I'm Drowning in Gear Choices

Alright folks, I went deep down the rabbit hole of music gear in the past few days, and now I’m more hyped (and confused) than ever.

A few days ago, I thought I wanted a Roland TR-6S - compact, powerful, classic sounds. But after tons of comparisons, suggestions, and hearing what people actually do with these machines, I had a realization:

  • I don’t really care about classic Roland drum sounds.
  • I want deep sampling, sound destruction, and experimental sound shaping.
  • I want to create distorted, raw industrial beats and deep dark electronic textures.

I say dark electronic textures, but I also want to explore making techno tracks at some point. However, since I’ve never owned a synth, drum machine, sampler, or rhythm box, I first want to see what I’m capable of and what workflow inspires me the most.

Now, the big question: What’s the right machine for me? After all the research, I’ve narrowed it down to three:

  1. Elektron Digitakt – A powerful sampler, deep sound shaping, resampling, effects, and legendary sequencer. I love the flexibility, but is it too much menu diving?

  2. Elektron Digitone – FM synthesis, dark metallic tones, evolving atmospheres. Could be great for creating weird industrial sounds, but is it too limited without a sampler?

  3. Elektron Model:Samples—This model has a simpler workflow and is easy to learn, but will I hit a wall too soon? Will it allow me to explore both acoustic and electronic elements, or is it too restricted?

I don’t want something that limits me to just one thing - I want the possibility to experiment and create sounds, bases, beats, and a combination of both electronic and acoustic elements. Maybe I’m asking too much from a single device, but I want something flexible and inspiring, not limiting.

Am I overthinking this?

Some people suggested the SP-404MKII, but I feel it might be too focused on one thing rather than offering a wider creative playground. Is that true?

At the same time, I also don’t want to drown in menu-diving hell—I need something practical that won’t kill my creativity before I even get started.

So… Digitakt, Digitone, or Model:Samples? Or is there another device that could tick all the right boxes?

I would love to hear your thoughts. I want to make the right choice for my first machine, but boy, this is exhausting.