Roland Aira TR-8 Rhythm Performer

I saw the video of the guy walking down the street wielding this device like a mini boom-box. box, headphones on, making a beat- the- I should've realized at that point that this wasn't the right place for me. br>br>I really want to enjoy this, but the sounds I'm looking for aren't present. They are, but everything is buried in menus to the point where, just when I think I've found what I'm looking for, I misplace it in another instrument. You go back in time to try to fix a previous parameter, but what was it? I've lost track of time. The out- the- The sounds of a box are more edgy. hop- ish, and while the kits are large, they aren't quite what I'm looking for. br>br>I truly believe that this contains everything I could possibly want to hear or listen to. Getting there, on the other hand, is a slog through a slew of menus. To get where I want to go, you'd need a perfect memory or a year of consistent practice messing with this. The most important thing is to be able to see how all of the effects are linked, what they are, and how they behave - What's more, what sub-subcategories are there? sub- They can be found in the submenu. br>br>I really should have gone with something like the DrumBrute. Knobs and dials, on the other hand, appear to be more my speed. Of course, it's present, but only to the extent that it fits within the confines of the small form factor. I believe this thing is attempting to accomplish too much at once. That, however, is something I enjoy. All of the possibilities appeal to me. I have a feeling there's a lot more in this thing, but I don't have the patience right now to find it all, let alone remember how to find it again if I need the same sound later. Sure, I can make my own kit to keep track of the settings. However, actually doing so is a chore in and of itself. Let's not even talk about MIDI assignments. The only saving grace is that it supports MIDI over USB, which means I might be able to use a DAW to do something more useful. br>br>I'm sure my review sounds mostly negative right now, but that's not the case. I believe I would prefer it if you took this as a " "Wouldn't have been my first choice, but I'm not completely regretting it" type of thing. It was just a lot more difficult than it appeared to be to get what I wanted out of it. If you're not used to "knobs and dials," you're probably used to multi-tasking. menu- ception and would have a more positive first impression than I did. br>br>The bottom line is that if all you want to do is play around with it and come up with ideas using presets, you can get instant gratification. Using it as a primary drum machine and dialing it in, on the other hand, will not provide the same instant gratification. In fact, it's the polar opposite.

Alden Richard

| Aug 21, 2021

I planned to buy a basic machine with a few kits for a low price. I'm so glad I didn't make that mistake. It is well worth the money, despite its high cost. This machine allows for a great deal of customization, with numerous variables that can be adjusted to achieve the desired sound. br>br>There are times when I'm listening to music online and hear sounds that remind me of this drum machine, so it's nice to know that I can recreate these beats with a drum kit I can build in the machine. br>br>I was able to play with it almost immediately after receiving it. If I had a question, I could quickly look it up in the user manual. br>br>It has a nice design. The only downside for me is that it feels a little light and fragile, but I fixed that by purchasing a hardshell case from Harbor Freight with foam protection (Apache 4800 case). Even though I bought it for writing, I know I can confidently take this gear out on a show and provide high-quality sound. br>br>What I really like about this thing is that it was built to be played live, so even though I bought it for writing, I know I can take it out on a show and provide high-quality sound. br>br>As someone who works in the audio visual industry, I was able to connect this gear to some professional audio subwoofers and speakers that we use for large events, and the sound quality was incredible. Without a doubt, a fantastic purchase!.

Steven Erickson

| Apr 19, 2021

It didn't live up to the hype or my expectations in some way. br>br>I get everything set up for techno, including 909 kicks and blips, but the sound just doesn't cut it. It didn't seem like anything I couldn't get for a lot less elsewhere. The ACB does exist, as evidenced by the fact that hearing looping drum sounds doesn't tire you out as quickly. br>br>The buttons and knobs feel really sturdy for the most part, but I couldn't tell I was pressing a couple of them even though they worked fine. br>br>The device itself is heavy and sturdy to hold in one hand, but I don't see it surviving a fall.



Depending on the built-in sound and effects applied to it, the volume fader would simply function as mute, or rather when set br>br>I understand that you could probably make this thing shine even more with your own sounds, but I'm a Roland fanboy, and it's supposed to have everything I need right out of the box. I've heard some of the original TRs, used some of the older grooveboxes, and heard a lot of analog gear in action in my 17 years of making electronic music. br>br>For an all-inclusive proposal, One solution used to sell for more than what I paid ($699), but the product's value didn't seem to me to match the price. br>br>I still adore you, Roland, but I believe this device could use a more thorough evaluation than a 5-star rating. star "it is the best" because 100% that is 100% false. If you're new to all of this, and your ears haven't heard 808 open hats in 20 years, and you want to avoid using a DAW, I highly recommend this. br>br>If you've been around the block and know what you're getting yourself into, price just doesn't seem to match the value of the product, in my opinion - It's simply a very expensive toy. You can say that about a lot of things, but this is where I'm at. br>br>I'd say this is worth $399 brand new at the time of writing, based on the current value of the US dollar.

Estrella Quinn

| Jun 02, 2021