Elektron Announces Octatrack MKII Performance Sampler

Elektron has announced the successor to their Octatrack performance sampler. The Octatrack MKII is an eight-track performance sampler and sequencer, designed for both live performance and studio production with its combination of internal tracks, MIDI tracks and in- and outputs.

First introduced in late 2010, the Octatrack DPS-1 was a 8 track dynamic performance sampler with a maximum sample bit depth/sample rate: 16 bit/44.1 kHz

Octatrack MKII New Features:

  • OLED screen providing optimal feedback in dimly-lit environments
  • Ultra durable back-lit buttons, rated for 50 million presses
  • Contactless “silky smooth” performance crossfader
  • Precise, hi-res encoders
  • Increased number of dedicated buttons, enabling quicker workflow
  • Balanced audio inputs with plenty of headroom

“Octatrack MKII will fulfill the needs of anybody who really wants to experiment with samples. And the tactile feel and visual feedback of the new buttons is such an aid when being on stage or improvising in the studio. Octatrack MKII is an outstanding live performance tool”, says Jonas Hillman, CEO of Elektron.

Octatrack MKII specifications:

  • 8 stereo audio tracks
  • 8 dedicated MIDI tracks
  • Instant stereo sampling
  • Real time sample time-stretch & pitch-shift
  • 2 × insert FX per audio track
  • 3 × LFO per track
  • Live-friendly Elektron sequencer
  • Contactless performance crossfader
  • 1 × ¼” headphones output
  • 2 × ¼” impedance balanced main output
  • 2 × ¼” impedance balanced cue output
  • 4 × ¼” balanced external input
  • 1 × USB 2.0 High Speed port
  • MIDI IN/OUT/THRU ports
  • Ultra crisp 128 × 64 OLED screen
  • Precise hi-res encoders
  • Durable back-lit buttons rated for 50 million presses
  • W340 × D185 × H63 mm (8.5 × 7.2 × 2.5?) including knobs and rubber feet.
  • Weight approx. 2.3 kg (5 lbs).
  • Fully compatible with Octatrack MKI projects/data

Pricing & availability. Elektron’s Octatrack MKII will begin shipping August 2017, and is priced at €1449 ($1349US). For more information, consult the Elektron website.

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70 thoughts on “Elektron Announces Octatrack MKII Performance Sampler”

  1. Rather odd that they do not provide the sampling resolution of this new unit. I perused their site and it is lacking technical information there as well.

  2. Glad I just sold my old Octatrack a couple of months ago then haha
    Hope they fix all the old wonky, menu diving stuff (it still was a solid piece of live gear)!

    1. yeah, probably a great time to pick up an MK1 for cheap. Other than balanced inputs, backlit keys, and moving some button functions around, I’m not seeing any differences. If it had something like conditional trigs or a real reason to upgrade, I would figure they would be shouting it from the rafters… Am I missing something?

      1. That makes no sense. It says MAX resolution 16 bit/44.1k. Which would lead one to believe you can go LOWER, but not HIGHER.

    2. That appears to be for the DPS-1 unless this is essentially using the same engine.

      “First introduced in late 2010, the Octatrack DPS-1 was a 8 track dynamic performance sampler with a maximum sample bit depth/sample rate: 16 bit/44.1 kHz”

      1. it’s a major missed opportunity, imho. i’m really disappointed. I also really hate those god awful buttons they are using now. It really cheapens the aesthetic.

        1. I just remember how everyone was disappointed with the Digitakt until you saw what it could do. I’m assuming that a big OS update is in the pipeline.

          1. that’s different. it was a new product. those of us that are disappointed generally already own the octatrack and are familiar with the current pain points and shortcomings. It’s an uninspired upgrade.

  6. I just bought an Analog Rytm and now I hope they’ll wait with the MK2 of that for a while. Just not to feel like an idiot.

  8. Doesn’t say how much total sample memory it has. Possibly it depends on the size of the “Compact Flash” card you use. I am assuming the specs are the same as the original Octatrack: “80 MB Flex RAM per project” and “Amount of Projects dependent on CF card size”

    Wait, Compact Flash? WTF, I thought this was 2017, not 1997.

    1. What are you talking about? The flagship Canon and Nikon pro cameras have CF card slots. It’s a valid system and will be around for another 5–10 years.

