Forget the 606, give me a CR-8000

Sir Ruff · Post by **Sir Ruff** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 2:36 am

I can't quite contain my my excitement today (so brag I will)-I just picked up an (almost) perfectly functioning cr8000 from someone local for roughly a third of what they are going for on ebay these days... (I say almost cos some of the buttons need more pressure to work, but they work)

aside from the snare (which maybe can be tweaked internally?), it really does sound like the 808..

Since I will never be willing to throw down for an 808s considering what they go for, I imagine this is the closest (next best) thing for the relative price.

sacredcow · Post by **sacredcow** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 2:39 am

Wow, I just listened to the samples and it really does sound pretty groovy. A bit less round than an 808, but imo that's a kinda good thing. So what was the actual price you paid?

Sir Ruff · Post by **Sir Ruff** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 3:10 am

sacredcow wrote:Wow, I just listened to the samples and it really does sound pretty groovy. A bit less round than an 808, but imo that's a kinda good thing. So what was the actual price you paid?

$80... I'm not sure what the guy was hoping to get for it, but that's the beauty of craigslist.... (I'm still kicking myself for not immediately clicking the BIN now button for one I saw on ebay going for $75 a couple months ago.)

I would actually say (only having heard an 808 on record) that the sounds are "rounder" in fact-mainly cos they can't be changed. so the snare is quite "dull" sounding (with little snappy), and the kick doesn't have loads of decay... the clap sounds bigger to me somehow, maybe a longer decay...

Post by **Blue Monster 65** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 3:10 am

One of my favorite drum machines! Good score, Ruff. When you open it, you'll find a load of options you can use. Also, go here: http://www.analoguesolutions.com/ and you'll find midi kits, etc. for your new beauty.

And when you're ready to sell it ... I'll give you $100 for it!

Dig it, baby - you'll just dig it ... Congrats again!

Woof! - Scott

amatsov · Post by **amatsov** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 10:42 am

I have on but I never opened it.
as Ive heard you can can tweak the sounds inside.
is that right?

gfriden · Post by **gfriden** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 11:11 am

Anyone had an oportunity to compare one of these to a CR-78? What's the difference? Soundwise? Functionwise? I have a mint condition CR-78 and I always got the feeling they were more expensive than the CR-8000. Any idea why?

Syn303 · Post by **Syn303** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 11:27 am

gfriden wrote:Anyone had an oportunity to compare one of these to a CR-78? What's the difference? Soundwise? Functionwise? I have a mint condition CR-78 and I always got the feeling they were more expensive than the CR-8000. Any idea why?

I've had 2 or 3 CR-78's in the past (without the WS-1 sadly - as it's rare as hen's teeth). I also owned a CR-8000 too in the past.

I think what it is that the CR-78 has punchier sound than the CR-8000 and of course that weird metal-beat, the other things are the ability to fade-in and out, put in bongo and snare rolls say every 4,8,12 or 16 bars, combine a rhythm from the bottom row and the top row (much like the Korg Minipops-7) with the 78 you can have that Blondie 'Heart of Glass' intro or the Phil Collins rhythm.

And you can also tweak the trimpots inside the CR-78 (on the underside), where you can give the bass and snare drum more oomph. I always preferred the 78 over the 8000 - but the 78's are more prone to breaking down now, as the main or internal clock IC always seems to go first, but the thing about the 78 is it was the precursor to the infamous 808.

I use CR78 samples in my MD-UW and it's like having the real thing again but without the cheesy rhythms and i can make new sounds from the samples. If i could own one again i would, but it's far too expensive to maintain for a 30 year old machine. But it stands up in it's own right amongst the TR series.

Some Artists/Albums who/which used the 78:

John Foxx - Metamatic
Ultravox - Vienna/Rage In Eden
Anthony Phillips - 1984
Blondie
Mike Oldfield - QE2 (Taurus 1)
Yello - Solid Pleasure (Stanztrigger)
New Musik - Anywhere
Visage - Visage
Fred Giannelli (of Psychic TV fame)
Dave Brock - Hawkwind (the weird tapes)
Phil Collins - In The Air Tonight
Jean-Michel Jarre - Equinoxe (Equinoxe Part-IV extended)
Speedy J - 78 sounds heard in some tracks (could be samples)

gfriden · Post by **gfriden** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 12:21 pm

Syn303 wrote:(without the WS-1 sadly - as it's rare as hen's teeth).

