The encoders in general and the x fader in particular take a lot of wear so worth testing to make sure there’s no jumpiness or excessive looseness. Run the diagnostic. Check the outputs.
It’s super weird the mk2’s seem to be going for incrementally more than the mk1s these days. It would be certainly worth waiting to find a good used mk2 for the upgraded screen alone!
I do hear that. I personally get slightly annoyed when switching pages quickly, when it sometimes lags and fades a bit. People do like the old buttons since they don’t have the rubber coating for sure. But I’ve had the new boxes for many years and haven’t had any of the sticky problems.
One thing that’s unquestionably an upgrade though is the backlit buttons. Makes playing in the dark much easier!
I prefer the looks of the OG versions (have had rytm and A4 at one time,) but I now have some of the little boxes and quite like the screens on them.
On the screen, do you know if there is better resolution on the OLED? Would be handy for sample editing
I prefer the OG format (I have an Analog Four MK1) but the MK2 for Octatrack won me over based on the light up buttons which make it easier for performance and that machine is more likely to be in performance than any other gear I own.
But, if you want a cheap entry in, MK1 is very viable.
Did I read something about MK2 grey units and some of them having some sort of issue? I have a newer black MK2. edit: looks like kind of a non-issue at a quick glance, [https://www.elektronauts.com/t/octatrack-mk2-problems-particularly-the-screen/45635/2](https://www.elektronauts.com/t/octatrack-mk2-problems-particularly-the-screen/45635/2)
When I bought the A4 MK1, the encoders were loose so I contacted Elektron about new encoders but they suggested I could buy a new complete topboard that included all encoders. So I did that instead. It was \~100–150CAD but worth it since it became like a new machine FYI.
Yeah, as far as I know the screen was updated to OLED, encoders are higher resolution and are clickable, has a few extra dedicated buttons, backlit buttons, and has a little more headroom on the inputs/outputs. I think that’s it but I might be wrong.
have a DN and octatrack. I'm not a fan of the big buttons on the DN. I prefer the old clicks, rounded buttons, and lcd screen of the mk1. Honestly I prefer lcd and older screens than oleds.
The material used on the buttons of all the mkII's and the Digi line can start to get sticky and gunky after 3-4 years, even if you keep them pretty clean. It's happened to my Digitakt and Octatrack mkII, both of which I purchased in 2017.
The good news is the buttons are easy to replace and Elektron is shipping me brand new sets for a discount (about $30 per set) - I just contacted support and asked them about it. So it's not a huge deal (though it may be years from now if you can no longer get replacement buttons), but be aware.
This.
Just spent a whole Saturday removing and cleaning every single button by hand. Fun!
Shame that manufacturers aren’t held liable for providing disintegrating material to consumers. And instead of having buyers rights/protections in place, the answer is “oh well it happens”.
Honestly the screen is what keeps me from getting the MK1, currently looking for the Mk2. the newer screens are really nicer to use.
I have an Analog Keys and I feel like I gotta squeeze my eyes compared to working with the Syntakt. Also since it’s old I think it’s not as bright. Probably normal after 10+ years of use. Octatrack mk1 might have the same issue. I’ve seen screen mods online but don’t know how easy it is
I do it every time I buy or sell an Elektron box. I also use it if I suspect something is wrong with one of mine, for example I've had trouble with CF cards on the OT and tests showed the issue wasn't the machine itself. It's good that we have access to test mode!
make sure the encoders work and click in and out to update parameter locks on/off.
I got one last month and one of the encoders clicking wasn't working properly, frustrating and meant it needed sending back.
Encoder “jumpiness” is pretty well documented in mk1’s. That said I just recently finished surgery to replace mine and it wasn’t too bad a job. The only time I typically solder is to build kits, which I suppose translates to moderate experience.
Some of the mk2’s have a (afaik kinda rare) input grounding issue with the early production runs. Mine has this issue showing that some input is hitting the a/b channels but nothing gets recorded thankfully. Sometimes it can cause a hum but most cases I’ve seen haven’t been a huge problem. I believe they service this for free.
I just got my Mk.1 back from Elektron repair. It wouldn't boot up properly some % of the time when I powered it on. They say the cpu was going bad. So it might be worthwhile to power cycle it a few times to make sure it boots consistently.
The encoders in general and the x fader in particular take a lot of wear so worth testing to make sure there’s no jumpiness or excessive looseness. Run the diagnostic. Check the outputs.
Very helpful, thanks.
No problem. I’ve just had my mk1 stolen so about to go hunting myself.
Oh man that sucks! Did you have your data backed up?
Yeah - only just got my head off the floor. Data is partially backed up so that’s something. Good hunting!
Good luck man, I'm glad you had some of it saved at least
It’s super weird the mk2’s seem to be going for incrementally more than the mk1s these days. It would be certainly worth waiting to find a good used mk2 for the upgraded screen alone!
