Perfect Italo sound and a line out for every individual sound. I bought a Roland FA-06 keyboard and by pure coincidence they loaded it with some great 80's drum sounds. It has a built in compressor which is kind of crappy if you throw a complete song through it but it makes for a fun drum computer.
@@jairkerker2821that’s one of the main reasons I got an FA06 when I saw it had all the classic Roland drum sounds as well as a few Alesis and Linn. Funnily enough I’ve got a Yamaha EX7 with Roland drum samples that actually sound a lot punchier
@@TayWoode Roland has always been a little vanilla punchwise, especially post 80's, their drum sounds blend too much. At least on their keyboards: I had a TD-1 module with my electronic drumkit and it really had some punch while its more natural, organic sounds had great dynamic response. Nice airy built in reverbs too. No individual outputs unfortunately but neither does my TD-7 module, which doesn't even got MIDI in. Now that I think of it I'll go look for one. Yamaha does amazing stuff in some areas, like piano sounds and electric key reproductions like in the CP88, great affordable effect units etc but they seldom get the acclaim they deserve.
626 with the 707 ROM is a nice low cost alternative. If you can get a good price on a 707 that’s probably ideal. Both have individual outs which is nice.
Interesting comparison. If both were combined into one machine they'd be pretty perfect. The 707 sounds better for certain basic sounds, but then it's so limited with no tuning or alternative sounds (or ways to change them). The 626 is head and shoulders above there. I do love the 707 though, it always cuts through a mix. Ran it through the AMS RMX "nonlin" the other day and it absolutely thumped, really sounded great. It also distorts very well too, I drive it through an old analogue mixer quite a lot and it responds to that in a very good way. So you can eke more out of it.
I have your AMS video on my watch list Alex! ;-) I know people too that really drive the output of a 707 pretty hard in the analog domain so that's definitely a valid point for that. :)
At one time, I had a 626 and a 505. You didn't mention the fact that the 626 has a swing function! Makes it super useful when building a groove up with the 909!! These days, I just have samples in my MPC, but I enjoyed the workflow on those things!
I worked for Roland so am familiar with all their products. I started myself with a DR110 and had a TR505 but ended up with a DR5 (which I still have). The 707 sounds crisper in the high frequencies which is to do with the eq in the output circuit (could be modified). As far as I'm aware, they both used the same sample from Roland Japan. The 909 was part analogue and part digital.
Yeah... why not both?! 🤷🏼♂️😁 I couldn’t choose... they both sound great for our style of music anyway, and when processed in a mix it’s hard to tell the difference. 707 looks a bit more swag though. 😎
I got the 626 because of your previous video on it along with the discovery that theres a guy called Harry Axten who sells an upgrade kit that contains LM1, Linndrum, DMX and 707 samples. You access the banks using a switch thats installed at the back. Great way of having all the sounds while having the hands on drum machine experience!
They have that disco Linn-esque sound, but prices have gotten ridiculous for them, especially the 707. Two years after the 626 came out Roland released the R-8, which was a huge leap ahead in almost every way, and you can pick those up for probably half the price of a 707. I still use my old TD-7 in my rack, which are really cheap used, and based on the R-8 architecture. You can always just get TR-xox samples, but you can't sample an R-8 and capture all of the nuance and velocity curves.
@@plateoshrimp9685 Recently picked up an R8 for 50 Euro's. Pretty fun to program, it's a good sequencer for synths as well. Some of the sounds are really cool and you can get it to sound pretty modern playing with the pitch.
Moreover, all R-8 sounds have been included as the General MIDI drums and percussions in Sound Canvas series, and also in Windows GM Sound Set which is imported from SC-55mkII.
Just picked up a mint 707 off of the original owner who is a guitarist. Came in the original box with original manual and power plug. He hadn't played it since the early 90s he said. I'm excited to be the second owner. Can't wait to get the expansion hack to have 727, 808, 909 & Linn drum sounds. I have a 505. I might pick up a 626 when I find a deal on it.
I think I have had all of Rolands vintage “TR” series. Between the two I would side with the 707 because I liked the toms and the front panel. As a poor student being able to mix drums without the need of mixer was great. The TR not mention here that I had the most fun with was the 606. I wish I still had that one back. Currently have a 505 which is nice it’s own right, but will sell it once the project is over.
I went through a Heavy Roland run back in the days. Whewweee…. Great memories. Who remembers when 808s 909s cost around $350 used in the Recycler? I had them both and , 505,626,707, 727 and many other ones passed through. I am enjoying the modded and circuit bent versions nowadays.
The 626 was my very 1st Drum Machine. It didn’t have the boom so I had to down pitch a Tom Tom and layer it with a sampled 808 kick from a Casio SK-1. Layered drums and percussion helped me create my own signature sound.
Thank you for another great video Espen! A good overview as always, and always great fun to get an insight into how you apply the said hw into your music making! My first live appearance was behind a drum set, and I just love good rhythm! I think both machines have their use, but for me I'd probably go for the 626 due to the customizeability, and based on your run through I find the sounds the be a bit more attractive to me as well. Ohh, and kudos to the great Gantz figurine as well! Awesome :D
I like the 505 more than the 626, the sounds are ALMOST identical to the 707, but with some ethnic percussion samples included, and I think that the kick and snare are even snappier on it than the 707. The 626 is more revered than the 505, but I genuinely think that the 505 is the better sounding machine for general use. The 626 having tuning is still a huge advantage though.
Ive had both side by side and for me it's no contest. You can push the 707 output amps to sound much harder and bigger than the 626, which behaves both dryer and much more tame.
Love Both of em, have the 626 and the meory expansion, the DMX and Lynn Drum sounds are awesome. Also some 707 sounds are included. The 707 is moe handy when programming. As real 80's Freak you need both *LOL*
I Agree. in my world the 707 is a professional drummer with separate outputs, A very important feature back in the day. The 707 was the last machine i programmed on that actual hardware. After that i moved to HR-16 but triggered the drum sounds from my ESQ-1.
