Drum Machine reviews from Reddit
Summary
We analyzed 479 Reddit reviews across 24 subreddits and 75 posts to rank the best Drum Machine brands recommended by redditors, including communities like r/synthesizers, r/DrumMachine, r/TechnoProduction, r/Bass, r/idm. Top-rated brands include Roland (4.4/5), Elektron (4.6/5), Korg (4.0/5).
Stats
Reviews479
Subreddits24
Posts75
Brands48
Products81
479 reviews from
and
By Brand
/By Product
#1
Roland
4.4
(109)
"Spend a little extra and get the TR-8s."
"TR-8 for sure under €400. For not much more you could get a TR-8S and it’s worth the ~€100 more."
"TR-8S is made for jamming and live performance."
"3rd would be tr8s."
"TR8s is simple enough to get something great going and complicated enough not to get bored but without getting confused."
"TR-8S"
"MC 707 for sure"
"A used Roland TR-8 is perfect as a first machine."
"Roland TR8S plus samples, there are plenty of performance controls and other features"
"Volca Beats or Drumlogue depending on your budget."
#2
Elektron
4.6
(90)
"Digitakt or Syntakt. Then apply all the drive/compression you can to the drums."
"Personally i'd recommend a used digitakt MK1 they are great value, extremely versatile, immediate / not too hard to learn and bit of a swiss army knife."
"Get the Elektron Syntakt, failing that get the elektron digitakt."
"Get the Elektron Syntakt, failing that get the elektron digitakt."
"Get a used Digitakt 1 and a used TR-8, absolutely amazing combo."
"Between those options I would get a Digitakt is just the easiest to come up with Ideias, also the tracker (arranger mode is nice)"
"If you want to compose and make songs/tracks, go with the Digitakt."
"Get a second hand Digitakt 1 for that money. It covers every genre and can be as complex or as simple as you choose."
"I have all of those except the DB, and if I had to pick just one, it would be the Digitakt, and it's not even a close call."
"The digitakt can be more than a drum machine. A lot more. It can be a complete production hub or even solo it can be a c"
#3
Korg
4.0
(51)
"Volca... Wait for it... Drum roll please... DRUM"
"Volca Beats or Drumlogue depending on your budget."
"I'm gonna be bold an recommend a Volca Sample 2, Volca Drum, or Volca Kick."
"Volca sample2 is the best beats maker currently."
"If you can get a Drumlogue on that half price sale... that would be a very good idea."
"For lofi? The Volca Drum! Hands down."
"Get a volca sample plus a dark matter distortion pedal and thank me later."
"Tons of capabilities In a tiny machine."
"Nothing wrong with Drumlogue IMO, I got one from Thomman for £270 a couple of weeks ago."
"Volca Drum"
#4
Arturia
4.3
(40)
"One just needs to google "drumbrute jam" to see how awesome it is."
"Just to add: both drumbrutes have song mode. it was my first drum machine and despite it's limitations (esp. no filter), there's virtually no learning curve to it."
"Drumbrute impact is super fun to jam on and let's you get into some generative territories."
"The Drumbrute Impact has an amazing sequencer and is, by far, the most fun piece of gear I own."
"I picked up a Drumbrute Impact recently, and love it."
"For Drum Machines, Drumbrute Impact, any day of the week. Awesome sound straight out of the box, very simple to tweak, fantastic thumping kick."
"Intuitive and beginner-friendly - used Arturia Drumbrute Impact"
"Save up for a Drumbrute Impact. You will not regret."
"I love my DrumBrute Impact. Very easy to work with, and I like the analog sounds."
"Two popular suggestions here will be the RD-6 and the Drumbrute Impact."
#5
Alesis
3.9
(40)
"I got a 2nd hand SR-16 on Ebay for £30-ish."
"Sr16 is awesome."
"Had the same questions and wound up with an Alesis SR-18"
"A good old Alesis SR16."
"Alesis SR16, it’s cheap and 80s/90s sounding, also easy to use."
"Alesia SR 16 or 18"
"Worth trying the Aksel’s SR-18."
"For learning purposes I would strongly advocate for drum machine with bass."
"The Alesis seems like the best simple choice that meets the needs."
"I second the Alesis stuff. Tons of decent acoustic sounds."
#6
Akai
4.4
(25)
"I'm going to thumbs up the recommendations here for AKAI MPC series . . . .For you specifically I would recommend the MPC Live."
"I use an Akai MPC as my primary drum machine, it's great because you have the option to play the pads or use a step sequencer."
