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Roland R8

19-Mar-2024

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Roland R8



Category:  Products / drum machines / sample drum machines

Added: 06-Jan-99  |  Author: admin

New price: discontinued  |   S/H price: 100 quid


Roland R8

Coming in at just around budget level, this box is an older 12 bit unit. The R8 has 12 assignable pads (incidently, these are very playable large pads), a reasonable selection of about 130 sounds, 8 outputs, and very good editing facilities.
The thing about this box, is that you can layer sounds on the pads or to midi note numbers, so although you don't get a big selection of drum sounds, by layering and editing, you can create interesting stuff, & some variety.

The R8 accepts ROM memory cards which plug into the card slot, only one cards sounds can be added to the basic kit at a time, so you cannot blend sounds from an 808 card, with sounds from a 909 card..... The R8M rack version allows up to 4 cards to be plugged in and accessed simultaneously..... The rack version is an excellent unit if you can find one with some cards.....
Editing allows you to produce some pretty rediculous variations from the original sound, so you can get some wicked wierd sounds, which is really good...

Although technically it is a lesser quality than a 16 bit machine such as the Alesis range, I think it is a much better sounding box....The sounds are more raw, and the variations you can achieve by layering and editing leave the Alesis range floundering....

A great box for R&B, hip-hop, Ambient etc.... but maybe not a House, trance etc unit, (although for 'sounds' and percussion etc yes, cos the tuning & eq etc makes great sounds).. BUT.. for uk Garage & step styles, junglists & deep drum-sounds drum&bass men, RnB, hiphop etc... this is a 'yes! yes!! yes!!' box.....

Ah!.. but you TR analog sound people... you might think you can get a 909 card for it, but they are as rare as rocking horse shit trust me!.... The 808 card is easier to find and i've used it alot, it's a good sound, upfront and solid.. these were 800 quid drum boxes on release... quality built... The cards usually go for about £ 30 - 60, you see them in places like LOOT free-ad's etc.

Generally s/h about £ 200 - 250, definately the 1st choice at this budget for those genre's above.. learn to stack sounds to midi notes to create super layered snares with different samples & tunings... create massive gong sounds out of crash cymbals etc etc, this box is even better than a lot of more expensive machines.... Brilliant, huge solid machine !....11/10








Product Videos


Jazz brush Drum & Bass demo

A quick demo of creating a drum & bass pattern on a Roland R8 with a jazz brush sound card....


roland r8 drum machine

Demo of Roland R8 drum machine sounds...







Product Manuals or Files





Product Resources










User Comments

Product:  Roland - R8
Name: Michale
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.geocities.com/westhollywood/9762
Activity: part-timer
Date: 12-Jul-99

I'm a bit dissapointed that Roland discontinued the R8m2, but there are still plenty around to be had.

This machine sounds thick, and with a couple of cards you have a ton of possible sounds to work with and manipulate. Programming is pretty straightfoward, pads are really big, and there are 8 outs in the back.

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: Freddy
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 12-Aug-99

Bought the R 8 in 1986 brand new, still
working fine, and there is a patch for
cakewalk! and allthough 12 bit sound,
it sounds better as a lot of new boxes.
To add;
there's also a ram card to save user
settings and small storage...
Allthough somehow with the sysx possibility it should be possible to
save settings on pc...
still no idea how that works yet..

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: Vincent Valdez
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 03-May-00

I'm looking for a roland 808 card. So if anyone has one they would like to sell Contact Vince @ pisces252k@cs.com

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: jay
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 16-Jul-00

The R8 and R8MkII are both 16 bit machines, not 12 bit. What gave you the idea that they were 12 bit?

Anayways, I've got a MkII with 909/808 sounds built-in. These are OK. Not great, but editable and accessible. On the whole, the machine is solid and creative, 8 outs, intersting sequencer.
BUT - the seq timing is wooly and really shite on reasonably complex patterns - the feel is clunky and lazy.

This is a crying shame. You can work around it by making sure that whatever soundss need to be thwe tightest are programmed LAST (this may mean going back over a pattern and re-doing kicks and snares or whatever) but this knock the timing off somewhere else, so it's a compromise.

Timing over MIDI is even worse. Really is a damn shame, but this is still a good box if you can live with this flaw - I'm trying to.

