First, a Little Noise

Elektron gear has always had a vibe. Not just the knobs and OLEDs — but that distinct, slightly masochistic Swedish workflow. You don’t just use a Digitakt or Digitone. You learn them. You surrender to their logic until they become second nature. Until everything else feels like a toy.

With Digitakt II and Digitone II, Elektron isn’t reinventing the wheel — they’re rotating it 45 degrees, slapping on better tires, and daring you to drive faster.

What’s New and What Actually Matters

Forget the bullet lists. Here’s what hits hardest in real-world use:

More Tracks, More Room to Breathe

Digitakt II jumps from 8 to 16 tracks — and suddenly, your creative claustrophobia disappears. You can layer drums, chop samples, double up for FX sends, or just go nuts with weird granular percussion lines. It feels like you finally unclenched.

Digitone II follows suit with 12 tracks, which opens up its FM playground into something closer to a full band in a box.

Expanded Memory Means Fewer Creative Compromises

Both machines now have more sample storage and project slots — which means no more picking between that glitchy vocal loop or the vinyl-crackle snare. Bring them both. Hell, bring the whole record collection. They can take it.

UI Tweaks That Actually Help

Elektron didn’t dumb anything down. But the navigation is slicker, the screen’s clearer, and some deep functions are just less painful to get to. It’s like someone at HQ finally sat down and used one live — then went, “Wait, this menu structure sucks.”

Digitakt II: The Grit Still Hits

Digitakt was always the punchy, nasty little drum box with a taste for sample flipping and beat-tape chaos. The sequel keeps that core character — tight envelopes, weird filter curves, that ultra-crisp engine — but gives it room to flex.

• Chopping samples across 16 tracks? Feels like cheating.

• MIDI sequencing still bangs — but with more outputs, more control, and less juggling.

• Stereo sampling? Finally. Welcome to 2025, Elektron.

It’s still not a looper. Still no true slicing. Still forces you to think like a machine before you can break it. But once you do? It’s a playground for people who like their drums rough and their workflows surgical.

Digitone II: FM With Feel

Digitone has always been Elektron’s most misunderstood child — a melodic FM synth that sounds warm, soulful, and less like a math professor having a panic attack than traditional FM machines.

With the sequel:

• More tracks means chord stacks, bass and lead in one patch, and self-contained compositions that actually feel full.

• The improved modulation and effects routing make it more expressive, more performable.

• It’s still got that sparkle, that digital glass edge — but it plays nicer with warmth now.

And when paired with Digitakt II? Chef’s kiss. You’ve got drums, sample mangling, and lush FM all grooving in sync — with Elektron’s tight MIDI clock and pattern chaining holding it down.

Who This Rig Is For

• Live electronic performers: Minimal setup, max flexibility. These boxes can carry a whole set.

• Producers who want to unplug: Get away from the DAW and rediscover focus.

• Sound designers with control issues: Parameter locks are still the most addictive control scheme in hardware.

But heads up:

• If you hate nested menus or steep learning curves, walk away.

• If you’re expecting DAW-like editing or touchscreens, nope.

• If you want fast and fun out of the box? These are slow-burners.

The Verdict

Digitakt II and Digitone II aren’t just refreshes. They’re deep, considered evolutions. Elektron listened — kind of. They gave us more of what mattered (tracks, memory, stereo, usability), without sanding off the quirks that made these boxes cult classics in the first place.

They still reward patience. Still punish sloppy timing. Still feel like operating a sequencer in a submarine. But now? They’re also more playable, more musical, more complete.

Together, they’re not just a setup. They’re a studio philosophy — built on precision, pattern memory, and twisted joy.