New Electribe vs old Electribe MX...

iluvchiclets · Post by **iluvchiclets** » Wed Jul 29, 2015 3:35 pm

My first time writing about an Electribe!

I am a happy Krome owner, and also have owned lots of other Korg gear over the years. I saw the new Electribe just recently, and have been fooling around with it every time I stop by my local music store. I am very interested!

This store also has a 2nd hand Electribe MX (The blue one with the two tubes inside it) So, I did some "research" on youtube to compare the two.

I keep coming up with the impression (in all the demos I hear) that I like the sound of the older one...but that should not be the case, should it? Wouldn't the newer one be better sounding, better ease of use, more modern? Superior samples and more versatile?

Increased polyphony perhaps, so that I could play droning synth chords?

There are quite a few original Electribe videos that show off a deep, warm, evolving sounding instrument - whereas, in contrast, the newer Electribe demos sound more gritty, dub-like, and not soft or ethereal at all.

Could the two instruments be categorized that way? I would prefer to go with the newer one with all it's up-to-date features, but if the older one is preferred by some musicians for it's use of softer stylings, then perhaps I should consider looking at that one...?

Can the new one sound like the old one?

Kuwaga · Post by **Kuwaga** » Wed Jul 29, 2015 4:17 pm

I think its very interesting that you've found the EMX to be more ethereal sounding, while the e2 to be grittier. In fact, it is more often that people find the exact opposite (at least in everything I've seen).

I've owned ESX (the old red one) and currently own the e2, and (much like quite a few users) find the newer version to have a more modern sound. If you are comfortable with synthesis, then it is not hard to get both beautiful sounds and dark sounds. I've even managed to coax out a few nice "growl" type sounds in experiments.

In contrast, I've always felt that the sounds coming out of the ESX always had a little extra bite to them. I've no first-hand experience to say the same is true for the EMX, but from many many videos and interviews (some quite recent), I feel comfortable saying that many feel the EMX, while certainly very diverse in sonic potentials, may be better suited to old-school and more classic sounds and productions.

I'd say that if you want something that sounds closer to modern studio productions, you may want to try the new one. It has FAR better reverb on it, and the sounds are beautiful (even more-so as you spend more time with it). Bear in mind, it is not really set up for program in a whole song and let it play. It is more suited to setting yourself up to PLAY a song out of it. However, it does allow you to record these performances and export them as audio files.

Is there a person/style/genre you are most interested in making? I'd say that would be a good thing to know if you want more definitive answers.

Also note, I'm answering as someone who really likes the new electribe. There are some who really REALLY don't like it. I'd be surprised if you didn't hear back from a few of those too. Best advice is do as you have been and play with the two. But for something soft, I'm sure the e2 would not disappoint

apapdop · Post by **apapdop** » Wed Jul 29, 2015 4:38 pm

I've got them both. To my ears, the Emx-1 is more gritty, clangerous, atonal, metallic etc. I think techno just falls out of it, i've yet to try to make anything gentle or ambient with it, it just doesn't seem to lend itself to that kind of thing. But that's just me...

The new Electribe seems more versatile in what it can turn it's hand to. It can do aggressive and gentle and I think the drum/percussion samples are much better too. The new Electribe isn't plagued by the Emx-1's hissy output and those crappy valves as well. It has bags of new features that increase it's versatility (for some users) but lacks many features from the Emx-1 that hinder it massively (for some users).

They are both great machines but DIFFERENT. I think you are in a good position in that you have no prior attachment to the older models and are not expecting the new one to be the successor to the Emx-1 that everybody was hoping for.

Steinberger · Post by **Steinberger** » Wed Jul 29, 2015 4:50 pm

Also if you're intending on using one as a traditional drum machine you may want to consider the EMX1 since its entire drum section is treated as individual keys on a single MIDI channel and the electribe2 each part needs to be set to a different drum oscillator type and each part is on a different MIDI channel. The part channels are not adjustable.

iluvchiclets · Post by **iluvchiclets** » Wed Jul 29, 2015 7:10 pm

Thank you for the replies,

apapdop - you might have a point...since I don't know one of the other I should not be too worried.

