Funny how the discussion here over the past few days has gravitated towards hardware sequencers, coincidentally just as I've been starting to obsess over them again and read/watch some reviews (or, tax return money has started to burn a hole in my pocket ?).
I've found myself in posession of several synths that don't have sequencers built in, and I'm now looking for interesting ways to sequence them. Of course, I could just sequence everything from the Octatrack, but that's a very specific and deliberate sequencing style that I seem to be less interested in recently. It's the same reason why I very nearly bought a Syntakt but decided against it because the sequencer, despite having all of the Elektron tricks, is still a bit rigid.
I've looked at the Torso T-1, which looks pretty ideal, but is a bit on the expensive side, and is maybe a bit of a one trick pony; I know there would be something that'd annoy me about it. Other similar format sequencers like the Korg SQ-64 look cool with some interesting features, but ultimately seem like they'd be a bit fiddly.
I ended up buying a decent price used Monome Grid, with plans to use it with Max/MSP and/or Norns to make some sequencers myself. I'll probably keep riffing on the Nanoloop clone that I started for Norns (perhaps with some generative features), and port across the browser based sequencers I've been developing over the past few years. I saw that there is also a Processing library for Grid, so that makes it even more interesting in terms of porting my existing sequencers across.
Some drawbacks to this idea: Max/MSP seems a little unstable in terms of timing on my M1 Mac Mini, perhaps there are some settings I need to tweak. And my Norns shield is a little clunky, I need to replace an encoder and possibly build a new enclosure for it as the 3D printed buttons scratch against the (also 3D printed) enclosure when I press them.
I also pulled out my old BCR2000 with Zaquencer and made a new laser cut overlay for it, to replace the crude printed-and-taped version I had on it before. I remember having fun with that sequencing my Nord Lead, so I'm keen to have a play with it again.