Love it, thanks so much Espen. That snare is what hooked me on the "Midnight Drive", I'm just getting started and really have no idea.......but I kinda like to 626 a bit more.
Thanks for this video. I got it the 707 workings with the new launchpad pro mk3 sequencer and korg microkorg. Hopefully can get my skills up to something like this eventually. Hoping to get it into live sets but I'm not if i can get it work with the styles of music I make. Definitely looks the business though.
Thanks for this interesting side by side comparison, WOW they both look in mint condition! ...Although the feature set of the 707 is clearly better it was The 626 for me!! ( cause I could actually afford one...:) . .....actually aside from price it was the availability of switchable roms for the 626 that made it an obvious choice for me - best of both worlds as you can have 707 sounds in your 626.
The 626 seems to be great, sounds similar, but ... there is some instant magic with the 707 that the 626 just can't produce. Can't point my finger to it. (I have both machines). Maybe the huge steps when setting the relative volume of each instrument are a bit frustrating, too. However, keeping both - the 626 is battery-powered and very useful in terms of translation of sync signals back and forth. Thanks a lot for that great video!
The 626 was the 3rd drum machine I bought, after a DR-110 and the 220e. It had awesome features and the price was right! I loved being able to tune the sounds.
Great job comparing the sounds. Thanks for doing this Espen. I think it's important to mention that, as I understand it, the 626 uses 12 bit samples, while the 707 uses 8 bit samples. The 8 bit samples sound crispy and EQ'd because of their reduced frequency and dynamic range and whatever is being done in the machine to compensate for this reduced fidelity. So yeah, they are sort of "more produced". I absolutely love the user interface on the 707 but hate that you can't tune its drums. But I ran into a 707 recently that had been modified with knobs on its front panel to tune the samples. Now that's the ticket!
Thanks for commenting Erik! Good points, except maybe for the last line about the 707 with the mods.. ;-) I can't stand the sight og mods you can see on the outside of old classic gear. I can tolerate a new display, but that's all he-he.. ;>P
@@EspenKraft Ha yeah, I definitely have mixed feelings about the mods. I feel the same way about trying to keep the unit as original as possible. This was the only mod I've ever seen that really made me pause for a second look. Maybe if somebody could put the tuning knobs discreetly on the back of the unit, like the Oberheim DX tuners, that would be very cool.
I owned a TR-505 in the late eighties, which I didn't really like very much even though it was a vast improvement on my Korg DDM-110! I have often used 707/727 samples but nothing beats the Linn LM-1 or LinnDrum for 80s music in my opinion. But then they carry a very different price tag! Of the drum machines I have actually owned, the best by far was the Roland R8 (with the Electronic card).
@@EspenKraft For some reason, the Linns worked on everything, whatever the tempo. Nowadays, I tend to use Linn samples played from Impact (Studio One's drum machine / kit editor).
I too use a sampled set of Linn drums a lot. I have a self made custom bank recorded on tape and then sampled back among other sets. However, if I'm doing Italo Disco the Linn might not always be the right choice. The Drumulator was used a lot in the genre and the kick from that will often cut through a lot more than the syrupy Linn kick.
Very nice video. I own both of these. While the TR-626 certainly is more versatile, I'd prefer the TR-707: It was my first drummachine, it has classic sounds AND is has a secret weapon: DIN-Sync. It means, you can conncet a non-MIDI-machine, like a TR- 808 or a TB-303, to it. And you can drive a synth via the trigger output. Lots of options.
You can drive a synth from the 626 as well, both clock and midi. Not DIN though, without going through a Dopfer MSY2 or some other MIDI gear that also has DIN sync out, like the Korg SQD1 which I use sometimes. ;-)
MrArpSolina Some people prefer hardware yknow. because they either find it easier to program, or because they want to use it live on stage (I’m both of these)
@@SpiderInStockings Of course. A good controller (an MPC for example, or any other one of your choice), easy to program and to use live, and a good sampler and you can use this mega-sample pack live on stage. No problems. I do it every day. But I also like to use a "real" hardware drum machine too... or just a laptop sometimes. Most of the time, a combination of all of these three techniques. Everyone is different, everyone has preferences, and that's perfectly right. There's no good or bad way to do it, just have fun!
I’ve owned all of these and the TR8/8s do not sound or feel the same. These machines have a unique character and work flow that no other hardware or software can emulate
Thanks for the trivia. Pet Shop Boys rule, especially the first 3 albums, Always On My Mind and 8th Wonder's I'm Not Scared. Great, great programming and sound.
36 years ago... I went to the instrument store to buy the then new TR-707, but they were sold out. Instead, I bought a TR-909 at a clearance price of around $450 and then eventually moved onto R-8. The TR-707 (and 626 505) are items I "liked so much but missed". Like the beautiful girl in the classroom that I could have become friends with, but just never had the opportunity..
Another difference is that you can control external machines by MIDI while being slaved to external MIDI clock with the 626. The 707 cannot do this. It has to be clockmaster when driving external sound sources via MIDI. I wanted to have a 16-step-sequencer running in sync with an Akai MPC. So I went with the 626. But that being said, the 626 uses two rows of 8 steps each and does not have the running light. That's what the 707 uses. Soundwise, I found both machines similiar, too. But I do prefer the 707 if I had to choose one favourite. Anyway, in the end I sold both, after carefully sampling them in order to load and fire those samples from the MPC. Now, I added a 909 which has the running light sequencer PLUS its "hard-to-contain-with-samples"-sound. Anyway, I really like all of the TR-X0X and X2Xes. And also.. they complement each other very well, across all machines. That's actually quite incredible, from the 808 (1980) to the TR-626 (1987).
