The RD-78 – Behringer‘s hotly-anticipated emulation of Roland’s classic CR-78 drum machine – has finally arrived.
The brand first teased a CR-78 emulation all the way back in 2022, when it shared images of a PCB (printed circuit board) to its Facebook page. It shared the images alongside a clue of “in the air tonight”, alluding to Phil Collins’ use of the machine on his famed 1981 hit of the same name. Behringer later confirmed that the RD-78 was “up and running” in January 2024, with another post on social media.
RD-78 is now up and running! We are in the last stages of pre-production and are working closely with our beta testers…
Posted by Behringer on Saturday, January 27, 2024
The RD-78 recaptures the famed analogue tones of the original CR-78 drum machine, according to Behringer, bringing “the magic of the ’70s and ’80s back to life” in a compact, desktop format. It has true analogue circuitry for warmth and depth, plus added features to help users craft more complex beats.
It has 15 Drum Sounds with a newly added clap, 34 Rhythm Presets (including fills, rolls, and breaks), plus a 16-Step Sequencer. There are also individual volume and mute controls on board for each voice, plus enhanced connectivity options and ports for footswitches to control transport and trigger fills if desired.
Check it out in the demo below:
“In the world of drum machines, the 808 is most definitely going to be on top of everyone’s list,” says Behringer. “The distinctive 808 sound including the iconic ‘clap’ has been the backbone of many RnB, Hip-Hop and Techno tracks. But every icon must have a progenitor, right? Enter the CR-78.
“The grandaddy to all drum machines, had 34 built in rhythm patterns like rock, swing, waltz and shuffle plus individual drum sounds like kick, snare, cowbell, hi-hat and more. The CR-78 was one of the first to use a microprocessor and the first programmable drum machine that allowed users to save their own drum patterns. Artists like Phil Collins, Gary Numan and Peter Gabriel were just some of those who saw the potential in the CR-78 and made countless hits with its help.”
Not a company to rest on its laurels, the launch of the CR-78 shortly follows the arrival of its Chorus Symphony pedal, which recreates the original Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble from 1976. The original pedal encapsulated the chorus from the iconic JC-120 Jazz Chorus amplifier from Roland, Boss’s parent company, and offers the same “thick, syrupy and multidimensional” tone that was loved by artists such as John Frusciante, Brian May, Joe Satriani, and Andy Summers.
The RD-78 is available now, priced at $199. Find out more over at Behringer.
