Roland Drum Machine for $500 or less - Boutique or not?

SouvlakiPlaystation · 2023-03-01T23:49:49.909Z

Love my Digitakt to pieces, but unfortunately the Syntakt isn’t offering quite what I was hoping for in terms of sound or workflow. I’d rather not make that the focus of the thread, but it suffices to say I spent some time with my friend’s TR-606 and it just had that punch, presence and air I’ve been trying to chase down.

I can buy one on the used market for about $500, or grab the TR-06 for slightly cheaper. I know it has some extra bells and whistles the original model doesn’t, but I’ve had a hard time making heads or tails about whether it sits as well in a mix as the original (the current thread on Elektronauts is over 500 comments long and really going in the weeds about things like chips and whatnot).

Would be curious to hear people’s opinions on this. TR-08 and Tanzbar stuff looks intriguing as well.

maymind_trax · 2023-03-02T00:14:28.969Z

I like the Tr-06 a good deal. Always found it really easy to get a good groove going and the overdrive and delay are very usable.

I would also look at the Drumbrute Impact. It can sound pretty close to the 606 in a few ways minus the high hats but offers way more hands on control.

SouvlakiPlaystation · 2023-03-02T00:22:09.330Z

Yeah I will say that airy hi hat sound is kind of what I’m after. I also like the appeal of something relatively simple and straightforward. I go pretty hard with the programming and sound designing on my Virus and Digitakt so something more basic sounds nice.

wGe23 · 2023-03-02T00:30:46.120Z

The MFB 522 analog drum machine is also a good choice for the basic sounds - Kick,Snare,Clap,HiHats.

It’s relatively small, and has many pots to affect the sound. It’s a hands-on drum machine, but programming it is a bit difficult and redundant - it’s best to trigger it over midi and use velocity to affect a sound’s accent level.

maymind_trax · 2023-03-02T00:37:27.666Z

Gotcha. Then its definitely the 606 or Tr-06 you’re after. The DBI hats aren’t airy at all. Wish they were.

qqq · 2023-03-02T01:23:54.388Z

I’d recommend the Tanzmaus over the MFB 522, though it generally goes for slightly over 500 USD. Has presets, LFOs, a great sound and some of the better MFB build quality. I do everything on my iPad currently but I’ll never sell it.

SouvlakiPlaystation · 2023-03-02T01:32:56.614Z

The Tanzmaus has always intrigued me for sure. Goes for a few hundred more than the 06, so maybe I’ll demo both and go from there…

ViolentMeals · 2023-03-02T02:02:04.344Z

I just sold a TR8-S for $475 and I know they are out there for cheaper used. It’s a fucking fantastic drum machine and sounds incredible.

GovernorSilver · 2023-03-02T02:49:19.695Z

I like the TR-6S.

It doesn’t have the nostalgic good locks like the TR-06 or the trigger outs and trig in, but it’s got ACB drums modeled on the other x0x machines, FM drums, FM drum models and sample playback. It’s also got a software editor.

isaac_anthony · 2023-03-02T03:12:49.546Z

maymind_trax:

Tr-06

I would never give up my TR8s best drum computer i’ve ever owned hands down.

And it’s got all the Roland sounds you could ever need on board, PLUS the FM tones!

SouvlakiPlaystation · 2023-03-02T03:14:27.340Z

I get that the TR-6S sounds great and has more sounds to boot, though I still love the more direct (read less menus) workflow of the boutique. Also I’m shallow and care about having my shiny little silver box that looks like a Star Wars prop. The TR-6S looks like if Windows XP became a drum machine : /

GovernorSilver · 2023-03-02T03:44:01.635Z

Beware!

you might end up like me

(i have both… true story… upside of that is I now skip over most drum machine threads here)

isaac_anthony · 2023-03-02T03:49:33.588Z

I was a never ending shit talker about how the TR-8 looks

Until i watched KiNK work the shit out of that box, like a wizard!

Now i care very little about how boxes look, i just want it to function good.

The TR8s is very much the same, just allows you to assign sounds and LFO to each channel, beyond that you really don’t need to menu dive.

sacguy71 · 2023-03-02T04:06:55.183Z

Isn’t MFB gone after the founder passed away and are they still making machines?

elxsound · 2023-03-02T04:27:28.457Z

That TR-06 is $284 on Amazon:

amazon.com

Amazon.com: Roland TR-06 Boutique Compact Drum Machine with Modern Upgrades :...

Buy Roland TR-06 Boutique Compact Drum Machine with Modern Upgrades: Drum Machines - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

It looks like Sam Ash might have recently had it on sale for $279. It’s still coming up in the search, but shows $399 on their website (unless I’m doing something wrong).

Nice little box with a lovely drive (with multiple drive sounds).

This box does more than I thought it did.

jemmons · 2023-03-02T04:42:22.926Z

The TR-8 (no “s”) is dirt cheap and is an amazing freaking drum machine. Very old-school, but very immediate as a result. You can find them for $200 with the 808 and 909 sounds (a little more with the 7x7 and 606 upgrade applied) and at that price I almost feel like everyone should own one just to understand why your favorite samples sound that way.