Just as the title says. Sell me on the AH. Explain to me why I must own it and what I have been missing out on. I’ve checked out numerous videos regarding this bit of gear and while I do think it’s cool in certain ways, it’s fairly pricey and many of the modes I would probably never use, or seldom use at best.
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Get a cheap mk1 and see if you like it. If you don’t you can sell it at 0 or minimum loss.
If you want a master filter inserted in your desk’s master buss for playing out, not much around at that price that is stereo and will do it.
The first 3 modes are the only ones that are useful to me.
I got it to use in the studio but now only use it for playing out.
If I could turn back time I would save the 700€ and put that towards an Iotine Core.
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That’s as good a reason as any to not get one. I can’t justify the price, even second hand.
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I relate more to the “talk me out of” threads 
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If you’ve heard the demos on their SoundCloud heat playlist and weren’t impressed with what it does then that’s probably the best indicator that it’s not for you.
Which is fine- you don’t have to collect all of the Elektron- especially this one because it offers something different.
In 2017, I bought one new to celebrate getting a new job based on the fun I had playing around with one in a store running a drumbrute through it.
It was surprisingly a lot of fun such direct processing controls- filter/distortion level/LFO and envelopes it really added a new dynamic to the drumbrute.
Ultimately I returned it because subsequent jamming on it wasn’t as much fun as that first time(also, as it turned out, that job I got sucked)
Edit: but, if you’re really intrigued. See if a store near you is selling one, buy it new and test it out. If you like it, keep it. If you don’t, return it
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Please note: I get passionate discussing gear I love & I have a lot of love for the AH all tho it’s def not for everyone. If you like what you’ve heard from it & think it’ll work well with your set up, like @nectarios suggests above, used MKI’s are pretty cheap & if you decided to sell it, you could probably sell it for the same price you paid. If you sell it just make sure to sample a ton of sounds thru it, so you at least get an AH sample library out of it.
I did a lot of research & watched a ton of demos before deciding to get it (the AH cost more than most of the hardware in my set up), but after watching the below 3 videos with the AH I was sold. They show the many ways the AH can be used & how great it can sound. The videos also show that the AH is much more than a distortion box.
Cuckoo video (tutorial/demo using AH with pocket operators, Op-1, Monomachine, Circuit, RYTM, Analog 4 & shows a lot of the sound design capabilities). https://binged.it/2IJQ0bg
Dataline video (he uses it on an entire mix with OB showing it’s mixing/mastering capabilities). https://binged.it/2Mx7WXR
Nostalgic Ruckus video (he uses the AH’s more destructive distortion modes on a Machinedrum. I fell in love with the sounds he created using the AH heavy distortion modes on the Machinedrum). https://binged.it/2ODUVON
When I first used the AH MKI…I wasn’t impressed. I think I built it up in my mind too much & was expecting too much from it, but as I played with it more & more I fell more & more in love with it. I got the AH a few years ago & couldn’t imagine selling it. I’m even fine with the fact that I paid over $700 for it.
I love the eq. The low end doesn’t sound muddy & the high end doesn’t sound too piercing or harsh.
The AH filters are the best filters I’ve heard, but I haven’t used any high end filters. I’ve only used the filters on my samplers, mixers & synths.
I use the less destructive distortion modes when using it on an entire mix & use the more destructive distortion modes on single sounds. I was surprised how much I liked what the heavy distortion did to sounds (depending on the sound source). I want to experiment more with the heavy distortion modes & try using them in different ways (for example using it on an entire mix in a section of a track for a transition, breakdown, whatever).
I actually just recently got into using the lfo’s on the AH. I learned how much you can shape & change a sound with lfo’s on Op-1. I can’t wait to experiment more with the AH lfo’s.
I especially love what the AH does to vinyl samples & digital synths (used AH on Blofeld, Microkorg, Op-1, Tr-8, Electribe). I was surprised by the amount of analog flavor/character the AH adds to digital sounds & how much it beefs them up. I gave my Electribe to my brother before buying the AH a while ago, but the AH made the drums on the Electribe sound so good, I want the Electribe back 
Of course it can make Analog synths sound great too! I sampled a sub bass made on a Volca Kick into a po-33 then ran that thru the AH & I loved what the combination of 12 bit sampling & AH flavor did to the sound (made the bass HUGE & hit hard plus the textures & character the AH & po-33 added to the sound was GREAT to my ears.