  10. So the MkII is still only 44.1k/16bit? Does the MkII increase the Max memory available per track? Increased DSP power? Increased max HD and/or RAM memory? More powerful processor? The above press release does not address any of this so I will assume that the MkII is merely an aesthetic update.

  12. Hi guys, am I correct in thinking this can replace my Siemens CV65 cellphone that I used mic’d up as a source of simple backing tracks? On paper, it looks like this can do the job, since it has higher memory (I have a 16MB CF card I can use with this!), as well as audio fidelity: just look at that unbelievable 44.1 kHz & stunning 16-bit against 4-bit/8kHz in my Siemens.

    On the other hand, I’m not sure if I will have as much groupies after downgrading to 128×64 display from my stunning 128×128 1.45″ Full Color TFT LCD?

    PS: Some of my other instruments include banjo, harmonica, and of course a couple of rack units like full analog tape saturator & optimizer (empirical fatso jr) & spl stereo vitalizer – I use these to process the siemens audio, I found about them on a professional audio website called Gearslutz – do you guys think Octatrack will sound better than CV65+spl+fatso? I really prefer to rely on Internet strangers opinion, thank you.

  13. Rushed response to MPC Live. No Overbridge or any major hardware or software improvements. CompactFlash in 2017 seriously?

    No mention of Overbridge at all means it’s no longer a development focus, which is disappointing. It’s the best execution of software and hardware combined to date.

    2. i have never understood why people want to use this kind of machines with the computer (with elektron overbridge). They spend 1500 $ or even more in these amazing “Swiss knifes hardwares machines” and they want to use it with a computer . Man , use ableton live and leave the hardware alone .

      4. I’m with you. Still one of those people that have the bad latency and I finally got a chance to try over ridge on my buddy’s gaming computer. All decked out and you still hear the buffer fuzz. So if it actually works streaming audio, maybe it’s awesome, tracking out a set instantly, mixing and done. As far as all that other overbridge nonsense, use a DAW for that and save like a $1000.00. Computers are on the go too. MacBooks are like iPhones now. Everyone has one.

      5. some people like starting their ideas on hardware but want to multitrack into their daw make an arrangement, mix down and finish the track. not exclusively doing live sets 😉

        to each their own.

      6. I bought an Analog Rytm in march and I always program the sounds and patterns on the machine but use Overbridge for multitrack recording with Live, because my audio interface only has two inputs. I always keep my headphones plugged into the AR so I don’t have to worry about latency and afterwards switch them to my audio interface for mixing.

  15. Look forward to an A:B feature comparison between this and the Digitakt. Is this just a Boss Mode version of the Digitakt or are there a number of actual new features? Are the tracks polyphonic?

    1. Answered on CDM; this is just basically a new skin on the existing Octatrack.

      Actually, I don’t really know all that much about the Octatrack so I’d still be interested in an AB video. But since this is basically the existing Octatrack OS, that video might already exist…

  16. I was expecting something way better than this…

    Cons:
    – sample bit depth/sample rate: 16 bit/44.1 kHz;
    – CompactFlash;
    – No Overbridge

    I’ll take an AKAI MPC Live instead.

    1. If so, you’d have had an MPC live already. Like you have been waiting for octatrack news and holding onto your pennies for the release. I have both OT and MPC live, FYI, neither is better than the other. One of them does the same thing I’ve been doing for years, but fancier, the other is the octatrack. You either want to be another guy on YouTube chopping the same samples, or you want to spend a night in deep exploration and endless possibilities of an OT.
      The MPC live is great, then I try to put an LFO on my filter and get a little wiggle then I remember this is an MPC, everything besides the 16 pads, poly, and sequencing is garbage. On the OT, sequencing slices is a pain but everything else is awesome. So…..

  19. From never owning an OT, but just bought the Digitakt and so I researched both recently, the only big change I can see, is looks and a more direct sampling process, similar to the Digitakt. Minus the advanced sample manipulation and analogness, the digitakt and the OT seem rather similar except in price.

    1. DT is a gimmicky toy in comparison to the OT. The only thing they have in common is the elektron sequencer, and both record and play back samples.

  20. Don’t think this is a response to anything, this is literally the same unit as the MK 1 except it has different buttons, OLED screen, and a few additional buttons for menu shortcuts. Same limitations, same DSP, same CF slot. I remember reading a few years ago that Elektron lost all of the original OT devs, so this isn’t a huge surprise. The next OT will be a complete rewrite and most likely based on Digitakt’s code. I love my Octatrack and use it often but this is just a fresh coat of paint and not an incremental product. For the first time I’m not interested in a new Elektron product.

    1. Balanced inputs. Might be nice if they designed a new input stage and got the noise down, the inputs on the OT can get noisy if you have to crank them up. Not a major reason to upgrade though.

  23. why mess with a good thing, not to mention unique instrument. retaining the CF is a head scratcher for sure.
    the overall retooled appearance are in the right direction as I was just wishing that the Octatrack would have the same ascetics as the Digi…wah la, mind read! when i look at the side-by-side of the old vs. the new MKll, the old looks overwhelming with all the colors and 2001 Space Odyssey round buttons. I prefer the tactital new Batman/new Robocop look of the Digi and now MKll.
    actually, I was all geared towards the MPC Live but after reading a review that liked it to a computer based DAW with little distinguishing it above that I started to reinvestigate the Elektron offerings. Also with the MPC Live, the review mentioned just how mush emphasis is centered around the would rather have the tactile, second nature familiarity of buttons, knobs, and physical interface any day. I use my iPad a whole hell of alot as it is. at the end of the day, for all the cool synths there are on the iPad, NOTHING beats self-contained hardware built from the ground up for the specific task.

  24. My octotrack mk1 is still amazing best purchase I have ever made, mk2 is the same machine with a differant dress, I
    LOve my octotrack even after 3 years of constant use it can still amaze me

  25. all i want is more sample time. button upgrade seams nice. but if its just a layout change I’m good. i do not want over whatever.

  26. THEY ISSUE A NEW OCTATRACK AND THEY HAVEN’T EVEN UPDATED THE OS SINCE SUCH A LONG TIME! 🙁
    THE OS UPDATE HAS BEEN ABANDONED SINCE A LONG TIME AND NOW THEY RELEASE AN MKII WITH THE SAME OS?
    booo

    2. just a guess.
      – there could be hardware limits reached
      – they chose put effort into new products, really depends on road-map & business strategy.

  28. Ebay is exploding with second hand Octatracks in Berlin right now. As soon as word about the new MK2 gets round prices should drop. Might be a good time to buy one.

  29. ALL WAHT OCTA USERS WE URGE IS FOR OS UPGRADES!!! SHAME THEY LET THE OCTATRACK OS UPDATES AFTER THEY STARTED NEW MACHINES. I LOVE MY ANALOG RYTM SPECIALLY AFTER THE LAST UPGRADE.
    I STILL BELIEVE THE BIG CHANGES IN THE OCTATRACK CAN HAPPEN IN OS UPGRADES.
    THE MKII IS NOT A NEED FOR ME TO TOSS MY MKI, REALLY

    1. They are selling this to people who do not have an octatrack so they can discontinue the previous one. Not everything is about you, especially if you already own one. From a business standpoint, why flood the market with used versions of your gear when you can make a slightly different version and lower the rpice of the other. Win win for Elektron. But im sure ebay differs from the views stated here. I’ll see a ton of octatracks in auction in the next few weeks. IF you’d like to see that your opinion really doesnt matter, check out ebay. What we think is awesome, sells like hot cakes on there and what we think is dum and useless, goes on the rise!

  32. It’s like a reissue…. That’s it. Since its so sought after, solid move on their part. You could give em what they want, or spend a year plus reworking the OS and sell the same amount of boxes. Yeah, it doesn’t do everything everyone on synthtopia wants, but when you grow up never getting anything you want, you get used to it. No complaints at all. Solid business move, like a gold Microkorg, or a red minibrute, or a blue moth Krome. Prints money.

  33. I find it rather rude that people complain over something offered to them that hasn’t presupposed any effort or investment on their behalf.

    It’s understandable that you want something different, but it doesn’t really earn you the right to shit on new products that doesn’t fit your requirements.

    Most likely, reserving your money and your opinion for something interesting and meaningful would make everyone, including yourself happier.

      1. That goes for most of the comments here. If you do t own an OT and want one, you’d. It the new one. Done and done.

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