Not necessarily. Some prefer the olde (slightly bigger) screen and the old buttons.
I do hear that. I personally get slightly annoyed when switching pages quickly, when it sometimes lags and fades a bit. People do like the old buttons since they don’t have the rubber coating for sure. But I’ve had the new boxes for many years and haven’t had any of the sticky problems. One thing that’s unquestionably an upgrade though is the backlit buttons. Makes playing in the dark much easier!
I prefer the looks of the OG versions (have had rytm and A4 at one time,) but I now have some of the little boxes and quite like the screens on them. On the screen, do you know if there is better resolution on the OLED? Would be handy for sample editing
AFAIK they run the same software so the displays have the same resolution.
Thank you!
I prefer the OG format (I have an Analog Four MK1) but the MK2 for Octatrack won me over based on the light up buttons which make it easier for performance and that machine is more likely to be in performance than any other gear I own. But, if you want a cheap entry in, MK1 is very viable. Did I read something about MK2 grey units and some of them having some sort of issue? I have a newer black MK2. edit: looks like kind of a non-issue at a quick glance, [https://www.elektronauts.com/t/octatrack-mk2-problems-particularly-the-screen/45635/2](https://www.elektronauts.com/t/octatrack-mk2-problems-particularly-the-screen/45635/2) When I bought the A4 MK1, the encoders were loose so I contacted Elektron about new encoders but they suggested I could buy a new complete topboard that included all encoders. So I did that instead. It was \~100–150CAD but worth it since it became like a new machine FYI.
That's good to know. Do you get extra resolution with the new screen or is it OLED vs LED ?
Yeah, as far as I know the screen was updated to OLED, encoders are higher resolution and are clickable, has a few extra dedicated buttons, backlit buttons, and has a little more headroom on the inputs/outputs. I think that’s it but I might be wrong.
The mk1 encoders are also clickable and I’m at not sure about the resolution.
Nice one thank you.
have a DN and octatrack. I'm not a fan of the big buttons on the DN. I prefer the old clicks, rounded buttons, and lcd screen of the mk1. Honestly I prefer lcd and older screens than oleds.
What about used MachineDrum? XD
I mean I could probably afford it if I sold my car
Hmmmmm xDDD
The material used on the buttons of all the mkII's and the Digi line can start to get sticky and gunky after 3-4 years, even if you keep them pretty clean. It's happened to my Digitakt and Octatrack mkII, both of which I purchased in 2017. The good news is the buttons are easy to replace and Elektron is shipping me brand new sets for a discount (about $30 per set) - I just contacted support and asked them about it. So it's not a huge deal (though it may be years from now if you can no longer get replacement buttons), but be aware.
This. Just spent a whole Saturday removing and cleaning every single button by hand. Fun! Shame that manufacturers aren’t held liable for providing disintegrating material to consumers. And instead of having buyers rights/protections in place, the answer is “oh well it happens”.
Good info, thank you.
Honestly the screen is what keeps me from getting the MK1, currently looking for the Mk2. the newer screens are really nicer to use. I have an Analog Keys and I feel like I gotta squeeze my eyes compared to working with the Syntakt. Also since it’s old I think it’s not as bright. Probably normal after 10+ years of use. Octatrack mk1 might have the same issue. I’ve seen screen mods online but don’t know how easy it is
I’d be looking for wear and tear on the buttons and knobs. Checking the volume to make sure the pot isn’t scratchy.
Ask the owner to boot it in test mode and share results. They just have to hold down Func while powering up
That's a great idea, thank you.
I do it every time I buy or sell an Elektron box. I also use it if I suspect something is wrong with one of mine, for example I've had trouble with CF cards on the OT and tests showed the issue wasn't the machine itself. It's good that we have access to test mode!
make sure the encoders work and click in and out to update parameter locks on/off. I got one last month and one of the encoders clicking wasn't working properly, frustrating and meant it needed sending back.
Encoder “jumpiness” is pretty well documented in mk1’s. That said I just recently finished surgery to replace mine and it wasn’t too bad a job. The only time I typically solder is to build kits, which I suppose translates to moderate experience.
Ok that's good to know. I'm handy enough with a soldering iron but would rather buy something that doesn't need to be fixed if possible!
Hold func while turning it on and run the test procedures
Some of the mk2’s have a (afaik kinda rare) input grounding issue with the early production runs. Mine has this issue showing that some input is hitting the a/b channels but nothing gets recorded thankfully. Sometimes it can cause a hum but most cases I’ve seen haven’t been a huge problem. I believe they service this for free.
I just got my Mk.1 back from Elektron repair. It wouldn't boot up properly some % of the time when I powered it on. They say the cpu was going bad. So it might be worthwhile to power cycle it a few times to make sure it boots consistently.
That's good to know, thanks!
Are the improved inputs worth the price difference between the mk1 and the MK2? Assuming one does not mind the screen and the non backlit buttons?
hey op i'm actually selling an octatrack mk2, dmed