Vintage: Is It Worth It? Roland TR-808 Analog Drum Machine vs CR8000 vs TR606 vs Behringer RD8
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- Опубликовано: 1 окт 2024
- Zach Marr is back with one of our favorite questions: Is It Worth It? This time he's talking about the Roland TR-808, one of the most prolific and legendary drum machines of the last 40 years. From Marvin Gaye to Kanye West, these sounds have made a name in hip-hop, R&B, techno, and more-- but at a current market price of anywhere from $5000 to $8000, is it worth it to get an original TR-808? Or does a budget option (or digital recreation) make more sense for the modern musician? Watch the video, hear the sounds (with some budget alternatives) and tell us what you think!
Sounds start at 12:06
SHOP ROLAND: bit.ly/3hdXaDy
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#vintagesynthesizers #rolandsynths #isitworthit
Nobody asks if vintage gear is "worth it". If people want it, they buy it.
The 808 is the Egyptian Lover's retirement fund!
I can't think of a better drum machine as a performance instrument than the 808 really.. maybe except for the 909
TR 808 is an asset that appreciates in value like a fine painting.
Nominally, but adjusted for inflation it really hasn’t appreciated that much. It was around $1193 in 1980 which equals just $4456 in todays money. On reverb it costs $4700, which is an appreciation of $300 in 40 years assuming an original unit is in good functional condition. I’d say that’s not that great an investment compared to blue chip stocks or reliable bonds.
I personally do not think it's worth the money unless if you can prove that exact machine was on records that can be verified by a producer or studio who owned it. I know someone right now who only paid $450 with the original box. Now that's worth it. I bought the Behringer RD-8 and love it. The average person that buys music or is on the dancefloor can't tell the difference. They are not going to say, "I'm not buying that record because it's not the original 808 on it!", or "I'm not going to shake or twerk my ass because it's not the original 808 on it". They don't give a flying 808 fuck. I've been using 808 sounds on my Akai MPC for years. No one ever said "Oh that's not a real 808!". In the end of it all it's not what you use, it's what you can do with it. "It's not the gear, it's the engineer." Big ups to Behringer for giving us what we want.
Most listeners couldn't tell you anything about how to create music and listen to any old sh1t.
@@roberttodd2414 I guess you are a Behringer hater. It's ok. In the end, I will have a studio full of great toys to play with and alot of extra cash in my pocket.
With all the modern clones with quite similair (fe. MFB's or Arturia) or even same (RD-8) sound, its only for purists, museums and serious collectors. For daily user / musician its plain waste of money.
exactly
I cleary can distinct these two machines and really dislike the RD-8 😵💫 Whereas whenever I play with the 808 that I just bought, I feel happy and fine. And the prices won't go down, so why is that money "wasted"?
@@wackerburg You are the musical purist and serious collector (im too purist with some of my gear, nothing wrong about that). The thing is that not even two 808 side by side will sound exactly same, tolerances and aging of components is real. There are multiple showcases how one 808 sounds same as RD-8 and then another 808 sounds quite different. Anyways main thing is that you are happy, thats what it is all about anyways. All the best!
@@DestroyER82 In fact I just REALLY really like the sound of these Roland machines. And their groove. And the way you program them, too. Of course, spending less money on them would have been nice. But then, I understand that they are limited in numbers, liked by many and therefore more expensive than others. It is what it is 🙂 Of course I am aware of differences between machines, but those are not dramatic and a well-calibrated and fully-working 808 will always sound like an 808. And regarding the prices; they're not completely out of reach as a Jupiter-8 or a CS-80 would probably be for most people. Many people just buy other stuff. So with buying 808s and 909s and 303s, it mainly is about setting priorities I think. I don't care for cars, computers, TVs, gaming consoles or mobile phones, but I DO care for drum machines and decent outboard gear. I completely ditched buying PlugIns for instance. There, the differences are even bigger. Despite all the marketing blabla or "reviews" and "tests". Anyway, I am not trying to persuade anyone ;-) ...but I want to point out that "sounds the same" simply is not true for all folks. There are some people out there that clearly hear and feel a difference and really want s certain machine for certain reasons. Cheers from an island 🏝
@@wackerburg Which is awesome, its good to have good taste. I actually prefer Korg KR-55 from those all vintage pieces, sounds better for me than Rolands and unfortunatelly noone dare to re-do that one (I have original). Out of reach is extremely subjective, I would say its still out of reach and waste of money for most people and well CS-80/JP-8 are only for couple individuals. Yeah spending funds on gear, such classic, im more into synths itself but fully understand. My experience (im using both gear and plugins) is that it varies a lot, im extremely happy with u-He plugins / effects or Valhalla reverbs, but many others I ditched fast. So yeah as with everything its individual. Generally "sounds the same" yes, but serious individual can find differences and especially differences that matter to him. Also agree 100% with marketing, often it is laughable, recent laugh moment was when I saw/tested new Juno-X and its build quality in shop. Ahhh I need an island! If its your hollydays one then enjoyyyy!
Cheeeers.
rd 8 for me.
it has an advanced sequencer and sounds also "boom"....
a very good clone i would say.
