Buy a TR-707 or wait and get a Machinedrum?

[John Clees]

My idea was just to have it as a collectors piece. that's a lot of cash for something with so many limits.

ironically you could say that about vinyl (playing devils advocate - sound like Chris here!)

to me that makes no sense..

having something that is on vinyl vs. a 320kps mp3 which is worthless, and is 1/3 the sound and has a value of zero.. .

so to me that argument doesn't hold its weight..

it's personal choice : no one is right..

or wrong...

[thefunnel]

For $400, I'd rather have an MFB-522. Analog, tiny and portable, and handy parameters to modulate the sounds. The kick is very reminiscent of the 808...big, subby bass.

I bought one in November direct for $370, awesome piece of kit. I think it's only like 250 euro. Beats the piss out of the 707, IMO. Good way to have pure analog 808-like drum kit, without shelling out the big bucks or getting samples.

Plays well with ample Juno 106 and FR XS for bass, leads, and weirdness

[AK]

707 is pointless, all it does it play the samples. You might as well just download them from the internet.

Not quite true, it plays back said samples in a quite punchy fashion that really comes thru if you are doing acid, and it also has a handy built in din sync output and every sound has its own individual outs so you can make a lot of techno tracks using just it and some guitar pedals.

Still, not one you want to have as your only drum machine, the Machinedrum is much better suited to being the centerpiece.

But if it plays them back in a punchy way, then surely the samples are capturing this 'punchy way' no?

A sampler can have multiple outs so that's a no brainer, but if there's anything to be lost, it's in the sequencing. I haven't heard the 707 being famed for its internal groove though.

Still, having said that, I'd buy 1. I'd actually collect a number of drum machines even though I doubt I'd get much sonic benefit from them if they were sample based, just have to be aware that you are not gaining anything in terms of sound by buying them.

[pafufta816]

707 is noted because it is the bridge from rolands analogue equipment to digital. the TR 707 has very low quality PCM chips inside it, one for each drum "sample". they are something like 8bit, 22050khz, mono. not great quality at this point. the PCM chips are then filtered with analogue LP filters to remove the digital distortion on the samples, which gives each sound a very unique tone.

the 707 was the first digital/PCM device from roland, so the combination of analogue/digital circuitry and processing is truely one of a kind. that said the machine is heavily obtuse and unintuitive to program. squarepusher's "selection sixteen" album has many uses of the 707 on it. as long as you trigger/sequence the 707 from another midi device, or possibly laptop, then it is very useful. you could also use the 707 to drive your other midi equipment, but to a very limited capacity.

[jackbrazzo]

I am having so much fun with my 707. Handclap, RIM and cowbell all sound good, my only gripe the BD is a little thin - Any way I can easily beef this up?

Its perhaps very simple as a machine but isnt that what house music is all about - Its just a clap and a bass drum beat.

Might get an MPC 60 next

[hydrogen]

if you are looking for that classic style sound why not get j0m0x 888?

i like the machinedrum but i'm really wishing i had the analogue. I'm feeling and hearing there are plenty of VSTi/AU that can sound like the machinedrum but not like these analogue recreations.

Good luck!

[eggnchips]

So chaps,
I've gone and purchased a Tr 707. the Machinedrum can wait.
It's a great little box. I'm surprised at how small and toylike it is.
Fantastic though for getting a sweet groove going in no time.
I love it's rickety rim and it's cheap kick. It adds completly to its character.

Dreaming also of 909/808.

[jackbrazzo]

Yep its a great little machine - will be getting a 727 when I can afford it - They dont seem as common though.