I don’t think “Does M:C sound better than ST?” can be answered by listening to demos, which will naturally use features not present on M:C that will alter the sound. I think the only way to answer this question is a blind A/B comparison with ST patterns that do not use features not present on the M:C. I’d be surprised if there was a significant difference.
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My sense is that ST’s design philosophy wants to be the star of the show or at least paired with other Digi boxes, while M:C is content to solo or play a supporting role to anything else you might hook it up with.
I just dug out my Circuit again and am looking forward to trying them together.
yeah the magic in hardware is the combination of craft of components and code.
Would love more about this, how they compare and what feels more and less fun about them, comparatively.
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I hope not, as I just picked up a used one! I am not planning on considering the ST until it’s more mature and hits the used market, and I’m not sure if I’m sold on the Machines idea, having only had the DT/DN. I do like the idea of offloading drums to the M:C, which may open up more creative uses of samples on the DT and keep the DN for melodic duties.
M:C is immediate fun. I don’t have the Syntakt to compare, but all of my experiences with the M:C is that it is easy to get something going, make a huge kick drum, and then crunch it. Plus it is a whole lot cheaper (like a lot!) than the Syntakt. I think where it fell short for me is that I had to sink a lot of time into it compositionally to get beyond the 4 bar loop, (which is why I’m trying to self mine.) But that’s just my workflow I guess🤷🏻♂️
Sure
First impression
On the Model C I could have a better tactile control which lead me to experiment a bit more as everything is in front if you
I think it is the 16 steps layout which is helping a lot
With the Syntakt I often was getting lost through pages switching between track and keyboard mode and that was slowing me down and I was losing momentum
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Appreciate it, and I see what you mean. I’ve only used DT and DN and found them fairly immediate, but the paging between settings took a while to get used to, especially getting quick at double pressing the buttons to get to page 2 etc. Learning it by muscle memory I mean. I remember I wished it had the ability to set up 8 macro knobs for a performance so you could program this as part of the project. I often used my Keystep 37 to modulate some parameters simultaneously using the mod strip as a modulation source for multiple parameters. So I can see how the M:C is much more “on the surface”. How do you find the sounds though? Same or better/worse?
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I’m thinking of getting a second MC so I have one for each hand 
Cycles will never be obsolete…
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The Tone machine is similar, i like it more on the Cycles
Kick hi hat and snare are very similar the advantage on ST is the Amp envelope and Filter Envelope and the possibility to apply Analog FX
I had DT and I did not gel with it, I moved to Rytm and I soon appreciated the larger surface, the pads and the performance macros
I don’t like the dual vco and the analog osc are not far off the AR really
Yeah i thought the same
I could have 12 tracks of pure Autechre fm madness
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Agree. They’re different instruments.
If one liked the M:C before, why should that change because something else is available.
I guess if say, you bought the M:C because it ALMOST did everything you wanted, and then something shows up that does EVERYTHING you want, then I guess you’d want to step up to the new thing. However, if you liked it before, you should still like it now.
IMO at least.
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the model cycles will be a classic
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…one is a 300 bux device…the other is a grant…
but hey, u all better keep ur cycles, since there won’t come many more batches of it…
once they’re out of stock…they’re gone…the models chapter was a nice try, but business wise a failure…low price segment just makes not enough profit per unit for all that buzz…
they won’t repeat that…
and don’t get on hi hopes for any further aproovements…
their focus will be all on st now…and all next new sound machines will be suited perfectly for st layouts…no time for any efforts to adapt and further simplify those to make them work somehow within that totally different layout and it’s limited options…cycles is what it is and will be from now on…a great little groovebox with it’s very own sound…
and for such a “poor” 200 bux 2nd hand resell pricetag, u better don’t bother and let ur cycles do what it did best for u…
i’ll keep mine for sure…gonna make it a unique rhythmic tonal plastic synth full on…since yes, it’s kind of obsolete now…
You should end this with “… I think”. Or do you have any source of Elektron deciding that their model series was an unsuccessful business strategy? They have probably moved a lot more units to a new segment of customers who are now all potential upsell customers due to GAS and getting smitten by the Elektron workflow. I wouldn’t dismiss this strategy so quickly. Unless, again, you have some proof of this being their evaluation.
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Not until my ST arrives… 
I’m joking. I love mine. Plus, I’ve painted it a little and stuck some sea life stickers on it.
It’s been said before, but the immediacy of having all that knob per function right up front is hard to beat.
I’ll be trying them together for sure though. I want to run my MC through the ST! Use the folding keyboard to play in scale easier, apply different effects, compare similar sounding machines side by side maybe.
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Awesome sound machines with almost no menu diving and many knobs, all for very cheap. Won’t be obsolete anytime soon.
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I kind of agree with that immediacy knob per function thing. That’s why I like it. But…
But since it’s a two op FM synth, these knobs are not “playable” as in M:S (or I’d rather say performable), they’re more like just easier to program, because all you care are these sweet spots between phasing operators. Twist it too much and it’s bumblebee fighting decepticons 
And in general, I think most FM stuff is this obessed tinkerer’s paradise usually, where menu diving is not a hassle but more like a ritualistic, traditional homage to its DX roots.
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Hey now, old Transformers fan here!
I guess it could be heard as noisy or unwieldy, but I must disagree there. I can’t help but keep twisting and adjusting as I’m playing it. It’s too much fun to keep evolving a sound while the track is going. 
Different strokes, right?
The more I try different devices, the more clear it appears that everyone really has different workflows and methods that really click for them. Searching for that has been a fun journey. Long as you’re making noise you love in the way you enjoy, keep at it!
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Some people may get obsolete before an Elektron does.
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