Boss DR-770 = Boss Dr-880?

[Farmer Ted]

Has anyone here been able to test out the DR-770 and DR-880 side-by-side? I haven't found a store where they are both working right next to each other. I've got a 770, but I'm not sure if it's worth it to pay for the 880 if it's not much of an improvement. I was looking through old posts to see if anyone has done this and only one person has stated that they are practically the same machine.

 

It would be nice if more people would be able to confirm/deny this for me. Thanks!

[Farmer Ted]

Umm.....nevermind then. Carry on.

[kvmoore]

I currently own a dr660 (since 1998) and played with both the 770 and 880 in Guitar Center. The 770 sounds and look very much like my 660 with only a few differences. On the 770, there's a wide variety of sounds available for different styles of music with a very easy to interface for creating patterns. On the 880, there's a drastic change in the interface as well as an entirely different sound set, not to mention the finally implemented backlight LCD interface that should have been on the 660s and 770s. The 880 also lets you create bass lines too. Since I'm used to my 660, I'd have to get used to 880's interface. However, I think it's easier to use overall because of the fact everything is organized and catagorized and the backlight LCD makes things easier to read. Drumkit editing on the 880 is much easier compared to it's predecessors. As far as the sound goes, it sounds just as good if not better than the 660 and 770 in my opinion. However, I'm very happy with my 660.

 

I do think the dr880 is way overpriced for what it offers though, especially since 660s are going on ebay for $50-$100 now. If I were you, I'd listen to both the 770 and the 880 for myself. If I like the 770 better then the 880, I'd hit a used one up on ebay for a great price and save a lot of cash. I wouldn't spend too much on that 880 though. To be quite honest with you, the 880 is not that different from the 770 apart for the additional features, interface, and newer sound set.

 

Hope this helps.

[acoustictones]

One of the reason that BOSS uses to justifies the BR-880's pricing is that it includes most of the guitar effects from both the GT-6 and the GT-8. So it also can act as your guitar or bass effects processor.

[tucktronix]

 

Originally posted by acoustictones One of the reason that BOSS uses to justifies the BR-880's pricing is that it includes most of the guitar effects from both the GT-6 and the GT-8. So it also can act as your guitar or bass effects processor.

 

 

That would be nice... if you were a guitar or bass player

[GigMan]

kvmoore -

Does the DR660 allow you to hook up one pedal/footswitch for Start/Stop functions and another pedal for Fills?

 

Although that is a great aspect of my Alesis SR16 (the "two-pedal" system) - I have started using it on a weekly basis for a restaurant gig and have realized I could grow quickly tired of the rhythms in it and wouldn't mind trying something else for a change - if it provides that pedal flexibility.

 

Also - does the 660 have "tap tempo" feature where you can tap the speed you want the pattern to start at?

[kvmoore]

Sorry GigMan, there are no foot pedal jacks or tap tempo function on the DR660. Akai's MPC series sampling drum machine have tap tempo and footswitch connections, but you will have to sample and load the sounds into it since it's a sampler. Another machine you might want to look at is the Boss DR202 Dr. Groove drum machine which I also have. It has one footswitch connection in the back as well as a tap tempo button.

[GigMan]

Originally posted by kvmoore Sorry GigMan, there are no foot pedal jacks or tap tempo function on the DR660. Akai's MPC series sampling drum machine have tap tempo and footswitch connections, but you will have to sample and load the sounds into it since it's a sampler. Another machine you might want to look at is the Boss DR202 Dr. Groove drum machine which I also have. It has one footswitch connection in the back as well as a tap tempo button.

 

Okie-dokie, so the 660 doesn't have it. I know that the 880 has it, but I don't need a few different beats all that badly that I would plunk down 5 bills for an 880 or whatever they go for.

 

How 'bout the 770 - does it allow for two pedals?

 

BTW -

I know that the 880 has only 1 foot switch jack, but Roland indicates that you can buy a special cable and use two different pedals in that jack for the 2 different functions (Start/Stop + Fills).

 

[kvmoore]

The dr770 doesn't have tap tempo either. However, the specifications does mention it has the footswitch for start/stop, forward/rewind, etc.... According to the "Sound on Sound" review, it has a dual footswitch socket!!! Probably just what you are looking for. One is for start and stop and the other can be used to trigger a pad sound, or fill ins and variations just like the Alesis SR16. It just doesn't have the tap tempo.

[smrybacki]

 

know that the 880 has only 1 foot switch jack, but Roland indicates that you can buy a special cable and use two different pedals in that jack for the 2 different functions (Start/Stop + Fills).

 

 

Actually, the DR-880 has two foot switch jacks. You can use either a single switch (Boss FS-5) or double switch (Boss FS-6) type in each. So if you use an FS-6 in each, you can actually have 4 foot switches working for you. That way you can have:

 

1. Start/Stop

2. Tap Tempo

3. Guitar FX Change

4. Fills

 

for instance. You can assign any available function to any footswitch. Pretty slick I think.

[GigMan]

Originally posted by smrybacki Actually, the DR-880 has two foot switch jacks. You can use either a single switch (Boss FS-5) or double switch (Boss FS-6) type in each. So if you use an FS-6 in each, you can actually have 4 foot switches working for you. That way you can have: 1. Start/Stop 2. Tap Tempo 3. Guitar FX Change 4. Fills for instance. You can assign any available function to any footswitch. Pretty slick I think.

 

Pretty slick, slick!

 

smrybacki - do you have a DR-880 yourself? Have you ever used live for a gig?

[Cruel_Hoax]

...and the 880 has a separate "sub-patten" for the ghost notes, which you can change and rearrange separately from your pattern.

 

Also, there are more pads. When using it as a bass machine, you can regard the pads as strings and fret positions (something I'd never noticed until some weird dude explained it to me); extremely cool if you understand bass frets. For example: think of the "bottom" row of pads (the row closest to you) as a low E string. Playing the pads of the bottom row is equivalent to fretting a bass at the same position. Think of the second row (second-nearest to you) as an A string. The Dr-880's pads correspond to the 1st, 2nd, etc. frets, just as they did to the low E string. This continues on the remaining "strings (rows of pads).

 

-Hoax

 

EDIT: Clarity

[smrybacki]

smrybacki - do you have a DR-880 yourself? Have you ever used live for a gig?

 

Yes I do own it and I plan to gig with it in a one or two man band situation. Seems perfect for that to me. I play guitar so the COSM stuff being included could make it so all I have to tote to the gig is the DR-880, my portable PA and my guitar. Can't beat that man.

 

Also, there are more pads. When using it as a bass machine, you can regard the pads as strings and fret positions (something I'd never noticed until some weird dude explained it to me); extremely cool if you understand bass frets. For example: think of the "bottom" row of pads (the row closest to you) as a low E string. Playing the pads of the bottom row is equivalent to fretting a bass at the same position. Think of the second row (second-nearest to you) as an A string. The Dr-880's pads correspond to the 1st, 2nd, etc. frets, just as they did to the low E string. This continues on the remaining "strings (rows of pads).

 

I din't know that -- very cool! You're not some wierd dude are you?