Another legendary drum machine is added to the TR-8.

Roland’s AIRA TR-8 was greeted with no small amount of cynicism when it was released back in 2014. Producers have called for a proper reissue of the legendary TR-808 and TR-909 drum machines for years, so when a digital “groovebox” style update came, it was not exactly what everyone wanted.

Thankfully, many gripes were squashed after some hands-on experience. It’s not perfect, but the TR-8 is both cheap (important) and extremely versatile, offering hands-on control of some extremely realistic sounds. The original TR-808 might sound a little better, sure, but the TR-8 offers so much extra and does so at a very reasonable price.

Now, Roland has added something fans have been asking for since the TR-8’s launch: a suite of sounds from the beloved TR-606. The 606 was released back in 1981, and has been used prominently in various electronic genres from acid (Richie Hawtin used the machine on his early Plastikman recordings) to IDM (Aphex Twin is a confirmed fan) and beyond.

The upgrade is added to last year’s 7×7 suite of sounds from the TR-707 and TR-727, so existing owners don’t have to pay a thing, they can just download a patch. If you don’t already own the 7×7 upgrade, it can be purchased directly from Roland for $95, which now feels like a much better deal with these extra sounds.