The only drum machine I had was an Alesis HR-16 complete with cigarette burn. Made my first song on that on my Atari Falcon which I still have (the Falcon, not the cigarette burn 😁)
They now go for €1000, can you believe it? My very much missed €350 Roland Juno is up to €1500. Never should have sold it, I never would today, not even for twice the money. The Boutique version lacks the warmth and doesn't have the filter coupled with the pitch bender. Not to mention it only has 4 voice polyphony instead of 6.
@@80iesDude45 Thank you so much. I deeply love Italo Disco so the 707 sounds are very dear to me. If the TR-6 features adjustable reverb on seperate sounds (mainly for the snare), I think I can't resist buying one. Nice to read my old comment back, I'm currently still recovering financially from buying an old Juno 106: regardless of severe covid restrictions in Holland, I couldn't be happier. Again, thanks!
Brilliant upload Espen. One of your best ever. They're both great machines. But I prefer the versalitity of the 626. Keep the magic coming. 80s music and TECH FOREVER.
The TR-626 doesn't get much respect now, but with its individual outputs, "pitch-shiftable" drums, response to MIDI velocity, and ability to lay down and read MIDI Time Code, it helped me learn a *lot* about how to get the most from a modest, 8-track cassette-based MIDI studio. I was able to make some very clean recordings, since the keyboard and drum parts were all "virtual", and only recorded during mixdown. And this was a few years before it really caught on in home studios. And Espen, you got a great kick and snare sound for the TR-626 with those effects! I wish I'd had those back in the day! The TR-707 is very good too, of course (did Roland ever make a bad drum machine?). I guess it all depends upon what you needed from a drum machine: Live work? Go with the 707. Studio work? Go with the 626. Can't decide? Get both!
Thanks for the in-depth comment man! I totally agree about the 626. I've used that live for a very long time. Both as a "sync" provider, MIDI merger/controller and drum machine at the same time. I have many drum kits on my Akai S1000 that has been controlled by this 626. Works so good too. ;-)
My 626 is a bit noisy, which is super frustrating, but I definitely feel that these are really closely related and could be interchangeable. It's crazy how high the prices of these vintage machine's have gone.
I owned a 707 about ten years ago. I was actually a bit underwhelmed by it at first, as the sounds were a bit sterile in isolation, but like the similar 505 and 626 it sits very nicely in a mix with minimal processing. At the time I bought them I was more familiar with the Drumulator and LinnDrum, which both sound much more powerful but need a lot of EQing to prevent them overwhelming the rest of a mix. I still own the Drumulator, with both the original sound chips and the famous "Rock" ones, but replaced the LinnDrum with a Kawai R100 when I needed some money. Don't really miss the LinnDrum, but I still dream of owning the original Linn LM-1.
The 626 is eq’d somewhat flatter than the 707. Knowing this I would choose the 707 and eq down if I wanted a 626 type sound. Easier down than up, but the tuning of the 626 is a factor. I like grit in the mix and the 626 is appealing for this reason. Pros vs cons and feature vs equal feature I’d go with the 707. Now a 626 vs a 727 would be a real hard choice. Quality of sound is all that matters in the end. I’ll take both!! 🥁🎹 Thanks Mr. Kraft.
Never had a strong desire for a drum machine bc I can load up these samples in FL Studio's sequencer. But they seem like fun tools, especially for live.
I once nearly ended up with a TR-626, someone on a forum was giving one away but if you were interested in it your name was put in the hat and a name was randomly pulled out but unfortunately my name wasn't pulled out. But I still have samples of drum machines ( the 707 and selected 626 samples are included with Arturia Spark ), the TR-707 can be paired with any synth but your video has inspired me to make the 626 "sound better".
@@georgegeez8708Yes! and I'm glad I can have one made by Behringer because prices on the originals are insane. I used to have a Linndrum but stupidly sold it in 1996, it has MIDI installed and it was like new, I was the second owner and the first one was a guy who took care of his equipment extremely good and I'm the same. I sold a few gems like that but the damage is done and it was long time ago. Looking forward on the new versions from Behringer or anyone else. Cheers!
@@carlosserrano3985 Oh wow. Sad to hear you had to get rid of it. It does hurt. But now we are in an era where certain equipment is coming back. I'm sure Behringer will do a great job on the Linn drum clone. I have a few of their remakes and they are all great and I'm happy. I'm happy Injust picked up a TR-707 that is absolutely mint. I am now the second owner to it. The original owner rold me he hadn't used it since the mid 90s. I really want TR-727 for the latin sounds. I missed out 2 weeks ago on getting a mint one with the HKA expansion included with for cheap. Someone else beat me to the punch. But till then, I'll sit on the sidelines and wait what else pops up.
TR-707 wins But TR-626 is also darn good, so one needs both probably,... :D Roland did such good gear in the 80´s,.....i start to dust of my old U-220, S220, aswell The Tr-505,... :) Thanks Espen for all inspiration,...
All these great videos, and no mentioning of the fact that the TR 707, 626 (and 505) hihats benefit greatly from shortening the length of them, in any modern "SynthWave" or otherwise production. Especially the closed hihats benefit a lot from being shorter. Try it.
I pointed out a practical method to shorten the length of the hihat sounds of said drum machines, then you had to turn the discussion into something else. Good luck with click baiting, seems you forgot your original reason for making videos and this is you now.
626 has more advantages, it has three type of snares including rock snare, the cymbals has china and cup (bell), toms has two types (standard and rock), and sounds can be pitched. But 707 sounds, even it has limited drum samples and unpitched, it has more dynamic, more feel just like LinnDrum. I don't mind adding 727 for 707's companion. 626 is a good choice for musicians who want a simple, compact but almost complete drum sounds.
I liked the 'naked' sound of the 707 better, but after you post-processed it, the 626 sounds very good to me too. And the 626 looks more versatile. If I wouldn't have a 707 for comparison, I would definitely like the 626 as it is. But I have neither, so I'll have to stick with my Novation Circuit for drums. :)
I know you're not doing new gear, but for people who want these sounds the TR8s is a fair option too. You get all the 626/707/727 sounds, and I loaded up my old 505 samples into mine. I've given up on its analogue emulation side but as a repository for the sample machines it does a reasonable job. If only they'd made it in beige.
