I’m not sure if anyone can really confirm this, since Novation hasn’t released much official information on the device. In the pictures, it doesn’t look like it has any Midi tracks, but you may be able to use the regular tracks to sequence other gear.
Here is the website:
https://novationmusic.com/en/circuit/circuit-rhythm
That thing looks dope! It’s like a mini Octatrack.
Is it within reason for Novation to add time stretching to the Rhythm at this price?
I don’t see a button for it, but I’ve never owned a Circuit so idk.
Samplecentric groovebox is not very useful without ability to sync samples to tempo.
The shift+pad options for one shot and loop (bottom left) seem to suggest that timestretch will be included.
It is certainly possible. Maybe it will be part of the fx? Although, some things do seem to fly over their heads. Still not sure how the Circuit Tracks does not have chromatic sample playing. Seems like a basic thing for any sample playback device to have.
Some details, in Dutch.
The biggest bummer for me so far is “Stereo Audio In (Mono Summed)”. I was hoping it would be a stereo sampler.
Here is what google translate came up with:
The new Novation Circuit Rhythm is a powerful and versatile sampler for creating beats and using in live situations. Using the highly intuitive bezel-less top panel, beatmakers can record samples directly to the hardware and then effortlessly cut, edit and resample those sounds. Recorded grooves can be quantized or captured off-grid by the sequencer, and layers can be built over eight sample tracks.
Live sets come to life with built-in performance FX: performers can embrace imperfection with lo-fi tape effects and use beat repeat to shred the main mix (and more). For studio-based artists, the Novation Circuit Rhythm can be integrated into any MIDI compatible studio rig. Of course, the Rhythm can also be disconnected to make beats anywhere using the built-in rechargeable battery.
Sample and resample,
Record samples directly to the hardware and effortlessly edit, shape and resample your sounds.
Slice, reverse, loop, play chromatic and more
Play samples the way you choose, whether you’re recording straight from vinyl, creating bass lines and melodies, or playing drums.
Play with Grid FX
Boost your live set with performance FX: embrace imperfection with lo-fi tape, shred your mix with beat repeat and more.
Eight Sample Tracks
Create beats with eight sample tracks, each with their own 32-step patterns, you can chain up to 256 steps per track.
clear beatmaking workflow
Go from a sample to a complete beat with ease with the powerful and practical sequencer.
Go off-grid
Capture your groove quantized or off-grid in the sequencer, and keep your beats interesting with the probability and pattern mutate functions.
FX on everything
Immerse samples in luscious reverb and delay, pump your mix with sidechain and punch with the master compressor.
Extensive connectivity
Connect to your studio with full-size five-pin MIDI in, out and thru. Sample via stereo inputs and listen via stereo out or with headphones.
Never stop creating
Use a microSD card to endlessly store and access projects.
Create anywhere
The built-in rechargeable battery offers a battery life of up to four hours, so you can make beats on the go.
Included with Circuit Rhythm
USB-C cable, USB power supply, safety information
Compatibility
Circuit Rhythm is class compliant, so it works with any modern Mac or Windows PC.
Details
32 RGB backlit velocity sensitive pads
28 RGB backlit tactile click knoppen
Aan / uit knop met oplaad status LED
USB-C ingang
Kensington MiniSaver Slot
3x MIDI DIN (In, Out, Thru)
MicroSD card slot
5mm Sync Out
Stereo Audio In (Mono Summed)
Unbalanced Stereo Out
Headphones out
8x Endless Encoder Macro knoppen met RGB indicatoren
Volume knop
Master Filter knob
Interesting.
Curious about the onboard FX, they dont advertise vinyl sim anymore but a lo-fi-tape FX…maybe just the translation…or a way to step away from a velocity sensitive SP404 clone ? who knows…
kinda bummed this and the Circuit Tracks couldnt be merged into one machine…
On the Novation website, they still list Vinyl Simulation, so hopefully they kept it in.
I also think it would have been cool if the Rhythm and Tracks were merged as one device that you could configure how you like. You want 8 sample tracks, cool. You want 1 synth track 1 midi track, and 6 sample tracks, cool. And it would change configurations when you load different packs that you setup in components.
i notice 5 weeks
are we still talking the regular circuit style sequencer or Is this hopefully something else?
Octatrack users will be happy.
And I suppose Digitakt users as well.
Ideally, shouldn’t bother them though! Nothing that this device has or doesn’t have impacts the features of the tools they already have. Comparison is the thief of joy, etc…
It does make you think about where the difficulty of supporting stereo sampling comes from though. Is it the hardware cost for a stereo ADC? Is it memory limitations? Does it add a new layer of programming complexity, like parallelization?
Would be curious if any DIYers have any input on that.
There you go being logical. No room for that in our studios filled with gear we don’t use enough! 
the mono syndrome is a recent trend by all accounts, if there were warranted reasons for it other than economical reasons wouldn’t the standard prior to this trend have been different?.. but even economically speaking didn’t the trend used to be that tech got cheaper as time went by, shouldn’t the tech and parts for stereo have gotten cheaper so that we should start seeing small hardware groove boxes with multiple stereo ins/outs rather than moving towards no stereo?
I’m uninformed so it’s an honest question, I’m only speaking from historical hardware tech trends.
I was surprised to learn my MC-101 could handle stereo samples. As stereo has certainly become the exception, and not the rule.
I was thinking about it too, but that’s the thing the market seems to have become very whimsical in this regard, how did we even come from a stereo standard to this, and now everybody thinks stereo is whip cream… it’s not like it was the standard a long time ago in the hey day of vintage synths or something, it was just recently.
Yeah, I’ve got a Zoom Sampletrak and an old Korg ES-1 laying around somewhere. I’ve got a dearly departed Boss SP 202. These are all 20 plus year old entry level boxes that sample in stereo and mono.
needs a dolby button too.