RIP Elektron Digitakt, long-lived Digitakt II, the hardware sampler successor with 16 stereo sampling tracks, more FXs, upgraded sequencer, and more.
Elektron has just released Overbridge 2.13 that brings full Digitakt II compatibility. Once updated, you can stream all tracks in stereo to your DAW.
Article From April 24, 2024
In March there were first signs that the Elektron Digitakt would no longer be produced after seven years on the market. Yesterday the confirmation came with the leak of the new Digitakt II.
And the official release won’t take long. Today Elektron officially introduces the Digitakt II.
Elektron Digitakt II
Digitakt II is the official successor to Digitakt I. It has the same design as the previous version with the clicky buttons. However, the color choice is now closer to the Syntakt and Analog Heat + FX. Also new is an OLED display that shows the parameters even more clearly. The big updates await you in the engine.
It now offers 16 tracks of samples in stereo, mono, or MIDI instead of the previous eight audio and eight MIDI. That’s the biggest upgrade, as you can now make 16 audio tracks in stereo.
Also, memory capability was boosted significantly. Digitakt II now offers 20GB of internal memory, 20 times more than the predecessor’s space. Plus, each project can hold up to 400MB RAM of samples. Digitakt I had 64MB RAM. You can now sample, either externally or internally, freely or quantized to the tempo of up to 30 minutes of stereo samples per project.
Whatever the thunderclap, whatever the whisper, they’re all waiting to be triggered from over a thousand sample slots available in each project.
Modular Sound Design Approach
Elektron says the Digitak experience has evolved, offering an even more modular approach to sound creation. This starts with mixing and matching the layers using any of the five popular sample-manipulating machines: slice, werp, repitch, stretch, and one shot.
Then, you can explore a new filter workflow. You can choose from several swappable filters for each track. One filter is fixed as a base/width filter, but the other lets you swap between Multi-mode, Low pass 4, Comb, EQ, or Legacy LP/HP. That’s a good, flexible set of filters.
Each track also offers modulation again. You also have a filter envelope and a separate amp envelope of ADSR – for more definition and control – and AHD – ideal for those short barks of percussion. Plus, there are now three multi-wave LFOs per track for adding movement to your tracks. So, there is one more LFO than in the previous version.
That’s not all. On each track, you can also further transform and shape your sounds, using the built-in effects. Besides the classic delay and reverb, it has a new chorus, bit, or sample-rate reduction and overdrive. You can apply a single effect or all of them on your tracks. Navigate to the mixer page to apply additional compression and master overdrive, sculpting unique sound textures at will.
Upgraded Sequencer
The new Digitakt II also benefits from a new upgraded sequencer. It now features 128 steps – double the previous amount, finally. Besides this, you can work with a new Euclidean sequence generator with various algorithms, giving you instant new surprising rhythms.
Also board are again the conditional trigs, creative trig modes, 16 levels of velocity, retrig mode, and a new preset pool function allowing you to record multiple sounds into one track.
Elektron also has added a new Machinedrum-inspired Perform Kit mode that allows you to experiment with your kit without overwriting its state. Trig modes offer super-fun ways to activate 16 levels of velocity, retrain, or bring the Preset Pool to the surface to record multiple sounds/different Preset Locks into one track.
Yes, the user interface now also has a more obvious keyboard button with which you can enter the keyboard mode. In this, you can play your samples chromatically across 10 octaves, with over 30 different scales.
Not to forget is the recently introduced song mode and the ability to record parameters with parameter locks into the sequence.
Connectivity
On the connection side, Digitakt II has a stereo input and stereo output on symmetrical 6.35mm sockets, MIDI in/out/thru sockets, USB port for data, including Overbridge, a power supply input, and a headphone socket.
It ships with tons of samples to get you up and running, including over 1000 created options from drums to percussion to melody.
Elektron Digitakt II First Impression
I haven’t seen a demo yet, nor do I have a test device. From the feature set, it looks like an excellent upgrade for the Digitakt. It is not a completely new device, that’s sure, but rather a further development and upgrade. Of course, you would like to see individual outputs, but with 16 outputs, it would have been a bit tight on the back hehe.
Digitakt II has most of what people have wanted for a long time: stereo samples, more storage space, and a better sequencer. The 16 audio tracks, the new FXs, and more are a great extra. I think Elektron has done its homework. I’m looking forward to the first user feedback.
Elektron Digitakt II is available now for $999/1049€ worldwide. Retailers like Thomann sells it for 999€.
More information here: Elektron
Available at my partner
Are the midi tracks still limited to four notes?
Also: still no real polyphony? And still the STICKY material keys? And still no secateurs slot? Sigh. Could have been such a great opportunity, unfortunately missed these important points, very sad. Would still be a nice tool – for 400 euros.
In some ways Digitakt is limited and in other ways it beats everything that’s currently on the market.
autocorrect made sdcard slot a funny word
Somehow Elektron still has split personality samplers. With Overbridge you can record all 16 individual tracks of the Digitakt II to your DAW at once, but only dry without Send FX. If you want the full Elektron sequencer power with all parameter locks plus FX per step on individual tracks in your DAW, the Octatrack is your machine. But the Octatrack doesn’t have Overbridge and you can only record two of the eight tracks at once through its physical outputs.
128 x 64 pix. LOL
I’m seeing used Digitakt’s pop up already. I might snag me one of those if the price is right. Haha!
Still love my OG DT – I figure it’s worth upgrading if you use 100% of it and need more that it can’t give then fair play, but I’m not even close to using all of it’s features so it can stay. The OG is still a remarkable and powerful machine.
Nah – overly complex, and now in Stereo in too. YMMV. I didn’t finish a single project because of all the faffing and forgetting how to do stuff. We need an Elektron Simples. Koala in hardware form with some of the Elektron secret sauce. Simples!
Amen!
Faffing around and forgetting how to do stuff feels like wasted effort that could’ve been focused on the music making. There’s still an open position for a Goldilocks intuitive UI sampler. For some inexplicable reason this seems like a tall order for these companies.
At least two of us have the right idea Johan! Amen to that indeed.
still no mono after 6 months, quite disappointing.