Roland TR-08

81

Drum machine

  • Compact replica of the legendary TR-808 drum machine
  • Sound character, behaviour and user interface as the original
  • Controls of the corresponding instruments: Tone, Level, Tuning, Decay, Compressor, Gain, Tune, Pan
  • 16-step sequencer / 16-sub-steps / 16 memory banks (12 x 16 pattern / 4 x 16 intro / fill-in)
  • Programmable by classic "Step & Tap"
  • Uninterrupted playing even when switching modes
  • LED display
  • 10 separate outputs via USB audio
  • Assignable trigger output for controlling external instruments
  • Solid metal construction
  • Contains Roland DK-01 Boutique Dock for adjusting various angles
  • Powered by 4 AA batteries or USB power
  • Built-in mini speaker
  • Dimensions (W x D x H): 308 x 130 x 51 mm
  • Weight (including batteries and boutique dock): 1.3 kg
Available since October 2017
Item number 419461
Sales Unit 1 piece(s)
Sound Synthesis Modeling
Pads 0
Effects No
Bass No
Display Yes
MIDI interface 1x In, 1x Out, USB
Number of analog outputs 1
Headphone Connector Yes
Mains Operation Yes
Battery Operation Yes
Footswitch connection 0
Extras USB Audio
Shape Desktop
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$357
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81 Customer ratings

4.6 / 5

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40 Reviews

A
Not Bad
AdamM 16.08.2018
This unit, although it appears to be faithful to the original, didn't quite live up to my expectations.
In my view, it's a specialist (boutique) unit which seeks to recreate the original 808 unit and does have its (albeit limited) uses; unless you're Kanye West of course, then you can base a million-selling album on it.
It is a fun unit and has an air of nostalgia about it but if you want a simple drum machine to create beats, this isn't the one. It is more of a complementary unit to have around when you want a different intro or middle 8.
Also, I do find that you have to invest a fair amount of time getting to know the unit. This may be a deliberate nod to the original but I think the settings could have been made a bit more user-friendly as, after all, it's about the sound as opposed to the functionality of the unit that brings the appeal.
In summary, this unit is slightly complicated to navigate and is a bit of a One Trick Pony, but that makes sense as it is marketed as such. Don't expect to exercise complete control over it straight out of the box but if you invest some time getting to know it, you could be on to a winner.
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p
808 great little brother
prodam 02.02.2019
I had a 808 and have both the TR-8s and Tr-08
If you search a 808 sounds + same programming the tr-08 is the best choice it looks like it and sounds amazing connected on a analog desk with a decent eq its fat ! the 08 have small potis .but they send midi cc out ..perfect for control a vst or midi samplers)
the basdrum long decay is good, , theres some good extra options to tune the kick (not possible on the real 808) and a compressor and even the tr-8s have way more posibilities, sounds & samples separate outputs .. the little 08 wins , it sounds better connected to my mixing desk, listening on adam speakers. a analog extra kick output would have been nice .but a plus is it have a trigger out.. . This boutiques are rarely used as only drumbox .. its part of a collection..
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TP
Super cute, but sounds serious
The Professor 05.05.2020
This little boutique version of the TR-808 manages to nail the sound very closely indeed. I didn't have an original to do a side-by-side comparison, but if you're interested by the unit you'll find decent critical reviews from folks like Sound on Sound have done exactly that and found that it's very close indeed. For me, it's certainly close enough to be worth spending a tenth of the price of a used 808 :-D
In terms of handling, you're somewhat at the mercy of the 808's original workflow – which is not entirely intuitive. It's taken me a few hours to get my head around the procedure for mapping out beats and then stringing them together. But the unit has the definite virtue of minimal menu-diving (it's basically only some of the more esoteric settings and effects that are hidden in menus), and the one-control-per-function vibe makes programming pretty easy once you have the hang of things.
The "manual" is an A3 sheet with the basics printed on it, which feels a bit cost-cutting (a little booklet would have been much nicer), and I wish it had a proper PSU rather than just batteries or USB power. But those minigripes aside, I'm really liking it :-)
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G
Worth its price - this is a serious piece of gear
Gajdzin 13.12.2021
Despite its diminutive size, it's a serious piece of gear that I already incorporated into my setup. OK, I have some 808 samples that sound even more genuine, but these are good enough 99% of the time and the joy of using the original workflow of the original 808 is hard to beat. I like the built quality and attention to detail.
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