Yahoo Groups archive

Elektron Musical Instruments

Index last updated: 2026-04-28 23:22 UTC

Thread

Electribe MX vs Elektron MachineDrum

Electribe MX vs Elektron MachineDrum

2003-06-09 by deeplfo

Hi,
I'm in the market for either the new Korg Electribe MX or the MD.  I
know the esoteric differences between MD and other drum machines, but
I wanted to get a bit more info from user groups.  The MX has going
for it: 9 part drums, 5 part synth, arp, real tube outputs, ribbon
controller, and a host of other features typical of the Electribe
units.  So, for the money it seems that the MX would be more
versatile, not so much in sound design , but more so in the everyday
use department.  Anyone would care to comment on the everday usage of
the MD within their setup?

Thanks,
mohsen

Re: [elektron] Electribe MX vs Elektron MachineDrum

2003-06-09 by simon leclerc

How much is the MX ?

on 09/06/03 6:07 PM, deeplfo at deeplfo@... wrote:

Hi,
I'm in the market for either the new Korg Electribe MX or the MD.  I
know the esoteric differences between MD and other drum machines, but
I wanted to get a bit more info from user groups.  The MX has going
for it: 9 part drums, 5 part synth, arp, real tube outputs, ribbon
controller, and a host of other features typical of the Electribe
units.  So, for the money it seems that the MX would be more
versatile, not so much in sound design , but more so in the everyday
use department.  Anyone would care to comment on the everday usage of
the MD within their setup?

Thanks,
mohsen


Yahoo! Groups Sponsor   ADVERTISEMENT
 
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service
<http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> .




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Re: [elektron] Electribe MX vs Elektron MachineDrum

2003-06-09 by Raj

hi

I also want to know more about the drum synth units inside the MX
from what i gather from the prelim. information they are PCM based

there is an analog synth as well

I'm not sure there is anything like the PI kit on the MD

maybe Brandon can let us know some more assuming he has had a peak

Price wise it seems very competitive

Great to see Korg releasing some querky "inventive" products again



----- Original Message -----
Show quoted textHide quoted text
From: "deeplfo" <deeplfo@...>
To: <elektron-users@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, June 09, 2003 11:07 PM
Subject: [elektron] Electribe MX vs Elektron MachineDrum


> Hi,
> I'm in the market for either the new Korg Electribe MX or the MD.  I
> know the esoteric differences between MD and other drum machines, but
> I wanted to get a bit more info from user groups.  The MX has going
> for it: 9 part drums, 5 part synth, arp, real tube outputs, ribbon
> controller, and a host of other features typical of the Electribe
> units.  So, for the money it seems that the MX would be more
> versatile, not so much in sound design , but more so in the everyday
> use department.  Anyone would care to comment on the everday usage of
> the MD within their setup?
>
> Thanks,
> mohsen
>
>
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>

RE: [elektron] Electribe MX vs Elektron MachineDrum

2003-06-09 by Matt Picone

> > > real tube outputs
> > 
> > Joke.
> > 
> 
> I guess if the analog output going through a tube driver stage is
> funny, then it's a joke.
> 
> mohsen

"Tube driver stage" is about as relevant to quality of sound as a decal
on the box would be. Well, no because it can actually worsen things.
It's a gimmick. It won't sound any better than a cheap solid state
pedal.

The design of the circuit is everything, and I can assure you, its core
engine, even pumped through a 65¢ tube, won't sound nearly as *alive* as
the all-digital machine drum.

Korg have basically no chance of competing with a company like Elektron
when it comes to quality.