The Behringer RD-8 is a no brainer. Classic, faithful, cloned TR-808 sounds for not a lot of $.
Good video! Most important in an analog drum machine like real Tr-808 or Tr-606 and the new analog clones is that the sound is never the same in a short pattern time. I mean, sounds are alive. People use to say " I got good samples of 808 drums, it's enough.." Obviously, that is 80% of that sample sounds which are used in modern music production, but, when you program a four to the floor Tr-808 sample Kick drum, it sounds exactly the same every time because it's digital. That is not a detail in an entire song. Using an analog drum machine is quite using an organic instrument, sounds moves all the time. Is it worth to pay 3500$ ? Definitely not I think.
I own a rd8 and a volca sample.. I totally agree with you..If I proggram 16th h hat rolls in each machine.,the volca sample sound static compared to rd8. Same for samples in DAW..
100% agree
100% worth the money. That’s like the Stradivarius of drum machines. It’s actually worth more than $8,000, but sellers want them to go into the hands of someone who will love them and put them to good use. Look at other vintage instruments from around the same era and the price tags they go for. A Fender guitar from that era is easy 5 figures, acoustic drums and cymbals, any vintage amps, mics. So to be fair, it’s not overpriced for the market at all.
The sellers want to milk the most out of this, that's it...
@@Oldemonium There were only 12,000 of these ever produced. Many of them have been lost, damaged, or destroyed so the number of surviving 808’s is even less than that. The fact that any of these are sold or traded is a miracle in itself. We are blessed with samples and emulations of the devices, but since they’re all unique in their character and tone, it is impossible to truly capture the richness the 808 has to offer. Anyone suggesting that these are worth less than $8,000 must be insane. If I’m being honest I would value the remaining functional 808’s around at least $250,000. Even if you did not produce music yourself, simply renting them out or sampling them could produce a steady stream of revenue for the rest of your life. The 808 is its own entity. This changed the world and revolutionized music in the same way the automobile revolutionized transportation. The way this guy talks about them makes me feel like he doesn’t even deserve to be in the same room with one, let alone touch it. Totally reckless attitude.
N Thurston90 So funny, thank you for this! LOL!
I don’t disagree with the sentiment expressed here. Sorry for the irreverence - at the same time, I think there is room for different perspectives on the 808 - sacred and profane - and there are different internal value systems for each person that change the equation of whether or not it’s worth it and how much.
Yet they want to sell it!
You would of made MILLIONS back in the 80's.
All of these vintage drum machines are overpriced and overrated. I cannot fathom why anyone would spend thousands of dollars for an 808 unless they were just trying to score internet cool points amongst their circle of gear nerd friends. There's so many other interesting drum machines out there that offer so much more for far less money, from the Elektron RYTM mk2, to the Jomox Alphabase, to the AVP ADS7 mk2... and many more. The Behringer RD-8 sounds close enough to an 808 and anyone who says otherwise is a liar.
No thanks . Just give me an SP1200
Or the Isla Instruments S2400 ($1,499 vs ~$5,000 for an original SP1200)
They're just machines. Aside from that, the current pandemia seems to have a negative effect on the brains of some sellers. They think they can put any price tag on those old fellas, but, as always, it's one thing what you want, and another thing, what you get. Currently, more than 4000,- is rarely paid for an 808. On ebay, you have to switch to the offers which ended. Currently you will see there an 808 that was sold for 4200 Euros in November. Still too much, I think, but sadly, that's what someone was willing to pay . -Interestingly, a dead(!) 808 was sold by auction in September for nearly 2900 Euros. I would not recommend to buy a defect one without at least seeing its innards.
If you want to have a very similiar sound to the original, the cheap alternatives mentioned here (even vst) will be perfectly valid. If you want the original workflow, however, which is indeed very hands-on, you have either to buy the digital mini-clone from Roland, or the original.
Postscriptum: The 909 was more expensive during the last few years, but this seems not to be anymore. In October one was sold by auction for 3000 Euros. Currently I saw no active offering for that machine, maybe because people are waiting that the price climbs up again...
I own all the “budget” alternatives, the CR-8000, TR-606, and TD-8. I fully back the TR-606. Even though it has limited sounds and pattern/track storage, it’s core sounds (especially the hi-hats and snare) are fantastic. It manages to be as “danceable” as an 808/909/707 while also being “minimal” and no-nonsense. Who really needs a cowbell or clave with sounds like these?
The CR-8000 is a very interesting transition between the CR-78 and TR-808, but weirdly lacking the mojo of either. It’s also kinda quiet and doesn’t have much headroom. However, it definitely has its own strengths and uses. The clap and congas sounds are great and the combination of preset rhythms and programmable slots is cool.
The TD-8 is definitely your best bet if you want the 808 sound. It’s very flexible and has tons of patterns/song storage. Also, for the price it can’t be beat.
If you want the 808 sound, get the TD-8. If you want a great affordable vintage Roland drum machine, get the TR-606.
It's an iconic instrument. Revered because of all the classic, important, genre-defining records they were used on.
Absolutely in love with the CR-8000!