If you get the Roland TR6S, it includes the sounds of both of those drum machines plus the 606, 808, 909 and others plus it's cheaper than one of those machines. 🙂 Anyway, good video, thanks!
you can change the EPROMs on the 707 as well with a bit know how, I just did it to mine :) I just have to figure out how to use kicad properly I can make up some boards. The user interface on the 707/727 wins hands down, I had the 505 as my first drum machine. Didn't regret selling it.
As much as i love the 707, the 626 is a tiny monster. To get the most out of it, yes you need some post processing but all in all it's worth it. The drum machine i would like to get, my hands on, is the Akai XR-10. Fabulous sounds, and a big part of my childhood thanks to Dieter Bohlen from Modern Talking. Like the man used it from 86' to 95'.
@@orangewiggler6838 Looked it up and you're right! Intresting though the albums of Modern Talking's "In The Middle Of Nowhere" and C.C. Catch'es "Welcome To The Heartbreak Hotel" feature all drum sounds of the AKAI XR-10, whilst the albums were released in '86. A bit of a mystery turning out here :D. I recommend checking out a TH-cam channel "MrCrespo8". He makes videos on recreating Dieter Bohlens music, very good content.
I prefer 707 because kick and sn sounds snappyer and clearer. in 626 are a little bit duller. But when you mixed 626 , it sounds way better. At the same level or better I think.
@@EspenKraft i like your use of the cla plugin. I ver tried before. In 707 i got a great result but in 626 cant get your sound. Maybe is the sample i used.
Or you can get a Yamaha RX5 and have the ability to add more sounds by cartridges (even the 808) and you can tune each pad. I think 626 wins here, but the 707 is kinda part of the legacy XOX legacy.
I like more the Roland tr626 for why the Roland tr626 have many percussion sounds like a latín genres like a cumbia salsa and technocumbia really famous in México in the 90s, i like much You make the Review of the Roland R-8
I think the TR-505 is different to the TR-626 which is why I might have been confused. The TR-626 is quite reasonably priced. You could say the TR-626 is Roland's equivalent to the Yamaha RX-11.
the 707 has my favorite kick and snare sound of any roland drum machine
Perfect Italo sound and a line out for every individual sound.
I bought a Roland FA-06 keyboard and by pure coincidence they loaded it with some great 80's drum sounds.
It has a built in compressor which is kind of crappy if you throw a complete song through it but it makes for a fun drum computer.
@@jairkerker2821that’s one of the main reasons I got an FA06 when I saw it had all the classic Roland drum sounds as well as a few Alesis and Linn. Funnily enough I’ve got a Yamaha EX7 with Roland drum samples that actually sound a lot punchier
@@TayWoode Roland has always been a little vanilla punchwise, especially post 80's, their drum sounds blend too much.
At least on their keyboards: I had a TD-1 module with my electronic drumkit and it really had some punch while its more natural, organic sounds had great dynamic response.
Nice airy built in reverbs too.
No individual outputs unfortunately but neither does my TD-7 module, which doesn't even got MIDI in.
Now that I think of it I'll go look for one.
Yamaha does amazing stuff in some areas, like piano sounds and electric key reproductions like in the CP88, great affordable effect units etc but they seldom get the acclaim they deserve.
626 with the 707 ROM is a nice low cost alternative. If you can get a good price on a 707 that’s probably ideal. Both have individual outs which is nice.
Interesting comparison. If both were combined into one machine they'd be pretty perfect. The 707 sounds better for certain basic sounds, but then it's so limited with no tuning or alternative sounds (or ways to change them). The 626 is head and shoulders above there.
I do love the 707 though, it always cuts through a mix. Ran it through the AMS RMX "nonlin" the other day and it absolutely thumped, really sounded great. It also distorts very well too, I drive it through an old analogue mixer quite a lot and it responds to that in a very good way. So you can eke more out of it.
I have your AMS video on my watch list Alex! ;-) I know people too that really drive the output of a 707 pretty hard in the analog domain so that's definitely a valid point for that. :)
The 707 is the main drum machine that I use on almost all my tracks. Super versatile, takes effect well, and works in many types of songs.
At one time, I had a 626 and a 505. You didn't mention the fact that the 626 has a swing function! Makes it super useful when building a groove up with the 909!! These days, I just have samples in my MPC, but I enjoyed the workflow on those things!
I worked for Roland so am familiar with all their products. I started myself with a DR110 and had a TR505 but ended up with a DR5 (which I still have). The 707 sounds crisper in the high frequencies which is to do with the eq in the output circuit (could be modified). As far as I'm aware, they both used the same sample from Roland Japan. The 909 was part analogue and part digital.
I can't stop looking that Grace Jones cover.
The tuning of the drum sounds on the 626 is really neat. Almost a hidden treasure.
Yeah... why not both?! 🤷🏼♂️😁
I couldn’t choose... they both sound great for our style of music anyway, and when processed in a mix it’s hard to tell the difference. 707 looks a bit more swag though. 😎
I agree with you about the 707 looks! ;-)
Stephen Anthony Alas, seems to be none available out there right now. :/
I agree Stephen, I love the 727 and used to own it. I sold it at a weak moment along with the 909. :|
I agree with buying them both. I've always loved the TR-707 kick, hi hats and toms.
I got the 626 because of your previous video on it along with the discovery that theres a guy called Harry Axten who sells an upgrade kit that contains LM1, Linndrum, DMX and 707 samples. You access the banks using a switch thats installed at the back. Great way of having all the sounds while having the hands on drum machine experience!