-M@

Re: [elektron] Electribe MX vs Elektron MachineDrum

2003-06-09 by deeplfo

> "Tube driver stage" is about as relevant to quality of sound as a decal
> on the box would be. Well, no because it can actually worsen things.
> It's a gimmick. It won't sound any better than a cheap solid state
> pedal.
> 
> The design of the circuit is everything, and I can assure you, its core
> engine, even pumped through a 65¢ tube, won't sound nearly as *alive* as
> the all-digital machine drum.
> 
> Korg have basically no chance of competing with a company like Elektron
> when it comes to quality.
> 
> -M@

Their spec is not claiming that the driver is there to make the "sound
any better."  It's there for an overdrive function.  It simulates an
analog distortion type of an effect.  It's not meant to be any thing
other than that.  And I actually don't think Korg is trying to compete
directly with Elektron in the drum machine market. They both occupy a
different space in the marketplace.  And if there was ever a topic
that is purely subjective it's the "alive"-ness quality of sound. 
Finally, I think it's very dismissive to claim that Korg produces
nothing worth any quality.

mohsen

RE: [elektron] Electribe MX vs Elektron MachineDrum

2003-06-09 by amos luyk

>Korg have basically no chance of competing with a company like Elektron
>when it comes to quality.

A bold statement =0). What do you mean by quality? Surely the sound is all 
that's important, and that is totally subjective. I heard the Korg demo of 
the MX yesterday, and to me it is not in the same league when it comes to 
drums, but I might not have said that if I had only heard the original MD 
demo sounds.
As for the valves (forgive the English term) on the output, they did add a 
nice rich quality to the sound. Not difficult to get with a cheap pedal 
perhaps, but a very nice addition to a very nice groovebox.
The EX seems to be the culmination of the Electribe family, and might make a 
nice addition to the MD - my ER1 and MD are a match made in heaven =0) - 
when it comes right down to it, we all want different things, and we all 
have different ears. There is no 'right and wrong', just our own preferences 
- vive la difference =0)

thinking happy thoughts
amos

_________________________________________________________________
Tired of 56k? Get a FREE BT Broadband connection 
http://www.msn.co.uk/specials/btbroadband

Re: [elektron] Electribe MX vs Elektron MachineDrum

2003-06-09 by deeplfo

> when it comes right down to it, we all want different things, and we
all 
> have different ears. There is no 'right and wrong', just our own
preferences 
> - vive la difference =0)
> 
> thinking happy thoughts
> amos


Well said.

Re: [elektron] Electribe MX vs Elektron MachineDrum

2003-06-10 by not known

since you asked, my "everyday" (hardly, I've been too
busy to be using my gear that often lately, but I
digress) use of the MD is of course for my drums (I
have about 6 or 7 kits I've made and/or modified which
I use to build a lot of my patterns from)... and then
using it in song mode for pattern changes and using it
as master clock to drive my Evolver, Nord Modular and
provide MIDI clock to my FX rack as well, for
tempo-synced effects. I also use it to assign LFOs to
MIDI CCs to modulate other gear (oops, I just gave
away a secret ;o)... 

the Electribe MX looks pretty cool, although I have to
admit I don't think I would use it regularly enough to
justify the initial price... at this point, I'm
thinking of picking up their ES-1, to have a little
sequencer/sampler to go with the MD and the rest...
I'd use it to sample the following: 1) when I get a
nice sound from the Vermona DRM-1, which I also plan
to buy to accompany the MD (no patch memory on an
analog drum-brain); 2) if I ever decide to play gigs,
to sample my sounds from the MD so I can leave the MD
at home safe and sound in the studio; 3) other random
sampling needs ;-) 

to each their own of course, but I give Korg props for
doing something interesting in the groovebox format...
IIRC, the MX will have 9 channels of PCM drums and 5
channels of analog/physical modelling-based
synthesis... I don't know how related the latter is to
MOSS, but it sounds more interesting than the standard
groovebox fare that comes from other major
manufacturers...

and as someone pointed out, there is really very
little overlap between the MX and the MD... there will
be room for both

cheers,
kevin


 
---------------------------------
Hi,
I'm in the market for either the new Korg Electribe MX
or the MD.  I
know the esoteric differences between MD and other
drum machines, but
I wanted to get a bit more info from user groups.  The
MX has going
for it: 9 part drums, 5 part synth, arp, real tube
outputs, ribbon
controller, and a host of other features typical of
the Electribe
units.  So, for the money it seems that the MX would
be more
versatile, not so much in sound design , but more so
in the everyday
use department.  Anyone would care to comment on the
everday usage of
the MD within their setup?

