Boss Drum Machines

i just bought a Boss DR-660.... i have been a bit skeptical of Boss drum machines in the past coz for some reason i thought they were all kind of just toys aimed at bedroom trance producers, but i really needed some new kind of drum making hardware-thing and had lately read a few good things about the Boss DR-550, DR-550Mk II and the DR-660 (all now discontinued). plus i only had about £75 to spend.... anyway, looked on ebay, read lots of reviews and finally settled on the 660 as it's got way more samples than the 550s. i mainly wanted it for 808 and 909 sounds though - i know, a lot of people would say just get some 808/909 samples and sequence them in a DAW, but i wanted a hardware drum machine with buttons to press.

so far i'm really pleased with it - the 808 samples sound great and you can alter the decay and pitch of all the instruments in real time (with the data wheel) to get that booming 808 kick drum, and snappy snares etc. no grid style sequencing unfortunately (the DR-550s have it though), but as I am sequencing it with Numerology anyway, this is not really a problem.

here is a picture of it with all my other stuff all looking cluttered:

I've always wanted the DR-55. Most of the Boss drum machines look fun. I look forward to picking some up when they become $30.

my mate's got a couple of circuit bent DR-110s with DIN sync...they have a lovely analogue sound - wicked hi hats.

i cant tell from the pic... is it dark blue? if so, I had one of those back in the day! pretty good for what it is!

no it's black...the 770's dark blue - 660 is it's predecessor...I think it's circa 1998ish...

i have one of these. it came in the box along with something i actually wanted

it sounds very mushy and digital

  On 6/11/2010 at 11:54 PM, analogue wings said:

i have one of these. it came in the box along with something i actually wanted

 

 

it sounds very mushy and digital

every sound source has it's use

  On 6/11/2010 at 11:54 PM, analogue wings said:

i have one of these. it came in the box along with something i actually wanted

 

 

it sounds very mushy and digital

Knobs for cutoff, resonance, effects - looks fun!

  On 6/11/2010 at 10:19 PM, BCM said:

my mate's got a couple of circuit bent DR-110s with DIN sync...they have a lovely analogue sound - wicked hi hats.

Yeah - want to get one of those too!

yes i'm sure the hipster circuit bender i sell it to will love it

  On 6/11/2010 at 11:54 PM, analogue wings said:

i have one of these. it came in the box along with something i actually wanted

 

 

it sounds very mushy and digital

and this one was my first drum machine. it was great for what it was... i had no idea of much else at the time, but that along with the dr-770 kept me going up until college.

DR-202's are alright! they lose points for only having phono outs...but at the end if the day it's a cheap, fun drum machine with some useful samples and knobs! stick a load of effects on it if you don't like the stock sounds innit.

i couldnt really figure out how to program my own beats. doesnt seem to be the thing's main aim in life.

they should have added a karaoke in and sold it as Freestyle Party In A Box Yo

lol

  On 6/12/2010 at 12:20 AM, analogue wings said:

i couldnt really figure out how to program my own beats. doesnt seem to be the thing's main aim in life.

 

they should have added a karaoke in and sold it as Freestyle Party In A Box Yo

manual!

  On 6/12/2010 at 12:13 AM, Kcinsu said:

  On 6/11/2010 at 11:54 PM, analogue wings said:

i have one of these. it came in the box along with something i actually wanted

 

 

it sounds very mushy and digital

 

and this one was my first drum machine. it was great for what it was... i had no idea of much else at the time, but that along with the dr-770 kept me going up until college.

likewise! the programming made me want to kill myself! lol

eventually you find that just punching in random events and velocities sounds a lot more interesting.

lol sounds quality.

I wish all drum machines had the TR-606 sequencer or something similar.

most of the the 80s and early 90s roland and boss drum machines have grid sequencing which is basically the same thing...

DR-110 is fuckin win

and it has a clap

  On 6/12/2010 at 12:58 AM, BCM said:

most of the the 80s and early 90s roland and boss drum machines have grid sequencing which is basically the same thing...

I know - I want all of them.

rompler rules:

buy

sample

sell for 10 quid more

nah man, fuck sampling them - it's all about the hands on experience - my 626 is well grungy. smells like castrol gtx. i feel this definitely enhances my music.

;)

  On 6/12/2010 at 2:03 AM, chunky said:

rompler rules:

 

buy

keep

have box of cheezy samples that is way more reliable than a pc and no latency bs

fixt

dont understand the attraction

to each his own i guess!