there’s an internet sentence if I’ve ever seen one! nice work.
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Yeah, that’s a really decent point. I sound like a spoilt twat but I am lucky in the sense that, although I don’t earn a great amount - I don’t have expensive reasons to spend money.
My music room and my girlfriend are the two big parts of my life and I’m equally good to both.
I am susceptible to having my head turned by other bits of music gear like many others are but try to make sure my purchases are for things that are going to make a difference.
I know the idea of analogue is a fairy story in many ways, although I have not had vast experience with lots of analogue machines. However, the DFAM is the reason the Grandmother is on order. And a more traditional drum machine of the analogue variety is being considered because of the DFAM too.
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not sure if they will ship to UK but if you wait long enough i am sure they will pop up. near end of year is the best time to find deals.
Cheers for the links . . . Really kind of you to bother. 
You should invest your money in making time for practicing. Or helping musicians or youth in your community!
Wow the gear locker guy lives close to me. Not gonna PM him and buy it. Nope I’ve got self control.
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Thought about TR8S but it’s not analogue.
well, if you want to arbitrarily limit yourself by how something works, not how it sounds, then that’s your perogative of course. 
I’m using a TR8-S alongside a DFAM ( the Roland clocks the Moog beautifully with it’s Trig out ) & it’s just perfect.
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Yeah, I must say the TR8S really grabbed my attention. I thought for a while I may go that way.
Can always fill it with analogue samples 
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Since I switched to hardware, I primarily use samplers, but man the AB really does sound great
Yeah, I tend to build with Octatrack and layer with the Digitone. The DFAM is often a source I sample from, typically a 1 bar or two bar loop.
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I feel the same way about the Acidlab Drumatix.
For anyone considering a drum machine, the sound of what comes out of the jacks has to be considered first. Whether that originates from VCOs, samples, a V/A digital engine, or whatever. If you don’t like how it sounds out of the outputs, then what is the point?
@apmbpm - study the sound of the Alpha Base. Are you in love with it? If so, go for it! If not, what sound are you in love with? And chase that. Because at the end of the day you can spit sequencing tricks at it with your OT, but there’s only so much eq/comp/mangling you can do to what is coming out of the outputs.
For instance, the Drumatix has very few tricks up its sleeve, sequencer wise, aside from a wonky shuffle that I rarely use.
But the range of sound and timbre the hats can produce, at all settings, combined with how the accent effects the hats, and the snare, but doesn’t effect the clap as much… or how different the accent level can make a pattern sound across its whole accent knob range, and how immediate it is to access that…
all of these things make it my dream drum machine and eclipse (for me) absent sequencer features like polyrhythms, micro timing, trig conditions, etc. Fortunately I can get these features back when I want them, by sequencing it with the OT, but I haven’t yet had the need.
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The Drumatix is an old-school electro monster machine. I’ve been using your sample set in my tracks; hoping to upgrade to the actual box soon.
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versus the DFAM, you’re going to give up immediacy with the AB, that’s for sure. the actual value of each parameter is basically hidden, due to the way Jomox does the interface. Elektron always nailed that aspect, of letting you know how each of the endless encoders was internally set. but with the Jomox stuff, it’s a little infuriating to program; you switch to the instrument, then start turning knobs until the sound goes how you want, or turn them one way, then back again when it doesn’t. it was this way with the 888 when I had it. awesome box, but frustrating to use. obtuse and unintuitive is how I would describe it.
for you, you’re paying mainly for the kick and mbrane in the AB. you have two OT’s, so you aren’t really getting a ton from the built in samples or x-sample section. they’ve got analog filters/VCA’s though, so that could be cool, but they’re going to be less tweakable than within the OT (less tweakable filter, less effect options, etc). FM section… you’ve got a DN. it’s not going to be better.
so, if you feel it’s worth it for the kick and snare, that’s what you should focus on. I’m sure you’ll get use out of the rest, but not workhorse level use.
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Ordered a TR8S this morning. Alpha Base perhaps another time. I’m concerned it would be a little too quirky.
So . . . Looking forward to seeing what this box can do.
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Got my TR8-s on Thursday it’s fabulous. Had the Jomox 999 in the past it was very buggy but that kick sounded amazing. I grabbed the TR8-s just coz I’m waiting for the Tanzbar 2, couldn’t justify the Alpha Bass to be honest.
Yeah, I’m hoping the TR8S will fulfill my needs for a drum machine.
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Tanzbär 2 could be a cheaper and immediate alternative, i would look into it. Has more complete drum voices than the ab, but ab is probably better at the kick. But you can buy a tb2 and mbase + more for the price of one ab…
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Hey great topic! I love my TR-8S good bang for the buck! Thinking about selling my Tempest for tanzbär 2 (would pair nicely w/ my mfb dominion club) but will it be too much 808/909?? My current drum machine line-up:
TR-8S
DSI Tempest
Nord Drum 2
Tonic/Rhythm P.O.’s
AB looks amazing but can’t afford at the moment.
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Just got my TR8-s on Thursday and so I’m just touching the surface so far. It sounds really good to me.
Do you know if you can initialise the whole unit in one go so there are absolutely no preset patterns in it? So far I can’t see a way to empty the unit of it’s cheesy patterns haha.
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