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I want to get my Bob Log III on. Any cheapo (<$100) drum machine recommendations?

Either a used volca beats or volca sample are a ton of fun for the money. Both are very flexible and sound better than they have any right to.

A “proper” programmable drum machine for under a hundo means take whatever old local listed shit you can find, and make do (which can be a rewarding approach!)

The best bang for your buck would be software or mobile apps, but I don’t have any specific ones to recommend.

Modern conventional hardware options would be to find a used Korg Volca, or wait for the $99 Behringer Volc-a-likes if they ever come out, but quality and capability are limited. Maybe an older Yamaha QY series for a ROMpler option in the same vein.

Less conventional hardware options would be Matt Bradshaw Drumkid, Teenage Engineering Pocket Operators, or a Bastl Kastle Drum for just a little more.

Expect to have to treat the sound a bit (or a lot). Good luck!

01010111 wrote:Either a used volca beats or volca sample are a ton of fun for the money. Both are very flexible and sound better than they have any right to.

Yeah that'd be my first rec. have owned both and I think the sample is more fun and sounds better, plus a much wider range of sounds - drum machine or sampled acoustic drums, or anything else. The EQ is cool, it sounds good in a slightly lofi way, it's fun to use. But they're both good choices, the Beats had some features I missed when I got rid of it.

The Volca Sample looks pretty good and it's so cheap new it almost wouldn't make sense to buy used. CL prices around here are weirdly high so even old "whatever" drum machines people want like $150+ for.

I keep looking at basic (but not the cheapest) keyboards too. I know it would be more money but are there keyboards with a similar type of "drum machine" or sample features built in for like <$300?

Cheaper than a Volca options I can think of: Zoom RT-123 (not as fun to program, but it can do a lot for less bux), the Zoom MRT-3B (smaller, less options, but still very fun), or any old Yamaha (i.e. RX21, RY9, etc, but, again, not fun to program, but most are still kickin'), Boss DR-3 (movin' on up), that Alesis one that still in production that everyone seems to own for some period of time, etc. (and we're into the hundred dollhair range!).

It's a shame most of the cheap old drum machines are now relics that puff up to $300 for glorified metronomes (I say that as a lifetime lover of glorified metronomes), but the oomph of an Acetone is still preferable to a Volca, at least to these ears.

Weirdly fortuitous thread! I’ve decided I’m pulling the plug on an Alesis SR-16 for $80 (Canadian) today. That’s roughly $6 US. It comes with two foot pedals. I’m really excited about that part. I’ll keep you posted on my adventures.

retinal orbita wrote:l$80 (Canadian) today. That’s roughly $6 US.

Haha, our dollar sucks.

Well Sweetwater had a volca sample open box for $98 shipped so I just went for it! We'll see how it goes!

I wish I hadn't sold all my casiotones as I want a crappy keyboard too now.

Bob Log III is the man.

imJonWain wrote:I wish I hadn't sold all my casiotones as I want a crappy keyboard too now.

I have a few Casiotones; the early 202, which sadly doesn't have any rhythms, and the Rapman, obviously filled with outrageous early '90s beats.

I would recommend getting an old Kawai keyboard over a Casio, though. They're very affordable (the MS510 I have was free, just had to fix a broken key), feature some very nice basic sounds, stereo chorus, pitch bend, and the drums are top notch (for the time). On the mid- to high-tier models at least, drums can also be played on the lower keys. They even run on your regular, center-negative 9v power, so you don't need a whole extra big wall wart..

Other than that and a real drum kit, I haven't tried that many drum machines. My Ensoniq SQ1 could do it, but it's a bit of work. PO12 Rhythm is easy to use but always sounds rather techno. Sampled acoustic drums is the ideal for me, but tbh operating a sampler is tedious I think. I mean it just depends the sorts of noises you like and what you find easy to use. Even I haven't found a rhythm box I absolutely love, but I suspect the answer is Ensoniq programming and/or actual kit.

coldbrightsunlight wrote:

01010111 wrote:Either a used volca beats or volca sample are a ton of fun for the money. Both are very flexible and sound better than they have any right to.

Yeah that'd be my first rec. have owned both and I think the sample is more fun and sounds better, plus a much wider range of sounds - drum machine or sampled acoustic drums, or anything else. The EQ is cool, it sounds good in a slightly lofi way, it's fun to use. But they're both good choices, the Beats had some features I missed when I got rid of it.

Worth mentioning that the Beats have possibly the worst snare sound of all time. There is of course a popular mod for it, which will net you the merely ²nd worst snare sound of all time.

Blood_mountain wrote:

retinal orbita wrote:l$80 (Canadian) today. That’s roughly $6 US.

Haha, our dollar sucks.

It sure does, but you know what doesn't suck? Buying an $80 Alesis SR16 on Kijiji with the original box, two foot pedals, adapter and midi cable! The guy was a real gem too, he hooked up a little Peavey bandit to show me it worked and a little polite small talk and off I went.

This thing rules for home jammin' and slammin'. My only beef would be I wish the tempo function was a little more intuitive (a little knob would be helpful) but aside from that I'm sold....

retinal orbita wrote: It sure does, but you know what doesn't suck? Buying an $80 Alesis SR16 on Kijiji with the original box, two foot pedals, adapter and midi cable! The guy was a real gem too, he hooked up a little Peavey bandit to show me it worked and a little polite small talk and off I went.

That's the good shit