"My first pick would be an mpc one"
"The One is.cheaper on the used market and you can do just as much if not more and it has a large touch screen."
"I would go with the MPC live or MPC One over the digitakt."
"I’d personally pick the mpc over the tr8s and digitakt."
"MPC ONE or MPC 500"
"Get an MPC Live!"
"I highly recommend the Akai MPC Live 2."
"Akai XR-20"
#7
Novation
4.2
(13)
"IMO a (used) Circuit Rhythm blows a lot of the other recommendations out the water."
"Novation Circuit Rhythm. Simple, cheap, fun, faster than every other groovebox imo."
"Google Novation Circuit and Novation Circuit Tracks. Google Elektron Model:Samples."
"Novation circuit has got to be up there as a choice."
"Ableton Move or Novation Circuit."
"Novation Circtuit Rhythm or Roland SP-404mkII."
"[Novation Circuit Rhythm](https://youtu.be/R0q7FPHNerQ?si=EnK8fnVWQH5jUrSW)"
"I got the Circuit Rhythm - does exactly what it says on the tin."
"A used Novation Circuit Rhythm. I actually picked one up for $200 Cdn new - it was a Xmas sale."
"If you want a “performance friendly” drum machine: Novation Circuit Rhythm."
#8
Behringer
4.1
(13)
"Behringer has Roland clones for cheap cheap cheap. Easy to use. Classic sounds. Can get an rd6 for around $100."
"Behringer RD-9 or Behringer RD-8 I would recommend."
"RD9 is a ton of fun, flexible, easy to program, sounds great."
"I enjoy using my behringer rd6 close of a tr606."
"Go behringer rd6."
"I'm quite smitten with the 606/RD6 sound."
"An RD6 pairs well with a 303."
"Get a used behringer rd8 (808 clone) for like $250."
"Behringer RD-6, Liven LoFi-12, Arturia Drumbrute."
"Beringer rd9"
#9
Erica Synths
4.4
(8)
"The Erica Synths LXR-02 drum machine is amazing for these styles."
"I love mine and it fits everything someone else described along with just being an easy UI to learn."
"I think you would really like the Erica Synths LXR-02."
"Maybe the Ericasynths LXR-02."
"Check out Erica Synths LXR-02."
"Erica Synths LXR-02 or the Drumlogue"
"Erica Synth LXR-02 might be worth a look."
"LXR-02 is a beautiful drum machine for techno, it's $600, maybe you can find it used to stay within your budget."
#10
Digitakt
5.0
(6)
"Google parameter locking. And then buy the Digitakt :)"
"Can I say 'Digitakt OG' again?"
"I'd second a digitakt if you've got the scratch."
"Probably Digitakt."
"If you want maximum flexibility, get a sampler like the Digitakt."
"Digitakt or tr8s 🔥"
#11
Singular Sound
4.3
(7)
"This is what I use. Really works great."
"BeatBuddy to the rescue!"
"My buddy uses this pedal, there's a bunch of similar pedals that do the same thing at different price points."
"I picked up a used BeatBuddy and like it."
"The BeatBuddy is a great pedal but it's pricey."
"You might want to take a look at a Singular Sound Beat Buddy."
"If you just want to have something to play along to, there's Beat Buddy."
#12
Drum Genius
4.5
(4)
"Drum genius app"
"Download the Drum Genius app. It will change your life!"
"Drum genius is pretty good!"
"Drum Genius app"
#13
GGD
4.5
(4)
"I use GGD myself. Lots of Neural DSP users also use GGD."
"GGD stuff is great."
"I personally gravitate toward GGD Modern and Massive."
"GGD is amazing."
#14
NI
4.3
(4)
"I’m on the same boat as you, recently got an used Maschine MK3 and it’s wonderful."
"Used Maschine mk3. Make sure software license is included in the deal."
"I haven't seen it mentioned yet, probably because it's a controller rather than a full drum machine."
"NI has the best pads. So if the pads are all you concern about, Maschine (Mikro) MK3 is the way to go."
#15
Circuit
4.3
(4)
"Circuit rhythm. Easy to use."
"Circuit Rhythm"
"Used Circuit Rhythm goes for about $250, maybe lower."
"Circuit Rhythm and load it up with drum samples?"
#16
Analog Rytm
5.0
(3)
"Analog Rytm. Great out of the box drum machine."
"Analog rytm is the best drum machine."
"Analog Rytm"
#17
Teenage Engineering
3.8
(4)
"Check out the og knockout from teenage engineering. Lo fi, cheap as hell, a boom bap powerhouse"
"Maybe something in the Teenage Engineering pocket operator line."
