Elektron Syntaktchat_bubble_outlineFrom real comments

Several experienced users feel the melodic and chord sounds lack depth compared to the Digitone, describing them as sounding like Model Cycles chords with a dark, unclear character. Some call this a missed opportunity given the deeper FM engine available elsewhere in Elektron's line.

@gavinpeters9531

Any tips on making the chord machine sound a bit more interesting? No matter what I do it just sounds like model cycles chords... One thing was doing tiny wavetable envelopes that don't loop, just for transient/body difference. \nI feel like everything either comes out model cycles (because it pretty much is in digital fm stuff), and the analog machines, filters, delay, reverb has a kind of dark unclear feel that could do with a bit of freshening somehow? I definitely don't feel like the syntakt gels well with my brain, it's an awesomely powerful box but has felt like a struggle since the beginning. New machines help a bit.launch

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June 1, 2023

@sinewaymusic

I'm torn about this one. On paper, this is an Elektron box that was almost tailor made for me (except the lack of battery operation), but there's something lackluster about the synth/melody tones. It sounds like a truly AMAZING drum synth, but the melody aspects of the synth leave something to be desired. It's like they took their least interesting tone device (Model:Cycles) rather than aiming for something a bit more sonically rich. Knowing how good you are with sound design on other synths, I'm guessing it comes down to limitations of the machines/engines themselves. Which is a shame, because the Digitone sounds amazing (but kind of sucks as a drum synth). Perhaps the analog machine with PWM can bring out some goodness though? Also, why oh why did they leave out the arp?! Especially given that the tracks are monophonic, an arp would really open up the creative capabilities. The arp on the Digitone is amazing and would be an obvious fit here.launch

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April 22, 2022

@ryanhursh6322

I’ve owned every Elektron box aside from the Sid and the Heat and would have defended them to the death but recently grew very tired of the Elektron sound (which is quite specific) so I sold my A4, Digitakt and Digitone, keeping only my Octatrack. I just bought a Sequential Pro 3 last week so I was quite bummed when I heard they finally dropped this, I’ve been wanting an all-in-one Elektron box like this for ages. I gotta say, they really dropped the ball here, this thing sounds like garbage to me. Somehow it’s worse than the Digitakt/Digitone combo… I hated the Cycles so much that I returned it 2 days later and this thing sounds just like it. Soulless af. I’ll keep an eye on the demos to see if someone can change my mind but atm I’m not even the slightest bit interest. They’ve nailed the format and workflow for sure, there is nothing better imo but I wish they’d shift focus to sound now.launch

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April 21, 2022

@geusensdriesmusic

As always: a great review! IMHO Syntakt seems to be a great \"all in one\" Elektron box with it's great sequencing capabilities. But, because of the heavily simplified controls over the sound, I kind of feel highly underwhelmed. The Digitone has a way deeper fm engine - a must with fm synthesis - and Digitakt has sampling capabilities amongst other things. To me, it would've been a lot more interesting if they'd made an Analogue Rhythm in the Digitakt/tone format. Modifiers look nice, but on the Digitone there's a modulation matrix covering most - actually a lot more - of modulation possibilities. So all in all - in my opinion - this is a missed opportunity. I honestly don't see this as an added value in my DT and DN setup, which I kinda regret.launch

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April 21, 2022

Several longtime owners of multiple Elektron devices feel Syntakt doesn't bring anything new to their setup, describing it as a grab-bag of existing ideas or a 'greatest hits' rather than an innovative machine.

