Elektron Tonverk

I wanted to like it. I was already aware of the missing features compared to other Elektron boxes, and I was okay with that. The price tag is definitely on the high side, but I understand the development costs of a new product, and I was okay with that too.

I design electronics for a living, so I totally understand that sometimes corner cases get missed during testing — especially on the firmware/software side. But in my opinion, this unit simply isn’t ready to be sold.

The list of bugs affecting core functionality is extensive. I’m not going to list them all, as others have already done that, but I genuinely don’t understand why the product was pushed out so early. I assume the decision was made from a commercial/business perspective (with new devices from other companies around the corner), but from a brand image and reputation standpoint, it makes no sense.

Elektron has proven over the last two decades that they will continue to improve and support their products, and I’m confident these issues will eventually be fixed. I know there are many new feature requests already, but for me, one thing must come first: fix the current unit.

It’s sad — I really think this could have been a great asset for my studio and live jams

I get musical results every time I turn this machine on. I have the DT2/DN2/ST trio also and while cool in their own ways, they sometimes feel a bit 1-dimensional. I never get that feeling on the Tonverk, which is largely due to all its fx and routing options. It sounds gorgeous also.

The elephant in the room is of course what you read in many other comments, about how it's rough around the edges and so on. I take it. Removed one star from the "handling" for it, but it's absolutely useable in its current state, and I am confident it will reach its full potential soon.

I haven't been this satisfied with a musical purchase for a long time.

I own most of the recent Elektron devices (DN1, DN2, DT1, DT2, ST, OTII and now TV). I have to say that the Toneverk is probably, within 2-3 hrs of playing, my favorite Elektron box. The subtracks are brilliant and allow for so much flexibility within a universe of 8 tracks. The effects are great and the fact we have 2 inserts and 3 sends is just spectacular. The ability to exit to external effects and re-enter also great feature (e.g. using this with Torso S-4 wow!) and the routing options also very good. Mutlisampling is key but now having also wavetable is also a feature that makes it., for me, the best Elektron box. It still bugs out some time, ok, but this should be fixed I believe (this the 4 stars in quality).

Very happy!

What can I say. It is a workhorse. Elektron products can have a high learning curve, and first I was thinking for myself how could I bought this, because I didn't know what I do know now. One day, it such opened itself it to me like a flower, and I now I will never let it leave me. If I was richer I would bought a second one for just-in-case-it-break, but this beast is truly made like a tank, as they say.

After you go up the learning curve, it's possibilities can sound endless, but it is grounded just the right way so you don't have to go everywhere for remaking this and that. It can even sample itself or work as a USB -adapter! It has the basic 8 tracks and a subsystem, and the inside machines (yes, machines!) available are astounding. You can read the manual online, if you want to see what it has before making a buying decision. My mother was like "you spent 1200 euros on that box!?"", and all I could do was to laugh and giggle. Yes, it is the most expensive instrument I have (apart from the Genelecs) in my setup, and I am not selling it to anyone. It has amazing workflow when you get used to it. Except to learn by doing, and reference the manuals for additional information. But main education will come from hands-on -approach.
It can also used as a live performance instuments, it even has an option to turn that kind of mode on/off.

Elektron Tonverk is a great name in itself, as both Stockhausen and Kraftwerk spring to my mind :) This is really useful for experimental music, musique concrète and work with samples like Madlib or J-Dilla! So it is that diverse!

Heartily recommended for all composers out there!

I'm not sure why they released it in such a rough state, I guess they struggled with this one. I got mine just after they'd added the granular and wavetable engines. At that point it had been out a while already, but man there were a lot of bugs and I would constantly run into something new.
But as usual Elektron have been good when it comes to improving their machines in the long term, and it's now really come a long way since the initial state it was released in.

It's a great groovebox, the FX all sound great and there's a lot of creative possibilities with the deep sequencing, bus tracks and sends.
It's not very good at dealing with loops, so that's one thing I would wish for improvement still. But that being said, you can always go old skool and just mess with the start/end points. It just doesn't do any kind of time stretching or automagic tricks. At least not yet, as of writing this.

But really fun machine, it's my favourite next to my Octatrack.
Besides the polyphony, it's great for everything from mangling and glitchy sound design, to lush ambient soundscapes. Lots of creative potential here.

If you are well versed in the Elektron ways, it's a little different than every other machine I've used, but of course similar enough that it was fairly immediate to get going, and quite well laid out. The latest update also added some much needed QOL features.

The USB-C power makes it easily portable with a power bank, which I love. Don't even need a Ripcord anymore if I want to take it with me somewhere.

And now it has Overbridge! Even the FX and sends are available as individual tracks, which is wild.
So later when I connect it to my PC, it's just the single cable and I launch my Bitwig template. Transport is setup so I have the BPM and just hit play to record everything as separate tracks. Done. Now I can easily arrange and produce everything in linear editor.

So yea, easy to see why people weren't happy with the state it released in, but now it's matured and has Overbridge, this machine is a beast.

the reviews, the expectations etc...

Basically, my DAWLESS live set up & composition based workflow just went to the next level

To me this is a standalone new concept not to be compared to the octatrack. The Tonverk is designed to work in a modular way (ideally) with the other Elektron boxes in the line up.

For me the the > auto sampler < is an incredibly easy and musical tool. It basically means I have presets (sample kits) custom made in seconds of my boutique analogue synths - which are essentially now immortalised and polyphonic + easy to recall as presents with all kind of effects instantly.

I'm so pleased I took the chance to trust Elektron and not listen to the reviews. This is a monster in the making Overbridge hopefully soon to appear as per the rest of the modern Elektron devices...