A few days ago, it was noticed that the Model:Cycles got a price bump. In that thread, an idea began to circulate that the price increase indicated a significant, value-adding new firmware update on the way. I dismissed this idea initially, given that some quick searching found that it wasn’t just the M:C – Elektron’s entire product lineup just got a price bump across the board.
Today, however, we were greeted with just what was predicted for the M:C, only for a different product, the Digitakt. A huge firmware update that massively adds to the power and flexibility of the device.
Now, this could be a one-off, and it just so happened that DT was tapped for the big firmware update this year, and the price increases have nothing to do with this. But what if there is a connection?
Here’s my theory…
Supply chain issues have been wreaking havoc in the synthesizer market for three years, and while some things have improved, others haven’t (I still think it’s the reason the DN Keys has been ambiguously “semi-discontinued”). Building a completely new hardware product is super tough right now, especially for boutique companies like Elektron that assemble domestically.
So what if the 2023 (and possibly 2024) roadmap is this: “soft MKII” versions of the Digis, maybe the Models, too. Possibly even some long-requested additions to the flagships. No new hardware, just new firmware that unlocks new value in the existing gear, coupled with capturing a little more of that value at retail.
I was thinking something similar today. seems a smart move if prices are increasing anyway, focusing on killer updates makes the machines worth the increases.
digitakt is now very much worth the current retail price. heck, its one of the best machines on the planet imo
ah, well back on topic, the unofficial MD firmware’s really show us how much firmware can expand the functionality, and usability of their products. it would be an interesting pivot for them to focus on the software/firmware side of their products, i think users love it when features get retroactively added
Could be. U could argue that firmware updates push sales, so based on inventory and overheads, updates can move stock in this way. But also I think Elektron firmware updates can be haphazard, and based on creative and engineering advances, so when something is ready, it’s ready.
Shortages didn’t stop Elektron releasing the Syntakt, their first new release in a while.
Probably an update to the Analog Rytm makes a lot of sense following the DT’s announcement, that one could actually be a Frankenstein update that pulled from both the ST and DT in terms of new features. Could take the Rytm to a whole new level, but who knows.
I think there’s room for a new box, but new machines got added to the ST pretty quickly, could indicate low initial sales figures. So maybe updates are a solid way to go for now. Time will tell?
The picture of the roadmap that forms for me, as idle speculation, from the recent Rust etc programmer job ads is that they are indeed working on a new flagship line built on a new framework, and that the roadmap for those arriving could be a ways out (others have speculated 2024, but I have no basis for judgment).
The Syntakt was introduced with the “adore now, explore forever” tagline, and last fall’s new machines with “this update focuses on melodic machines” phrasing from marketing both suggest that adding machines is part of ST’s long term roadmap.
Putting the two together, it’s easy to imagine two teams working in parallel, one on the new line and another to drive sales and keep up with the competition by adding updates on the Digi line in the meantime. That seems to describe the time since Syntakt release anyway, and gives me reason for optimism…
I hope whatever elektron make next is completely devoid of specs, functions, features or anything that can be pointlessly and endlessly debated, compared and argued over on thread after identical thread on here.
As far as “space” left for updates. I do think it was close to maxed out with the previous functionality, but even in that situation you can add new features if they replace existing ones. Like the syntakt for example, they could make hundreds of digital machines for the device and since you can only load 8 at a time they could theoretically always add more (barring storage space limitations) Since these new machines functionality replace the previous sampling machine when you use them, as long as they use the same amount of processor cycles as the original sampling machine then there isn’t any additional load on the CPU. On the other hand the type of thing that might not be possible is something like making every track stereo. Or adding an additional effect on top of the existing ones. But I think it would be possible to do something like effects that you could switch between, or linking of two tracks to make a single stereo track.