@distantcomets

You're in tricky territory this week but you continue to tell it like it is! As a Digitakt fanboy myself. I bought the Syntakt on pre-order, but found it fairly disappointing and solid it while it was still hot. It is exactly what it seems to be: a Model Cycles with some Rytm Mk2 voices hot glued into it shipped in a Takt box. It's really useful for those that had neither device but utterly pointless for those of us that are working on our third cup of the Elektron Kool-Aid and are more than willing to shell out for a does-it-all-Elektron-holy-grail.launch

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April 21, 2023

@steventaylor3789

Looks like a greatest hits from Elektron with bits of the Heat, Digitone, and Rytm plus new stuff. Maybe even some ideas from the Octatrack in terms of performance mixing. Whilst it doesn’t replace those if you have them it seems like the one to go for if you’re on the fence about any of the others. With functionality beyond a groove box it’s a thumbs up from me. \n\nThere’s always something magic about a BoBeats Elektron review too …launch

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April 22, 2022

@kevteop

I have a Digitakt (which I really love) and a Digitone (which is lovely but sees a lot less use, I often end up sampling it 😂) but I don't think this one's for me. It seems like a grab-bag of groovebox ideas. I like my other Elektron boxes because they are more \"These are the features, see what you can do with it\" (especially Digitakt) whereas this seems more \"This is intended to be used this way\". 🤷‍♂️\n\nGreat review as always though. Thank you. 🙌launch

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April 21, 2022

@MattGreerMusic

I think Elektron has a real winner here. Unfortunately between the 8 other of their machines I own (ridiculous I know) it doesn't really bring anything new to my studio. But there is a lot to like here.launch

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April 21, 2022

Multiple commenters question the roughly $1000 price tag, comparing it unfavorably to buying several Model:Cycles units or other grooveboxes, and noting Elektron pricing has risen sharply over the years.

@BXLrules

Seems elektron reached out to all synthfluencers for this one. They will sell quite a few, and I for one might buy a used one for 500 bucks in a few years. But definitely not now. I just bought an rs7000, which is 20 years older but way more powerful . Elektron boxes are great but lacking innovation at the moment. Just an opinion.launch

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April 21, 2022

@Philtho

Currently I own a Digitakt and absolutely love it to death. I just wish it had a song mode. It's my only want to make it 100% perfection. Looking at the Syntakt it doesn't appear to have anything I'd want over a Digitakt. Prices also seem really weird. I got my Digitakt for just less than $500 a few years ago. How are these things double the price these days? We're almost into Octatrack Mk2 territory. \"Inflation\" as an explanation doesn't hold for that much.launch

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April 21, 2022

@dinogoldie9716

So....it's a Model Cycles on moderate steroids and with a few analog voices bolted on. Not sure how they're justifying the thousand bucks pricetag for that. For that price, I can get all the Sonicware Liven grooveboxes and still have enough left over to get a Circuit Tracks. For a thousand bucks, I can get nearly five Model Cycles.launch

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April 21, 2022

Users cite tedious editing of parameter locks, lack of a per-track ctrl-all exclusion option, and inability to copy track parameters as friction points that Elektron has yet to address.

@davidallred991

Not sure how the YT algorithm has hid your channel from me for so long but glad I found it. Quality of these videos are top of class. I have thought about getting the Syntakt. I don't have any Elektron gear but I am interested. The last two times I have considered an Elektron I ended up going a different route, for drum machine I went TR8s and then later I considered this as a groove box but went for the Akai Force instead. Really happy with decisions, but I am still considering an Elektron box. However, the inability to copy track parameters currently would be a deal killer for me, I would find that too frustrating and it is something I would want to do often. Thanks for pointing that out, I would not have known that because I would just have assumed it would do that. Hopefully Elektron will address this. \n\n One of the things that interest me most about the Electktron boxes is micro timing. The TR8s is really missing this feature. Not something I would have thought important until lots of time with a drum machine, but make enough patterns and you will eventually be wanting to push things off the grid a bit.launch

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September 17, 2022

@RDijt

I literally submitted a feature request for the DT two months ago begging for a Ctrl-Some feature, where you could option which tracks are affected by the ctrl-all. Glad to hear a larger community voice expressing the need!! It's not just a Syntakt issue, it's a frustration across all of the boxes that have ctrl-all functionality. Optioning which tracks are affected on a pattern-by-pattern basis would enable you to be much more free with your use of the feature without completely destroying the underlying groove, it's a no brainer.launch

