Roland TR-909

[Terroid]

User impressions, is it worth 2200$ or not?

[regebro]

$2200!!! Wow, is that what they go for these days? I should say yes, to increase the hype and raise the market value...

But I will say no.

I love my 909 and even hug it, and it's a great drum machine, if you like the sound. I've used it a lot and had good use of it's built in tape-sync, so I can wait to mix the drums to the final mix. You can tweak the sounds and it has separate outputs. Using it as a mono-sequencer is fun, since you have no idea what the fuck you are doing when you program it.

But really, it doesn't have that many sounds, and the snare really doesn't have that snap I'd like (the 808 does though).

Buy a sampler instead and get 909 samples. If you set up complicated multisound samples on your samples you could even make it possible to tweak the drum sounds when running just as with the 909.

Or buy Propellerheads "ReBirth" software instead. It emulated a 909, a 808 and two 303s.

[Terroid]

Thanks for the info, I was thinking about buying a 909 and spending all that money, but I actually have the Propellerheads Rebirth 2,
and I'm really disappointed by the sd sounds
even on the 808 section and I was wandering if the sound card I use has anything to do with this... Can the drum sounds in Rebirth be iproved by using a better soundcard?(I have an AW35/Pro)

[regebro]

Oh, sure, the sound of Rebirth is all up to the soundcard, really. I'm very happy with the 808 sounds in Rebirth, the Snare is very snappy, and although I haven't done any blind testing with the 909 sounds, I find Rebirths rendering to be quite accurate!

Of course, with the 909s separate outputs you can do more with the sounds. To get that with Rebirth you need Cubase with Rewire, and lets face it: Cubase sucks.

But for that amount of money forget the 909. Buy a high end sampler with multiple outputs instead.

[monty]

Anyone know what a Boss DR-55 is worth?

[Terroid]

Probably around 1000$... more or less

[regebro]

Naaah...
But I did see a TR-909 on eBay for $1200, or so, which is more around what I'd expect for it, instead of $2200. Still not worth it I'd say.

[monty]

I can't find one for sale anywhere. That tells me they are either very rare or worthless. Considering the state of vintage gear, I would guess it has some value.

[POLease]

I kinda agree with regebro,

I would buy an akai s900($150) and a cheapo tr-x0x like the 707 or 505. Then just get a 909 sample CD load the sounds into the sampler. Connect the two via midi and have my 909. You wouldn't even have to get an X0X. I would just to have that 909-like interface.