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This machine is solid, reliable and the sound is fat. I use it in the studio everyday and take it out live every time, it's a total tool. Usually you will find that the only people that don't like it either do not own one, or they have played with one for a limited time, probably only using non manipulated preset patches without going deeper into the machine { it's usually the same people who can't get a good sound out of what ever they use }. Roland never give you it straight away, you have to search, unlike say the Electribes where it's all done for you and mostly sound great straight away { but personally I like the fiddling around to find the sound, that's the fun part to me } . Of corse being into Roland stuff has never been top cool amongst the anoraks and the in Vogue club.
The MC-909 really is the best of the Roland Groove range, even the build quality seems to have improved since the MC-505, as it seems to be able to take more abuse. And as for the sound compared to the MC-505, well it's just much better it's not really that comparable as it has a different engine driving it.
Things that's could improve it would be the ability to write when the machine is running, the ability to put the effects on all out's. It's also slightly too big and it would be nice to be able to put your own patches in alphabetical order. Roland have of corse put odd things on it like the stupid D-beams and the V-link, I really don't think for one minute any serious musician would ever even look into those functions, but then that's just a Roland thing, strange, but they have always done these odd things. Also I must say that the processor inside must be prehistoric, as when full of samples like mine is, it takes far too long to load.
I have other equipment and these days there is so much choice in the shops, you just really end up changing your set up until you find the formula that works best for you. Don't buy hardware though and then compare it to software, machines just have not got those endless possibilities of your computer, but that's not why you buy machines is it. Personally for actually making the music, for the most I use machines because looking at a screen drives me a bit mental at times. So the MC-909 is perfect because I can do all sample edits on the computer and dump it all across easily via USB.
If it got stolen would I buy another ? Well the Korg SX is a blinding good machine, but everyone has got one { and that's not without good reason }. but it's nice to have something different, it's not like Roland have learnt nothing from all the years of making instruments and the sound is still very Roland. Then of corse there is the Akai MPC4OOO but it's far too big to carry around and still a bit buggy with the OS. Of corse there are other possibilities instead, but I recon yes I would buy another if it were stolen, I've have had the MC-909 at the heart of my set up since it came out and still everyday I like using it.
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