TR8S vs Digitakt

Both are good. I have both :heart:

Dude you should send this write up to Roland and see what happens ? If they care about their history in these reincarnations then maybe they just need a reminder - some of this could be in a firmware update easily if they have enough machine resource spare.

If you only intend to use those as drumbox, i’d say the tr-8s is more direct for performance, while the digitakt is more for sounddesign (which is really, really great!). Move 3 volume faders at once, while twisting a macro knob? Can’t do that on the digitakt - only with an external controller…

Sorry - i digged out an old thread, but I’m reshuffling my performance setup quite a bit.

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I went and had a look at the tr8s today…
It looks a lot better build quality and design than the tr8…
The digitakt doesn’t seem worth getting if you own an AR?

Well, I don’t own an AR.
But I’d say any combination makes sense.

TR-8s with digitakt? yes, why not.
AR with digitakt? maybe?
TR-8s with AR? maybe not.

I used my digitakt with the octatrack - they are much more similar than AR and Digitakt. But anyway, it made sense for that set.
I guess it depends, as usual.

I’d say the Digitakt is much more similar to the AR (especially Mk2) than to the OT.

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Have any of you who are using Digitakt with a separate midi controller compared it with a TR8s?
Does it work as well for a live performance drum machine?

Hello all Elektronauts!
First of all - thanks to Everyone for posting on the forum, it is extremely useful for someone like me who never had Elektron gear before!
I am an enthusiast home music composer/producer with few albums released in the past, mainly ambient/experimental stuff… I am a newbie here just awaiting delivery of my Digitakt, my first ever Elektron piece of gear, very excited to explore and learn this machine!

Just wanted to drop my few thoughts maybe useful for someone who also try to decide which device to buy - I have researched tons of articles, tutorials, opinions, forums, blogs etc etc before finally decided to order Digitakt.
I was considering Octatrack and TR-8s as well but Octa seems too complicated/too much for my needs for a start and I like to export tracks to my DAW for further processing/mastering etc. so Digitakt wins here with the use of 8 audio tracks send via USB/Overbridge.

TR-8s seems very comfortable but I am not into tweaking synth drum sounds and it seems very limited on the sample side, doesn’t have proper sampler abilities and I am more into working and tweaking samples.

My final decision was backed by this amazing video I found on youtube where the guy shows sampling abilities of Digitakt creating amazing patterns and textures just from one amen break loop! I think everyone who is undecided between Digitakt and TR-8s should watch this video and just think if this is what you are looking for, for me this was the final point where I thought - wow, this box is massive and so creative - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99XWrvT7y9Y

Sorry if this is boring, hopefully I will drop few more interesting posts or samples along with learning and experimenting with my Digitakt!

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I just traded my MPC Live for an OT. My second OT.

I’m looking to trade the DT for an A4 MK1

Basically the same setup I had in 2016

I prefer the TR8S over the DT. Samples are stereo. Faders. Comes loaded with sounds.

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Certainly one of the best DT video I’ve seen

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btw, I have nothing against Roland, I own FA-06 and love it for various reasons and the sound quality!

I totally bought one after watching the same video!

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Good that you made a well thought decision! I owned a TR-8S before and now the Digitakt. The Digitakt is so much fun and more a groove box / sampler. It has its flaws, but if you know them you use the device the way it was ment.

Resampling is a bit pain in the ass on the DT, because it normalize the samples so the volume you have before sampling is different after. Also it is mono so it is a bit different. But the sequencer and sound quality is awesome. The sampling in the machine is allright. I suggest you use your DAW and transfer it to the Digitakt. Saves a lot of time I have noticed. Also worth noticing on my behalf is that OB is not flawless for the DT. Therefor I don’t use it.

The TR-8S is a beast as a drumcomputer but the samples are a bitch on there. You can’t quickly change the samples in a live jam. And creating a kit takes up a lot of time. Imported samples get behind the “preset samples” therefor scrolling through a long list every time you want to reach it. Would suggest a TR-8 instead. Does the same job and non of the pain in the ass samples. But if you load decent 909, 808, 606 and 707 samples in your DT you have the same. Only a little less quicker in live performing then Roland!

Overal the DT is still one of my favourites despite its flaws. Just spend a lot of time with it and it become your friend! Have fun with it!

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Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions, I’ve been composing music since Amiga 500 and trackers so went through different stages, recently mainly put things together in DAW with some cool plugins but I love to deal with ‘real’ piece of gear, especially when it can be use so creatively as Digitakt, my companions for Digitakt are SP-404A and FA-06 synth/workstation so plenty of options just need to bite through the new pieces and make all things work together, mono samples on DT do not bother me much as I like to have control over the panning, stereo effects etc in later stage of mixing/mastering

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OJ gang

Mah. The only thing that really sucks about the TR8S is the horrible menu system. What also kinda sucks is that chromatic sample playback and parameter automation could have been nicer.

The effects are fine though.

In the 90s most people were using machines from the 80s which were intended for multi-instrumentalists. The market for these devices has changed dramatically. Im sure that these massive companies have done enough research and have enough data to know if its a “make or break” feature for a device they are already pumping money into. I’d assume in this day and age that performance based features are more desirable to the masses than song mode.

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Hello people. Unrelated-related topic. Any idea where I can find the schematics of the Roland TR8S? My LCD screen is failing and there is no service for the TR8S, they need the schematics. I asked Roland global and in Spain too, and nothing. Any source of schematics of synths? I know this may infringe IP regulations, but it is worth the shot. Thanks in advance

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The screen replacement should be pretty straight forward? The Elektron ones are just pins you need to re-solder. It might be as simple as one of the pins to the display is loose. Wouldn’t hurt to open it up and have a look. I googled TR8s teardown and found nothing. Wish I could help. I actually had a weird scratchy sound coming out of one of the filters for my modular a few months ago. I contacted the manufacturer and they wrote back with the fix. You might try Roland tech support?

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Long time to reply, thanks for the suggestions! Found a local hacker in Indonesia and fixed it. Roland distributors and authorised repair companies would not give away the schematics for anything in this world :frowning:

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