Rytm vs TR-8S… I mean, it’s not like either one is conclusively or objectively better… My Machinedrum can synthesise and sequence all kinds of stuff the TR can’t but at the moment I’m enjoying the 8S in my setup. It’s fast and fun to work with.
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These responses are super helpful. Thanks everyone!
I guess my last question: Does anyone has faith that Roland will actually make a decent/substantial (yet reasonable) software update w/ the TR8? (It’s been 5 months.)
While the delays and reverbs on the TR8 ain’t that great there’s a nice lofi filter effect in there. It’s been 2 years since I owned a TR-8 so I don’t remember whether it was in the delay or the reverb bank, but it’s somewhere there. Kinda like a poor man’s Oto Biscuit. I used it a lot to make the drums a bit crunchy and lofi.
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There is that one delay that can be used as a nice bitty distortion/spreader, but that’s one usable effect out of how many?? lol
Ordered a TR-8s and my Rytm already giving me a bad look. I am a sucker for TR-drums and a bit tired to tweak the sounds on the Rytm for hours. Samples didn’t do it for me. Especially the Kicks. The TR-8S seems to be improved in every area and what was missing with the first one the TR-8.
Who else got a TR-8S and let the Rytm go or not ?
I have also a Modular, Moog Dfam and a Digitone that all can provide also non Standard-TR-sounds and they are more simple to Programm than the Rytm.
Just asking, if I should wait to put my Rytm MKII on the used market.
I ended up picking up a Rytm Mki and basically sold my TR8 the same day.
I haven’t looked back lol.
I also did my first gig with it by mostly using samples and layering a bit of the analog machines under when needed.
Performance wise, it was as much as I’d want. I ride the mute states the same as I would have on the TR8 but with a far more dynamic sound. Roland, step it up. God damn.
Thanks again for everyones’ detailed responses!
i got a rytm but when i demoed a tr8s it made me fell like jeff mills and a rytm cant do that
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I understand that to an extent. The weakest point of the AR is definitely the toms imo, but I rarely if ever use them myself. Can’t be Jeff Mills without the 909s.
Effects were incomparable imo (delay and reverb). Nothing special; they just work, and you have access to all parameters. To get the TR8 to sound the way I wanted, I used a Boss Bx-8, FMR RNC, and sometimes a Strymon Deco. That’s a lot of BS to lug around for gigs. That’s basically all in the box with the AR (track overdrive, master compressor, and master distortion).
Overall, I mostly didn’t want to get a TR8S out of spite lol. I was pissed at Roland for not making obvious changes to the TR8 (yet officially hinting that they would!) like expanding the pattern limit. smh…
feel u on the toms, i listend back to my music and thought there is some rhythm lacking… after a bit of time I realised i didnt have any toms on most tracks simply due to how weak they;re on the rytm 
Hi guys,
This will be a pure opinion post, but I’m curious what you think about the top drum machines right now. If I am looking for something with a big sound to make proper house music, would you recommend the analog rytm? Or would I be better off going with the roland and getting classic 808/909 sounds? The analog engines of the rytm are appealing to me.
I’ve done most drums in ableton in the past, so for this I am looking for a fun hands on drum machine experience. Thank you!!
I’ve owned both. Either will work. You can put the same samples in each if you like. It really comes down to workflow and what you want from a drum machine creatively.
Cool thanks! Do you know if the roland is actually an analog drum synthesizer? Or is it all digital
The Roland TR-8S is all-digital - synthesis and samples.
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Thank you!
Yeah, in all honesty, the Tr8 was really nice for quick stuff, but you’ll likely get bored after finishing a few projects and want another drum machine.
The AR has more staying power in that respect.
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Either one of them is a good choice. Essentially it doesnt matter which drum machine you use. There is no ‘best’ . Its what you do with it that counts.
AR provides more functions than I needed, it’s deep and sound great. But in the end I opted for the TR8S, which I got for a third of the ARs price and it does everything I need with ease. 
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For immediacy Roland. For programming and depth, Rytm.
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Not a bad choice at all. TR8S has tons of staying power (more than the TR8 for sure). I just felt really burned by Roland with the TR8. They suggested a lot and promised a lot. They even (as I mentioned before) specifically asked for TR8 requests and never delivered… Anything… Not looking to go back to that.
With that said, TR8S looks dope. Now make some sweet tracks!
Re: the performance aspect of these machines
It depends on what you mean by performance. IMO, the TR-8s wins for full improvisation, given the amount of hands-on controls you have access to. The setup you need to do in advance is primarily choosing the sounds of your kit. Once you’re jamming live, it’s super immediate to change your patterns & tweak parameters on the fly. If you’re also a sucker for the classic Roland sounds, then it’s hard to go wrong here.
For more of a “pre-prepared” live performance, I would say go for the Rytm. The scenes & performances are really powerful here, and allow you to change several parameters at once. This gives you a lot more flexibility to change the sound of your whole pattern in several different ways, and create many different variations on a theme. IMO this allows you to create a lot more variety out of one pattern than is possible with the TR-8s. The problem here is you need to put in the work in advance, and carefully create the scene & performance parameter settings to facilitate a live performance.
The learning curve of each machine is also fairly different. If you’re familiar with Elektron then I’ve found Rytm to be one of the easier instruments to pick up, but it’s still a lot more complex to use than the TR-8s in my opinion.
So to summarize:
- TR-8s if you want immediate pick-up and play & pure live improvisation
- Rytm if you want more flexibility and capabilities in your live performance, but you have to be willing to put in the prep work
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