as people are saying - great combo.
Run the DT audio into DN for its master overdrive and fx, cotrol the DN with the available DT midi tracks and expand its capabilities. Sample the DN into DT and create mad tracks this way. No need for analog mono since DT has SCWF. Next in line I would add the Heat for the ultimate black square trinity / spaceship fetish vibe:)
in this case definitly … why not? The DN is very versatile and if typical FM sounds are in your mind, do it.
If you can find one, I think that the Virus Snow pairs more nicely with the DT. You can run the DT’s main outs into the Snow’s audio inputs set to thru mode.
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Oh, wow - thank you for your thorough and considered response.
Absolutely not hung up on it being the Digitone - I just saw a few videos (Dave Mech, for example) and liked the sounds I heard, and of course, the form factor.
Not really phased on whether it is FM or just subtractive. Obviously, being that my synthesis knowledge is just the fundamentals, programming FM will require a learning curve, which I accept, knowing that the Digitone is considered to be one of the easier paths to FM.
To narrow things down, I want something smallish, polyphonic, intuitive and with enough depth to keep me interested for a few years. The Analog Four was another option I had considered.
Sound wise, I want something warm and capable of pads and basses and weird FX that I can run through delays. I make a lot of different genres, but I gravitate towards dubbed out warm things - dub techno, deep(ish) and dubby tech house, deeper strains of garage/2-step, dubstep and hip hop.
So yeah, as long as it can make some fat dub tech chords, warm basses, the occasional growl and and odd FX, that should keep me happy. 
Budget wise, I don’t want to spend more than what a Digitone goes for.
I’m not sure I follow - how do you mean that the DN is fantastic for sample creation?
(wouldn’t all synths potentially serve this function)
And yes, of course - one of my key objectives would be to use the synth to feed the DT for further manipulation.
You know, being relatively new to hardware, I hadn’t really considered the implications - and possibilities - of that question.
Briefly, how would I use two sequencers in tandem? What is the benefit here?
Is it that I could have the 4 tracks of the DN running through just one MIDI channel of the DT, leaving 7 free MIDI channels spare?
When people say ‘typical FM sounds’ what exactly does this mean?
I thought he point of FM was the wider scope of sounds possible?
Hmm, I do recall seeing some sessions with the Snow in use, and really liking the character of the sound.
Are you saying that you can run the entire audio of the DTs main outs through the Snow, whilst the DT is triggering Midi for the Snow?
Just trying to understand the benefit of what you are suggesting?
Yes, just wanted to point out that that you wouldn’t need an additional mixer with this pairing because the Snow’s audio inputs could be used as a way to mix in an additional stereo sound source while using the Snow as the master output.
You can also control everything from the Snow via midi while doing this. You can do things like sacrifice a couple voices on the Snow to process the DT with its awesome filters, overdrive, and FX too.
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Yes in theroy all synths can create samples, but DN is capble of a very, very wide range of sounds. Take a listen to the demos of the various soundpacks and you will hear more variety than what can come from most synths out there. It is simply a beast - especially with the latest updates.
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This is exactly my current setup. Using the DT and DN together and adjusting the lengths and scales of each track in each pattern results in some incredibly complex arrangements, especially when you throw Overbridge into the mix. You can really just go nuts.
DN is an amazing synth. The randomization feature is great too, and really lets you explore what the synth can do on your own.
One last thing I’ll say is that the DN is actually a really great drum machine as well. Once you figure out the layout and how the sounds are shaped, you can make some craaazy beats just with the DN. Add the DT to that and well, you get the idea.
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Thanks for clarifying - really handy to know. 
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the digitone. Its got enough constraints to make it relatively easy to dial in musical sounds but its also got enough quirkyness that make it more than just a simple 4-op FM synth. Some really cool creative vision behind it, more so than most synths on the market today.
If you’re coming from the digitakt as a first elektron device you may need a little longer to get used to the digitone. It took me quite a bit longer to get used to elektron synthesizers compared to their drum machines/samplers. Lower track count but more sound parameters to play with.
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Oh, cool. You seem stoked.
Nice to know that they are adding functionality to it progressively. What is so good about the latest update?
Oh, really? 
You can make a broad palette of drum sounds with the DN?
Are you then sequencing them on the DN, to run in tandem with a DT rhythm sequence?
I don’t suppose you have any examples of that - I’d be interested to hear! 
They added the abiity to fine-tune operators. That means it is possible to get more dissonant. Great for percussion.
And then sample them into the DT…
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It‘s particularly very different.
With FM we can create many complex waveshapes and modulations of timbres, which don’t even compare to typical sounds of standard synths based on subtractive synthesis.
With a simple pair of two FM linked oscillators, we can create sounds, which have non-harmonic series of overtones (wooden or metallic sounds). The modulation can create very drastic changes of the timbre, which definitely doesn’t have an analogy in subtractive synthesis.
The DN provides 4 oscillators, other FM synths even more, which can be combined in many different ways (the algorithms). This allows to create the “typical FM sounds”.
Don’t expect that FM sounds imitate the typical Moog or Oberheim sound. It’s an universe of its own 
It’s hard to explain in words. Best would be to listen to some examples on YT.
Yeah I have the DN controlling the DT clock through MIDI. Then you route the DT audio through DN. Great way to work pre-overbridge. No examples on soundcloud yet but my instagram is @broadcast_club where I have a bunch of videos of this workflow.
And yes, you can make a lot of drum/percussive sounds with the DN. It is a certain kind of sound - don’t expect sample-realistic drums, but if you like Thom Yorke / glitchy AF percussion, it’s a pretty sweet technique. Especially sequenced with samples via the DT.
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From what you are telling me here, the DN can do most everything of what you are describing, though „warmness“ is not the first quality that comes to mind when talking FM. That‘s a quality associated with analog subtractive synths, and some more than others.
Given that you are so open sound-wise and that you have your budget set around the 600-800€ mark, I‘d suggest you just pick one of the Elektron synths (either DN or A4 used with some money to spare) and get going with it. You‘ll eventually want the other one also, just because 
I think both would serve you well, sound wise I feel maybe the A4 a little better than the DN (although the A4 isn‘t the „warmest sounding“ analog synth there is, it has still plenty warmth going and is so mighty flexible for a subtractive synth!). In terms of UI, I find the DT/DN form factor to be quite brilliant.
My point: you can‘t really go wrong with either as long as you take your time to learn it / explore it / discover with it.
Good luck, let us know what you end up deciding!
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