Vintage Synth Explorer Forums

My bedroom studio needs a drum machine. I'm torn between a potentially cheap Tama Techstar 305, and a used MPC whatever. The MPC is obviously more capable and can do more than just drums, but its also significantly more in demand/expensive. I'm curious about the 305, it seems like it's supposed to be a brain for an electronic drum set, but couldn't it be sequenced with MIDI?

I thought you were talking about THIS MPC:
[youtube][/youtube]

Do you need a master sequencer? The modern MPC's make great MIDI sequencers. If you're only using them as drum sample playback devices over MIDI then I'm sure you could find a cheaper alternative, even the roland SP's...

This sounds like an apples to oranges comparison. Techstar is just a sound module, no? The MPCs are all-in-ones.

And don't older drum modules like Tama and Simmons require separate trigger inputs? You're going to need an old style sequencer or drum machine that has individual outs if you get that. I wanted to pick up this Simmons unit while back, but when I found out what I needed to use it, I decided it wasn't worth it and I just got an all-in-one sequencer that had drum sounds already. The Tama probably sounds cool, but what would you trigger it with? Maybe an old Drumulator, 707, 909, etc.?

Otherwise, you can just find a cheaper Roland SP- like th0mas recommended.

I have a Techstar 305. It's an analog electronic drum brain with 6 trigget inputs for 6 trigger drum pads, no sequencer or MIDI. What you want to do really depends on what you're after - each sound in the Techstar is a synthesizer with parameters such as oscillator, attack, decay, sweep etc. so it can give a big range of analog type sounds compared to an MPC. But that's all it does. No "real" drum sounds - more like TR606/909 and Simmons sounds. Add a cheap drum machine like a TR707 with individual outs to trigger each input and there is your sequencer. You could also use the 707 to provide the hihats as well - not a bad combination actually!

Cheers, Graham

gmeredith wrote:I have a Techstar 305. no sequencer or MIDI.

Yep, useless for me - I thought I saw a MIDI input in the auction pic. Probably should have googled the specs before making this thread.