Yes yes. There are a lot of synthesizers whose strength is in their movement. A4/AK is one of these for sure.
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like. very much.
here’s something i’ve been meddling with today, no external processing or sequencing at all, just the stereo signal out from the AK into the mac via OB standalone.
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Here is it being used for some fairly simple darkwave but that bass is just awesome…
Not much needed for darkwave it seems so I use two of the same bass sound, and the second one has reverb/chorus/delay which are usually a big nono but combined with no FX and playing the same note you get this really cool combo!
OT -> A4 -> USB Audio -> OBS
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Mk1 like
That’s coooool! Very much like.
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When I got mine, I was looking at a Pro-3, a Subsequent 25 and the A4. I chose the A4 and I’m glad I did. I love the Elektron workflow and this machine makes me happy in the way it sounds and works. Personally, I would rather have more depth and the expected complexity. But in this day and age, almost every synth sounds great. It’s just a matter of personal taste, I think. But I’ve also never understood the whole warm / punchy / creamy thing. And I’ve had everything from a Poly Six to an A4.
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I ultimately didn’t like the sound of my MKI module. I am 100% of the camp that you really have to dig into the features, and turn knobs slowly and listen for the sweet spots. Also–if you aren’t using much of what the sequencer can do you are missing out on what…at least 33%-50% of what the box can do? I thought I’d love it because of the other Elektrons I’d owned but I think I really just wanted an simple analog poly synth at the time and wanted more instant gratification in that regard.
To my own surprise, after not using it for more than a year, I really love it now. What is frustrating to me is not that it requires some time to really learn its interface (I enjoy complexity), but that Overbridge is less reliable than it should be when I am actually trying to use the box.
I am using it now via Midi USB and analog out and could not be happier. The sound capabilities of this synth really comes from the sequencer - I use my DAW and sequencer VSTs to feed sequences into the A4 and the tweak the hell out of these by parameter locks and probabilities. AFAIK, there are no other analog synth that have such a powerful sequencer.
What I learnt early on: Ignore Filter F1 (the Ladder), set that to neutral as far as possible, and work with the second multimode filter. Acid techno just falls out of it when you use the sequencer and parameter locks.
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Bypassing the effect of Filter 1 as much as possible and using primarily Filter 2 was the best tip I’ve been given to get juicy sounds from my A4, especially for more bread and butter synth sounds.
Now, I know that the main update in mk2 has been the tweaked Filter 1 and the overdrives. Is the Filter 1 still less than ideal on the mk2?
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This thread is very confusing. I was arrived at post 80’ish and now I am confused.
This is an analog synth according to the specs and the name of this model. Why are you guys saying it has digital oscillators?
The Analog 4 has VCO’s and analog filters, has it not?
They are definitely analog, I think they are digitally controlled, I don’t know technical details but they are analog oscillators
DCO‘s
Analog oscillators that are digitally controlled
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Manual pg7
“ ABOUT THE COMPONENTS
Both oscillators of each voice are analog. All their elaborate waveshaping abilities are completely analog, with digitally controlled pitches. The noise generator is digital. The two filters and the overdrive circuit between them are completely analog. The amplifiers are analog. The envelopes and LFOs are digital. They are designed for maximum efficiency and versatility”
and just to stay on topic: Like
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to chime in, the better choice for me was to swap the MK2 A4 with the Analog Keys and that’s where it starts to shine, I couldn‘t justify the sterile nature of the desktop unit, let alone the missing velocity when playing.
the AK in it’s Form factor immediately gave access to the sound of the Synth, it’s more like what a great Fatar Keybed and Joystick and on top there’s this massive synth engine, the modulation capabilities mapped to the Joystick and Aftertouch/velocity are outstanding and inviting as it’s already built in.
the dedicated buttons and the refinement of the bass response is basically the A4 MK2 in terms of sound and accessibility (except overdrive…which is more like a wave folder on Mk1 and GrEaT)
the sleek 80s cyberpunk look and the leds above the keys are also great when sequencing like a Keystep pro and controlling external midi stuff.
there‘s still no real competitor I’d say, especially at 650€, which is what I’ve paid for mine.
100€ per Oscillator (Track) with Individual Outs
100€ for the excellent midi keyboard and sequencer
160€ for CV/Gate and huge Send FX / Filterbank etc.
there’s nothing.
i luv it and there’s a big place for it in line with the OP1 and OP-Z and after my first MD a few years back the only Elektron which gave back the feeling that Elektron have made such a Personal machine, again. 
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Somehow missed the new posts here, just wanted to say that I can hear the different notes well.
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Weirdly it’s quite audible on speakers that cut the bass frequencies e.g. laptop, mobile speakers and so on. On full range speakers or studio cans it’s very mushy.
Which for me is just another indication of how messed up the low end is. No idea how you guys all live with that.
Sorry to be late to the party. Just wanted to say I’ve been using my A4 MkII exclusively in a project with a live drummer, and it’s basically the perfect box to get great sound, tons of layers of arrangement, effects, and a very rich & full result. I often use the high-pass-filter trick to enhance the bass, and I’m super satisfied with the bass sound; the only thing I like better for bass is the Minitaur.
Here’s the newest song that we just finished. The A4 MkII is doing a pad with a “mono” voice (by p-locking individual oscillator pitches), bass, arpeggio, and a melodic pluck thing. For whatever it’s worth, I love the sound of A4.
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mostly due to missing velocity, the whole A4 engine is really open for expression and the Bass response and attack is top notch when playing with velocity gradually.
it needs to be played externally for that, it gets mushy but only when everything’s turned up, basically every frequency untamed.
the static input on the desktop units is far away from the real experience when playing this synth as an instrument
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Correct me if I’m wrong but that bass sound is using unisono mode right? Unisono sounds great on the A4, I’ve said that in my initial statement. But just a standard saw or pulse wave bass? Not so much. It’s all good if you’re happy with it, it’s just really not for me I guess.