the op-1 is great…
in the studio (if you have an iconnect midi or kenton) and on the go…
the mic is great too… i make a beat, write and record vox… right on it.
none has mentioned the Novation Circuit
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I loved everything about it, but I never truly loved it. The workflow just didn’t do it for me.
But Synthstrom is an amazing developer and the Deluge is a work of genius. I just had to realise, it wasn’t for me.
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I used to enjoy reading your opinions on the Deluge. I’m wondering what was the reason you sold yours?
I still have mine, it’s a great bit of gear, but I haven’t really used it and still prefer messing with my Elektron stuff instead.
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That’s a great way of putting it and thinking about it, I’ve experienced the same with the OP-1 and some others, whereas with the Octatrack it’s the exact opposite. There’s so many things I hate about it, but still I am very fond of it as a whole.
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Hah, I feel kind of the same with the Octatrack. There’s a lot of stuff with it where you just go: “Seriously, Elektron?” But you can almost hear them say back: “Yeah, seriously.” And you know they’re right.
As for the Deluge, it was too far away from an instrument that you can just sit down and play for me, the groove box format taken into account, of course. But some boxes are almost like keyboards, you just go at it like you’re playing the piano (which is my only reference from the world outside electronic instruments) and things come out. And some groove boxes, they’re more for designing and executing an idea.
The Deluge’s strength lies in that if you’ve got an idea for a track, the instrument virtually sets no limits. FX, polyphony, synthesis, samples, recording, mastering, it’s all there. And the interface allows you to quickly sketch out your idea and work on the results.
But if you wanna sit down and you’re like: “I have no idea where I’m going today. I’m just gonna play and see what happens.” The Deluge ain’t it. For me, that is. For some, I’m sure. But not for me.
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Thanks, that’s very kind of you to say.
Here’s my thoughts on why I sold it eventually, in reply to @Hans_Olo:
looks like I must try the deluge
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I feel the same but I kinda don’t want to…
Hey everyone i’ve been doing a looooad of research on the op1 and it seems like the one except that you cant store patterns and songs etc?
Am i right in thinking you get 6 mins of tape time and then 6 mins on each side of the vinyl? That doesnt seem like the ultimate portable beat machine if you have to upload you files to the computer every time you want to start a new song!
Yah, I feel you there. I got both a Digitone and a Deluge. And though the Digitone is far, far more limited in many aspects, with both in front of me and, say 60 minutes to spare, I’d rather have a go on the DN. Way more inviting to just noodle around and see what’s gonna happen. But then again many many inspired 4bar loops on the DN drive stay just like that, material for short jams.
On the other hand on the Deluge it’s way easier to get a structured musical construct with a beginning, journey in the middle, and definite end in some presentable form.
Hi, need to bring in my 2 cents. I remember saying a few posts earlier that the OP was THE one stop shop machine ever. I still agree but I went on vacation with both the OP and the DT mostly hoping to crack the DT.
And I did.
I have to say that the DT + power pack, is absolutely insane. Not as instantly fun as the OP but once you spend the time to learn it… what the bordel, this machine is amazing.
The sound design depth is mind boggling and yes you can’t play your manually made slices per track… but you can do so much more.
Anyway, spent the last 2 weeks sampling about 250 records into it and I’m gagging to start producing on it. DT only.
Will keep you posted!
Long story short, both are great machines but the DT is more like a scientific calculator in comparison with the Op. but when you learn it, it’s a crazy bottomless potential machine. And I’ve only scratched the surface.
Bonne nuit xxx
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one stop shop portable (assuming “fits in a backpack, battery powered”?) beat machine? For me that’d be the MPC live… if we are talking a monogamous affair here 
To be honest, I usually just use a bunch of mini stuff like a few POs and a volca or something like that when fiddling around on the go. I don’t feel comfortable lugging around serious (as in expensive) music gear in public, unless the plan is to play a gig etc
Wise decision…
That is correct, lack of projects is one of the things that really annoyed me about the op-1.
it all depends on how you prefer to make music, which genre you make, if you like programming deeply or simple jams, the workflow you may like and others don’t, expectations/limitations of the gear, what you need etc
OP1 very good sketch’book’, all people use it differently! I use it for the spring reverb, CWO, to mess around with sampling and recording and pitching the recording down. I never made a whole track with op1 but i love the many possibilities for combining this synth with other gear. for example tombola sequencer via oplab into the ms20! A hiphop or housy artist could make tracks easy and fast with this thing. I’m more into other genres of music but Op1 could do lot’s, hell even messing with the compressor puts it into industrial noise mode hehe. But lately I have been using the op1 as ambient machine together with DN. Op1 will be a cultsynth, maybe it is it already but that does not mean you need to buy it or that it will be for you. It’s a good all in one machine.
But an old electribe emx is also a very good all in one machine, a 4 track tape recorder with any synth you like?
But you said beatmachine so basically a volca beats or the new drum or a circuit bent tr505 or those Po drum microtonic things etc