Harry provided the chips I have for my Sequential TOM too. ;-)
They have that disco Linn-esque sound, but prices have gotten ridiculous for them, especially the 707. Two years after the 626 came out Roland released the R-8, which was a huge leap ahead in almost every way, and you can pick those up for probably half the price of a 707. I still use my old TD-7 in my rack, which are really cheap used, and based on the R-8 architecture. You can always just get TR-xox samples, but you can't sample an R-8 and capture all of the nuance and velocity curves.
Agree. R-8 is the best drum machine ever made, imo.
@@plateoshrimp9685 Recently picked up an R8 for 50 Euro's. Pretty fun to program, it's a good sequencer for synths as well. Some of the sounds are really cool and you can get it to sound pretty modern playing with the pitch.
Moreover, all R-8 sounds have been included as the General MIDI drums and percussions in Sound Canvas series, and also in Windows GM Sound Set which is imported from SC-55mkII.
@@plateoshrimp9685 that's because you have no ears and should quit music.
Both are great and have unique functions and sounds, but for me the 707's built-in mixer is an important plus.
I actually really like the more bodied snare on the 626 !
Just picked up a mint 707 off of the original owner who is a guitarist. Came in the original box with original manual and power plug. He hadn't played it since the early 90s he said. I'm excited to be the second owner. Can't wait to get the expansion hack to have 727, 808, 909 & Linn drum sounds. I have a 505. I might pick up a 626 when I find a deal on it.
Congrats!
My TR-707 was my first drum machine and I still love and use it (same with its companion TR-727)
I was not gonna say this so people would not buy all the 727s but I would say the 727 is closer to the 626 as they are both latin machines.
I think I have had all of Rolands vintage “TR” series. Between the two I would side with the 707 because I liked the toms and the front panel. As a poor student being able to mix drums without the need of mixer was great.
The TR not mention here that I had the most fun with was the 606. I wish I still had that one back. Currently have a 505 which is nice it’s own right, but will sell it once the project is over.
I went through a Heavy Roland run back in the days.
Whewweee…. Great memories.
Who remembers when 808s 909s cost around $350 used in the Recycler?
I had them both and , 505,626,707, 727 and many other ones passed through.
I am enjoying the modded and circuit bent versions nowadays.
The 626 was my very 1st Drum Machine. It didn’t have the boom so I had to down pitch a Tom Tom and layer it with a sampled 808 kick from a Casio SK-1. Layered drums and percussion helped me create my own signature sound.
Nice.
Thank you for another great video Espen! A good overview as always, and always great fun to get an insight into how you apply the said hw into your music making! My first live appearance was behind a drum set, and I just love good rhythm! I think both machines have their use, but for me I'd probably go for the 626 due to the customizeability, and based on your run through I find the sounds the be a bit more attractive to me as well. Ohh, and kudos to the great Gantz figurine as well! Awesome :D
Thanks man! Yes, they're similar yet different in many ways so best to have both if you can. ;-)
I like the 505 more than the 626, the sounds are ALMOST identical to the 707, but with some ethnic percussion samples included, and I think that the kick and snare are even snappier on it than the 707. The 626 is more revered than the 505, but I genuinely think that the 505 is the better sounding machine for general use.
The 626 having tuning is still a huge advantage though.
626 imo is more latin
Cool channel you've got. I made a lot of songs on my 4 track Fostex recorder with the TR-505. A lot of nostalgia in these sounds.
Cheers!
I think 707 better
707 sounds using in different genres of music like techno trance industrial
Ive had both side by side and for me it's no contest. You can push the 707 output amps to sound much harder and bigger than the 626, which behaves both dryer and much more tame.
both have their uses for different sounding tracks.
i like both.
Love the 707's kick drum. Nice and punchy
the volume sliders on the 707 alone makes it a clear winner
Yes, that comes in handy in a live situation.
Love Both of em, have the 626 and the meory expansion, the DMX and Lynn Drum sounds are awesome. Also some 707 sounds are included. The 707 is moe handy when programming. As real 80's Freak you need both *LOL*
I much prefer 707 as it can approximate a Linn Drum which is by far my fav drum machine
"It's best to have them both" - there's nothing further to be added ;)
I Agree. in my world the 707 is a professional drummer with separate outputs, A very important feature back in the day. The 707 was the last machine i programmed on that actual hardware. After that i moved to HR-16 but triggered the drum sounds from my ESQ-1.
The 626 also has separate outputs.
@@EspenKraft Ahh...dammit! I mix it up with the 505..happened two times within a month..
Ok i lay myself flat on the floor 🙄😉
No shame in that. :P
Love it, thanks so much Espen. That snare is what hooked me on the "Midnight Drive", I'm just getting started and really have no idea.......but I kinda like to 626 a bit more.
Thanks Cameron! The snare on Midnight Drive is indeed from the 626, but i went through a lot of layering and processing before it arrived there. ;-)
I have the tr707 for ages. by far, the best drum machine ever. (in my opinion)! and I have the 606, too! both are great!
The 707 sounds brighter and cleaner to me , whereas the 626 sounds a bit flatter and yes would need some EQ etc.
Thanks for this video. I got it the 707 workings with the new launchpad pro mk3 sequencer and korg microkorg. Hopefully can get my skills up to something like this eventually. Hoping to get it into live sets but I'm not if i can get it work with the styles of music I make. Definitely looks the business though.
I've had my 707 since the 80s. Great Kick and Snare.
Thanks for this interesting side by side comparison, WOW they both look in mint condition! ...Although the feature set of the 707 is clearly better it was The 626 for me!! ( cause I could actually afford one...:) . .....actually aside from price it was the availability of switchable roms for the 626 that made it an obvious choice for me - best of both worlds as you can have 707 sounds in your 626.
The 626 seems to be great, sounds similar, but ... there is some instant magic with the 707 that the 626 just can't produce. Can't point my finger to it. (I have both machines). Maybe the huge steps when setting the relative volume of each instrument are a bit frustrating, too. However, keeping both - the 626 is battery-powered and very useful in terms of translation of sync signals back and forth. Thanks a lot for that great video!
