The value champion: the absolute cheapest way to get wide multitimbral breadth (Proteus ~390 EUR, 32 parts, 128 real voices, no battery) plus genuine FM character (Digitone). ~1250-1670 EUR total covers more sonic ground per euro than anything else here. Honest caveats: the Proteus is 2001-tier sound (anaemic filter, only 2 global FX), its 6 outs are stage-split groups not true stems (no preset fan-out), and the Digitone multi-out still waits on the Outbox. But for coverage-per-euro it's the standout.
Verkabelung + Live-Szenario
MIDI aus Loopy: {'from_loopy': 'Loopy Pro sends two MIDI streams. Stream A -> Proteus 2000 (via a class-compliant USB-DIN-MIDI interface + CCK, since the Proteus is DIN-only and has NO USB). Stream B -> Digitone II (USB-class-compliant MIDI, or DIN).', 'base_box_channels': 'Proteus = up to 32 parts on 2 physical DIN ports: Port A = MIDI ch 1-16, Port B = ch 17-32. A realistic live subset: Loopy tracks 1-6 -> ch 1-6 (e.g. ch1 keys, ch2 bass, ch3 strings, ch4 pad, ch5 brass, ch6 drum-kit). Each part = independent preset (Bank Select CC0/CC32 + Program Change) + independent volume/pan/sends.', 'character_box_channels': 'Digitone II = 4 synth tracks, each on its own dedicated MIDI channel (default ch 1-4) for full independent per-track param control, plus an AUTO channel that follows the focused track. Live: Loopy tracks 7-10 -> Digitone ch 1-4 (FM lead, FM bass, FM/VA pad, FM-drum or supersaw).', 'independence': "Every Proteus part = its own preset + 12 assignable real-time CCs (MIDI A-L, wired through that preset's patch-cord matrix). Every Digitone track = its own machine + fixed Elektron CC map (cutoff CC16, reso CC17, level CC95, mute CC94) + full NRPN. So a CC on one channel only touches that part/track.", 'gotchas': ['Proteus has NO NRPN and only 12 user-assignable real-time CCs total (MIDI A-L, CC1-31/64-119) - it is a LEARN/assign box, not a deep-CC box. Map the 12 letters per preset; everything deeper is one-shot SysEx.', 'Proteus Bank Select needs MSB+LSB (CC0+CC32) - dumb controllers that send only one byte will not reach all 16 ROM/RAM banks.', 'Proteus: a Program Change sent mid-note can kill active notes on that part (general E-mu behaviour) - switch presets between phrases, not under a held chord.', 'Digitone II Program Change selects the whole PATTERN, not a single sound (instant when stopped, queued to the pattern boundary when running).', 'Digitone cutoff is CC16 NOT CC74 - the family exception; set your Loopy CC maps accordingly.']}
Channel-Allocation (-> L6): {'base_box_into_l6': 'Proteus 2000 = 6 analog outs = 3 stereo pairs (Main L/R + Sub1 L/R + Sub2 L/R) -> L6 inputs 1-6 (e.g. Main=in1/2, Sub1=in3/4, Sub2=in5/6). CRITICAL: the Proteus routes output by-preset OR by-MIDI-channel and CANNOT fan one preset across multiple out pairs - so these are 3 STAGE-SPLIT GROUP buses (e.g. keys-group, drum-group, lead-group), NOT 32 individual stems. The 2 onboard FX are hardwired to the Main outs only, so Sub-out parts are effectively dry.', 'character_box_into_l6': 'Digitone II alone = stereo Main pair only. The Outbox 8 companion delivers 8 balanced mono outs (= up to 4 stereo pairs) of DRY per-track signal. Realistic subset -> L6 inputs 7-10 (one spare pair). NOTE: the Digitone send-FX RETURNS (delay/reverb/chorus) stay on the Digitone Main stereo pair, NOT on the Outbox - so to capture wet+dry you would also spend the Main pair.', 'total_stems_max': 'Proteus 6 jacks (3 stems) + Outbox 8 jacks (4 stems) = 14 mono jacks / 7 stems if both run fully split.', 'fits_l6': "NO at full split - 14 jacks > the bare L6's 10 analog inputs, and 7 pre-fader stems also crowd the 12 