Boss DR-880 Dr. Rhythm Drum Machine

Innovative "EZ Compose" feature. 440 world-class drum and percussion sounds. Guitar/bass input, multi-effects, COSM amp models.

Item: BOSDR880

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Boss DR-880 Dr. Rhythm Drum Machine reviews

Rate and Review This Product:

198 People rated this product : * * * * * * * * * * 8 out of 10

 

19 People wrote reviews

Read all Boss DR-880 Dr. Rhythm Drum Machine reviews...
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10

"Buy This Drum Machine Only If You Want The Best Available"

Feature:
The features are what makes this machine shine. To begin with, it's packed with 500 very useful preset patterns. No bank after bank of mambo and cha-cha here (yes, they're in there too, but the DR-880 is mainly about rock, alternative, hip-hop, etc). You can take any one of those patterns and build a song very easily. The DR-880 is equipped with a fill-in library that can be combined with any of the patterns. You can easily select where in the pattern you want the fill to occur and then save that pattern to a user slot for your song. (There's 500 of those too). It has an intro and ending bank as well, so all your songs don't begin with a click track. It makes things sound a little more polished. Then there's the groove modify feature. Wow! Take any pattern and you can make the machine play ahead of the beat or on the backbeat and choose by how much. Or maybe you want to add some ghost notes? No problem. You can not only choose to add ghosts, but also how many ghost notes to add to the pattern. This is helpful for giving your songs a "live drummer" feel. By varying your patterns and using these features, it's easy to put a song together. There's another handy feature called EZ Compose. It allows you to mix/match high hat/ride beats, bass/snare beats, percussion beats, etc to create new patterns on the fly. Save them and you can apply the groove modify to them as well. When you're done creating patterns, programming a song is simple. Just chain your patterns together and voila! Beyond that are a built-in tuner, an effects processor, and a built in arranger. I've not even got into these yet.

Quality:
My only complaint is that it's made of hard plastic. I prefer a mure durable product. However, my machine won't be mobile so it's more of a pet peeve than a necessity. Overall, the product looks good and appears to be made well. There were no loose parts or cosmetic blemishes on my unit.

Value:
This product is absolutely worth every penny, even if you have to pay full retail price. I would have gladly paid much more if I'd known beforehand how excellent the DR-880 really is.

Desirability:
The sexiness of this product to me is in its quality, ease of use, and the satisfaction of knowing I bought the best unit on the market for what I needed a drum machine to do.

Sound:
The DR-880 is quite simply the best drum machine I've owned, and I've owned several. In fact, to call it a mere drum machine is insulting. I consider it an instrument. It is packed with top-notch sounds. You would literally have to spend thousands upon thousands of dollars to purchase the many percussion instruments represented. My only complaint is that I wish the pads were as responsive in real time as they are when you're in record mode. I've maxed the pads out on their sensitivity and they're still well below where I want them.

Support:
I have not had reason to deal with the company itself yet.

Overall:
My favorite feature is the fill library. My only complaint is that I wish BOSS would issue some updates as well. If this product were stolen from me today, I would replace it with another just like it.

Submitted: 3/21/2005

Style of Music: Rock/Alternative/Country/Hip-Hop


5 of 5 people (100%) found this review helpful. Did you?

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* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10 zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.

"First Class Sounds Reasonable Price"

Feature:
Overall would be a 10 but including the foot switches and a case at this price would make it a 10. Also the computer interface could use some work. It is very basic. Given the power of USB some type of software to allow writing patterns/songs on the computer, even a basic one, would also be nice.

Quality:
Great sounds and lay out. Only a small deduction for the plastic case. In fairness all the models I compared used similar construction. Seems sturdy enough and may be a non-issue but I will be carefull.

Value:
Great value. Like I said you will pay a bit more but the sound quality is worth it.

Desirability:
Like most roland/boss gear it is well marketed. Just go and see the demo videos on the Roland/Boss websites.

Sound:
Costs a bit more than some but the sound is where the pay off is here. The drums and groove options really make this usable as a real sounding drum part.

Ease of Use:
I am a guitarist, so the learning curve is there. However, as advertised, the EZ Compose feature gets you up and running with serviceable patterns for performance. Once you spend a few hours with it, you can start doing good things. This is probably better than most drum machines.

Support:
I haven't needed them. The web site and user group has been informative.

Submitted: 2/26/2006

Style of Music: Rock, Folk


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About This Product!
Description
Docs, Multimedia
From Our Catalog
The DR-880 is a rhythm-programming powerhouse that's loaded with world-class drum, percussion, and bass sounds from Roland's famous SRX library. It also includes a stunning collection of original waveforms. You can get microscopic with the DR-880, but you also have the option of taking the simple route with its three "EZ Compose" buttons, which allow original patterns to be constructed without note-by-note programming hassles. Patterns can be taken deeper with the "Groove Modify" feature, where various groove and triplet feels can be applied. Ghost notes and fills can also be added automatically. Guitar and bass players can join the action by plugging directly to the DR-880's guitar/bass input jack, and playing through the built-in COSM drive/amp models and multi-effects.