Great video zach. I used to own an original 808 but sold it to get the Linndrum. Bought Rebirth 338’s software in 1996 to replace it and wasn’t disappointed. With current 808’s selling high on the second hand market, Today I would choose the TR8S as you get a close enough tr808 sound without wasting your money for an original plus you get a good tr 909 kit too.
Good video but consider hitting your gear with one lap of Windex next time.
I wish you'd played the same pattern from all of them for a better comparison
Rd8 and cloud good enough for me, in fact the best one is Waves alchemy plugin. I would buy a remake if Roland released an analog one though just for the build and history.
I have never understood the love for these things...but I realize most people think they're grrreat!
Used on iconic records. The thing literally created genres.
They are irreplaceable collectables, not toys. Not instruments. They are worth even more than what they are going for. They are the most cloned, copied, and replicated machines to have ever existed.
no it is not worth it:) these prices are nonsense
Your snare is a bit noisy
That was painful to watch
...
That snare and cowbell doesn't sound right though. Is it because of the mods?
Yes - there’s a mod on both - I didn’t have it Dialed into the original tone
@@asoundlab Figures! Cool mods!
Thanks!
I just paid 2500$ for 909
dumb
Why?
You got ripped. Behringer just released news of the RD-9 (TR-909 clone) shipping next month. Talks of a $349 price. Better sell that bitch and buy you one of those and an RD-8 and use the left over bread for other gear.
@@harleyrider9166 He dumb bro, he won't do it.
@@listeningtoreason5499 don’t be that jealous uhh:)
NOT WORTH $5000 & UP!!! First of all, they are over 40 years old, capacitor problems (needs servicing) costing thousands of dollars; and there are other alternatives, such as the TR-08 which can be recorded easily due to there audio interface and beefed up with certain VST's, can have the same sound but much cheaper... The Behringer RD-8 is good too, with the individual out you can make it sound what you want to.... I had an original TR-808 from 1987 till the early 90's and sold it... I currently have the TR-8s, TR-08 and the Behringer RD-8.... "Music is what you make it"... PEACE
Agree !! I too had a original 808, but sold it to get a Linndrum. Wouldn’t pay crazy prices for an original as the TR8S is close enough.
No
Hi, is there "ANYWAY" at all for me to hit the pads and hear the drums without it being in sequence ? I have an MPC 2000 sequencer that I am trying to make tha master and this Roland tha slave. Problem is, I do not hear the drums when I hit any of the pads on tha MPC 2000 or the Roland :(
Big fan of the 808!!!
The market is growing and prices will never go down they will actually keep on rising and rising endlessly. Sorry some don't accept it.
less people will be nostalgic for these sounds. Sample libraries will zap the market for analog gear eventually
@@2beJT And you probably don't own any or sold the ones you had cause you are broke.
@@2beJT Really? I heard people saying that back in 1998 when I bought my 808...still hasn't happened. Sample libraries & emulations were around back then too, as now. No effect at all.
@@SPAZZOID100 exponential growth in processing will change everything
@BXL Gotham lets think back on this in 2042 and see whether computer synthesis has become the clear winner over analog. Then we'll know whether you lacked foresight or I was delusional.
I wonder how much a second hand 808 would have cost in 1990 ?
Got mine for £100. Sold it around 1995 for £400.
The cowbell should be tuned
You jam thos machines like a pro!
love the cow bell tone
It's actually pretty easy. I wanted the sound of the 808, so I got an 808 💡 #justsaying 🤠 Jokes aside, I couldn't stand that harsh awful tone of the RD-8, so I didn't even bother testing that one. At the end, an 808 in a great state will get you all its fine sounds perfectly and will also hold its value. And once I decided on getting it, that inner search was over.
The 606 is nothing like an 909, except when you turn the numbers upside down. 🙃 Bottom line, if you want x, buy x and not y or z.
Proud Behringer Rd-8 owner. MIDI---in, out, thru. more options with 40 years of knowledge not available when the 808 was made. Just got a TR-8S. Hasn't arrived yet. Will be interesting.
How did you get on with the TR-8s? Did you keep both? Or did one become obsolete? Just curious
@@79Glitch The RD-8 looks great and sounds great. The TR is fantastic and has exponentially more possibilities than the RD-8. So many that they can't really be compared. In sports, the RD-8 would be a great player while the TR-8 is a great team. They're paired MIDI with other machines and sound great.
@@Sashabooboo I appreciate you-thanks! Yeah, I think I’m going to go with either the TR-8s or 6s, but I’m leaning towards the 6s now because of how affordable it is. Your comment makes a lot of sense though about the versatility of the Roland machines vs the dedicated 808 clone. Peace
Regarding the options, some ppl care about quality instead of quantity. The RD-8 hurts my ears and its timing is boring iMho. So why should I have gotten that instead of the 808? I am very happy now, the 808 is such a lovely piece of equipment.
@@wackerburg some people don't want a fragile, pre midi, harder to program, non performance $8000 hipster brag piece of gear. For 99.999% of people on the planet the RD-8 is more than good enough. No one listening to a SoundCloud upload on a 4 year old iPhone can tell the difference.