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

[cryophonik]

I don't know how the conversions work, but you might want to check the owner's manual. I gave it a quick glance and didn't see a whole of info, other than it looks like the delay and reverb are on separate sidechain routings, each with DA conversion after the fact (I think?). No idea if the other effects blocks work the same, though.

https://cdn.www.elektron.se/media/downl ... 230510.pdf

Some effects may be analog since it exist for guitar stomp boxes, but hardly reverb.

The only analog effects are the ones contained in the Heat Block (i.e., distortion/drive, filter, EQ, and gate) and these cannot be re-routed individually. All other effects are digital and each one is freely re-routable/engageable using the flow control.

[elxsound]

Does anybody know how AH+FX handle the AD/DA of effects?

I don’t know the answer after reading the manual.

The manual glosses over Heat as an analog effect. Its listed as an FX Block until the unit is placed in Analog mode, which turns off digital effects. No mention of AD/DA at the FX Block, routing stage.

I think they must have borrowed the signal flow diagrams from Analog Heat MKII, because it’s written as if there are only 2 points of conversion… after the input, and then the output.

[lfm]

Thanks guys.
AH+FX allowed to route AH anywhere, in the middle too, as shown i SuperBooth video.
- so it could mean at least one AD/DA before and after AH.

Bit if each effect module would make each an AD/DA would not be that good, so probably optimized when digital modules follow each other instead.

I would assume pure analog path is possible.

[elxsound]

Thanks guys.
AH+FX allowed to route AH anywhere, in the middle too, as shown i SuperBooth video.
- so it could mean at least one AD/DA before and after AH.

Bit if each effect module would make each an AD/DA would not be that good, so probably optimized when digital modules follow each other instead.

I would assume pure analog path is possible.

Pure analog path is possible. Just enable the analog only mode and it turns off all digital effects. No AD/DA.

[egbert101]

I managed to pass a stereo signal from USB to my Analog Four and then back again, which took a lot of time to try and get it to work through the oscillators and effects signal path so I could add some overdrive, but in doing so I had already lost 9db of signal (I suppose I could compensate digitally with BitShiftGain, but kinda missing the point. Any overdrive at all adds distortion so no clean signal. In other words, trying to add a bit of clean analog drive doesn't work with the Analog Four.

This is probably easily done in Analog Heat of course.

I wonder if anyone can confirm just how much clean analog signal boost the Analog Heat can give over USB?

[elxsound]

I managed to pass a stereo signal from USB to my Analog Four and then back again, which took a lot of time to try and get it to work through the oscillators and effects signal path so I could add some overdrive, but in doing so I had already lost 3db of signal (I suppose I could compensate digitally with BitShiftGain, but kinda missing the point. Any overdrive at all adds distortion so no clean signal. In other words, trying to add a bit of clean analog drive doesn't work with the Analog Four.

This is probably easily done in Analog Heat of course.

I wonder if anyone can confirm just how much clean analog signal boost the Analog Heat can give over USB?

Hopefully Cryophonik can compare… I think he has an Analog Four, but I assume, just like the Digi/Syntakt boxes they have lots of headroom (via Overbridge) and per Elektron, they say to do exactly as you mentioned… turn up the digital gain, because the noise floor is so low there won’t be anything introduced.

Now, when I use Analog Heat, I don’t have the same problem with reduced gain, compared to running audio through Syntakt. Lots of headroom on Syntakt, more than when I used Digitakt.

[egbert101]

Hopefully Cryophonik can compare… I think he has an Analog Four, but I assume, just like the Digi/Syntakt boxes they have lots of headroom (via Overbridge) and per Elektron, they say to do exactly as you mentioned… turn up the digital gain, because the noise floor is so low there won’t be anything introduced.

Now, when I use Analog Heat, I don’t have the same problem with reduced gain, compared to running audio through Syntakt. Lots of headroom on Syntakt, more than when I used Digitakt.

