Has Elektron lost focus as a company?

[plragde]

@RabidMusic

I normally recommend the Digitakt or Model Samples.

I found the ergonomics and limitations of the M:C frustrating; I should have started with a Digitone. But for the price, the Models are hard to beat, as long as one is aware of the constraints before buying. I would, last week, have recommended a Digitakt for anyone who could afford it.

[Smapti]

it’s incredible how some people are so good at business that they can determine that a product sunk a company just 8 hours after it launched

[digiwut]

The company can regain its focus if it brings a battery handle to the Syntakt.

[RabidMusic]

@Smapti

it’s incredible how some people are so good at business that they can determine that a product sunk a company just 8 hours after it launched

Wow. Was just watching the Big Bang Theory episode about reductio ad absurdum. Now to look back through the thread and see who said the company was sunk.

[Octagonist]

@RabidMusic

Now to look back through the thread and see who said the company was sunk.

I don’t think anyone said that.

I said that Elektron had had two or three difficult years. If they’d followed that with a risky product, they could well have sunk the company. Instead, they followed it with a fairly safe, yet rather desireable (to a few differnt groups of people) product. Seems pretty sensible to me.

[YKK]

It’s a new percussion focused synthesizer, not some streaming service or a food delivery app. What else do you expect?

[digiwut]

I think I agree with OP. This feels a little stale. Like, nothing really new. When Moog came out with DFAM and Subharmonicon, they felt new and had different workflows than previous Moogs. The Syntikatitakt, not so much.

[AdamJay]

Well yea, it’s literally in the same case as a Digitakt.

But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. For many, the muscle memory is already locked in. Someone like @DaveMech hits the ground running with this.

[Smapti]

I assume everyone complaining that this isn’t new also hates all the mkii devices, right?

[OldmanChompski]

The Syntakt is exactly what I wanted, a sort of sequel to the Machinedrum.

It seems like almost a celebration of Elektrons gear in one tiny box. It’s pretty ridiculous to me how many people are bitching about it personally lol.

And I would love to know what companies are doing wildly more innovative stuff right now.

[HoldMyBeer]

@Octagonist

I suspect one thing this new instrument will achieve is to bring in solid revenue after two very difficult years for many people, after Elektron had a couple of recent years in which didn’t make much profit, and then a year when they had to recall an entire product line. This mythical risk-taking product some people were hoping for could very well have killed the company had it not hit the right note. Instead, they’ve guaranteed themselves a win with the Syntakt, allowing them to take more risks in the future.

This is a good point about Elektron, and many other companies dealing with parts shortages and other issues over the past couple of years. When Dreadbox dropped the Nymphes, I remember they said in a video something to effect of, they had some other plans but had to shelve them for the time being, and the Nymphes is basically a pandemic instrument. So things like supply chain issues could have also played into Elektrons decision here. They were already manufacturing circuits and parts from some of these machines, so they figured out a way to tweak them and do something different and a little fresh with them, allowing them to bring in a new revenue stream.

[Octagonist]

@BALOY

Sorry if this offends anybody, but facts (like this post) we see everyday and everywhere are enough to confirm it.

No need to apologise when you don’t mean it. It’s fine.

[Norb]

I wouldn’t be surprised if the clap engine started out as a possible update for the M:C. It’s probably the most requested new feature for the M:C.

The pandemic and battery handle fiasco may have forced them into a different direction.

[Kegeratorz]

I lost focus of my company when I bought the Digitone. Syntakt may close the doors.

[pselodux]

@RabidMusic

It seems like all of their units now try to do a bit of everything without being the best they can be in one area

2021 and earlier Elektronauts:
“Elektron makes their gear with no overlapping features because they want us to buy everything”

2022 Elektronauts:
“Elektron sucks because their machines have too much overlap”

[teknokarhu]

I, for one, don’t miss sampling capability. Hate samples. This might be exactly the thing I’m looking for.

[basehead617]

To me, an elektron-style box (or really almost any hardware sequencer) is much more suited for drums or one shots than anything else. Maybe it’s the keyboard player in me, but the idea of sequencing and editing bass, lead and polyphonic synth parts on this sort of thing is just absolutely terrible. Even if I play the parts in, which I do, I would hardly call what you do after that ‘editing’. The only thing that makes sense for editing parts like that is a DAW, e.g. Logic piano roll. Anything else is masochistic.

[DaveMech]

I find Syntakt to be a focussed instrument. Focus doesn’t necessarily mean being good at something obvious.

Syntakt = layering analog with digital and routing. And within that realm a lot of machines are available. And the thing really grooves effortlessly. More so than DT and DN

[sabana]

Elektron dreams have definitely got smaller. They were big at the start but gradually over the years have diminished. This isnt the stuff of magic the earlier stuff was.

[basehead617]

Really? How so?

The Sidstation, MD and MNM are simple in many ways compared to the current products