According to the specs the A8R samples with up to 192 kHz and processes audio internally at 32 bit. This supports extrem pitch/speed modulations almost without artifacts. This is - technically speaking - above most samplers on the market and highest quality. But compared to the Morphagene the important question would be, which of both sounds do you like best, or which is better suited for your musical ideas.
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Apologies for resurrecting and hijacking this thread for my own general A8r vs OT musings.
I had pretty much decided on an OT, but now Iām quite heavily leaning towards the A8r.
Big factor for me is that I have a cirklon with CVIO. I have no need for the OT sequencer. I have a RYTM, and used to have an A4, so I know the elektron sequencer and how great it is, but I gel much better with the cirk. I also therefore donāt need the midi sequencing of the OT.
I think I would be mainly using the sampler for generating ambient/evolving/abstract/rhythmic soundscapes etc. Unlikely to use for sequencing beats (although might well use for processing drum loops generated elsewhere).
Things that appeal about the A8r: seems like the sound and dsp is amazing. Extreme pitch shifting and aliasing etc. are really appealing to me. Can resample, do sound on sound. All that fun stuff. Phase mod sounds interesting, although maybe needs some serious skill to get good sounds out of it. I have a moderate modular setup, so have lots that I can feed it with, plus some filters and other effects to process the output too. Donāt think there is a limit on sample time. Would have a solid chunk of change after (~Ā£250) vs OT
Things that appeal about the OT. Complete focussed package. More filters, LFOs, envelopes. 8 stereo tracks vs. 4 stereo/8 mono on the A8r. Scenes.
Thoughts?
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I would like to ask a slightly different question: is it make sense to use together and sequence Assimil8or with OT or DT? Is it hard to use all CCs to midi? Do one need to set it up each time, or just make a template once and then use it? Is it a good pair for using it live on stage (is it predictable and ācontrollableā enough for live?).
Is the sound quality and all features āworthā the price and complexity of such a setup, or itās easier to get something like Maschine+?
Iām wondering why Dave Rossum doesnāt make a stand-alone version of Assimilator with a sequencer, mixer, filters etcā¦ basically an OT with his magic engine. Would make a lot of senseā¦
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Would be nice, although it sounds like heās a big fan of the eurorack format.
Nice recent interview with him here and they talk a lot about the design choices behind the A8r.
http://jamielidellmusic.com/ep-77-dave-rossum
Really am leaning heavily towards this as the frontrunner over the OT.
Thinking about all the ways I could integrate it into the system, and how all the individual outs could pair with other modules etc.
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Iāll chime in here, long time OT and A8 user. Ended up building a 208hp rack around the A8 that has replaced my OT. Eight sampling channelsā¦ analog oscillator, filters, distortion, and mixingā¦ FH-2 for midi sequencing and modulation. I would love to get my hands on a Cirklon.
The A8 sounds amazing and there all kinds of FM and phase modulation possibilities. Sweeping the pitch on a kick or single cycle is very satisfying. If you are interested in modular and sampling you canāt go wrong with the A8.
Hereās a minute from last year, all sounds are single cycles coming out of the Assimil8or.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-7tmtHhbNx
We canāt easily post IG on this forum?
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Nice!
Looks like a Xaoc Zadar in there too. Thatās where I was thinking the spare Ā£250 might go. I bet theyāre a good pairing.
Nice to hear that you donāt think 208hp is too small for the demands of a module like the A8. Mine is a 7u 104hp intellijel case, so should be on a similar track.
Lots of possibilities with zadar, but itās very menu divey, lots of scrolling to get what you want out of it.
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And a couple of FX ā¦ I would add ā¦ 
Again itās about the workflow intended ā¦
I use both, OT and A8R for very different reasons.
The OT is a great performance machine, which the A8R canāt be as is. Even a lot of modules to support the A8R canāt create a machine, which has the sound features of the OT combined with the typical Elektron sequencing capabilities. Just having all those parameter-locks at the finger tips, saving and recalling pattern and projects is the strength of the OT.
IMO ā¦ Trying this in the modular world would be not only very expensive in the first place, it would also not get us there and would be quite cumbersome to operate (all cables and nearly no chance to store and recall something).
What the A8R is great for ā¦ IMO ā¦ are the options to modulate parameters, which many other samplers donāt support. We can modulate the start and end point of a sample, the start and end point of a loop, and have many octaves of multiplying or deviding the speed of playback (and some more ā¦). IMO the A8R is much more of a superb sounding 8-track ātape-machineā, which can be driven in directions, which others canāt follow, rather a beat-sampler. Thatās why I got it. It is part of a modular setup, which I have built for Musique Concrete like techniques.
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Thanks. I get all that.
I definitely didnāt want to start yet another apples vs oranges comparison.
If I didnāt have a Polyend tracker and RYTM for beats, and a cirklon for sequencing, I would for sure be thinking more about the OT.
I also think Iām just not cut out for song arrangement anywhere other than a DAW.
So the tape machine type use that you described is really what is clinching it for me at the moment.
I also feel like with the A8 Iād just be able to dive right in. Not sure Iām ready for learning the OT right now. I just want to get back to making music.
Going to sit on it a short while longer, but I think Iām fairly sold.
Great ā¦ thatās what I meant by ā¦ āworkflowā ā¦ if it fits to yours ā¦ it fits.
I would recommend to check out the A8R manual. IMO itās very well written. There are also many tips and tricks from Dave.
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Sweet. Will do.
Cheers!
FH-2, Poly 2, are great options for midi to CV and work great with OT or DT. With FH-2 templating and options are endless but the learning curve is very steep.
I also dipped my toes into the Maschine+ world. Maschine sounds excellent as a sampler, but you really have to invest in / enjoy the Maschine workflow.
The plan was to sequence my rack, build tracks. and use macros to control FH-2 with M+ but it seems a computer is still needed to fully set things up. Not sure Iāll invest the time to learn Maschine inside and outā¦
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Do you have your system up on modulargrid? I wouldnāt mind checking it out if you do!
So you use OT more or less as a canvas for recording and mixing modular sources?
I also looking for solution for sampling my outboard (long samples, āmusic concreeteā, rhythmical loops ) and sequence and mix it in a creative way, Ableton is of course very good, but I would prefer hardware.
Canāt decide between OT (a bit overcomplicated workflow and converters are not top notch ), Maschine+ (too buggy and not enough sample mangling options) or something else which will be released in 2022ā¦
Sometimes itās like this. Itās fun to do this in real time. Sending MIDI from the OT to other gear, recording the sound, and mangling this sound directly with a prepared pattern on the fly. For me itās always hard to tell, what the outcome will be, if a note is changed on the MIDI channel or a parameter-lock. Lots of happy accidents are generated by this process.
But in most cases I tend to use samples, which have been recorded and prepared on the computer or the MPC.
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