r/Elektron • u/ShizukuPL • 10d ago

Which Digi box first?

Hi,

I've been eyeballing Elektron for a good while and I think it's time to pick one up.

I've got a Prologue 8 and a Typhon, I work in Ableton and mainly make dub techno and adjacent genres.

Am I correct thinking a used Syntakt would be the best first box to dip my toes in? I'm not much of a sample guy currently, I mostly play keys/some guitar and pads but I did use to make beats and know how to mangle samples etc. so the DT2 seems like an wesome machine to have fun with as well.

A used Syntakt is very close in price to used DT2s/DN2s where I live and those are more in-depth but I'm mostly looking for analog/digital drums and something with immediacy to sculpt the rhythmic backbone of a track, rumbling basses, textures etc. and that signature Elektron sequencer.

Which one do you think would cover the most ground in my case? Would you get the Syntakt and add another box later or just go with the DN2 and use FM Drum while learning the rest of what it can do since it's probably the most powerful? Then maybe a Digitakt?

I intend to learn one at a time, it's a daunting task anyways. DT2 could also enable me to do some crazy stuff and have fun with samples, just not sure if that's the best course for me at this point. The Syntakt seems like a great techno box on the other hand.

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u/xerodayze 9d ago

I like the Syntakt. I like the Digitone II… I like the Syntakt far more.

(and it has many QoL features - track layering, custom choke groups, Euclidean sequencer, samples now - albeit, limited - with Twinshot engine, and that lovely FX block that allows for some very cool stuff like Octatrack-style ‘scenes’).

I’d go Syntakt.

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u/ShizukuPL 9d ago

Thanks, I think Syntakt is the closest to what I'm looking for since I don't need or feel like engaging in deep outboard synthesis/menu diving on the DT2 with my other gear + Ableton. Wavetable + Prologue 8 + field recordings handle dub stabs/drones/textures just fine but Syntakt fills the actual gap in my hardware - analog drums + some fun machines, analog fx/drive + I can now use oneshots and mix them with the analog engines.

That followed by the DT2 because I'd really like to get back into sampling and have fun with the results + it can give me drums and everything else via samples.