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July 30, 2022

@MrMarcLaflamme

21:50 - this is probably my biggest gripe with these boxes. Sound locks are awesome but editing them..holy hell... I would love to see your provided solution of editing the sounds inside the pool directly. Speaking of locks, another enhancement I would gladly welcome is being able to copy a parameter locked step and paste those settings onto the track sound or pool sound. Holding the step and pressing copy will copy the step, holding a different step and pasting pastes the step with locks. Let me hold the track and paste the settings!launch

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May 18, 2022

Commenters note the absence of a master compressor left for future firmware, no battery operation, and limited MIDI polyphony compared to older hardware sequencers.

@Recloh

I don't get all the hate, looking at model:cycles people wished there was a more PRO version and this is it.\nMany people hate samples and never wanna work with them (if I wanted a new part-time hobby of ancient file management and awkward driver versions I would've kept the circuit), so when I think groovebox it better not involve managing samples. Also to me anything mono is just abnormal as stereo field is part of artistic design and expression and has been around since the beatles.\nI'm selling my Digi asap and trading up from 8 track sequencer to 12 with a bonus of a groovebox to play with.\nNo batteries is a shame.launch

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April 22, 2022

@cooptrol

It was predictable that it was going to be something with the Digis format plus an analog circuit (someone had suggestd this sharing a pic of the Digitakt PCB which has a connector for an analog circuit already designed for future use). I am a full AR user and I really don't dig the analog sounds of Elektron that much, but the forte of this machine is in the digital architecture side. A MIDI machine on all tracks is a nice touch. What is lame is that it doesnt have a master compressor, clearly left out for implementation in firmware upgrades. These policies are starting to be annoying...launch

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April 21, 2022

@Death_By_Media

Looks like a pretty comprehensive groove box . Sounds great . \nHowever Elektron and Novation both if you’re listening...please stop making such low polyphony midi tracks so that these grove boxes can drive a live setup . 8 notes was all but standard on late 80’s hardware sequencers .launch

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April 21, 2022

New and returning users describe difficulty remembering workflow after time away, and one reviewer calls it overly complex, more like programming than playing an instrument.

@Molluszk

OMG how extremely difficult and complex to use this unit. Ahh :( So much menu diving and combinations to learn and keep it in mind, and stuff... I feel it is programming all the time and not making music seriously... It is not an instrument for sure. It is a computer we can make music with. If you are a tech.... It is the same as a DAW for me. We call instrument a thing which have a damn string or keys or knobs (Like Model D so can be electronic instrument of course) or or whatever but this is ridiculously difficult and way too complex to call an instrument.launch

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May 20, 2022

@neilloughran4437

Those factory patterns in Elektron boxes are always so inventive... sounds like a great box... if I only could remember how to use these boxes after 1 week away...launch

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April 21, 2022

Commenters are puzzled and disappointed that Syntakt lacks an arp, especially since tracks are monophonic and the Digitone's arp is well regarded.

@sinewaymusic

I'm torn about this one. On paper, this is an Elektron box that was almost tailor made for me (except the lack of battery operation), but there's something lackluster about the synth/melody tones. It sounds like a truly AMAZING drum synth, but the melody aspects of the synth leave something to be desired. It's like they took their least interesting tone device (Model:Cycles) rather than aiming for something a bit more sonically rich. Knowing how good you are with sound design on other synths, I'm guessing it comes down to limitations of the machines/engines themselves. Which is a shame, because the Digitone sounds amazing (but kind of sucks as a drum synth). Perhaps the analog machine with PWM can bring out some goodness though? Also, why oh why did they leave out the arp?! Especially given that the tracks are monophonic, an arp would really open up the creative capabilities. The arp on the Digitone is amazing and would be an obvious fit here.launch

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April 22, 2022