Curious if anyone who has experience using the TR8 (or another performance based drum machine) can compare it to the Analog Rhythm.
I really like how fun/flexible the TR8 is live. It’s my main tool for building tension and signaling transitions live. The knob twiddling factor is definitely something that I love about it. How does the Analog Rytm compare?
I have the TR8-S. Personally I prefer it any day of the week over the AR. I had two ARs breifly. Things like faders, dedicated potentiometers per track, and dedicated fx knobs make life so easy, it is so playable! Zero menu diving while playing (assuming you have your kit all set up and saved how you like it.) the sound design factor is much deeper than I thought it would be. Lighter than an AR too, yet it feels more rugged somehow.
As a do it all groovebox AR probably wins. As a drum machine for playing live, no competition TR8-S wins.
I had that preconception. There are also just many features that I feel are completely useless on the TR8: effects (can’t stand the sound), scatter (a one off at best). How are the other features on the TR8-S?
I swapped my tr8 for a AR2 and don’t regret is at all. Mute buttons make up for the faders and performance and scene modes make up for quick sound editing. The biggest win is in the sequencer tho. The Rytm is a lot more flexible, save kits with patterns and the fact that you have 128 patterns instead of 16 feels like heaven. Of course the TR8S has most of these things too.
Sound wise the AR is far more advanced, especially with the DVCO nowadays…
Right! The pattern limitation is ridiculous on the TR8. Considering just using all the samples I love on the TR8 on the AR. Oddly, when the TR8-S came out, Roland teased a feature request update on the TR8 (we’re all still waiting lol).
Fx are are all great. Every parameter is tweakable. So you can design your own reverbs delays distortions etc. I made a really nice washy reverb today, sounds glassy and smooth, love it.
TR8 yes I agree not the best sound and who cares about scatter? Roland must have done something to the ACB on the TR8-S as it sounds deeper than 5e old TR8. TR8-S has up to 128 steps per pattern, and you can program your own fills. Layering the ACB synth sounds with samples is cool too.
It will do everything I wanted the AR to do, but quicker, more accessible and no annoying bugs, potentiometers not encoders, and other tiny details like the cable lock on the back!
The TR-8S is a killer drum machine. The ACB on the TR-8 is still great, it’s just a bit different to the 8S, which seems to have a little bit more punch by default. The ACB difference is there but it’s pretty small, sound for sound. Where the 8S takes it to a different level is all the new features like the per-track effects/filters, samples, trigging tracks off each other, fills, LFO, motion recording, etc etc. You can punch it up massively without external effects. So in terms of kit building it’s vastly more powerful, while being at least as playable. Roland really did a number on it.
I don’t own either so can’t give any advice on how they differ feature-wise. But one thing I’ve noticed lately, when trying to decide if I want to go with this machine vs. that one, is how does it sound. For me, at least lately, that has been the most important factor. Of course, you already seem to have a TR8 and know it’s sound well so only have to decide on the sound of the Rytm and if that’s important enough for you to make the switch. 
I don´t know what kind of music your are into but I´d say: “both”! The old TR8 is so cheap these days that I would always put a TR8 next to my Analog Rytm. The Rytm is a tool with a lot of precision and endless possibilities when it comes to samples. A standard white noise sample can be transformed into a dynamic and grooving hi hat using parameter locks and a precise use of the filter and envelope section. On the other hand the TR8 is a great tool to play live with and when you want to throw a snare drum on 1, 2, 3 and 4 your have it there in a split second. I am sure that I could not play my set with the TR8 or TR8s alone but both are great as a companion to the AR.
It sounds like it. I’ve kind of avoided researching it just out of spite (although I’m only hurting myself) lol
Now, that is an interesting idea. I’m currently struggling with transporting the rig I have now, and would love to downsize a bit (boutique size TR8?). Do you use a TR8?
Yes. I would not trade my TR8 for the boutique version because it looses the workflow with the small size. The faders are fantastic for playing live and you don´t have them in the small one. But you are right, if you are looking for a small setup the tr8 could be a bit large.
The TR-8 is a lot more playable than the TR-08, plus you get all the 909 sounds, plus 707, 727 and 606 with the expansion. You also have two assignable outs and external inputs with sidechaining which can be great in a live setup. Plus delay and reverb, which might not be the greatest effects on their own but they do add quite a lot to the sound design possibilities.
Oh, I would never trade my TR8 for the boutique. I suggested a “boutique size TR8.” It’s plastic. It’s digital. It could be slightly smaller.
I love using scatter on the TR8-S!! I set manual trig button to momentary and get these nice little rhythmic stabs whenever to break up the sequence. Actually prefer it over delay control on the octatrack 
Performance wise - TR-8S. Hands down.
Sound, quality, creative, and design wise - AR.
I’ve had both. Sold the 8S and got a AR. I don’t perform with my hardware. Just produce.
I never owned AR. I almost bought one a couple of years ago, it was between AR and DSI Tempest. I chose Tempest because I loved the pads & the organic (funky) sounds.
Currently my drum machine line-up is:
PO-12 rhythm
PO-32 tonic
Nord drum 2 + pad
Roland TR8S
DSI Tempest
Maybe I’ll pull the trigger on a future AR mk3 
I own both and choose my AR over the TR-8 every jam. Tr-8 is quick and sounds good in the mix right away. The AR is one of those deep holes where I find a lot more fascination. It takes some tinkering around to get the kits dialed as you’d want them, and I love that process. I’ve got samples of all the tr-8 kits (the samples I wanted, that is) in the Rytm, so I’m not missing anything sonically either, if I want those sounds. The pads and chromatic mode are a great way to play in drum parts, performance macros built by you however you want them, scenes… all are way cooler than the scatter button.
My vote is for the analog Rytm .
Tr-8 = surface-level depth and quick to get going.
AR = well-below-surface-level depth. A hole that makes you want to dig around and explore.
Rytm is twice the price of tr-8. 808 samples is not nearly the same as Roland’s ACB.
If they were the same price then yea I would take rytm.
That’s how I feel about ACB compared to the originals it tries to replicate. I’ve owned several of the original boxes and the Tr8 never gave me the feeling the originals did, especially the 808. Roland says they emulated the 808s timing too but they didn’t succeed at all. Sound wise they are almost identical (except for the hats and snares) but they lack the funky timing…