Introduction
A Digitakt II runs 16 tracks. A Digitone II runs 16 voices. Both leave the studio through one stereo pair. That gap has been the standing complaint about Elektron boxes for years, and the Outbox 8 is the fix Elektron finally shipped.
It is a small breakout box, 176 × 90 × 28 mm and 0.35 kg, with eight impedance-balanced, DC-coupled 1/4″ jacks on the front and two USB-C ports on the side. One USB-C carries data, the other carries power when you need it. Each of the eight outputs is configurable: send audio, send control voltage, or mix the two in whatever combination the connected machine allows.
The DC coupling is the part that makes it more than a multi-out. Because the outs pass DC, the same jacks that feed eight channels into a desk can also send pitch, gate, trig, linear value and clock to a modular rig, which turns the box into a USB MIDI-to-CV converter for your groovebox, your DAW or a plain MIDI controller.
Watch It in Action
Elektron's official introduction to the Outbox 8:
Key Features & Benefits
- Get your tracks out individually: eight separate outs mean kick, bass and hats can hit their own desk channels or their own outboard, instead of arriving pre-summed.
- One box for audio and CV: every jack can be assigned to audio or to CV, so the same unit covers mixing duties and modular duties.
- Sequence modular from a groovebox or a laptop: pitch V/Oct, pitch Hz/V, gate, trig, linear value and clock, with a +/- 5 V range.
- Clean conversion: 48 kHz, 32-bit D/A converters on impedance-balanced outputs.
- Works as a standalone interface: class-compliant USB audio, so a computer, tablet or phone sees eight outputs with no driver install.
- Set it up without a screen: in-device configuration on Digitakt I/II, Digitone I/II/Keys, Syntakt, Analog Rytm MKII and Analog Four MKII; everything else uses the browser-based Outbox 8 Web App.
- Fits a full desk: 176 mm wide, 0.35 kg, bus-powered over USB-C, with a status LED that tells you where it stands.
Real-World Reactions
“With its promise for plug-and-play expansion of those devices' audio and sequencing capabilities, Outbox 8 looks like a potentially smart investment.”
Si Truss, MusicRadar
“I rarely use the words game changer or game-changing because they're overused these days. But this is for Elektron users… A small black box can make a huge difference.”
Synth Anatomy
The launch-day reaction is unusually unanimous, and it is not about the converters. It is about the fact that a box you already own suddenly behaves like a different instrument once its tracks can leave the building separately.
Gallery
Every angle in one place. Click any shot to open it full size.
Who It's For
- Digitakt, Digitone, Syntakt, Analog Rytm and Analog Four owners who want to mix tracks on a desk or in a DAW instead of bouncing stems
- Hybrid producers running a groovebox next to modular, who would otherwise buy a separate MIDI-to-CV module
- Anyone who wants eight clean outputs from a laptop, tablet or phone without installing drivers
Who should look elsewhere:
- Anyone who needs to record. There are no inputs here, so it does not replace an interface like the Audient iD24 or an RME Babyface Pro FS.
- Tonverk owners hoping for the full experience today. Elektron lists Tonverk as limited: high audio streaming latency and no in-device setup.
- Model:Samples and Model:Cycles owners expecting per-track outs. Those two pass main-output audio only.
- Octatrack, Machinedrum and Monomachine owners. Those work for MIDI-to-CV through a class-compliant MIDI-to-USB interface, not for multitrack audio.
Quick Specs
- Outputs: 8 × 1/4″ impedance-balanced, DC-coupled audio/CV
- Converters: 48 kHz, 32-bit D/A
- CV output range: +/- 5 V
- CV signal types: grounded, pitch V/Oct, pitch Hz/V, linear value, trig, gate, clock
- Data: 1 × USB 2.0 High-Speed Type-C, USB Power Delivery, dual-role data and power
- Power: 1 × USB Type-C input, 5 V / 0.5 A / 2.5 W or higher
- Indicators: 1 × status LED
- Dimensions (W × D × H): 176 × 90 × 28 mm including feet
- Weight: approx. 0.35 kg
- In the box: Outbox 8, Elektron USB-C to USB-B cable, quick guide
Pros & Cons
✅ Pros:
- Eight true separate outs from machines that previously gave you one stereo pair
- Audio and CV share the same jacks, so one box covers desk and modular
- Class-compliant, so laptops, tablets and phones need no drivers
- In-device setup on the most common Elektron boxes, no computer required
- Bus-powered and small enough to live permanently on a crowded desk
⚠️ Cons:
- Outputs only, no inputs, so it is not a recording interface
- Tonverk support is limited: high audio streaming latency and no in-device setup
- Model:Samples and Model:Cycles route main-output audio only
- Devices without in-device support need a browser that runs Web MIDI
Where to Buy
The Elektron Outbox 8 is available to order at Soundium for €299. We stock gear locally for fast, secure delivery.
- Free pickup shipping on orders over €149
- Free courier shipping on orders over €299
- Secure checkout and interest-free payments
- Support from people who actually know the gear
Order the Elektron Outbox 8 from Soundium
Final Thoughts
€299 is not a small accessory price, but look at what it changes. A Digitakt II stops being a sketchpad you bounce out of and becomes a machine that can sit in the middle of a desk with its own channel strips. A Digitone II can sequence a Eurorack case without an extra module. That is a lot of new behaviour from a box that fits in a coat pocket, and the 3-year Elektron warranty is a fair backstop.
Buy it because you want your tracks out separately. Skip it if what you actually need is inputs.
Still Unsure?
Not sure whether your machine gets full multitrack support or just CV? Reach out to our team and we'll check the compatibility matrix with you before you order.