"The Teenage Engineering Pocket Operator series is great and fairly inexpensive."
"The cheapest version of this would be a Teenage Engineering Pocket Operator."
#18
Addictive Drums
4.7
(3)
"Addictive Drums 2."
"Addictive Drums is insanely good"
"I use Addictive Drums. There’s a ton of premade beats in the plugin."
#19
Monster Drums
4.3
(3)
"Monster Drums also free."
"A good and versatile free one: Monster Drums."
"I'd give Monster Drums a try."
#20
SP404
5.0
(2)
"The Sp404 Mk2 is amazing and they run for $300ish used all the time."
"The sp404mk2 is my drum machine. I'll fill up an entire bank of the pattern sequencer with variations."
#21
Wave Alchemy
5.0
(2)
"Just get Triaz by Wave Alchemy."
"Wave Alchemy Triaz is an impressive drum machine."
#22
Superior Drummer
5.0
(2)
"You want superior drummer 3."
"SD3 all the way."
#23
Elektron Octatrack
5.0
(2)
"Elektron is the better one by a lot; The sequencer is much better, overbridge simplifies a lot."
"Just get an Octatrack"
#24
Linndrum
4.5
(2)
"You could load up any modern drum machine or sampler with Linn drum samples."
"Linndrummmm."
#25
Sugar Bytes
4.5
(2)
"Drum Computer by Sugar Bytes"
"Sugar Bytes Drum Computer is pretty wild, worth checking out."
#26
BeatBuddy
4.5
(2)
"Super easy to use and adjust to different song layouts, and really high quality sounding drums."
"A friend uses a Beat Buddy and likes it."
#27
JimAudio
4.5
(2)
"Best groovebox is GR-16"
"PureAcid or GR-16 both by JimAudio."
#28
Tempest
4.5
(2)
"I got a tempest and it’s awesome."
"Tempest probably"
#29
Elektron Digitakt
4.5
(2)
"Look for a used Elektron Digitakt OG."
"I sample into the digitakt sometimes with my TR6s."
#30
Apple
4.0
(2)
"Isn’t there a drum machine designer in garage band?"
"Look into the ‘piano roll’ and ‘musical typing’ features of GarageBand"
#31
MPC
4.0
(2)
"MPC 1000 or 2500 with JJOS"
"MPC 1000"
#32
Beat Buddy
4.0
(2)
"Beat buddy"
"Beat Buddy."
#33
Polyend
4.0
(2)
"Maybe look into an og/used Polyend Tracker. It gets some hate, but I think the sampler in it is fun and easy to use."
"Polyend Tracker."
#34
Loopz
4.0
(2)
"Loopz app on your phone does about 90% of that."
"The app Loopz is great for this."
#35
Koala Sampler
4.0
(2)
"It has a sequencer so patterns can be entered that way."
"I'm a big proponent of Koala Sampler just because it's cheap and easy."
#36
Nord
4.0
(2)
"I have a Nord Drum 3p and I love it for playing in fills."
"Nord Drum 3P."
#37
Digitech
3.5
(2)
"SDRUM is more for guitar players, but it could probably work with a little ingenuity."
"Haven't seen anyone mention the Digitech SDRUM yet."
#38
MFB
3.5
(2)
"2nd Hand MFB Tanzmaus"
"MFB Tanzmaus. Not good as a performance instrument, but is an excellent sound source."
#39
Boss
4.0
(1)
"I see a Native Instruments MKII, some Korg's, Boss drum machines, and plenty of Akai."
#40
Pearl Syncussion
4.0
(1)
"Pearl Syncussion SY-1 or a clone. They are classic for a reason and are super strange."
#41
Native Instruments
4.0
(1)
"If you look on Reverb, there are a ton of around 100 dollar used drum machines that will fit the bill much better than that pedal."
#42
Waldorf
4.0
(1)
"Waldorf Streichfett is very intuitive."
#43
Bandlab
4.0
(1)
"Hav u considered drum loops? Bandlab has lots of free ones."
#44
Oberheim
4.0
(1)
"Ones used a lot in 80s productions include Oberheim DX."
#45
Tanzbar
4.0
(1)
"Tanzbar 1 sound undeniably good and the edge is great for drum rhythms and do give it more swing and grit."
#46
Simmons
4.0
(1)
"Ones used a lot in 80s productions include Simmons drum kits."
#47
Mondo
4.0
(1)
"Was an old favorite of mine."
#48
Kawai
4.0
(1)
"Ones used a lot in 80s productions include Kawai R-50E."
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