Nope. Totally in the dark if you don’t keep a little track. But it’s just a different experience all together. At least if you treat it like a live performance machine.
Yeap it does . As long as you keep moving it. Similar to elektron. Once you let go it snaps to the locks.
Regarding kit loading you can choose
You can choose between smooth and stepped motion recording. Which is great. Although I ended up choosing stepped in the end because it’s just so rhythmic:). Not to say I’m not going to experimenting with smooth recording.
Cheers Dave, very interesting machine for sure. Hmm, if they allow adding of samples/wavetables by SD card at some point in the future I’d find it difficult to resist, or should I say even more difficult to resist than it already is
Another thing to note is that the switches do get recorded into the sequencer but only when switched. Which might seem obvious, but let’s say it’s set to mode 3 and you want to record the last 4 steps to change to mode 2, simply switching it to mode 2 at the 12th step and back to 3 at the first step will result in a locked 12th and a locked 1st step.
If only they made perkons 3cm less deep it would fit exactly in a hand luggage case. Having a hard time finding a trolly that can fit it in. So might have to resort to a bag.
@darenager tbh mate I could buy one of these Perkons now but I’m not convinced, NOT about the sound BUT the price… it does sound good but that price tag mate in these hard times is just way too high. Sure it has hands on control but it’s even more expensive that a JOMOX ALPHA BASE which IMO blows all over this.
I’d even take a TR8s over this (which, by the way Iv’e just ordered for sketching)
PS
No disrespect to current owners of Perkons, if they have the money to spend and justify then crack on
Alpha Base is cheaper…wow., had no idea. That thing is a F’n monster. Perkons is more of a performance beast. I think it is priced a bit high due to inflation/chip shortage…etc. I want both of them honestly, haha.
It’s amazing. can’t really express how much I like it straight out the box. It’s chaotic but really tameable at the same time. If the sound is in your taste it is everything you need. I’ve tried most of the new drum machines in this price range and this is the best yet. What you can get out of it in just a few minutes is really amazing. Erica Synths never disappoint sound wise but for a broader palette the AR might be a better choice but for me this is perfect.
Has anyone got the Erica Synths Techno System? I think theres a huge carryover but obviously thats way more expensive. It would be interesting to see thoughts on the differences.
I think they’re pretty different ways of approaching a similar goal (live/improvised techno). The techno system is a complete modular solution to the 909, bass synth and sampler setup, whereas the Perkons is more of an answer to how much techno you can fit into four synth tracks. The answer is a fuck lot of techno.
Both are excellent, but very different at the same time. Aside from their end goal, they actually have surprisingly little in common. And of course, if you don’t like some of the sounds on the Techno system you can just swap them for other modules, which obviously you can’t do with the Perkons.
Same view as @Fin25. I have a Techno System and I think it is apples and oranges. The Techno System drum modules are 909 inspired and sound very straightforward without a lot of variation in the basic characteristics of the sounds, the bassline is a very nice, classic monosynth voice, and the two-voice sampler allows of course for an unlimited variety of additional sounds. I think a lot of the Techno System’s interest lies in the dual distortion and fx modules (together with the modulator) and the huge variety of routing options with the three mixers. The trigger/CV sequencer is fun with its 4x4 key layout and very versatile, but very traditional in the sense of programming module by module (or live recording) - very different from the constant 4-track view of the Perkons. Also, while you can of course save sequencer patterns, sound and routing are fully in the modular realm without any patch memory. I very much like the sense of starting from a ‘clean sheet’ every time I switch it on, but I also sometimes struggle to recreate something I have recorded earlier…
Edit: I think another important difference with the Perkons is the absence of filtering options on the voices (only the bassline and sample module have filters), which requires careful listening to prevent producing a too bass heavy mess. And finally, the Techno System doesn’t have a headphone out, which limits useability without an external mixer, I think, and made me replace the 6hp ‘link’ module with a 3hp master comoressor and a 3hp main out + headphone module (adding to the already steep (albeit very good second-hand) price tag).
I have a modded version of the techno System. Sequencer, Bassline, Clap, Hats, Cymbals are from the Techno System, because I really like these sounds and I think they are essentials for techno. I added replacements for the modules I didn’t like. For me its the perfect “one” piece techno solotuion now.
What are you using for the kick, out of interest? I quite liked the look of the Erica one. Probably more tempted by the analog hats than the digital ones i think.
I’ve been sort of tempted to build out a eurorack drum machine and their stuff is the most appealing.