Cheers man! I use my 626 as a controller for drum kits on samplers as well, Works very well for that. ;-)
The 626 was the 3rd drum machine I bought, after a DR-110 and the 220e. It had awesome features and the price was right!
I loved being able to tune the sounds.
Same here my first was the DR-110, second TR-505 and third the 626.
Don't have the 110 but still have the 505 and 626 along with a Simmons SDSV.
YES! The video I have been waiting for! :D
flam and shuffle ist great on the 707
it also has the same ride like the 909
Great job comparing the sounds. Thanks for doing this Espen. I think it's important to mention that, as I understand it, the 626 uses 12 bit samples, while the 707 uses 8 bit samples. The 8 bit samples sound crispy and EQ'd because of their reduced frequency and dynamic range and whatever is being done in the machine to compensate for this reduced fidelity. So yeah, they are sort of "more produced". I absolutely love the user interface on the 707 but hate that you can't tune its drums. But I ran into a 707 recently that had been modified with knobs on its front panel to tune the samples. Now that's the ticket!
Thanks for commenting Erik! Good points, except maybe for the last line about the 707 with the mods.. ;-) I can't stand the sight og mods you can see on the outside of old classic gear. I can tolerate a new display, but that's all he-he.. ;>P
@@EspenKraft Ha yeah, I definitely have mixed feelings about the mods. I feel the same way about trying to keep the unit as original as possible. This was the only mod I've ever seen that really made me pause for a second look. Maybe if somebody could put the tuning knobs discreetly on the back of the unit, like the Oberheim DX tuners, that would be very cool.
707 has those Miami Vice Toms
I owned a TR-505 in the late eighties, which I didn't really like very much even though it was a vast improvement on my Korg DDM-110! I have often used 707/727 samples but nothing beats the Linn LM-1 or LinnDrum for 80s music in my opinion. But then they carry a very different price tag! Of the drum machines I have actually owned, the best by far was the Roland R8 (with the Electronic card).
The Linn is definitely a very much used 80s drum machine! ;-)
@@EspenKraft For some reason, the Linns worked on everything, whatever the tempo. Nowadays, I tend to use Linn samples played from Impact (Studio One's drum machine / kit editor).
I too use a sampled set of Linn drums a lot. I have a self made custom bank recorded on tape and then sampled back among other sets.
However, if I'm doing Italo Disco the Linn might not always be the right choice. The Drumulator was used a lot in the genre and the kick from that will often cut through a lot more than the syrupy Linn kick.
Very nice video. I own both of these. While the TR-626 certainly is more versatile, I'd prefer the TR-707: It was my first drummachine, it has classic sounds AND is has a secret weapon: DIN-Sync.
It means, you can conncet a non-MIDI-machine, like a TR- 808 or a TB-303, to it. And you can drive a synth via the trigger output. Lots of options.
You can drive a synth from the 626 as well, both clock and midi. Not DIN though, without going through a Dopfer MSY2 or some other MIDI gear that also has DIN sync out, like the Korg SQD1 which I use sometimes. ;-)
Or just get a TR-8S and have both plus the 808 and 909
Or get that 30 GB mega-drums sample pack containing 300 drum machines sampled at 96Khz 24-bit...
MrArpSolina Some people prefer hardware yknow. because they either find it easier to program, or because they want to use it live on stage (I’m both of these)
@@SpiderInStockings Of course. A good controller (an MPC for example, or any other one of your choice), easy to program and to use live, and a good sampler and you can use this mega-sample pack live on stage. No problems. I do it every day. But I also like to use a "real" hardware drum machine too... or just a laptop sometimes. Most of the time, a combination of all of these three techniques. Everyone is different, everyone has preferences, and that's perfectly right. There's no good or bad way to do it, just have fun!
I’ve owned all of these and the TR8/8s do not sound or feel the same. These machines have a unique character and work flow that no other hardware or software can emulate
@@MrArpSolina Where is this mega drum sample pack available? Are you referring to Reverb's pack?
Tough choice but I prefer the Roland TR 707. The sound is Chicago House in essence!!
Pet Shop Boys/Andy Richards used a 707 on their song Heart 👍🏻😎🎹
Thanks for the trivia.
Pet Shop Boys rule, especially the first 3 albums, Always On My Mind and 8th Wonder's I'm Not Scared.
Great, great programming and sound.
Faced with this choice in the 90s I got the 626 and kept it for almost 20 years. I only sold mine a couple years back.
36 years ago... I went to the instrument store to buy the then new TR-707, but they were sold out. Instead, I bought a TR-909 at a clearance price of around $450 and then eventually moved onto R-8.
The TR-707 (and 626 505) are items I "liked so much but missed". Like the beautiful girl in the classroom that I could have become friends with, but just never had the opportunity..
And then u realize your wife is hotter than all of them if you can just get her to do your kinks 😅
Bought the TR-8S there U have all the good Roland Stuff in one Machine 🎉
Another difference is that you can control external machines by MIDI while being slaved to external MIDI clock with the 626. The 707 cannot do this. It has to be clockmaster when driving external sound sources via MIDI. I wanted to have a 16-step-sequencer running in sync with an Akai MPC. So I went with the 626. But that being said, the 626 uses two rows of 8 steps each and does not have the running light. That's what the 707 uses. Soundwise, I found both machines similiar, too. But I do prefer the 707 if I had to choose one favourite. Anyway, in the end I sold both, after carefully sampling them in order to load and fire those samples from the MPC. Now, I added a 909 which has the running light sequencer PLUS its "hard-to-contain-with-samples"-sound. Anyway, I really like all of the TR-X0X and X2Xes. And also.. they complement each other very well, across all machines. That's actually quite incredible, from the 808 (1980) to the TR-626 (1987).
The only drum machine I had was an Alesis HR-16 complete with cigarette burn. Made my first song on that on my Atari Falcon which I still have (the Falcon, not the cigarette burn 😁)
I had all of the TR family. The TR-707 is the one, I miss the most.
