I recently picked up an Acidlab Drumatix again, and I love the thing, but I’ve been looking for a nice compact sequencer to sequence it with. I was considering a Digitakt, but then I realized that the Akai XR20 would maybe be an even better choice at a much cheaper price.
It’s a shame that the Digitakt’s roll feature can’t be used with its midi sequencer, but this is where the Akai XR20 would excel. The twelve pads can be assigned any note values (to correspond with the different drum sounds on the Acidlab Drumatix), and all the slick roll/swing features can be utilized to control the Drumatix.
Also, there’s a way to sequence a mono synth with the “synth” track, and the XR20 has a mono input to mix external audio with the signal path. You can find these for around $200.
Does anyone own one of these, and have any thoughts they’d like to share?
I have one of these. It’s one of my favorite drum machines. It’s effectively a three track midi sequencer if you ignore the internal sounds. I like the internals though. The synth track, drum track, and ones shot track all can be used to sequence external gear. Polyphonic sequencing I believe as well.
The grid sequencing is ok. Where it shines is the live record. Sequences can be incredibly long and step resolution is good.
I think it’s an incredibly under appreciated piece of gear, and it only under appreciated because it’s not an mpc.
But it has a good feature set.
Patterns have a/b and fill variations, each layer (one shot, drum, synth) has its own mute, note repeat makes hat rolls super easy but quantize has to be set to use it as it repeats to the quantization.
It has some quirks. Swing can’t be changed after a sequence is recorded for instance.
I just ordered one. It would’ve been perfect (for my needs) if the filter had a HP option as well as LP; I plan on running the Acidlab Drumatix through the audio input, and a HP filter would have been perfect to cut out the bass from samples for layering purposes. I’m going to try messing with the envelope decay to create transient sounds to layer instead though.
I’m curious to see if the compressor/EQ effect is applied to the audio input as well. I’m hoping not so I can try using some of those EQ settings that remove the bass on only the samples, and not the Drumatix.
I haven’t used the audio input much. I remember it being marketed as a way for “mcs” to easily route a microphone through the machine and rap over beats. Because of this I always thought it was a chintzy addition and never really used it.
I’m honestly not sure if effects or compressor is applied to the input.
I’m gonna have to try some stuff out when I get home…