Six great drum machines for under £400

 
5. TR-8
Roland (£359)
 

Roland has been able to recreate the original sound of the TR-808 and TR-909 and successfully bring them to the digital domain. Many analogue purists may have been sceptical as to whether the TR-8 would match the sound of the original machines, but Roland has proved that digital can sound just as good with the help of their analogue circuit behaviour modelling engine.

The TR-8 comes with an excellent build and it’s easy to use interface makes it perfect for performance. You can either play live on the TR-8’s INST REC and INST PLAY modes, or else it can be programmed by entering notes in TR-REC mode.

The effect section on the unit also adds another level of versatility, with reverb, delay and accent it adds interesting variations and helps shape the sound.

There is no doubt that the TR-8s drums sound excellent and at this price point offers many more features than its competitors. However there are some draw backs, including its inability to record MIDI changes, which did prove frustrating at times. In summery the TR-8 is a fun, easy to use machine that inspires creativity when playing.

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