USB-to-iPad streams (which start at USB ch5/6 due to the L6's +2 offset).", 'performable_live': '~4-5 stems is the human ceiling. Practical live split that DOES fit 10 inputs: Proteus sub-mixed to 2 stereo groups (4 jacks: bed + drums) + Digitone/Outbox to 2-3 stems (4-6 jacks: FM lead + FM bass + optional pad). That is 4-5 performable stems into the L6, rest summed.', 'record_everything_option': 'To track all 7 stems discretely (14 jacks) you outgrow the bare L6 - swap to a MOTU UltraLite-mk5 (16 analog in, ~620-700 EUR) OR record in passes. The interface is swappable; the L6 is not a hard ceiling.', 'constraints': ['iOS sees only ONE USB audio interface at a time - you cannot stack the L6 + a second box to gain inputs.', 'L6 USB streams are PRE-fader / pre-FX - you cannot offload synth FX onto the L6 for the iPad-bound stems (matters because Proteus Sub-outs are already dry and Digitone Outbox outs are dry).', 'Proteus: SAVE a Multisetup snapshot before power-down or all channels except MIDI ch1 revert to random on boot.', 'Proteus trick: the 4 Sub jacks double as TRS insert points (tip/ring) - plugging a TRS cable breaks the dry signal out of the FX bus, a hidden way to keep a part dry or patch outboard FX.']}
Mutual Substitution:
- ONLY the Proteus can: provide acoustic/orchestral/GM ROM (pianos, strings, brass, guitars, drum kits) and 32 cheap multitimbral parts from a 128-voice real pool. The Digitone has ZERO acoustic ROM and only 4 voice-parts - it can never be the band-bed.
- ONLY the Digitone can: synthesise true 4-op FM (bells, metallic leads, glassy keys, FM bass), plus VA + 7-osc supersaw, AND deliver live p-lock / conditional-trig / per-track-LFO motion. The Proteus is a sample-playback ROM with an anaemic filter and no real-time synthesis depth - it can never make the signature FM voice or the hands-on morph.
- ONLY the Digitone has a usable live sequencer + deep per-track motion; the Proteus is a menu/SysEx box with just 12 assignable CCs - so the Digitone owns 'performance feel'.
- ONLY the Proteus brings the price-per-part: 32 parts for ~250-390 EUR. No synth in the field gets near that breadth-per-euro - that is the whole reason this combo exists.
- Net: zero substitution overlap. Remove the Proteus and you lose the wide cheap bed; remove the Digitone and you lose every synthetic/character voice and all live motion. Each covers exactly the other's hole.
Live-Szenario: ["1. Loopy clocks both boxes. Proteus ch1 lays a warm Rhodes chord pad + ch3 a string bed (Main+Sub1 -> L6 in1/2 + 3/4, sub-mixed as the 'bed' stem); you loop a 4-bar progression.", '2. Digitone ch1 drops a punchy 4-op FM bass + ch2 a metallic FM lead (Outbox -> L6 in7/8 + 9/10); you p-lock a filter-sweep (CC16) and conditional-trig fills live over the looped bed.', '3. For the drop you mute the Proteus pad with CC94-equivalent on its channel, push the SWARMER supersaw on a third Digitone track, and ride the L6 faders - acoustic bed underneath, FM/saw character on top, all from ~2000 EUR of gear.']
Der Haken: The Proteus 6 outs are STAGE-SPLIT GROUP buses, not per-part stems (no preset fan-out across out-pairs), and its 2 global FX are hardwired to the Main outs - so true per-part discrete recording is limited and Sub-out parts come out dry. Sound is honest 2001-tier (anaemic filter). And the Digitone's discrete multi-out depends entirely on the Outbox 8, whose iPad/USB class-compliance is UNVERIFIED until owner reports land Jul/Aug 2026 - until then the guaranteed Digitone multi-out path is Mac/PC Overbridge, not iPad. Combined full split (14 jacks / 7 stems) also overflows the bare L6, forcing a sub-mix or a bigger interface.