Features
Innovative "EZ Compose" feature for quick, hassle-free programming

440 world-class drum and percussion sounds, 40 bass sounds with COSM bass-amp models

Guitar/bass input, multi-effects, COSM amp models

3 independent insert effects (EQ and compression), TSC (Total Sound Control) featuring 3-band EQ and high-quality ambience

1,000 patterns (500 preset, 500 user); easily add fills, ghost notes, chord progressions, and more

20 velocity-sensitive pads

Four assignable footswitch and expression-pedal inputs

Individual outputs, digital out, USB port

World-Class Sounds
A remarkable new collection of top-quality, custom sounds was created for the DR-880. But we didn't stop there; some of the most famous sounds from our renowned SRX library were added to the DR-880's sound-set, as well as electric and synth bass sounds. From rich, sparkling studio drums and deep-dish electronic kits to standard and exotic percussion instruments, a world of rhythm and groove is at your fingertips.

Direct Guitar/Bass Input
Guitar and bass players can join the action by plugging directly into the DR-880's Guitar/Bass Input jack. Guitarists can play through the built-in COSM Drive/Amp models, and multi-effects such as chorus/flanger/phaser, delay, and reverb. For acoustic guitar, the DR-880 offers an Acoustic Processor, chorus, and reverb. For bass players, the compressor/limiter, chorus/flanger/phaser, delay, and COSM? bass amp models will help you cook up extra-tasty bass lines.

EZ Compose
You can get microscopic with the DR-880, but you also have the option of taking the simple route with its three EZ Compose buttons on the front panel, which allow original patterns to be constructed without note-by-note programming hassles. Using the Pattern mode, you can select and combine pre-programmed phrase combinations to create new patterns. Press the Chord Progression button to select chord-progression templates. With the Fill-In button, you can select phrases from the Fill-In library, and insert them into the pattern. The library contains a variety of phrases, ranging from simple fills to bombastic breaks.

Connectivity
Play through headphones or route your signal from the DR-880 directly to your choice of recording input or amplification, including outboard guitar amps. Quick output adjustments can be made in the Output Select mode to facilitate proper connection to the outside world. Two individual Outs allow independent output of backing tracks and guitars, or independent output of kick and snare. The DR-880 has two stereo footswitch/controller inputs; a maximum of four footswitches can be connected using stereo 1/4" cables (sold separately). One of the footswitch/controller jacks supports expression pedal input, so you can connect an EV-5 (sold separately) to control guitar volume, or play wah effects. The DR-880 also has a S/PDIF digital out and a USB port for MIDI interfacing and SMF Data import.

Groove Modify
Take your grooves even deeper with the Groove Modify feature, which applies various groove and triplet feels to your patterns. Simply select the templates that are included, and inject realistic feels to static patterns. Ghost notes can also be added automatically by selecting the ghost-note phrases that are preset in the DR-880.

Technical Info

Maximum Polyphony - 32
*Depending on the bass sounds selected, maximum polyphony may be lower

Instruments - Drums: 440, Bass: 40

Kits - Preset: 100, User: 100

Rhythm Patterns - Preset: 500, User: 500

Songs - User: 100

Maximum Note Storage - approx. 30,000 notes

Resolution - Per quarter note: 96

Tempo - Quarter note: 20 - 260 bpm

Pads - 20 with velocity sensitive

Display - Custom LCD (with backlight)

Connectors -
Rear: Master Out L(Mono), R (1/4" phone type), Master Out L, R (RCA pin type), Individual Out A, B (1/4" phone type), Digital Out (coaxial), USB, CTL 1/2 jack(1/4" TRS phone type), CTL 3/4(EXP Pedal) jack (1/4" TRS phone type), MIDI In, Out, AC Adaptor jack

Front: Phones (stereo 1/4" phone type), Guitar/Bass Input (1/4" phone type)

Power Supply - AC Adaptor (BOSS BRC series)

Current Draw - 600 mA (Max)

Accessories - AC Adaptor (BRC series), Owner's Manual, DR-880 Driver CD-ROM

Options - Foot Switch: FS-5U, FS-6, Expression Pedal: EV-5, Connection Cable: PCS-31 (Roland)

Dimensions (W x D x H) - 273 x 242 x 72 mm (10 3/4 x 9 9/16 x 2 7/8 in)

Weight - 1.4 kg (3 lbs. 2 oz.)

Audio Samples

multimedia

  • Boss DR880 Interactive Demo

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Rhythm-programming powerhouse loaded with world-class drum, percussion, and bass sounds from Roland's famous SRX library! Packed with 440 drum sounds, 40 bass sounds, and quality COSM modeling effects.

what our customers say about zZounds

"I'm just learning about this type of equipment (live sound) and your explanation was so easy to understand. Thanks for hiring musicians so my life is made easier!" - customer on November 19, 2008

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