When I started to listen to 707 on my TR8S is when I started to appreaciate the 707.
They now go for €1000, can you believe it?
My very much missed €350 Roland Juno is up to €1500.
Never should have sold it, I never would today, not even for twice the money.
The Boutique version lacks the warmth and doesn't have the filter coupled with the pitch bender.
Not to mention it only has 4 voice polyphony instead of 6.
@@jairkerker2821 Maybe the new TR-6s with the Original circuit models from the 606, 626, 707 and 808 sounds could be an interesting choice?
@@80iesDude45
Thank you so much. I deeply love Italo Disco so the 707 sounds are very dear to me.
If the TR-6 features adjustable reverb on seperate sounds (mainly for the snare), I think I can't resist buying one.
Nice to read my old comment back, I'm currently still recovering financially from buying an old Juno 106: regardless of severe covid restrictions in Holland, I couldn't be happier.
Again, thanks!
626 for the Verse, 707 for the Chorus.
Brilliant upload Espen. One of your best ever. They're both great machines. But I prefer the versalitity of the 626. Keep the magic coming. 80s music and TECH FOREVER.
Thanks man! :)
YOUR VIDEOS ARE HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL AND YOU'RE A AMAZING TALENT. THANKS FOR THE GREAT EFFORT AND HAPPY 4 TH OF JULY
Many thanks for saying! Happy 4th of July! :D
The TR-626 doesn't get much respect now, but with its individual outputs, "pitch-shiftable" drums, response to MIDI velocity, and ability to lay down and read MIDI Time Code, it helped me learn a *lot* about how to get the most from a modest, 8-track cassette-based MIDI studio. I was able to make some very clean recordings, since the keyboard and drum parts were all "virtual", and only recorded during mixdown. And this was a few years before it really caught on in home studios.
And Espen, you got a great kick and snare sound for the TR-626 with those effects! I wish I'd had those back in the day!
The TR-707 is very good too, of course (did Roland ever make a bad drum machine?). I guess it all depends upon what you needed from a drum machine: Live work? Go with the 707. Studio work? Go with the 626. Can't decide? Get both!
Thanks for the in-depth comment man! I totally agree about the 626. I've used that live for a very long time. Both as a "sync" provider, MIDI merger/controller and drum machine at the same time. I have many drum kits on my Akai S1000 that has been controlled by this 626. Works so good too. ;-)
Thanks for these very thorough and knowledgeable presentations.
Many thanks! :)
My 626 is a bit noisy, which is super frustrating, but I definitely feel that these are really closely related and could be interchangeable. It's crazy how high the prices of these vintage machine's have gone.
Correct Answer: "Both!"... you are correct Espen Kraft!
I owned a 707 about ten years ago. I was actually a bit underwhelmed by it at first, as the sounds were a bit sterile in isolation, but like the similar 505 and 626 it sits very nicely in a mix with minimal processing. At the time I bought them I was more familiar with the Drumulator and LinnDrum, which both sound much more powerful but need a lot of EQing to prevent them overwhelming the rest of a mix.
I still own the Drumulator, with both the original sound chips and the famous "Rock" ones, but replaced the LinnDrum with a Kawai R100 when I needed some money. Don't really miss the LinnDrum, but I still dream of owning the original Linn LM-1.
I have the Drumulator as well, such a classic machine. Wouldn't mind the LinnDrum myself, but not for the prices they're going for today. ;-)
”So Mr. Kraft...we meet again.” 😂😂 Midnight Drive is a really nice song! 👍
Many thanks! :)
The 626 is eq’d somewhat flatter than the 707. Knowing this I would choose the 707 and eq down if I wanted a 626 type sound. Easier down than up, but the tuning of the 626 is a factor. I like grit in the mix and the 626 is appealing for this reason.
Pros vs cons and feature vs equal feature I’d go with the 707. Now a 626 vs a 727 would be a real hard choice. Quality of sound is all that matters in the end.
I’ll take both!! 🥁🎹
Thanks Mr. Kraft.
If going for straight percussion I'd make a video of the Korg DDM-220 vs TR-727, that'd be a cool video. ;-)
Never had a strong desire for a drum machine bc I can load up these samples in FL Studio's sequencer. But they seem like fun tools, especially for live.
Using a hardware drum machine, with it's inherit limitations, lends itself to a lot creativity.
I had the 707 and the 727 for perscussions. Both were great and offered the 16 step keypad for programming...
I once nearly ended up with a TR-626, someone on a forum was giving one away but if you were interested
in it your name was put in the hat and a name was randomly pulled out but unfortunately my name wasn't
pulled out. But I still have samples of drum machines ( the 707 and selected 626 samples are included
with Arturia Spark ), the TR-707 can be paired with any synth but your video has inspired me to make the
626 "sound better".
Quality video, deffo going to try get the 626. Love the 707 too but out of my price range ahah
Cheers! :D
707 definitely cuts through better. Sounds more open, airy and alive. Not so boxy, like the 626. I love my 707.
I have the 707, but for the tuning alone I would buy the 626
I'm ok with my TR-505, TR-626 and my Simmons SDSV but I would love to have a Linndrum.
You might get one soon. Behringer has a tease video of a Linn Drum that might be in the works.
@@georgegeez8708Yes! and I'm glad I can have one made by Behringer because prices on the originals are insane.
I used to have a Linndrum but stupidly sold it in 1996, it has MIDI installed and it was like new, I was the second owner and the first one was a guy who took care of his equipment extremely good and I'm the same. I sold a few gems like that but the damage is done and it was long time ago. Looking forward on the new versions from Behringer or anyone else.
Cheers!
