Roland haven’t been shy of revisiting their classics, and this has taken many forms – from hardware to software, targeting specific units, or just distilling parts into entirely new products. The Aira range with its black and green livery was one of their first attempts to provide realistic recreations. More recently the Boutique range has resurrected the sound of the Jupiter-8, TR-808 and many others. It is notable however that Roland have stuck with the DSP approach, unlike Korg who have introduced units based around analogue sound generation circuitry (most accessible in the Volca range, where simplicity, small footprint, battery power and low cost have proved a massive draw). It seems that Roland have been paying attention as the size and price-point of their new AIRA compact range seems to show.
T-8 Beat Machine
Although the T-8 is diminutive it still pays a
