MD input quality

Elektron Gear Machinedrum
#1

Hi - A4 shipped :slight_smile: Can’t wait.

Anyhow, the question is, Machinedrum INP machines, are the sounds coming in reduced to 12bit?

I was wondering if chaining audio from A4 to MD would mean that there is some quality loss (wouldn’t want to miss any of that analog sweetness). Could go the other way around but seems to make more sense having the MD as “master”.

Cheers

#2

Yes, the inputs go through the MD and come out 12-bit.

If I had an A4, the MD outs would be almost permanently routed to the A4 ins for processing percussion through the analog filters and the reverb.

#3

Sadly yes, there’s noticeable loss of sound quality going through the MD inputs. One of my few complaints about the MD generally.

#4

I have the exact same setup. I really wanted to route the A4 into the MD, so I could do RAM reverses etc… but it dulled the sound too much. When the MD is routed into the A4, you do not waste any tracks, and the sound quality is awesome. Actually, I find the reverb on the A4 is wicked, and just a small amount on the machinedrum signal sort of warms it up and rounds it a little.
Cheers:)

#5

I wish the a4 had a filter in the effects section as said :you don’t want to lose a track
I’d suggest routing everything straight into your sound card
or use the cue ram sampler and turn up the cue and eq or use the md compressor

#6

Thanks guys! I’ll chain it the other way around MD->A4. Shame to loose the RAM/ROM mangling possibilities though.

A4 by the way…epic sound :smiley: Just love it!

#7

Hey man… this might be a happy compromise. I’m note sure what you use for an audio interface, but if you have 4 outputs (2 stereo outputs). You could use the spare stereo output to feed the full signal into the MDUW, and then you have the capability of doing full reverses etc… without degrading the sound.
L8r,
Mike

#8

According to Elektron there is no quality loss when using the MD Inputs. There is ofc a quality loss when sampling.

#9

Yah… I don’t know about that. They may say there’s no loss, but there’s a difference in sound quality when going MD-A4 vs A4-MD or just both straight into my audio interface. I think most of the users would agree.

#10

Yah… I don’t know about that. They may say there’s no loss, but there’s a difference in sound quality when going MD-A4 vs A4-MD or just both straight into my audio interface. I think most of the users would agree.[/quote]
Ya, it is quite obvious, just listen. Besides, the input needs to go through an AD converter before the filter and effects can work with the sound.

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