It may lack the thump of an 808 and the thud of a 909, but the Roland TR-606 holds a special place in the hearts of many hardware enthusiasts, with its skittish hi-hats and metallic snare acting as the perfect bedrock for a squelchy acid line to let rip over.
Acting as a down-sized cousin to the TR-8S, the new TR-6S offers six channels of percussive goodness and a classic TR sequencer for punching in grooves, while secondary functions such as sub-steps, step-loops, flams and motion recording help add a more organic element to its sound.
The TR-6S is factory loaded with circuit models of the 808, 909, 606 and 707, and like the TR-8S, features an FM sound engine and can be loaded with custom user samples to make it more than just another groovebox. It can also function as a USB audio / MIDI interface, and if you’re keen to jam on the go, you can power the unit via four AA batteries. Hear it in action below.
For some more classic acid grooves, Roland have also given the TR-606 the Boutique treatment and shrunken it down to fit into their acclaimed reissuie series. While it may lack the analogue construction that’s made the original a sleeper hit, the TR-06 Boutique does feature an internal gain which can be pushed to create some gritty drum tones, as well as a built-in compressor and delay.
The TR-06 also features controls for decay, pan and tuning for each tone, and also adds modern luxuries such as sub-steps and loops to the classic TR sequencer. Like other models in the Boutique series, the TR-06 can also function as a USB audio interface, and there’s also five trigger outs and a trigger input on the back of the unit to hook it up for some modular madness. Check it out in the flesh for yourself.
Should you be a man of the Cloud, Roland have also added the TR-606 to their Roland Cloud Software Suite, delivering a perfect option for any in-the-box acid you might be toying with. Considering all the fuss that the all-analogue Behringer RD-6 606 clone has stirred up over the past twelve months, it’ll be very interesting to see how consumers react to these new products – we reckon they look great though!
Check out everything new from Roland via their Australian webpage.