Yes, I've seen them go on the Bay for more than the CR-78s themselves! But at the current dollar rate, this does not seem too expensive:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Roland-CR-78-CompuR ... dZViewItem

Anyway, how hard can it be to make one of these? Surely, if there are schematics for it, a good tech should be able to pull it off?

(By the way, I'm fairly certain John Foxx used the CR-78 on Metamatic.)

Syn303 · Post by **Syn303** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 12:42 pm

gfriden wrote:Anyway, how hard can it be to make one of these? Surely, if there are schematics for it, a good tech should be able to pull it off?

(By the way, I'm fairly certain John Foxx used the CR-78 on Metamatic.)

Actually there was a guy in Sweden i think? Who came up with his own schematics to self-build a write-switch for the CR78, as he just couldnt find one for his machine - schematics here: http://www.etek.chalmers.se/~e5he/RSL_1.JPG and text explaining the function of his CR-78 programmer the RSL1 http://www.etek.chalmers.se/~e5he/RSL_1.TXT Although i have seen some talking about modifying a Boss DR-55 to use as a write-switch ?

Yeah i forgot to add Mr Foxx on the list above... oops![/url]

gfriden · Post by **gfriden** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 1:17 pm

Syn303 wrote:Actually there was a guy in Sweden i think? Who came up with his own schematics to self-build a write-switch for the CR78, as he just couldnt find one for his machine - schematics here: http://www.etek.chalmers.se/~e5he/RSL_1.JPG and text explaining the function of his CR-78 programmer the RSL1 http://www.etek.chalmers.se/~e5he/RSL_1.TXT Although i have seen some talking about modifying a Boss DR-55 to use as a write-switch ?

OMG! I'm on that one immediately! Can't wait to have a programmer for my CR-78! Thanks for the link Syn303!

Post by **Blue Monster 65** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 1:22 pm

Hmm ... that's interesting, Syn - thanks for posting it.

Woof! - Scott

Sir Ruff · Post by **Sir Ruff** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 1:24 pm

Blue Monster 65 wrote:One of my favorite drum machines! Good score, Ruff. When you open it, you'll find a load of options you can use. Also, go here: http://www.analoguesolutions.com/ and you'll find midi kits, etc. for your new beauty.

thanks! yeah, it looks like AS do individual outs as well as tonal mods... Even with the current exchange rate, getting all that done would be cheaper than shelling out for an 808 (or a full price 8000).

however, Justinvm (who's doing the tr-404) has been kind enough to throw some info my way, so I may try and tackle some of this myself!

My question is: why, in roland/boss's golden age of drum machines (between 1973? and 1983), did they only include a digital tempo readout once! (on the humble cr-8000 no less)....

I know roland is wacky sometimes, but surely if you could put a digital (and accurate) tempo readout on the 8000 from '80 you could do the same for the more professional 808/909? It wasn't until the 707 that they put that feature in again, and even then, it was crappy, only adjustable in 2bpm increments

ElGorilla · Post by **ElGorilla** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 2:39 pm

http://www.submodern.com/slowburn/?p=608
This guy here uses a Er-1 to program his CR78.

Z · Post by Z » Wed Mar 12, 2008 3:37 pm

Syn303 wrote:Some Artists/Albums who/which used the 78:

Jean-Michel Jarre - Equinoxe (Equinoxe Part-IV extended)

Where can I hear this version? I have seen a YouTube video of JMJ playng this song an slapping the top of a CR-78 on snare hit. Kinda goofy.

Other notable CR-78 uses:

Hall & Oates "Kiss is on My List"
Genesis "Dutchess", "Me & Sarah Jane"

Z

eminor9 · Post by **eminor9** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:59 pm

Syn303 wrote: I use CR78 samples in my MD-UW and it's like having the real thing again but without the cheesy rhythms and i can make new sounds from the samples. If i could own one again i would, but it's far too expensive to maintain for a 30 year old machine. But it stands up in it's own right amongst the TR series.

I do the same here. Although the advantages of the MD easily outweighs the hassle and restrictions of the real thing, it does have that digital sheen that I sometimes could do without. I have an MFB502 to get the real analog soft drum vibe but unfortunately it lacks all the stuff (guiro, wood block) that makes the CR78 so special. It nails the Junior Boys smashing snare though (for which they're using a CR8000) when sent through compressor, so it's a keeper anyways.

Adding other good uses of the CR78 (used in intro in the same vain as Blondie):
Roxy Music 'The same old scene'
David Bowie 'This is not America'