After years of using the DT as the centerpiece to my studio, I recently had the opportunity to borrow a grey AR mk2 from a friend, and I have the option to purchase it from him for a good price if I like it. I’ll probably keep my DT anyway (because I love it) but I might sell my old mpc to get the funds for the AR. I mainly make sample based hiphop, so sampling will be the main purpose, but I do like synth sounds. I dont need analog drum synthesis though, the update would be purely to get a more advanced DT.
I gotta say its a difficult choice. Here’s my thoughts so far (2 weeks of AR use):
-My main worry was the fact that the AR cant finetune samplestart, so chopping a sample would be harder using the samplestart p-locking method. This can actually be done pretty well on the AR, using the lfo, as you can use this to p-lock the startpoint with way more precision. The disadvantage is you lose the lfo for this track, but this is actually very workable.
-Even though the AR can do almost everything the DT does, the workflow on the DT is just perfect. Maybe its just the fact that i’m so used to it and still learning the AR, but everything on the DT is very very logical. I does what you need, nothing more, and does so in the way you expect it to work. The AR is not hard to learn, but everything just seems less logical in the way its set up.
-The AR can do a lot of things the DT can’t, some of which are awesome (songmode, parameter slides, different filter types, dual vco, more tracks, individual outs, kits). The AR feels like its a machine you can explore more, and gives you more options than the DT.
-Even though I like the sound of the DT, the AR does (subjectively) sound better if youre into a less hifi sound. I dont know if its the analog drive, compressor or filters, but the AR sounds more detailed, warm and deep. Its hard to describe but the DT is more glued together with a nice high end sparkle, and the AR more like a warm, detailed organic sound.
-The midi capabilities of the DT outshine those on the AR. The AR can send notes, but it feels like an add on, and works kind of illogically.
-Some minor things about the AR are irritating coming from a DT: the loading times are longer, the compressor misses any visual feedback like the one on the DT, and theres no mixer page, which I now know is actually really nice on the DT.
In summary: I’m still in doubt about buying the AR. The advantages are great, especially the sound, the extra tracks and the songmode, but there are also minor downsides compared to the DT.