Thanks,
mohsen


Yahoo! Groups Sponsor  ADVERTISEMENT
 
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo!
Terms of Service. 

______________________________________________________________________ 
Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca

Re: [elektron] Electribe MX vs Elektron MachineDrum

2003-06-10 by I've got a LASER, Earthman!

le 10/06/2003 00:07, deeplfo à deeplfo@... a écrit :

> real tube outputs,

Say Marketing.
It's just an overdrive with a 12AX7, nothing to jump and scream there.

It is _not_ a real audio path in class A with discrete circuits everywhere.

> ribbon controller

THAT is cool
But I'm still wondering upon the demo in video you can see on Sonicstate.
The guys was moving like mad on his ribbon controler but I couldn't relate
it to anything in the so polished demo we were hearing. (fake on a ribbon
not in the OS already or I'm deaf or...)

> and a host of other features typical of the Electribe units.

Physical modeling. Korg is _good_ at that (just sold my Z1, boohooooooo :-/
If you take Roland with his sample based boxes, everything is so squached
into ROMs that it sound the same. No problem to marry sound together, but no
personnality either.

> So, for the money it seems that the MX would be more
> versatile, not so much in sound design , but more so in the everyday
> use department.

The MX is more "complete" if you are looking for some current "dance"
(anything with bass, lead, drums). MD can only partly compete in this area.
But the MD has spice in unknown territories :D

>Anyone would care to comment on the everday usage of
> the MD within their setup?

Sequencing notepad
Electronic noise module

For drums I use something else ;)
(but I'm a spoiled weirdo)

le 10/06/2003 00:58, Raj à rajah_patel@... a écrit :

> there is an analog synth as well

Say Virtual Analogue. :P
it is _not_ the same ;)

le 10/06/2003 01:13, Matt Picone à matman@... a écrit :

> "Tube driver stage" is about as relevant to quality of sound as a decal
> on the box would be. Well, no because it can actually worsen things.
> It's a gimmick. It won't sound any better than a cheap solid state
> pedal.

gimme my old overdrive boy! :D

> The design of the circuit is everything, and I can assure you, its core
> engine, even pumped through a 65¢ tube, won't sound nearly as *alive* as
> the all-digital machine drum.

In this case, the 65 ¢ is not the problem, but the tranformers before and
afterŠ These are the problems. (and a good transformer has a cost).

For the ones here who want the real thing, try metasonix. This guy knows a
thing or two on tubes.

http://www.metasonix.com

Electribes are physical modeling based

MD is PM and Samples. Both are digital throughout. The point of the 12AX7 is
to give it an edge (fat, coloration, overdrive AND NOISE)(noise can be a
good thing) once the digital is muted into analogue.

They follow the trend of tube here and there, even in your washing machine.
Just a matter of a MD setting trends, and an electribe following others.

> Korg have basically no chance of competing with a company like Elektron
> when it comes to quality.

Given the record of Elektron these last monthŠhmmm
I'd say Elektron is trying to be innovative but they have quality control
problems. Korg is very efficient factory wise, but as a big company must not
too much innovate (what was their last real synth? Prophecy? Z1?)

Electribes are in a groove box market set for all-in-one boxes.
Elektron maked unique instruments. But not all-in-one instruments by
definition. It's take one thing, add everything possible to make it the best
and voilà.

After what you do with the limitations of the boxes is up to your skill and
imagination. And the graal of originality is not necessarily in the marketed
fomated stuff or the performer oriented one, but in the player and what
eventually he will pour into the audio path beside his brain.

