Not that I’d try to talk you out of getting a Blofeld, but have you tried making drums out of the FM machines on the Mono? Because the Monomachine became one of my favorite sources for drums once I discovered that. I rarely go for the BBOX for drums now.
I have, and I like the results. I just prefer using my MnM voices for crazy synth leads and basses with neighbor fx tracks. For me, that’s what it does best. Sometimes I’ll use up to 4 tracks just for a single monophonic voice, as I sometimes use all 12 of those LFOs and all 8 filters to get the sound I want. It only leaves me with one or two tracks for drums, often, as I like to compose everything in a track on a single Elektron sequencer. I’ll be getting a dedicated FX unit soon to open up another track, though.
What I like about the BBOX is the ability to have what equates to “sound locks”. It’s somewhat possible with the FM machines but I always run out of parameter locks trying to cram more than 2 drum sounds on a single track.
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^^ nice fingerdrumming on the Blo! 
The Blo can do drums, but it’s not what this thing is best at. Of course, you can also somehow use a fork to slice your steak… If you just want drums, why make it so complicated? If you’re after weird percussions as icing on the top, ok then it might be the right tool for the job.
Btw, I had a LOT of fun with the MnM+Blofeld combo some years ago! The Midi sequencer + the Blo as well as the different sound characteristics (rougher, more lofi sounding on the MnM, sharp, crystal-clear, airy on the Blo) are a great combo. Just… drums? At least I wouldn’t recommend using the Blo for more than say 3 drum tracks to add some flexible, sharp, synthetic percussions to an existing groove. Load those break samples from the finger drumming demo into a MPX8, that’s much easier to do…
The Blo is best suited for sounds where you need lots of modulations and for sounds that make use of those sharp, precise filters, wavetable modulations or filter distortions or filter fm.
Damn, those drums do sound nice, and the way my setup is now, I could buy a Blofeld and use it exclusively with the Monomachine for a digital powerhouse. Dammit, this was not in the plans!
I don’t just want drums. I want the most bang for buck multi timbral extension of Monomachine’s midi sequencer that I can get, and still fit it into a backpack.
It seems like a great affordable solution for not only synthesized and some sampled drums, but also the addition of a more traditional V/A synthesis style than MnM already has, and…
sounds where you need lots of modulations and for sounds that make use of those sharp, precise filters, wavetable modulations or filter distortions or filter fm.
…yea, that stuff, especially.
Load those break samples from the finger drumming demo into a MPX8, that’s much easier to do…
Yet less capable. I wouldn’t even be considering the Blofeld for additional drum work if it weren’t for the pair of filters per voice. I employ A4’s dual filters as EQs with all my A4 drum synthesis, and it makes a huge difference when getting a good mix out of a single set of stereo outs.
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Do you have an iPad? Might be worth buying Nave and Attack (after they work the bugs out) specifically for drum work to see how you like them paired with the Mono, then buying the Blofeld if you still want it. Maybe not totally the same thing, but still portable and it might scratch the itch while being more hands on. The Blofeld seems awesome, just isn’t the first thing that comes to mind for drums, although it is obviously quite capable of doing great ones.
Funny you should ask… I picked up Nave for iPad a week ago. Love the sound (I’ve owned two Microwave XTs in the past), but not crazy about touch screen music making , synth patching. Never have been really, and boy have I tried to be. So next step toward that sonic direction is the Blofeld.
As excited and focused I have been about drums on Blofeld, it is really just icing on the cake.
Funny you should ask… I picked up Nave for iPad a week ago. Love the sound (I’ve owned two Microwave XTs in the past), but not crazy about touch screen music making , synth patching. Never have been really, and boy have I tried to be. So next step toward that sonic direction is the Blofeld.
As excited and focused I have been about drums on Blofeld, it is really just icing on the cake.[/quote]
Nice. Seems like you’re acquainted with and enjoy the Waldorf sound then. Can’t go wrong with a Blofeld in that case. Supremely versatile, I’d say more so than the uWave XT. The multitimbrality should suit your needs well.
@AdamJay: Ok, sounds like a perfect match then! Have fun with that nice little crystal freezer nasty screamer cloud brusher synth
… and maybe consider a little comp for just the Blofeld (e.g., a RNLA), if you don’t have one over, to tame the volume differences a bit, especially once you’re touching the drive settings.
I’m missing mine but need to stay focused. Using just the MPC + FX works so great atm.
My plan is to run it into the MM input, into a dynamix compressor machine.
By the way, since I finally got my Blofeld back from repair I put my Virus TI up for sale.
The TI is more powerful and has more effects and a better multi mode, but for some reason I never clicked with it and the Blofeld seems to have something extra about it…
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Did you ever get a Blofeld to accompany your MnM? I’ve been considering the same thing - I’m feeling the need for a general-purpose poly synth to fill in the spaces my Monomachine / Mono Evolver / OP-1 setup can’t fill. And the Blofeld has long been on my radar. Sounds like we had similar needs and setups and I was wondering if it worked out for you.
Man, I kinda regret selling mine!
I thought nave would fully replace it, and sonically sure it does but I am already sick of fighting iOS for making music and am trying to get away from the iPad!
First world problems!
Consider Micromonsta, maybe.
Monotimbral, but sounds pretty great 
What does the Micromonsta have going for it over Blofeld (timbrality aside)? It’s not another DIY option like PreenFM2 is it?
Something in favor of Blofeld over Micromonsta for me is the Blofeld’s screen and UI. My experiences with the MPC500 and Akai MiniAK (rebranded Micron) has really really really made me leery of ‘two line LCD character’ displays for editing. A synth would have to be really amazing to make me put up with that again.
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I borrowed one for a period of time. It’s a great synth.
Ultimately I enjoyed using it more in single patch mode than mult-mode.
I’m considering freeing up some space on my desk and putting some extra change in my bank account. I’m considering selling my MnM and buying a used Blofeld and controlling the Blofeld with my octatrack(or MD if I get REALLY ambitious) so I can still have a p-lockable form of digital synthesis.
In hindsight, maybe I should have gotten this from the get-go but I was still kinda oblivious about midi controlling, and I was pretty into the Elektron fanboydom mixed with the synth going out of production.
Would there be any great travesty in going forward with this plan?