxes that came after were really that great, either.

My first thoughts on this thing --

How long will it take to fry itself?

Analog or digital EGs? -- I'm guessin' digital here. Like I said it doesn't sound "bad" but I'm not really feeling the "snap".

Machinedrum sequencer? It's OK... but not that great. If I really want the basic functionality that Elektron calls parameter locks I can get it from other gear that I'd rather have.

But hey, If you want the chemical brothers in a box why don't you just get the real thing --



K maybe that's a slight exageration there might have been one or more teeny weeny bits of outboard involved but it's all over CB and since it is one of the Machinedrum's grandaddys I think it's funny how the MD sequencer can't touch it's basic pattern remixing capability. Not that I would recommend one...

elektrik_muz wrote:How long will it take to fry itself?

i wonder the same thing - seems like a lot of finnicky electronics in an extremely compact box. maybe its solid state and more robust?
only time will tell on that one.

elektrik_muz wrote:Machinedrum sequencer? It's OK... but not that great.

amen - doesn't even touch an mpc. though the p-lock comment i dont agree with because i feel like this is really where elektron has it right, and more intense than anything else i've seen. the only comparison i can come up with is korg motion seqs and those are limited to only a few params per step, as far as i've experienced.

despite the shortcomings they are wonderful instruments to just play live with, and in my opinion very intelligently designed. they feel sturdy too which is nice at least aesthetically.

if money were not an issue, and i had many elektron boxes, i would keep replacing them if they broke.

elektrik_muz wrote:Whoa, I thought I was crictical of Elektron products but you guys are brutal! What a ruthless putdown.

what's wrong with you? chemical brothers are one of my biggest musical influences... Plus, "electronic battle weapons" is one of the best album titles ever created...

The manual is up.


http://www.elektron.se/sites/default/fi ... OS1.00.pdf

tapedeck wrote:

damien907 wrote:ooooohhhhhhhh i was wondering how the record was making different sounds for that long on that tiny of grooves.

the record looks to be playing normally - it looks like they made a demo track, cut the grooves into a rectangular medium, then played that back.

@ tiny grooves - records are amazing arent they?

really though - parameter locked analog? that's been fairly restricted to modular territory and still probably unweildy until this. of course im speculating but the p-locks are what really make elektron gear, cant see how theyd go without them, so we shoud have some nice new sounds on the horizon.

believe the rumor is going around that its DCO with analog filters. hell, an esq soungs great so why not?

i want that record player for diggin. be dope for 45's in the shop

User videos are starting to appear now.

Oh yeah this thread...

I checked the manual and not surprisingly I was correct about the digital EGs. Sounded it. Good tone, but no real snap.

tapedeck wrote:

elektrik_muz wrote:How long will it take to fry itself?

i wonder the same thing - seems like a lot of finnicky electronics in an extremely compact box. maybe its solid state and more robust?

All the Elekrton boxes to date have been "Solid state" -- unless you've seen some model I haven't that uses vacuum tubes.

The problems those boxes have has nothng to do with the components used and everyting to do with the fact that Elektron couldn't design circuits around them properly.

tapedeck wrote:

elektrik_muz wrote:Machinedrum sequencer? It's OK... but not that great.

amen - doesn't even touch an mpc. though the p-lock comment i dont agree with because i feel like this is really where elektron has it right, and more intense than anything else i've seen. the only comparison i can come up with is korg motion seqs and those are limited to only a few params per step, as far as i've experienced.

You should shop around more. There are a number of stand alone dedicated step sequencers that perform similar duties. The Spectralis 2 and even the DSI Evolver has similar functionality in an integrated synth/sequencer package.

BTW my opinion of the MD sequencer isn't based on a comparison to the linear sequencer in the MPC, it's based on the features avaliable on other step sequencers with a similar UI. The only sequencer that I feel could fairly be compared with both is the Cirklon since it's both a linear and a step sequencer. Otherwise I agree that it's apples and oranges.

tapedeck wrote:despite the shortcomings they are wonderful instruments to just play live with, and in my opinion very intelligently designed. they feel sturdy too which is nice at least aesthetically.

Not my experiece.

tapedeck wrote:if money were not an issue, and i had many elektron boxes, i would keep replacing them if they broke.

If money were no object, Elektron wouldn't even make my shopping list as I would be busy putting together a modular rig (w/real, parallel analog hardware envelopes among other things) that would KILL this box and probably be a billion times more reliable. Wouln't have to wait for any Elektron software updates, neither.

elektrik_muz wrote: If money were no object, Elektron wouldn't even make my shopping list as I would be busy putting together a modular rig (w/real, parallel analog hardware envelopes among other things) that would KILL this box and probably be a billion times more reliable. Wouln't have to wait for any Elektron software updates, neither.

roland system 700?

Detailed walkthrough of the Analog Four from Sonicstate.com with Nick, Jon and Cenk from Elektron:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO1NiOaWIHU