Yeah, I went back and checked and it was actually 9db of loss (Overdrive set at 0) and changed my post after you were quoting me. So that's a pretty big drop. It's fine if you want to add distortion in Analog Four, or I guess in Syntakt, but it is specifically some clean analog boost I was looking for.

Indeed, maybe Cryophonik will be kind enough to verify things with his heat.

[elxsound]

Yeah, I went back and checked and it was actually 9db of loss (Overdrive set at 0)

*no worries. That’s the same as Syntakt. You won’t need Analog Heat for that… any digital gain utility will do what’s needed. Again, no noise floor concerns boosting digitally as it can’t get cleaner than that. If you want to add subtle saturation on the clean gain setting, then Analog Heat can do that.

[egbert101]

I reset the machine and now there's no loss. But there's no gain either. I guess setting the Overdrive 1 gives a subtle bit of saturation, but it wasn't what I was expecting. Maybe I'm just looking for analog gain and perhaps some analog eq, so I guess an analog mixer would solve my problems.

[cryophonik]

I managed to pass a stereo signal from USB to my Analog Four and then back again, which took a lot of time to try and get it to work through the oscillators and effects signal path so I could add some overdrive, but in doing so I had already lost 3db of signal (I suppose I could compensate digitally with BitShiftGain, but kinda missing the point. Any overdrive at all adds distortion so no clean signal. In other words, trying to add a bit of clean analog drive doesn't work with the Analog Four.

This is probably easily done in Analog Heat of course.

I wonder if anyone can confirm just how much clean analog signal boost the Analog Heat can give over USB?

Hopefully Cryophonik can compare… I think he has an Analog Four, but I assume, just like the Digi/Syntakt boxes they have lots of headroom (via Overbridge) and per Elektron, they say to do exactly as you mentioned… turn up the digital gain, because the noise floor is so low there won’t be anything introduced.

Now, when I use Analog Heat, I don’t have the same problem with reduced gain, compared to running audio through Syntakt. Lots of headroom on Syntakt, more than when I used Digitakt.

I no longer have an Analog Four, unfortunately. I sold my mk2 a few months ago, like an idiot. I don't recall having ever running external audio through it, though, so I can't really help.

[egbert101]

I no longer have an Analog Four, unfortunately. I sold my mk2 a few months ago, like an idiot. I don't recall having ever running external audio through it, though, so I can't really help.

No problem I've got most of my answers for now.

[egbert101]

Well, so far using a drum sample and a tiny bit of saturation (Overdrive=1) I'm definitely getting some more weight at the bottom end, which is more audible when turning the volume up. Got to say, I'm extremely impressed with the results, I wasn't expecting it.

[lfm]

I would assume pure analog path is possible.

Pure analog path is possible. Just enable the analog only mode and it turns off all digital effects. No AD/DA.

Thanks.

Checked in manual as you say and that was stated.
- would they go in and out of digital domain many times one wonders doing Overbridge only then maybe
- flow diagrams shows everything but AD/DA converters where they are

Even looking at mk1 manual I get the impression it's all digital box. It only has the AH features, no extra effects.
- but maybe that is for Overbridge only then

Analog Drive guitar pedal though, states no AD/DA stuff at all in specs. So for a bit I thought AH would be related also having 8 dist effects.
- so maybe it is after all analog circuits in AH

[egbert101]

Just a reminder that pure analog is impossible over Overbridge, since there must be AD/DA over USB. Of course it might be possible if you're using cables only.

However with my experiment with the Analog Four, it seems worth it over USB for warming up digital audio.

[DrGonzo]

Just a reminder that pure analog is impossible over Overbridge, since there must be AD/DA over USB. Of course it might be possible if you're using cables only.

It is an interesting point to make and goes quite far if one thinks about it. No demos you've ever heard on the internet/Youtube have ever been analog. Or any music you've been listening to for the last 30 years have been analog. I guess the only stage when you can do pure analog is when you are making the music, if even then.

Anyway - A4, AR and Heat all sounds great. Personally I prefer the sound of the analog outputs, but maybe that have more to do with the weird gain-staging when using Overbridge.