Elektron is here with (maybe) a reason to sell old Elektron gear and buy something new with Digitone II. That news comes right on the heels of a big 1.3 firmware update, if you’d rather make existing gear better.
Oh, and while some folks may be waiting on the leaked prototype dubbed “TONVERK” – while Elektron says that was just one prototype among several and it’s not ready yet, there’s still more than enough goodness to sink your teeth into right now. Digitone II looks like a snappy, percussive, phase distorting, crunchy expanded dream – and Syntakt’s software update adds even more sounds, more techno-friendly Euclid pattern generation, and chippy deliciousness.
Digitone II
The Digitone II is in the mold of the Digitakt II – presumably built on the same hardware platform. Think more of the same, but … a “lot more of everything.” 8 voice polyphony? Make that 16-voice polyphony. 4 synth tracks + 4 MIDI tracks? Enjoy 16 of either. 2 LFOs per voice? Naw, 3. (2x on the MIDI tracks)
The real fun, though, is new machines and sound possibilities, making Digitone II into more of a sequel than just a horsepower upgrade.
Machines
Wavetone is a new 2-oscillator synth with oscillator morphing, phase distortion, and oscillator modulation.
Swarmer is a swarming supersaw synth with a bunch of modulation.
FM Tone is back from the original, meaning you can safely sell your old gear if you want, but now there’s also FM Drum for percussion (and percussive melodic) parts.
Sound shaping
That’s already enough to make the Digitone II worth considering for first-time Digitone users. But there are more sound-shaping tools. They’ve added to the filter options with Comb-/Comb+, a more flexible base width filter, expanded per-voice amplitude envelopes (both ADHR and AHD), and more. Those AHD envelopes pair nicely with the more percussive character of Digitone II – meaning if you were drawn to FM for snappy sounds, this is the one for you.
Effects
Effects are expanded, too. The big one is the master compressor, which also has sidechaining, plus master overdrive with additional distortion. You can run the bit reduction, sample rate reduction, and overdrive before or after the filters – which with the new filter types means a geometric increase in the number of sound possibilities.
The whole package
Look, you either love Elektron or you don’t – this one is all Elektron. But the overall value proposition here really has expanded. Sequence this up with the expanded track count, via live recording or using the Euclidean generator or other tools, all with Elektron’s powerful and original parameter lock approach. There’s now note edit and customizable modulation for putting everything together on the device if you so choose. But I do suspect for people who find the box on its own insufficient in live performance, the solution is to pair this with your favorite MIDI controller. (I’ll keep dreaming about them adding MPE. Breath control, yes; aftertouch, yes. But polyphonic aftertouch / MPE, not there yet.)
For the believers, this is great news. And the autumn updates just keep coming.
Digitone II is available now on Perfect Circuit for $999.
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https://elektron.se/explore/digitone-ii
Syntakt update
Hey, there’s new stuff for your current gear, too. Syntakt 1.30 has new machines, 100% more Euclidean patterns, and more:
- SY CHIP synth machine for Commodore 64-style SidStation vibes (which brings us back to Elektron’s origin story!)
- SD and BD ACOUSTIC for “crack and boom” kit action, as I’m told some people play drums on some large round things rather than a C64 like a normal person
- HH LAB is a metallic “monster”
- BD SHARP adds a square waveform
- There’s a Euclidean generator, because eventually, these will be in your microwave and your car, too. If you don’t know what Euclidean rhythms are, I want to say – welcome, new CDM reader! Class is in session!
And there’s Page Loop to tweak sounds without waiting for the sequencer, sound saving from sequencer trigs, parameter lock preview improvements, random pattern name generator for those of us who can’t be bothered (raises hand), and more.
Elektronauts, head to Syntakt 1.30 upgrade
Don’t have a Syntakt?
They’re on sale now for $899 at Perfect Circuit.
If you buy something from a CDM link, we may earn a commission.
I’m a big Yan Cook fan, so I’m all about this techno jam, just posted today on 1.30:
And there’s more on chip sound design, which is why we’re all here:
Side by side by Digitone:
OG Digitone!
For those still on Digitone I – or anyone using the opportunity to snap up the old hardware at a discount from your rich, upgrade-happy friends – I give you this:
Digitone Cheat Sheet looks cool, too.
Previously, on things that end in II: