Elektron Model:Cycles Review With Stimming

In his latest review for Telekom Electronic Beats TV, Stimming takes a look at the Elektron Model:Cycles, a six track FM based groovebox.

The Model:Cycles is Elektron’s second entry-level groovebox in the Model family. It features six ‘Machines’, which can be configured with either percussive or melodic synth engines,  and a powerful sequencer, in one lightweight unit.

14 thoughts on “Elektron Model:Cycles Review With Stimming

    1. Yeah it’s interesting because I always felt like the coordination between TE and Sonic Charge was a specific choice to support their niche of Swedish industry, and the Swedish economy. Now TE is collaborating with Ikea. And I always wondered if TE and Elektron would ever collaborate on something. The Model series would be the brand for doing that…

  1. Nice honest review… definitely the best one so far…. Enough for me to wait for a more serious box from Elektron… Maybe Monomachine Mk3 hopefully

  2. Stimming is the best!

    However I have zero interest in the product. Elektron lost their game.. or maybe they realised the general public pays more for play-boxes than the high tech niche market does for powerful tools… 🙁

  3. Hellooo!! Stimming
    He is like our cuddle gear reviewer 🙂

    Specific tone this has indeed, still can’t justify buying it.
    It reeks of fast fashion only then in the gear world, cheap just accumulate gear and f the environment.
    I don’t get the argument its for beginners that is a way to romantic picture.

  4. Elektron’s critics are interesting: First, it’s “Your boxes are too expensive” and now it’s “Your boxes are too cheap”. I think they’ve done all they can to reach all the markets.

  5. This is a good review. Elektron does have a tough job trying to get the ‘winesniffers’ (too soon?!) into the entry level groovebox world. It is silly for people to criticize the Model series just because they don’t have a place for that specific gear at the moment. I never see people being as critical of things from the Roland Boutique line, or the volca series. If you don’t have a place for it, fine, move on and look for something else. Every review seems to suggest the Cycles is a quality piece of gear with limitations.

    I thought Stimming’s emphasis on the value of the ‘Chord’ instrument was interesting. Up to this point I have written off monophonic chord effects as being too limited, but after watching this review, as a person who wants to be Aphex Twin, I think it left me slightly more intrigued.

    1. Although corksniffer is a derogatory term, and probably not helpful, I do think it’s wise to acknowledge that there are different users at different levels.

      On the sonicstate podcast, Ty was complaining that his Hydrasynth had to go in for a service but he was chuffed to just get a text message about his Wavestate being ready, and by the way his Korg 2600 is great, and Roland gave/lent him a Jupiter X. It’s great that he supports innovation. But he’s in a different financial league from many musicians and this made is his legitimate anger about Behringer seem insensitive to me.

  6. I think if they charged an additional $100, and added individual outs, maybe DIN midi, it would’ve been a hit with both the professionals and the groove kids. I would really like to breakout these voices to different effects boxes, and its frustrating how everything gets condensed to a single stereo mix.

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