Denis U] writing tooooo much ;)

================================================
lepetitmartien           M.I.C.                http://www.macmusic.org

Re: [elektron] Electribe MX vs Elektron MachineDrum

2003-06-10 by oldmanfury

--- In elektron-users@yahoogroups.com, "Matt Picone" <matman@m...> 
wrote:
> Korg have basically no chance of competing with a company 
> like Elektron when it comes to quality.
> 
> -M@

Having said that, how do you think Elektron will fare in the already 
super-saturated VA synth market?  I worry about this one - anybody 
can program a VA synth (look at all of the VSTI's out there) - but 
knowing how to program a _good_ VA synth is something entirely 
different.  Clavia, Waldorf, Access, and NI know how, but they 
obviously hired the right people.  Does Elektron have somebody who 
knows the intricacies of programming an excellent resonant filter?  
If they do, I'm not sure he worked on the MD...  

Competing with the heavyweights of the digital synth market is going 
to be an eyeopener.  I wish them the best of luck.  What do you think 
Matt? (Since you're the M@ responsible for a whole slew of Bank G 
presets on my Virus, you might have an opinion here?) Can Elektron 
pull it off?

-gerald

Re: [elektron] Electribe MX vs Elektron MachineDrum

2003-06-10 by Daniel Ornelas

>> Korg have basically no chance of competing with a company
>> like Elektron when it comes to quality.
>>
>> -M@

Hi M@! Nice to see you on the Elektron list for a change :P

> Having said that, how do you think Elektron will fare in the already
> super-saturated VA synth market?

Luckly, the MD only partially addresses VA (the TRX stuff) and the 
monomachine none at all, New sounds, new ideas. John's Diner shouldn't 
have to compete with McCorporation.

Bring on the MM demos!

-Danny

RE: [elektron] Electribe MX vs Elektron MachineDrum

2003-06-10 by Matt Picone

> Competing with the heavyweights of the digital synth market is going 
> to be an eyeopener.  I wish them the best of luck.  What do you think 
> Matt? (Since you're the M@ responsible for a whole slew of Bank G 
> presets on my Virus, you might have an opinion here?) Can Elektron 
> pull it off?

I think that the sequencer in the monomachine is going to be its value
proposition. As for competing with the likes of Access Waldorf or
Clavia, I prefer to think of Elektron as having the potential to
compliment and coexist rather than it being a matter of "needing to live
up to" the genius behind those brands. I do hope their pricing continues
to reflect this philosophy.

Truly though, only time will tell. 

And alright, I'll also knock the korg chip off my shoulder ;)

-M@

Re: [elektron] Electribe MX vs Elektron MachineDrum

2003-06-10 by aeon

On 6/9/03 6:13 PM, "Matt Picone" <matman@...> wrote:

>>>> real tube outputs
>>>> 
>>> Joke.
>>> 
> "Tube driver stage" is about as relevant to quality of sound as a decal on the
> box would be. Well, no because it can actually worsen things. It's a gimmick.
> It won't sound any better than a cheap solid state pedal.
> 
Hmm, this hasn't been the experience of many who have tried the Vox
Valvetronix amps, which share a similar end-stage design. Granted, not
everyone loves them, and I know you are a H&K Zentera user, but that said,
while a consensus will never be reached, the sum aggregate of many reviews
of those amps show that Korg really did achieve something with those 12AX7s
in the output path.

> The design of the circuit is everything, and I can assure you, its core
> engine, even pumped through a 65¢ tube, won't sound nearly as *alive* as the
> all-digital machine drum.
> 
Ah, so you have used the Electribe MX then? I find it foolish to make such a
statement when the product has not even hit the market yet.

> Korg have basically no chance of competing with a company like Elektron when
> it comes to quality.
> 
You have clearly never used a Korg OASYS PCI. ;)

In reality, Korg set a benchmark with that product that *other* companies
hope to aspire to in terms of quality.


cheers,
aeon

Move to quarantaine

This moves the raw source file on disk only. The archive index is not changed automatically, so you still need to run a manual refresh afterward.