Electron Octatrack or Beat Thang... next

3 Oct 2011, 15:42

So I wonder who in the Roland Clan sphere has either of these two items. It is likely that I will purchase another piece of gear (even though I thought I was done) I have seen the videos for the Beat Thang but have not yet heard any of the 3000 sounds that come with it. People who have it say it sounds great (the samples in it) but I gather many others just put their own samples in it. The Beat Thang costs $1500. You can buy a used Roland mv8000 for $500. Sooner or later I am sure we will see people selling all of the Beat Thang's sounds on ebay in a bundle for a low cost. I am still waiting for more videos of the sound sets for Beat Thang...though I guess I could just go to best buy and play with it there.
The Octatrack is what I really want but my mind is telling me to wait a bit. I think they just came out with another OS. You know how it is with technology usually it is better to wait for the second model to come out. The Octatrack is $1300. The control over the many parameters is what I want it for. Hopefully I can save a bit more and afford both!
Anyone here have either unit?
Cheers
Ian
PS also on my short Christmas list Roland SP404sx, SH 201.

"Never waste venom on dead and fleeing things" - The mantra of the Cobra

Re: Electron Octatrack or Beat Thang... next

4 Oct 2011, 22:28

Wouldn't the Beat Thang be more comparable to a MachineDrum UW with the Octatrack complementing either.

+1 for both!

Re: Electron Octatrack or Beat Thang... next

5 Oct 2011, 12:29

you are right the Beat thang is a sampler drum machine whereas the Octatrack is more of a control unit with sampling and such.
I watched a you tube video of a guy slicing up the amen break and I thought it was great. I really just want the sounds from the Beat thang. I already own a DR880. Here is the video of the guy doing the chopping on the Octatrack...(BTW I asked in the v-synth forum if anyione knows if it can do something similar)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpkwuM8PkNI

if your into drum and bass this is what we all want.
cheers,

"Never waste venom on dead and fleeing things" - The mantra of the Cobra

Re: Electron Octatrack or Beat Thang... next

21 Oct 2011, 19:20

Why not just get the Beat Thang software? Its cheaper, got the same 3000 sounds and the same OS running it.

Personally for me, the Beat Thang is garbage and missing alot of things that could've made it a contender like lack of MIDI clock, no ability to delete sequences. I have the soft and its buggy than Georgia during summertime.

Octatrack looks good but I haven't seen anything but as a useful live tool. I would like to see a composed track made soley on the Octatrack. I just see videos of people playing with the sounds rather than make a song.

Re: Electron Octatrack or Beat Thang... next

17 Jan 2012, 16:54

I ended up buying the Octatrack. One was for sale in my area for $900. I sold it about three weeks ago. furthermore I do not miss it. It is complicated. I was not making music like I thought I would.
My set up is pretty good as it is and the only thing I may add are more sounds from a different source...like a yamaha mox6, rack motif xs, or a korg kronos, or a kurzweil pc3k.
Right now I have 2 roland VS2000's hooked together, a fantom S, a sonic cell, 6 SRX cards, Korg Radias, original V-synth, Yamaha AN200, Roland DR-880, Yamaha SU700, Pioneer Reel to Reel tape machine RT909, and a Boss Space echo RE-20, 2 yamaha A4000's samplers, and an akai z4 sampler.
I think I am leaning more towards the rack motif xs because of cost. Plus as I get older I am realizing that I really only want the extra sounds and not the keys. It is better to save money for the record (vinyl) production, venue rentals,the website maintenance and advertising. Buying gear that doesn't make sounds isn't helpful.
cheers,
Ian

"Never waste venom on dead and fleeing things" - The mantra of the Cobra

Re: Electron Octatrack or Beat Thang... next

29 Jan 2012, 13:08

It seems what you need is a dsi tempest, or something else with v/dco's, vcf's, vca's etc. Digital hardware sounds so much better when accompanied by something truly analog.

Re: Electron Octatrack or Beat Thang... next

29 Jan 2012, 13:14

Btw, to me beat thang comes across as a pricey toy. My guess is that some marketing consultant told them it would generate more respect from the gear freaks if it was priced around 1500 rather than 800, which would still have been too much. IM(not so)HO.

Re: Electron Octatrack or Beat Thang... next

16 May 2012, 13:52

@Brage...I will be purchasing a Moog minitaur before the summer is out. I have heard bad things about the Tempest's timing. If you own one do tell.
I got the SRX card clled analog essentials and it has samples from various analog boards. I give it a big thumbs up. However I gather you mean that the sweeping sound of an analog filter is not the same as a digital one.
I search craigslist and ebay weekly for a yamaha cs30. I really would love to try one of those old analog keyboards.
cheers,
ian

"Never waste venom on dead and fleeing things" - The mantra of the Cobra