The AR is a weird one for me. I have a Mk1, and every now and again Iāll realise I havenāt used it in a while. So Iāll set it up and spend some time getting reacquainted with it, and Iāll remember how much potential it has, and how little there is like it once you roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty.
The scene and performance modes alone have phenomenal depth and potential - I donāt like the pads one bit for playing, but for performance mode I think they work really well.
The sound palette, especially in the wake of the various updates, is very difficult to find fault with - I think if you have a synthesized drum sound in mind, the AR is probably capable of making it. Itās not as immediate as machines with dedicated per-voice controls, but you trade that for depth.
And of course the sequencer is exceptional - the TR-REC system and p-locks combine very nicely in a drum machine context.
But then itāll fade back into not really being used, and the cycle continues. Iām not sure why this is, but I suspect itās a combination of interface fatigue - and maybe the Mk2 screen is a good upgrade there - and the Rytm tending to do better (for me) as a solo instrument. Once I start to bring other gear into the equation, I often have a hard time getting the Rytm to sit nicely - I find it has a tendency to dominate the sound. If I pair it with the Analog Four, it can be a real struggle.
Itās not hooked up to a computer very often, so I wish it had an SD interface for samples, and I also wish the external inputs could be routed to the effects, so you could plug in a decent mono for a nice self-contained combo. But these are shortcomings I knew about going in, so I canāt complain - I just think they might help the Rytm find a more consistent place in my lineup.
So itās hard for me to get a handle on, really. Iād definitely recommend it as a deep, flexible and great-sounding drum machine, but at the same time I seem to have difficulties using it as more than a solo workout instrument (which I do enjoy). I donāt think Iāll ever sell it, but I do occasionally wonder what I could have bought instead. Itās⦠complicated.