Drum Machines reviews from Reddit

Summary

We analyzed 276 Reddit reviews across 13 subreddits and 29 posts to rank the best Drum Machines brands recommended by redditors, including communities like r/synthesizers, r/edmproduction, r/modular, r/ipadmusic, r/TechnoProduction. Top-rated brands include Elektron (4.6/5), Roland (4.4/5), Korg (4.1/5).

Stats

Reviews276

Subreddits13

Posts29

Brands49

Products92

Top communities

r/synthesizers172 r/edmproduction19 r/modular18 r/ipadmusic17 r/TechnoProduction16

276 reviews from

and

By Brand

By Product

Elektron

4.6

(77)

"Just got a DT2 recently, coming from Blackbox, SP2 and Daw background mainly... now I get why people rant about them... it just sounds like nothing else.. and I've barely scratched the surface."

"Elektron Syntakt will cover both a versatile synthesizer with digital and analog machines, effects, a drum machine and powerful sequencer."

"I’m using the digitakt ii in its place and it’s great, but for a dedicated drum machine it’s hard to beat the rytm."

"I kind of prefer Digitone 2 as a drum machine over the Analog Rytm."

"Digitakt (even 1st gen like mine) is an incredible device capable of so much if you give it time, and it’s very playable."

"A used digitakt 1 for 400eur is the best sample based drum machine, with the midi tracks you can sequence your volca beats and make it much more interesting."

"Get the digitakt."

"From the list you've posted, I would take (well, I have) the Digitakt. Love it."

"Digitakt is the easy recommendation - you can snag minty used ones for ~$400 typically."

"Buy the Digitakt. I bought it for Hard EDM/House/Psytrance, but as soon as I started learning it, all my ideas have been Skinny Puppy/KMFDM."

Roland

4.4

(43)

"Roland Tr8S for a drum machine (super easy to use and tons of options)"

"TR8s is simple enough to get something great going and complicated enough not to get bored but without getting confused."

"I too bought a second hand TR-8 last week , and I was surprised with the 7x7 installed ! (Not advertised). It’s a really fun machine and sound great."

"TR8S is great for jamming and performance. All the classic Roland XxX drum sounds (sound v authentic thanks to Roland ACB modelling)"

"The TR-8S is great."

"The recommendation on samples in a TR-8S are on the money, especially after FM was added. That’s such a versatile drum machine."

"Loading samples into something like a TR-8S is going to be much cheaper and easier than tracking down a bunch of 30+ year old electronics."

"I'd also rec the 404 because I've used it on stage and had some amazing results with it, it's a god send because of how it doesnt really crash because of the software being so basic"

"Another vote for the tr-8s, one of the most fun bits of hardware I've ever used! It sounds great and is super playable."

"Tr-8, tr8s, imo theres not as fun drum machine for live. Faders man."

Korg

4.1

(24)

"This was our main drum machine for my industrial and EBM bands back in the early 2000s. Perfectly fits the vibe."

"The original Korg electribe is the goat!!! ;)"

"The volca drum is like the machinedrum little brother, perfect for IDM."

"The volca drum is much better than the volca beats for this purpose."

"Korg volca beats is analogue, cheap, easy to learn, and a lot of fun."

"Korg Drumlogue (analog and load samples)"

"I would say stick with the volca beats for now until you reckon you've got everything out of it you can."

"If you wanted to stay around the same price the Volca Drum punches well above it's weight and IMO is way better than the Volca beats."

"With the price decrease, the drumlogue is a really attractive option."

"Drumlogue."

Arturia

4.0

(17)

"For drum machines, Spark 2 is Arturia’s flagship. It has great integration with KeyLab, built-in sounds, and a pattern sequencer."

"It is affordable, easy to use, has good sounds, a fun beat repeat/roller thing, plus individual outs"

"Take a look at the Arturia Drumbrute Impact."

"Arturia Drumbrute Impact (analog)"

"Arturia Drumbrute (analog)"

"I think the Drumbrute gets more love because of the excellent sequencer, and less because of the quality onboard sounds."

"Drumbrute impact is really nice, and it's really fast to program on."

"If u like the keystep…seems like the drumbute is a no-brainer"

"The drumbrute is WAY more fun and easy for me to use."

"I previously had an Arturia Drumbrute and although the sequencer is good and the beat repeater stripe I find better than the Scatter , the sound was very inspiring."

Akai

4.1

(15)

"Get an Akai MPC One+."

"Use an MPC One in my current band have not had any issues in live gig environments. Sounds great through big speakers as well."

"If you are in that price range, I think the MPC One is just the best overall product right now."

"Any Akai MPC would be a good choice, but I'm sure there are others too, like the Elektron boxes."

"E3 sampler"

"I use an MPC One. Sonic State has all the classic drum machine samples for free download."

"MPC One/One+ is at the top of the list mainly because of how well it integrates with external gear."

