First: someone mentions above that it won't record real-time midi/knob moves. Actually it does and works well with external controllers (e.g. PhatBoy, Launchpad, ect.) and this is the only way, other than old-skool Accent, to trick dynamics. The lack of velocity sensitive pads is a bummer but I just plugged in my keyboard controller and made it happen there.

I like the battery power option and this is the only drum machine I've ever programmed next to a waterfall! Having said that, don't buy it new (like a 505 or any other overpriced Roland/Boss "Groove Gear", and don't pay much more than $200 US for it used. There are better options available for a bit more, new or used. Like any gear you can trick the 202 into a new bang, just don't think it will do much more than give some cheap thrills. It is after all meant to augment a DJ kit and we all know what that means, don't we.

It should definitly come with an AC adaptor. I've had better than 2 hours with batteries, but you're still nuts if you're using batteries for anything but Guitar Pedals in your studio. Then again, that's an extra 15 bucks that the DR-202 didn't cost you.

As for the quiet signal and the noise, yep, that still sucks. As it happens, I also own a Redsound Darkstar, which is equally noisy, so I just crank up the mixer for both & run 'em through the noise reduction... again, probably a price issue.

I'll still stick up for this box, at the $250 that I paid for it. For more than that, as has been said many times here, remember that all those options common to pricier machines come at the expense of construction quality.

is not much... i admit i am still a beginner at this, and the 202 is made for idiot amateurs like me...but how is it that i've already cut some phatter beats in one day on the korg when on the 202 i was still trying to 'excorsise' the cheese after two weeks?

I;ll list out the problems i had with the 202; -no 9v adapter, just 6 batteries...lasts around 2 hours -chessy presets -low output(rca) -poor interface -a bit noisy(this can be fixed easily through a mixer tho) -does not record real time knob changes -poor midi interface

As for the pluses; -great bass potential -easy modification of sounds -filters are effective

If you're looking for a decent drum machine, that has some good presets and a great interface, better save a little more(30 bucks) and it;ll make all the difference.

I got my DR-202 used for $250. At that price, I'd say it's a steal, so long as you want to make dance music. Or maybe Hip-Hop, I don't know, I don't really listen to enough Hip-Hop to judge. For anything else, or if you pay $350+ for it at a music store, it's a waste of time.

The samples are a little crunchy, the screen really, REALLY should have been backlit, and the RCA jacks are a little on the noisy side. That's obviously corner-cutting stuff from a company that's known for producing low-budget gear.

I like this machine. I don't love it, but I like it. If you're a pro musician, the MIDI-imp will probably seem somewhat lacking, and the above-mentioned problems annoying. But if you're a professional musician, why are you even shopping in this price range?

You get what you pay for on this one - an entry-level drum box geared VERY specifcally towards dance music. But I don't think that you get anything less than that.