The original digitone is one of my favorite senses ever. For some, it may be a bit of a backhand compliment, because the digitone is not just a scale. It is a powerful multitimbral groove box with one of the most versatile order on the market. For me, the four tracks and eight voices of polyphony can feel a little restrictive. Moreover, it is not exactly the best at drums. This led me to hold the figure on a stand where I just treat it like a table computer controlled by a MIDI keyboard.

The Digitone II seems to, at least on paper, resolve some of these problems. It now has 16 votes on 16 tracks, and there are three completely new synth engines that expand its sound palette, including one that is completely dedicated to percussion. This is all in addition to the same types of sequence, modulation and filter improvements we have already seen on the Digitact II (8/10, recommended Wired), but just like the example -based brother, the Digitone II received a significant price step to $ 999. With the original now as little as $ 350 on the used market, the choice between the two is not necessarily so cut and dry.

Photo: Terrence O’Brien

This is the new sound

Before someone is panicked, the FM engine of the original digiton is still here. While I have seen some people suggest that it does not sound exactly the same and that the original has a little more gravel and character, I think these people hallucinate. I loaded several pre -setting institutions designed for the original Digiton on the Digitone II, and I can’t see the difference between them. It is noteworthy that you unfortunately cannot load Digitone II representations on the original Digiton, even if they use the original FM sound car. There are apparently some technical differences between them under the bonnet, but it does not seem to affect the sound.

Photo: Terrence O’Brien

The other three synth engines are where the Digitone II really separates itself from the original. In addition to the original FM engine (FM tone in the new model), there is FM -drum, which adjusts the original sound car to better fit. Wavetone is a little less glassy and gets noises as you will find on phase deformation and wavy senses. It is still definitely digital, but not as hard as FM. Then there is blacker, which gives you a very thick sounds that are ideal for clues and organs by stacking six secluded oscillators on top of the main. Many of my favorite new pre -settings use the Wavetone machine excellently, which can convincingly repeat the classic electro and krautrock sounds.