Two Years Later...E2 yea or nay?

meatballfulton · Post by **meatballfulton** » Tue Jun 28, 2016 1:59 pm

I have a band forming that could make use of a little electronic sound as a side dish. Main focus is improvisation, guitar, bass, drums...not really jazz, not really rock. Electronics would point in the direction of ambient: pads, slow loops, muting/unmuting parts to create variations, etc.

I already have two options to allow adding electronic parts, a Motif XF workstationwhich I have I used in the past of this sort of thing, but it's a big unit to haul around and set up. It has the major plus of being playable live from the keyboard. I've also used a laptop and Ableton Live w/Launchpad but it needs a small tabletop and adds a number of extra cables.

I was thinking an E2 would be a simpler solution than either. Could run on batteries, small enough to throw into one of my gig bags, blah, blah, blah... However, I have been following the various bugs and missing features conversations since day one.

Now that the units have been out for a while and further updates are unlikely, who thinks the E2 is still worth buying? Who would not buy it again knowing what they know now? Is anyone using one in the manner I have described?

captain johnson · Post by **captain johnson** » Tue Jun 28, 2016 2:04 pm

(Sigh! awaits the back and fourth this type of discussion brings.........)

My 2 cents, it's got limits but it sounds awesome and I am exclusively using it to do live sets along side 2 volcas. Works for me, simple but effective.

You really need to watch the tutorial videos out there to see if you would really like though or better still get to a music dealer to have a go!

sl23 · Post by **sl23** » Tue Jun 28, 2016 2:18 pm

.....

DR.DR · Post by **DR.DR** » Tue Jun 28, 2016 4:01 pm

The awesome things are awesome. But there is weird clunkiness. If you're gonna be playing along with it, keep in mind there is no song mode so one member will need to do live arrangements. This is a major issue for me as I'm doing something qualitatively similar to your description with just myself.

meatballfulton · Post by **meatballfulton** » Tue Jun 28, 2016 4:03 pm

captain johnson wrote:get to a music dealer to have a go!

Guitar Center (now the only local Korg dealer) seems to be unable to stock these in stories near me. After two years. Pathetic. So I have yet to see one in the flesh.

Steeplemouth · Post by **Steeplemouth** » Wed Jun 29, 2016 1:46 am

I love my E2S. The limitations don't bother me at all and my creativity and productivity have both increased since I bought it. I'd buy it again in a second. If you're using it alongside a guitar, take a look at the thread about using the audio in line as an FX processor. There are many creative possibilities for getting some interesting and unique guitar tones.

Redmond Barry · Post by **Redmond Barry** » Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:04 pm

I have the E2S and find it indispensable. I'm having issues too, but I'm just sucking it up and taking it into the shop. For what I'm doing there is no other alternative. Even if I'm willing to throw down $2000 on a Tempest or an Analog Rytm or an Octatrack -- none of those can replace what the E2S does: sampler, sequencer and VA engine. I need all three in one box. Analog Rytm came close but it's not a real sampler and I don't think it has much going on in the sequencing department. I don't mention the Circuit because it's a sample player and only has 2 VA engines available. But for the OP's purposes maybe the Circuit will work?

Redmond Barry · Post by **Redmond Barry** » Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:04 pm

I have the E2S and find it indispensable. I'm having issues too, but I'm just sucking it up and taking it into the shop. For what I'm doing there is no other alternative. Even if I'm willing to throw down $2000 on a Tempest or an Analog Rytm or an Octatrack -- none of those can replace what the E2S does: sampler, sequencer and VA engine. I need all three in one box. Analog Rytm came close but it's not a real sampler and I don't think it has much going on in the sequencing department. I don't mention the Circuit because it's a sample player and only has 2 VA engines available. But for the OP's purposes maybe the Circuit will work?

jbvdb493 · Post by **jbvdb493** » Wed Jun 29, 2016 4:48 pm

The issues everyone has would likely not affect you so much because of how you are planning to use it. As a background piece I might be great for you. I would recommend the sampler so you can load you sounds to play live that are the same as the ones you use in studio, instead of making due with replacement sounds.
That or an mpc 1000 is another option.

jbvdb493 · Post by **jbvdb493** » Wed Jun 29, 2016 4:50 pm

Redmond Barry wrote:I have the E2S and find it indispensable. I'm having issues too, but I'm just sucking it up and taking it into the shop. For what I'm doing there is no other alternative. Even if I'm willing to throw down $2000 on a Tempest or an Analog Rytm or an Octatrack -- none of those can replace what the E2S does: sampler, sequencer and VA engine. I need all three in one box. Analog Rytm came close but it's not a real sampler and I don't think it has much going on in the sequencing department. I don't mention the Circuit because it's a sample player and only has 2 VA engines available. But for the OP's purposes maybe the Circuit will work?

If you dont think elektron boxes have much going on in the sequencer department you are using them wrong!
Unless you mean sequencing external gear, in which case elektron did miss that boat on the rytm imo

Redmond Barry · Post by **Redmond Barry** » Wed Jun 29, 2016 5:41 pm

jbvdb493 wrote:If you dont think elektron boxes have much going on in the sequencer department you are using them wrong!
Unless you mean sequencing external gear, in which case elektron did miss that boat on the rytm imo

I meant sequencing external gear. Shoulda specified that, sorry. But yeah Elektron's sequencing is fantastic!

Cade · Post by **Cade** » Wed Jun 29, 2016 8:54 pm

Unless you NEED the sampling capabilities of the E2S, go with the E2. The greater amount of waveforms and filter types make the E2 much more usable as a synth than the sampler.

o.w.t.m · Post by **o.w.t.m** » Fri Jul 01, 2016 8:21 am

Love it and love to hate on it! but seriously there is no other piece of kit I keep going back to as much as this! I love the lush ambient pads and fx capabilities, I only wish editing and song construction tools where stronger.
If you have a spare hand to change patterns and trigger pads, it should fit right in.

jpeg · Post by **jpeg** » Fri Jul 01, 2016 12:01 pm

o.w.t.m wrote:Love it and love to hate on it! but seriously there is no other piece of kit I keep going back to as much as this! I love the lush ambient pads and fx capabilities, I only wish editing and song construction tools where stronger.
If you have a spare hand to change patterns and trigger pads, it should fit right in.

the only similar devices to the es2 is the beat thang which just looks awful stylistically and the software may have more bugs than the es2.

also the boss sp range

Sulfur · Post by **Sulfur** » Fri Jul 01, 2016 1:16 pm

How about Zoom ARQ and Casio XW-PD1? Would you take them into account over the E2? If I wouldn't have mine, I would be fascinated by the former most of all but the price is higher. Regarding Casio, I could say it accompanied my growth but I've developed a sort of toyish preconception about their products. Unfortunately they're both missing MIDI I/O ports.