"MPC One or Sp404 mk2, would rec the MPC because I love loading 909/707 drums so I can play shoegaze like astrobrite with it"

"Any MPC or a used Maschine+"

"MPC of your choice"

Erica Synths

4.3

(10)

"The Erica Synths LXR-02 drum machine is amazing for these styles."

"Look no further: Erica Synths LXR-02. Is designed for the exact drums sound you are looking for."

"Perkons HD-01 is an industrial beast."

"Perkons is the most industrial beast I’ve ever heard."

"If money isn’t an issue and you don’t need to travel with it, the Perkons seems really fun."

"The LXR literally sounds nothing like the Perkons....but yes, they are both great for industrial sounds."

"Erica Synths Perkons just screams industrial."

"Erica Synths LXR-02 seems pretty capable of that sound, if you’re looking for something still in production."

"I’m using an Erica Synths LXR-02. There’s also an eurorack version."

"I have a Perkons but keep wanting the LXR-02 😅"

Sample

4.3

(8)

"Get a Sample V1, get the pajen firmware on it and get the classic drum machine sounds. Enjoy!"

"I like the Sample, specially the v1 with pajen's firmware. You can do a lot o"

"Sample is best bang for the buck but if you can break the $250 mark you will be way happier with something like the circuit rhythm/tracks."

"The sample seems to be slightly favoured by the other comments and I would second this."

"If you use samples for your drums get Sample. If you want to synthesize drum sounds in the box then get Drum."

"I have a ton of curated percussion sounds so the sample is my go to beat machine when I want to be out the box."

"Sample!"

"The Sample would be my top recommendation. It allows you to load your own sounds or use the built-in ones to create a wide range of textures and rhythms."

Behringer

4.3

(8)

"Strongly recommend the Behringer RD-9."

"I have all 3 Behringer drum machines, and they all sound great."

"I have the RD-6 and RD-8 and really enjoy them, in fact (fidelity wise) I prefer the RD-6 over my Roland Boutique 606 model"

"Behringer makes pretty good knockoffs of the classic Roland drum machines — so if you like classic hip-hop drums, consider the RD-8, and if you like dance music or Bjork, check out the RD-9."

"Cheapest would be drumbrute, Behringer rd 8 mk2, or edge."

"Same I actually prefer the RD6 to my original 606. The clap rules."

"I've got the barry rd9. The trigger outs work great for pinging filters."

"You can run midi from your Daw to the RD-6, and from there you now have two trigger outputs from the RD-6 to send to your euro that are synced up with your track."

Alesis

4.1

(8)

"The SR-16 for sure."

"For more of an affordable option, Alesis SR-16 + Arturia Drumbrute Impact + Behringer Super Fuzz pedal."

"Alesis HR-16 and the cheapest distortion pedal you can find."

"Alesis SR-16. It's one of the most affordable drum machines out there, and it's got a great set of sampled drum sounds."

"First couple of Godflesh records were straight Alesis HR16."

"The two simplest I used were the Alesis SR-16."

"Alesis SR-16"

"Cheap 90's drum machines seem to be popular."

#10

Boss

4.0

(6)

"I had one that was stolen/lost few years back & I think about it often!"

"I like my old Boss Dr-880 and Alesis SR16."

"Any drum machine you like with a Boss DS1."

"For the money Boss DR 550."

"These things have basically zero nostalgia value and can be found for pretty cheap."

"I have A Boss DR-550 from the nineties' lol, if you are lookinh for Tr-808 type sounds for cheap it does the job well."

#11

Vermona

4.6

(5)

"Check out the Vermona DRM1 MKIV I just love it."

"Vermona DRM1 is great, probably the most sound-designy analogue drum module, very playable, and has a version with trigger inputs."

"I've got a Vermona DRM MKIV and it's absolute gold."

"Love my minibrute 2s, tr8s, and drm1 mkiv"

"What I would also highly recommend is the Vermona DRM1 Mk4."

#12

Novation

3.8

(5)

"The Circuit Rhythm or even the tracks would fit nicely, and you can even feed your volca into it."

"Put the Circuit Rhythm and Model:Samples on the list of products to investigate"

"The two simplest I used were the Alesis SR-16 and Novation Circuit."

"The Novation Circuit, any Electribe, Volca Sample/Beats combo."

"For first electronic jams are novation circuits quite ok. For beginner they aren't overwhelming to grasp uppon straight away, workflow and results are listenable."

#13

JimAudio

4.3

(4)

"Best groovebox is GR-16"

"PureAcid or GR-16 both by JimAudio."

"I like pure acid 808/909 drums."

#14

Sonic Potions

4.3

(3)

"Lxr02 is a proper drum machine/synth. Check it out."

"LXR-02 is great for creating percs and glitchy shit but you’re not going to get it to sound like a real drum kit."

"Sonic Potions LXR-02 if you’re tired of roland drums like I am. Granted you’re gonna have to program all your kits but that’s part of the appeal."

#15

Hammerhead

4.0

4.0

4.0

(1)

"Rhythm wolf, also synththrotek makes a drum synth that is pretty cheap."

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