TR-08
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Roland announces software versions of its 808 and 909 drum machines
The Roland TR-808 and TR-909 are iconic drum machines that powered a ton of the music from the '80s and '90s. While both hardware units were recently revived as the TR-08 and TR-09, they haven't been officially emulated in software yet. That changes now as Roland announces VST and AU plugins for both of the iconic rhythm modules (along with a new SRX Orchestra virtual instrument set) as part of the company's Roland Cloud service.
The best audio gear to give as gifts
Maybe there's an audiophile on your list, or maybe you're shopping for someone who recently acquired a new phone and could use something better than the pack-in headphones. Either way, we have a slew of recommendations in the audio gear section of our holiday gift guide. On our list you'll find smart speakers from Google and Amazon alike, along with Sonos, whose new "One" speaker includes Alexa built in, with Google Assistant support coming soon. When it comes to headphones, our selections run the gamut from the affordable (Jabra's Move headset) to the high end (Bragi's Dash Pro wireless earbuds and these noise cancelling headphones from Sony), with a couple mid-range options in between. Rounding out the list, we have a soundbar, drum machine, synth app, the Amazon Echo Show and one of our favorite portable Bluetooth speakers. Find all that and many more items in our holiday gift guide, at the link below.
Roland's revival of the iconic TR-808 makes classic sounds portable
If we know anything about Roland, it's that the company loves to debut new gear on the corresponding date. Today is August 8th, or as the company calls it "808 Day," so naturally it's time for a new piece of kit. As you might've already guessed, there's a new version of the iconic TR-808 drum machine that first debuted in the '80s. Last September on so-called "909 Day," the company debuted its TR-909 revival (the TR-09) alongside a new take on the TB-303 (TB-03) and one other synth for its Boutique line. Now, the company is adding the TR-08 Rhythm Composer to its stable of reissued classics.