I was also impressed with how much the AH can shape sounds into something completely different & not just different, but… enhanced 
When running my synths thru it, I felt like I was using a new piece of gear.
I’ve never tried it with Overbridge, so no opinion on that.
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One very practical use, I find, is live. It gives very useful controls for tuning output to the room. The more crazy distortions are great for sound design. Its quite difficult to use in an optimal way when recording stuff, though (for me).
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For a long time I mostly used it just for light mastering stuff, but recently (especially when using it in VST mode or for sampling) I’m using others more with subtle drive and light wet level.
It’s a box that has three easy settings, yes. But, outside that there’s tons of potential depending on what you need. For me, it’s a crazy nice tool to have around.
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I’ve had the heat for a while and I will say it makes an 808 slap!!
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Owned it for two days. It sounds nice but the latency introduced by overbridge was unbearable.
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I love my heat! I wish I had two honestly. It makes everything sound better to me, no matter what. It’s usually subtle but it’s real. Here’s the importance of it relative to my other gear, like what would I take in a fire or to a deserted island:
My diy Acoustic guitar
Rytm/Microphone/headphones
SSL six
Heat!
I’d be really content right there…
2nd mic
Moog sub phatty
My diy 59 fender bassman
Studio momitors
Bass guitar
Empress echosystem
Chase bliss dark world reverb
Pladask Elektrisk fabrikat
DIY les Paul jr style electric guitar
Laptop etc
Moog drive
All other pedals
Sequential rev2
Midi keyboard
Etc etc etc
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Pricey? That word again?! Pricey in compare to what? Used pair of Rat pedals?
Sorry, but if you are as ‘rational’ as you think you are you wouldn’t be making some weird godforbid eklektronitschex music with weird instruments, loosing your nights on nonsense activities like that but youD be working on wall streer a rational, monies oriented werk or something, by now having millions of monies for other rational economic investments (not for buying elektron gear, of course).
Way wouldnt you use all of itz modes? Try it! Explore! Dont you like Indiana Jones movies?
Analog heat is fun to use! New word: fun
Thatz all im gonna say about it.
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Got one a few weeks ago.
It’s the shit.
Worth every penny.
All the YouTube videos in the world can’t do justice to how this sounds in reality.
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Culture Vulture sounds better.
I should hope it does, it’s nearly three times the price.
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I use it as a send on my mixer and run all manner of things through it. I actually use all the modes - mid drive for example can totally change a sound and take you in a whole new direction, sitting something in a different place in the mix. The higher drive settings can be awesome after reverb etc.
But honestly, the title of this thread doesn’t sit that well… If you’re not into it, don’t waste your time wondering. Just get on and make music til you think you need it.
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In terms of the amount of use mine gets its totally worth it.
Using it live is 1 of the reasons I got it
The first 3 years of making music I didn’t master my tracks & only did basic mixing (levels, frequencies). I like to jam & build tracks live… most of my tracks were made in a 2-4 hour session, recording the performance at the end of the session thru the stereo outs of my mixer. I’ve tried mastering my tracks with software, but when I’m in the studio all I want to do is play & the first few years of my music making journey I was ok with my low quality, unmastered tracks.
Around the time the AH MKI was released I was getting more & more interested in enhancing the sound quality of my music. I tried mastering with software, but I always put it off. I would spend all my time playing & jamming telling myself “I’ll master the track tomorrow”. But tomorrow never came, so I decided to look into the possibilities of enhancing my sound with hardware.
I wasn’t necessarily looking for a mastering tool, I was just looking into ways I could improve sound quality. The AH fits my workflow really well & my set up not only plays well with AH, I’m pretty sure all my synths have a crush on him, they’re always with him & wanting to connect with him… fighting for their turn.
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Everything said above is how I feel.
Is there a way to reset back to a preset quickly on the heat? I’m thinking of getting one for my effects bus to replace an rmx1000.
I love how on all my Elektrons you can tweak everything and then “reload” the part/kit/pattern. Possible with heat?