KVR Audio

cryophonik · Post by **cryophonik** » Wed May 03, 2023 3:33 am

I’ve been giving the Analog Heat a little closer look lately while I’m considering an outboard solution for saturation/distortion. I’m already an Elektron fanboy, but never touched a Heat. I’m very much on the fence though, especially given the price. I’d love to hear people’s thoughts on it. Mk1 pretty good? Mk2 worth the extra cost? Other options to consider?

For a little more background, I have all 15 of my synths/drum machines routed into my UAD Apollos and use its onboard DSP effects, but I don’t have any dedicated UAD distortion effects. UAD offers a bundle of distortion plugins, which would be the most convenient and probably cheapest solution, but I’m not entirely convinced by them and they don’t seem to get good reviews. I also have a ton of native distortion plugins for my DAW, but I’m looking for something that can be used without my DAW, e.g., hardware unit like the Analog Heat, UAD plugins for my Apollos, etc.

Edit: updated the subject line for the new Heat +FX

cryophonik · Post by **cryophonik** » Wed May 10, 2023 3:57 pm

Nevermind, my mind is made up

Analog Heat +FX!!! I was so close to pulling the trigger on a Heat mk2 last week, but was thinking, I wish it had reverbs, delays, etc., then BAM, Elektron reads my mind.

pdxindy · Post by **pdxindy** » Wed May 10, 2023 4:19 pm

cryophonik wrote: Wed May 10, 2023 3:57 pm Nevermind, my mind is made up

Analog Heat +FX!!! I was so close to pulling the trigger on a Heat mk2 last week, but was thinking, I wish it had reverbs, delays, etc., then BAM, Elektron reads my mind.

Cool! Now though, I wish it had a couple tracks of the Elektron Sequencer for p-locking all those yummy new parameters!

SLiC · Post by **SLiC** » Wed May 10, 2023 4:25 pm

Nice update (a couple more inputs would have been cool to eliminate the need for a mixer but you can always serial up with Electron Boxes)

cryophonik · Post by **cryophonik** » Wed May 10, 2023 4:35 pm

pdxindy wrote: Wed May 10, 2023 4:19 pm
cryophonik wrote: Wed May 10, 2023 3:57 pm Nevermind, my mind is made up

Analog Heat +FX!!! I was so close to pulling the trigger on a Heat mk2 last week, but was thinking, I wish it had reverbs, delays, etc., then BAM, Elektron reads my mind.
Cool! Now though, I wish it had a couple tracks of the Elektron Sequencer for p-locking all those yummy new parameters!

That would be cool. Could it be done from another Elektron box via MIDI?

pdxindy · Post by **pdxindy** » Wed May 10, 2023 4:44 pm

cryophonik wrote: Wed May 10, 2023 4:35 pm
pdxindy wrote: Wed May 10, 2023 4:19 pm
cryophonik wrote: Wed May 10, 2023 3:57 pm Nevermind, my mind is made up

Analog Heat +FX!!! I was so close to pulling the trigger on a Heat mk2 last week, but was thinking, I wish it had reverbs, delays, etc., then BAM, Elektron reads my mind.
Cool! Now though, I wish it had a couple tracks of the Elektron Sequencer for p-locking all those yummy new parameters!
That would be cool. Could it be done from another Elektron box via MIDI?

You can do some modulation that way. Actually, EH+FX also works with Overbridge so you could do some sequencing of parameters in your DAW.

It's just not the same as hands on p-locking in the Elektron Sequencer.

cryophonik · Post by **cryophonik** » Wed May 10, 2023 4:50 pm

Yeah, now you've got me imagining those possibilities and it's got me wondering why Elektron chose NOT to include their most recognizable trademark feature on the Heat series. That would be glitched-out absolute rhythmic chaos heaven.

Goony · Post by **Goony** » Wed May 10, 2023 5:17 pm

Am looking at this, and Im glad it hasn't got the Elektron sequencer, maybe the first Elektron box I keep

cryophonik · Post by **cryophonik** » Wed May 10, 2023 7:13 pm

Loopop is on it...

Uncle E · Post by **Uncle E** » Wed May 10, 2023 7:55 pm

Maybe an old Elektron Analog Drive? Not really the best idea but they're selling for cheap these days and, if you get two for stereo, I think you can control one with the other over MIDI (or control both with MIDI step sequencers, LFO's, etc.).

SLiC · Post by **SLiC** » Wed May 10, 2023 9:47 pm

You can achieve quite a lot of what this does with 5he Syntakt (and sequence the fx)

The ability to plock and sequence delay, reverb, distortion and analog filter via the stereo audio ins is a real bonus for a synth and killed my GAS for a Heat.

Constructed Identity · Thu May 11, 2023 1:23 am

I have been looking at the world of multi-effects pedals lately....they are so much more than the old fashioned guitar stomp box and the prices can be insane (Eventide H90). I guess this thing is Elektron's take on the market segment.
Wow, just saw the price, $999. more than the Eventide H90.
I know real analog distortion has its own sound, I like my fusion box that has a tube overdrive so I understand some of this.
But...not for me.

Constructed Identity · Thu May 11, 2023 2:21 am

I am going to add to above here. I can think of a set of effects in a box like this that would be worth it because I am playing with something like it now: two analog filters with different analog drive components all in a multi-roughtable box with 2 or more LFOs to have fun with in a mod matrix

I use the 2600 as a forth voice out of the Pro 3 and it's effects

There is a magic to sequential filters, especially ones with totally different characteristics.

zerocrossing · Post by **zerocrossing** » Thu May 11, 2023 4:12 am

cryophonik wrote: Wed May 03, 2023 3:33 am I’ve been giving the Analog Heat a little closer look lately while I’m considering an outboard solution for saturation/distortion. I’m already an Elektron fanboy, but never touched a Heat. I’m very much on the fence though, especially given the price. I’d love to hear people’s thoughts on it. Mk1 pretty good? Mk2 worth the extra cost? Other options to consider?

For a little more background, I have all 15 of my synths/drum machines routed into my UAD Apollos and use its onboard DSP effects, but I don’t have any dedicated UAD distortion effects. UAD offers a bundle of distortion plugins, which would be the most convenient and probably cheapest solution, but I’m not entirely convinced by them and they don’t seem to get good reviews. I also have a ton of native distortion plugins for my DAW, but I’m looking for something that can be used without my DAW, e.g., hardware unit like the Analog Heat, UAD plugins for my Apollos, etc.

Edit: updated the subject line for the new Heat +FX

I also use a UAD Apollo. I have the distortion bundle as well as the Culture Vulture emulation. Also the Fuchs Overdrive Supreme 50 (sounds great on everything), Marshall Plexi, (ditto) and the Moog Multimode filter. Sound wise, I feel like they are on par with the Heat, but they don’t really do the same thing in terms of features.

But there are equally good native solutions. Arturia has a bunch of them. Coldfire, the Culture Vulture emulation, some transistor distortion that sounds really good. Plenty of great filter plugins too. Automate the crap out of all of that and there was clearly no need to keep my Heat. Great little device, though, but unnecessary.

cryophonik · Post by **cryophonik** » Thu May 11, 2023 6:02 am

Yeah, I have plenty of good plugins, but I’m looking for something that I can use without having to fire up my DAW.

Elektron Analog Heat, thoughts, alternatives...Heat +FX!!!