KVR Audio

BONES · Post by **BONES** » Thu Feb 27, 2020 1:00 am

Anyone seen this? It's an FM version of their last box - https://www.engadget.com/2020/02/26/ele ... groovebox/
It looks like Model:Samples but uses a cut-down, dumbed down version of the Digitone engine. Same price, too.

bharris22 · Post by **bharris22** » Thu Feb 27, 2020 1:04 am

A $299 hardware FM synth is very interesting to me . . . . I had thought that the Model:Samples was overpriced at $399 (especially as I have a Digitakt), but $299 is definitely a sweeter spot.

revvy · Post by **revvy** » Thu Feb 27, 2020 4:21 am

Agreed, looks good.

bharris22 · Post by **bharris22** » Thu Feb 27, 2020 1:56 pm

Monophonic only, or is it only the sequencers that are monophonic? If the sound is monophonic, that would probably be a deal-breaker for me.

DJ Warmonger · Post by **DJ Warmonger** » Thu Feb 27, 2020 2:00 pm

A $299 hardware FM synth is very interesting to me

This looks more like elaborate drum machine rather than fully-blown FM synth. Nothing for sound designers, but may help creating more diverse and organic drum patterns. Much more than "tone" and "decay" found in 808, for instance.

Silaris · Post by **Silaris** » Mon Mar 02, 2020 1:20 am

The Model:Cycles is different enough from my other drum machines that I decided to place an order. It should arrive later this month.

DrGonzo · Post by **DrGonzo** » Thu Mar 05, 2020 7:25 am

Bought one from Thomann and it arrived a couple of days ago. I was surprised on how much I liked it.

Yeah, you could say it's dumbed down from Digitone - but that's like saying the Reface DX is a dumbed down DX7. It most certainly is. But that doesn't mean you have a painfully limited sound. It sounds good and have a wide palette of sounds. And the fact that this is FM without any menus or sub parameters - makes it very enjoyable to use. Workflow is excellent.

/C

antic604 · Post by **antic604** » Thu Mar 05, 2020 10:45 am

I really like the idea, feature-set and their implementation for both Cycles:xxx boxes, but the soap-like design throws me off enough to not ever consider getting any of them.

DrGonzo · Post by **DrGonzo** » Thu Mar 05, 2020 10:54 am

I can absolutely understand that. I felt that about the Samples model. But it's better in real life than in the pictures. But if you absolutely hate it - there are some people making quite cool overlays for it. So far just the Samples model - but I'm sure Cycles are coming soon.

I know lots of people have been bitching about Elektron leaving the advanced and so called "core" users left behind with their cheaper boxes, and while I can understand that - but at this point I am quite curious what a new high-end unit from Elektron would look like. The evolution from let's say the Octatrack to the Model-units is quite interesting. Sure. The old Elektron looks to be gone forever - but the new one is starting to look interesting.

/C

New "Budget" Elektron Box - Model:Cycles