What’s missing?
Our self-imposed one-drum-machine-per-brand rule sadly means that there are a few notable instruments that haven’t quite made it into the cut for our group test but are still worth highlighting. From Elektron, we’ve opted to test the flagship Analog Rytm, but the mid-range Model:Cycles and Model:Samples both impressed us when we reviewed them. The former uses the same FM engine as the Digitone synth, while the other is powered by Digitakt-style sampling. Both have a unique sonic character, and impressively they incorporate a lot of the deep sequencing tools found in top-end Elektron gear, including the P-Lock automation system and chance/conditional sequencing.
On the Roland front, we’re focussing on the top-end TR-8S, but that means overlooking the Boutique range and diminutive TR-6S. To be honest, we’d always recommend the TR-8S over the Boutique TR-08, TR-09, TR-06. These miniature emulations use the same ACB sound engine as the 8S and 6S, but adhere more closely to the interfaces of the original machine – often to their detriment. They’re small too, and a little fiddly, and in all we much prefer the TR-8S workflow. The TR-6S, on the other hand, was our drum machine of 2020 and comes highly recommended. It’s essentially a pint-sized counterpart to the impressive TR-8S, trimming down the size, track count and price, but keeping an impressive amount of the sound shaping and workflow tools.
When it comes to the Volca line, we’ve opted for the Drum, which is one of the most recent additions to the range, and is easily the most unique instrument in the Volca line. We also really rate the Volca Kick though; this is a monophonic percussive synth that uses a resonant analogue filter and pitch envelope to create thick, punchy kick and bass tones.
We’ve also opted for the DrumBrute Impact ahead of Arturia’s original, and still flagship, DrumBrute. In all honesty, we prefer the Impact – as its name suggests, the sounds are punchier and the whole machine is more compact and cheaper. That’s not to say there’s nothing to like about the original DrumBrute though – its dual kicks are fantastic, and, with a total of 17 tracks, there’s more versatility.