How come Roland never did a reissue of the 808/909?

These are classic machines and you'd think they'd issue updates with MIDI functionality, etc.

Has Roland/any other company ever made a hardware knockoff that came close?

Destinite wrote:These are classic machines and you'd think they'd issue updates with MIDI functionality, etc.

Has Roland/any other company ever made a hardware knockoff that came close?

IDK, I figured they'd continue the legacy of those drum machines through expansion cards for the machines that took their place.

I had a Roland R8 but I never liked the stock sounds. So I always went for the expansion soundsets such as "dance, dry drums, electronic, etc".

I think it's the newer technology that's keeping Roland from revamping any of their legacy line of drum machines.

I heard the R8 had an 808/909 expansion - were you able to easily tune/tone/decay the sounds like with the original 808's knobs?

Destinite wrote:I heard the R8 had an 808/909 expansion - were you able to easily tune/tone/decay the sounds like with the original 808's knobs?

I'd say any adjustments done on the R8 are more simplified/better. You deal with increments of 0 to 9 whenever you have to adjust anything basically.

I'm looking for a decent R8 mkII now.

if they were smart they'd re-release (non-digital sampler versions)
of the

303
505
606
707
727
808
909

at least the big three (303, 808, 909) would be HUGE sellers......Huuuuuuuuuuuuggggeeeee

I doubt this will ever happen. Roland made such a classic machine 30 years later, people pay more than the original cost! Issuing a remake will reduce the scarcity and the cult status of the original. Branding and promotion is big money and them old drum machines are still working for the company to this day and probably 30 more years later!

But by this time they've all been sold, so I don't get how it's working for the company. Roland doesn't get a cut of anything anymore. I'd really like to get my hands on a hardware version of the authentic 808 sound and tweakable parameters without forking over $1500. I don't have to have THE original. A year ago I was playing around with some cheap knockoff on the iPhone and I really liked that step sequencer and basically the whole interface, I wish they still made a machine just like that. I heard about that MC-808 Roland has and got hyped thinking it was a reissue but was kind of disappointed to find it wasn't.

Roland would never do it and I can think of a few good reasons why.

1) Availability of parts, cost to manufacture. A one chip digital solution is way cheaper than a 15-30 chip analogue solution.
2) The new version will cost to much and not live up to the hype. People who spend $1500 know what they are getting in to. A newb spending $400 or whatever probably doesn't.
3) Too much competition in this space. F'ing everybody and there mom manufactures some cheap (sometimes high quality) vst or hardware knock off.
4) Eats into the expansion board/sample market. 'Software' be it programs/samples has a much higher markup than hardware.

That's just off the top of my head. I bet somebody could come up with even more reasons.

for the software side ..........i hear many a good thing about the D16 vsts


http://www.d16.pl/index.php?menu=2

I just downloaded Audio Damage's Tattoo yesterday and I really like it so far. The internal sequencer is quite good and the sounds are very much 808/909. Quite good value for only $79 USD! http://www.audiodamage.com/instruments/ ... ?pid=AD024

I've tried the demos of D16's and Audiorealism's drum machine VSTi plugins, but their interface have left me less than impressed. They just seem too gimmicky and clumsy, as they try too hard to emulate the look of the real machines. With Tattoo, I was jamming along pretty quickly and had no problem at all programming a beat within minutes of installing it.

For a hardware solution, check the Acidlab Miami (http://www.acidlab.de/) or the MFB 522 drum machine (http://www.mfberlin.de/Produkte/Musikel ... -522e.html)

There are some DIY projects to clone the 909 and 808 (9090 and MB-808), but from what I can tell they require an insane amount of effort and are not at all for the faint of heart! I have the rare parts needed to do a 9090, but I really can't see myself tackling such a large project in the very near future. Take a look at this blog to understand why it is so daunting: http://www.subatomicglue.com/9090l0g/

wasn't this unit kinda sorda supposed to be that in 06 but like a blend of the others

The Grooveboxes were just a lame, gimmicky and uninspired attempt to cash in on the cult appeal of the TR808, TR909 and TB303. They used similar product names (e.g. MC303, MC808) to trick people into thinking they were getting something that was an evolution of their classic boxes, when they were only a derivative.

mazatta wrote:The Grooveboxes were just a lame, gimmicky and uninspired attempt to cash in on the cult appeal of the TR808, TR909 and TB303. They used similar product names (e.g. MC303, MC808) to trick people into thinking they were getting something that was an evolution of their classic boxes, when they were only a derivative.

THIS!!!

But that ACIDLAB MIAMI gave me a chubby!
This is on my X-mas list.

Jomox 999 - kinda the same but different. I love mine.

Different but in a good way - I don't want or need it to be the exact same as the original - evolution comes with a break from 'tradition'

I hope the never re-relaese them.

*JUKE playfully fondles his TR-808 & TR-909