The videos of the original EMX that really caught my ear were on youtube here:

https://www.youtube.com/user/acemonvw/videos

This one is a good example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auOZle-K87o

When the above artist plays on the EMX it sounds good to me!
Most of the electribe 2 videos don't sound as soft or dreamy. But I should be able to get those kind of sounds out of the E2?

iluvchiclets · Post by **iluvchiclets** » Wed Jul 29, 2015 7:37 pm

Ahhh...here's a perfect example to my ears:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdRy2xLUumI

I might rent the old Electribe MX just to try it, but the above sounds like the E2 is the way to go!

Kuwaga · Post by **Kuwaga** » Wed Jul 29, 2015 7:47 pm

I can see what you mean by the clean sound. However I can promise you that you get get those sounds out of the e2. In fact, you can get a much more ethereal sound out of it. I'll maybe record some similar sounds either tonight or tomorrow, as well as some more textural ethereal stuff so you can have some reference. There's not a whole lot out there now so I understand your hesitation.

Not to persuade you against the EMX. By all means try it if its sounds suit you!

iluvchiclets · Post by **iluvchiclets** » Wed Jul 29, 2015 8:15 pm

Very cool - thank you. This one youtube clip has convinced me I simply have to learn the machine, that's all.

I am back from work, and from borrowing the EMX original version from the music store. Yay! I am sitting with it right now in front of me, trying to figure it out. Yikes... I better download the manual ASAP.

Kuwaga · Post by **Kuwaga** » Wed Jul 29, 2015 8:17 pm

iluvchiclets wrote:Very cool - thank you. This one youtube clip has convinced me I simply have to learn the machine, that's all.

I am back from work, and from borrowing the EMX original version from the music store. Yay! I am sitting with it right now in front of me, trying to figure it out. Yikes... I better download the manual ASAP.

Very cool! Make sure you post what you make so we can all hear it!

electribeking · Post by **electribeking** » Thu Jul 30, 2015 2:34 am

No comparison..the emx-1 is a beast!!

thesigma · Post by **thesigma** » Thu Jul 30, 2015 3:26 am

If you listen to my TAMC tracks on my soundcloud, they are all EMX1SD only, except the first has some filtering from an A&H Xone mixer, it's all in the descriptions, I think there is a range of gritty and ethereal on them.

Soundcloud.com/thesigma

I don't own and have not used the e2, I found no compelling reason for me personally to buy one. I will say it sounds good on demos and tracks I've heard, but as I am used to and biased by the old versions it seems to me they compromised features I liked. Others love it. I'd say you should try both and go with your gut.

thesigma · Post by **thesigma** » Thu Jul 30, 2015 3:33 am

Also to add, if everything newer was automatically better, why would people still be oohing ahhing and lusting for those crusty old minimoogs model D's when there are moot voyagers aplenty?

Blue Monster 65 · Post by **Blue Monster 65** » Thu Jul 30, 2015 8:09 pm

Midera's work with the EMX is pretty much second-to-none. He coaxes stuff out of it I've rarely heard before. Mind you, he's put a LOT of time into his work with groove boxes of all flavors, so there you go. He's a true master.

While not exactly my taste in music, you use the instrument well, too, Sigma.

Edit: fixed auto-correct misspelling of name.

thesigma · Post by **thesigma** » Fri Jul 31, 2015 2:45 pm

Thanks BlueMonster! I do a lot of different stuff with my electribes, as my tastes are quite varied, though what's on my soundcloud is not. Time to put some new stuff up I guess....

iluvchiclets · Post by **iluvchiclets** » Sat Aug 01, 2015 3:25 pm

Thanks for all the replies and ideas,

I did finish my 3 days playing with the Electribe MX, now I am going to spend some more time with the E2. For sure the immediacy of the knobs and controls on the E1 is nice - tweaking sounds for evolving textures felt pretty good.

I should mention that there was an occasional "wind" noise on the model I borrowed...sounded like static or ocean waves that would suddenly appear, then sort of swish about before dropping out completely. Kind of wrecked my confidence in the used E1!

I will write back if I have any specific questions about either model - thanks again for everyone's contribution...