Jomox Alphabase - thoughts and alternatives?

It’s knobby, it’s quick and easy to use, there’s no menus… I don’t quite get why people are hellbent on this poor UI thing. I have an Octatrack (I take it the Rythm has a very similar UI) and enjoy using it as well, but the AB is just so much more FUN to use.

3 Likes

I would need to try one out and see if I can vibe with it. Done buying stuff site unseen.

After some time with the Alpha Base I can say: less menue diving then on the AR when editing sounds. From my experience it gets a little confusing when choosing and editing the extra functions (last step, fx, …. ) best examble are the fx where the upper knob row becomes knobs for editing fx and the send of the instruments starts at row 2. but the mute is still on the 1st row.

But soundwise, its fun! Using samples and the filters.

But I came across a problem with syncing to external gear

1 Like

Hi Elektronauts! New AB owner here. I am running into an external clock sync issue and I cannot figure out how to fix it.

I have contacted JoMoX for their support with little luck on finding a solution.

At the bottom of this post is a video explaining the issue in detail but short form explanation is that internal clock is resetting the LFO to the correct phasing whenever I start and stop the sequencer. However, as soon as I try to clock it externally, the lfo starts at a random phase every time or takes a few bars to find it’s clocking. I’ve tried clocking with ERM Multiclock, Elektron devices, USB via Ableton and it is the same behavior every time.

Any help is greatly appreciated! I am at my wits end.

I saw your Facebook post on the same issue. Sorry, but I don’t have any suggestions. :frowning:

Sounds like you’ve covered and tried pretty much everything. Hopefully Jürgen gets back to you, but that might take some time. This YouTube video shows the issue well, so hopefully that helps out. I haven’t clocked my Alpha Base from anything external yet (only briefly playing around), so I haven’t run into this myself.

Just acknowledging your post and hoping you find and share the resolution.

a few different hats/ride/shakers and also a nice jomox kick in here, along with the OB6. What a pair these two make !

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cjpm4Alu-V8/

5 Likes

Nice! What camera do you use btw?

1 Like

Your Alphabase content pushed me over the edge to get one. Now an OB-6… you’re killing me. :rofl:

Seriously though, sounds amazing. Really enjoying your recent IG clips. Would love to see you make a longer form YouTube video on the OB-6 with your thoughts and techno take on it.

EDIT: Somehow I missed this… :man_facepalming:

OB6 Dub Techno - YouTube

Sorry to get OT folks!

Ahah yeah I really love it. I might make a video at some point because most if not all of the OB6 content on yt doesn’t really appeal to me; but I have less time now (baby) so the little I have I make music rather than videos (although I enjoy making the videos, it’s really time consuming)

@scoobydoozler a relatively cheap sony a6000 but I have some nice lenses from my film cameras.

1 Like

Just received my Alpha Base last night.
A various times, I’ve owned:

-XBase 888 (at two different points)
-MBase 11
-M.Brane 11
-ModBase 09 mkii

Alpha Base is better than XBase. It doesn’t have nearly the amount of confusing UI quirks and navigational mazes and personally, I think the MBrane engine is dope. If you need exact 909 or 808 snares, the sample engines are VERY good at reproducing the full frequency spectrum. The unit I got off Reverb was full of 909 samples (why??!) and honestly, the snare samples sounded totally satisfying to me, I might keep some of 'em (but not until I load in the entire collection of Cari Lekebusch MPC samples from the late 90s! :crazy_face:). I reckon with a few more sit-downs I’ll have that MBrane engine doing acceptable snares.

Yes, the unit is still a bit bizarre to operate, but I know I’m keeping this one now. I’m just going to be patient, enjoy every step of the learning process.

My other concern was the sample playback DAC and how it compares to the XBase series. It still has that amazing dirt when pitching down. I’m happy as a clam, as they say.

I’d say my biggest gripe is the rather basic and non-straightforward P-locking sequencer. It appears to be only 16 steps long? And there are only 2 automation lanes, one is hardwired to pitch, and the other is assignable to one paramater per instrument (e.g. kick drum decay time).
Not super great. Mmmmmaybe there’s a way to sequence the parameter changes with something else like my Squid or Hapax. We’ll see.

But the PRESENTNESS AND PUNCH and the tightness of the sequencer are the bee’s knees…absolute club soundsystem annihilators.

5 Likes