I admit I would love one but the price puts me off.
The scale note keyboard is good, but not all that playable, a LaunchPad might be better for doing similar but with aftertouch and bigger pads. That said, it's a very welcome feature and easy to use for coming up with ideas and staying in key.
I am not a musician though, at all. I am rubbish at music, but the Deluge has helped me make smiles and dive into hours of sounds and beats I thought I'd never be able to make. I've spent time in Ableton and never got anything much out of mouse clicking, mostly just frustration with all the options and tedious input methods. With the Deluge I can turn it on and quickly lay down a simple chord progression, a drum beat, and make a bass line that satisfies. Then I twist filter knobs and mute tracks, and just jam on it for hours.
Oh, and its battery powered, so I take it everywhere. It's just such a wonderful piece of technology. Easily worth every penny I spent on it.
https://1010music.com/product/blackbox
Review here:
More properly, think Yamaha TX81Z + filter.
Elektron Digitakt - powerful sampler / sequencer. No synth engine but you can make many synth sounds using single-cycle samples.
Elektron Digitone - same form-factor as above but with an fm synthesis engine (think yamaha dx7) instead of a sampler.
Novation Circuit - wayyy cheaper. Can play samples but not sample live. Powerful synth engine, not fully editable without a computer. Good for live improve with pre-composed patterns.