ly analyzed and faithfully recreated every
detail and nuance of the analog circuitry of
the original models including the snap of the
808; the thud of the 909; the robotic click of an
808 rim shot or a classic 909 snare roll.
Not content with mere re-creations, they
enhanced the original ideas with capabilities
that go far beyond the original units.
Tune and Decay knobs are now present on
every instrument, and the Bass Drum and
Snare Drum have additional controls such as
Attack,
Snappy,
and
Comp. Roland says it
allows for a wide variety
of tones, from subtle ambient percussion to pounding dance grooves. Perstep effects and the massively addictive Scatter
function take things into
entirely new levels.
Roland says the "TR-8
Fender
has
been
carefully
designed from the ground up as an instrument to be played. Every control has a solid,
predictable feel, with each drum instrument
having robust, 'playable' faders. Numerous
lighted knobs and RGB buttons give both
real-time performance feedback and a striking appearance on stage."
The TR-8 also works in unison with other
products in Roland's AIRA series (like the
TB-3 Bass sequencer). Unlike drum machines
from the early Macintosh years, users can
connect the TR-8 to a computer via USB to
send and receive both audio and MIDI data,
including MIDI clock information for syncing
with external devices and other AIRA units.
We think even analog purists will be
stunned by the abilities of the TR-8. List price
is $499.00 Details can be found at roland.com.
By David Gedge
TR-8 STATE
ROLAND TR-8
Performance Rhythm Machine
Fender's new Vaporizer amp evokes the
1950s-'60s age of the Jetsons and Sputnik,
when the atomic-age world became
enthralled with spaceflight and spacecraft.
When the wild flights of fancy it launched
permeated culture everywhere, from film and
television to cars, guitars, appliances and
more – everything was bright, colorful and
flashy. Fender is
going after the boutique amplifier market
with
the
Vaporizer, and it's
probably worth a
look, though it doesn't have the indie
amp company cred.
Featuring 12 watts of
all-tube output (2 x
Vaporizer
12AX7
preamp
tubes, 2 x 6BQ5/EL84 power tubes) through
two 10" 16-Ohm Vaporizer speakers.
Additional features include a spring reverb
circuit independent of amp volume control, a
single-button "wedge" footswitch selects the
"vaporizer mode" (bypasses volume and tone
controls for full-strength overload, indicated
by a red jewel light). MSRP is $549.00. Go to
fender.com for all the details.
NEWS AND NOTES
Our friends from Rock N Roll Vintage
are celebrating their 10 th annive