@@carlosserrano3985 Oh wow. Sad to hear you had to get rid of it. It does hurt. But now we are in an era where certain equipment is coming back. I'm sure Behringer will do a great job on the Linn drum clone. I have a few of their remakes and they are all great and I'm happy. I'm happy Injust picked up a TR-707 that is absolutely mint. I am now the second owner to it. The original owner rold me he hadn't used it since the mid 90s. I really want TR-727 for the latin sounds. I missed out 2 weeks ago on getting a mint one with the HKA expansion included with for cheap. Someone else beat me to the punch. But till then, I'll sit on the sidelines and wait what else pops up.
Very interesting. Thank you. I think, in both are good sounds. Take the Best of them. Greets from Hamburg
Cheers!
Cool stuff 👍🏿
I have the 707, it sounds great, try too put my hands on a 505 or 626
Hi, I'm new subscriber. I guess both machines are gems. 😁
Cheers! :D
TR-707 wins But TR-626 is also darn good, so one needs both probably,... :D Roland did such good gear in the 80´s,.....i start to dust of my old U-220, S220, aswell The Tr-505,... :) Thanks Espen for all inspiration,...
Thanks! :D
I would go for an R8 with the electronic card and a 626. The R8 is one hell of a drumsequencer with it's scope edit and feel function.
The R8 is definitely a good one, I've had lots of them.
Nice machines both, but a nicer selection of 7"s in the background!
I like to display some new records for every video. ;-)
All these great videos, and no mentioning of the fact that the TR 707, 626 (and 505) hihats benefit greatly from shortening the length of them, in any modern "SynthWave" or otherwise production. Especially the closed hihats benefit a lot from being shorter. Try it.
Been doing that for 35 years. It was not the focus in this video though.
I pointed out a practical method to shorten the length of the hihat sounds of said drum machines, then you had to turn the discussion into something else. Good luck with click baiting, seems you forgot your original reason for making videos and this is you now.
Take your pills immediately.
1:15 West End Girls?
626 has more advantages, it has three type of snares including rock snare, the cymbals has china and cup (bell), toms has two types (standard and rock), and sounds can be pitched. But 707 sounds, even it has limited drum samples and unpitched, it has more dynamic, more feel just like LinnDrum. I don't mind adding 727 for 707's companion. 626 is a good choice for musicians who want a simple, compact but almost complete drum sounds.
The siders are everything with the 707
I liked the 'naked' sound of the 707 better, but after you post-processed it, the 626 sounds very good to me too. And the 626 looks more versatile.
If I wouldn't have a 707 for comparison, I would definitely like the 626 as it is.
But I have neither, so I'll have to stick with my Novation Circuit for drums. :)
Coming from a Boss DR-110, I prefer the matrix grid display of the 707.
I know you're not doing new gear, but for people who want these sounds the TR8s is a fair option too. You get all the 626/707/727 sounds, and I loaded up my old 505 samples into mine. I've given up on its analogue emulation side but as a repository for the sample machines it does a reasonable job. If only they'd made it in beige.
Sure, the TR8s is a valid option. Too bad they designed incredibly ugly. ;-)
Luckily I have both so I don’t have to decide ;), love them both equally
Love your vids. You sounds like a younger Werner Herzog. You should do a song called 'stealing baby Yoda 80's style''
Thanks! That's a good song title actually ;-)
I love both machines, the title must be 626 AND 727...
If you get the Roland TR6S, it includes the sounds of both of those drum machines plus the 606, 808, 909 and others plus it's cheaper than one of those machines. 🙂
Anyway, good video, thanks!
You should check out my Roland TR-8S video then. ;-) Cheers
@@EspenKraft - I shall! 🙂
707 sounds punchier, 626 sounds softer, more mellow. 707 for dancefloor fillers and 626 for chillout I think.
you can change the EPROMs on the 707 as well with a bit know how, I just did it to mine :) I just have to figure out how to use kicad properly I can make up some boards. The user interface on the 707/727 wins hands down, I had the 505 as my first drum machine. Didn't regret selling it.
I went with the 626!
I'm ok with the 808 and 909 combo. That 909 kick is my staple
As much as i love the 707, the 626 is a tiny monster. To get the most out of it, yes you need some post processing but all in all it's worth it.
The drum machine i would like to get, my hands on, is the Akai XR-10. Fabulous sounds, and a big part of my childhood thanks to Dieter Bohlen from Modern Talking.
Like the man used it from 86' to 95'.
Akai XR-10 was released by the end of ‘89. Nice machine though....
@@orangewiggler6838 Looked it up and you're right! Intresting though the albums of Modern Talking's "In The Middle Of Nowhere" and C.C. Catch'es "Welcome To The Heartbreak Hotel" feature all drum sounds of the AKAI XR-10, whilst the albums were released in '86. A bit of a mystery turning out here :D.
I recommend checking out a TH-cam channel "MrCrespo8". He makes videos on recreating Dieter Bohlens music, very good content.
I prefer 707 because kick and sn sounds snappyer and clearer. in 626 are a little bit duller. But when you mixed 626 , it sounds way better. At the same level or better I think.
Happy you liked the result, thanks! :)
@@EspenKraft i like your use of the cla plugin. I ver tried before. In 707 i got a great result but in 626 cant get your sound. Maybe is the sample i used.
I had parallel compression going on as well and that too shapes the sound.
I have both plus the 727. FUN
Or you can get a Yamaha RX5 and have the ability to add more sounds by cartridges (even the 808) and you can tune each pad. I think 626 wins here, but the 707 is kinda part of the legacy XOX legacy.
The RX5 is my baby. It is AWESOME. The editting feautures put most samplers to shame.
707 for sure
I like more the Roland tr626 for why the Roland tr626 have many percussion sounds like a latín genres like a cumbia salsa and technocumbia really famous in México in the 90s, i like much You make the Review of the
Roland R-8
As far as the sound goes, after watching this video, I now prefer the sound of the 626 (especially with those added percussion samples)
I think the TR-505 is different to the TR-626 which is why I might
have been confused. The TR-626 is quite reasonably priced.
You could say the TR-626 is Roland's equivalent to the Yamaha
RX-11.
626 sounds more acustic... but 707 is the KING !