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: Justin Chodzko
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 10-Aug-01

First point, the R8 is a 16 bit machine, not 12 bit. I have the R8mk2 which also contains on-board sounds from each of the cards, & has more banks for making up kits, plus more pattern space than the original R8. The great thing about this machine is the little nuances you can program into patterns, giving a more "real" feel. This facility is lost if you just use an R8 as a midi sound source.I sync it to my MPC2000, with the MPC just sending program changes to swap R8 patterns. The main advantage of this over using sampled percussion loops is that I tend not to work at a set tempo until I am just about ready to master a track. I have heard reports, including comments on this website, about timing & syncing being loose but I have never had problems. However, I tend to program fairly simple patterns, & do not use this machine for tight things like kicks & snares.
Now for the down side. I think this machine was another thing Roland put out before really understanding the needs for dance music. Nearly all the kicks are really soft & flaccid, apart from some horrible ZZ Top style '80's rock slams. The 808 & CR78 samples are not very accurate, although they have a certain quality of their own. Both the 808 & 909 kicks have a sharp, clipped attack which I do not like. (I use a Novation Drumstation for these.) There are too many useless snares as well, which might have sounded better if they were 12 bit. Obviously both the kicks & snares can be beefed up with compression & eq, but you would probably then need to sample them, & might as well sample a better sound off a record! What is great are the hats, cymbals & percussion, which can really sing. Although I use mine a lot I do not think it is a great drum machine simply because I only use about 10% of its sounds. It is probably best for someone doing mellow soul or folksy ballads, who wants fairly real-sounding light, background drums but cannot record an actual drummer. If you want a cheap drum machine geared to dance music, go for a more recent Roland or Boss model, but if you do not need the internal sequencer there are loads of modules around with all the sounds you should need. If you just want fully tuneable 808 & 909 sounds go for the Novation Drumstation. However, if you want sparkling layers of flying hi-hats & jazzy ride cymbals you will find them here.

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: isaac anthony
Email: Email supplied but hidden
www.teknophile.net
Activity: part-timer
Date: 19-Feb-02

i use my r8mk2 to make tekno, it does a fairly good job. i have to say that i also notice a bit of a sync problem. the way i get around it is to not use the odd internal sequencer, i use a drum-map on cubase, and this seems to fix all the timing problems. i noticed the same thing about the kicks, they are a little heavy on the mid range, but with some good eqing and compression they sound great. if you are looking for a good low-mid end machine, this is it. i'm going a bid higher end, and will be getting a mpc2000xl, just because i want compression on everything, and its easier to sample sounds with compression instead of getting a compressor for each channel. also i don't like the ride in the machine, it's all about the 909 ride...

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: josh
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 10-Apr-02

does anyone know where i can get the manual for the r8 mkII online?

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: pelusa
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 02-May-02

¿donde podría encontrar el manual?

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: khoa
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity:
Date: 07-May-02

I use R 8 date 89, i want to upgrade it to have more sound but not use PCM card. Could you help me that?

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: elgin
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 13-May-02

Look for owner manual and sounds for the roland R8.

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: Manuel Torres
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 10-Jul-02

I´m lookin for a R8 Drum Machine User´s Manual. If you have one mail it me please - Thanks.

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: eduardo manzi
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity:
Date: 08-Aug-02

hola, como estan, quiero saber si en la roland r8 se puede programar una cancion despues de otra o si dentro de una cancion se pueden tener patterns con distintos tiempos, gracias.

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: terancan
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity:
Date: 15-Aug-02

Dear sir, I need a rhythm composer r8m2
to be purchased through mail can u pls help me to find the source as we are in saudi arabia.

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: KASHIF MAZHAR
Email: Email supplied but hidden
nill
Activity: Professional
Date: 22-Sep-02

I like R8/R8MKII very much and never used such a machine in my life. Some thing went rong with my machine and now it is not working properly if any body have it for sale please do contact me my email add: popalite@wol.net.pk

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: VUAP
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 03-Dec-02

also looking for the operation manual... thnx

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: Rob
Email: Email supplied but hidden
r8
Activity: Professional
Date: 06-Dec-02

hi, which rom do you guys have in your r8 ? i have 2.0 ?
regards, ARenBEE.

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: Fred Rolff
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 13-Feb-03

lokking for an r8

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: mcc>
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity:
Date: 13-Feb-03

i have an r-8. how much ya offering fred?

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: willie
Email: Email supplied but hidden
blackplanet
Activity: part-timer
Date: 10-Apr-03

i need manual for my roland r8mk2

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: awbootrear
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 21-Apr-03

Would anyone be willing to mail me a copy of their R8mkII manual or even email me scans? I would be greatly appreciative. Please email me at awbootrear@netscape.net since I don't check this thread regularly.

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: NN kikkoman
Email: Email supplied but hidden
www.enmuz.here.ru
Activity: Professional
Date: 10-May-03

Badly need a manual for R-8. Please, anyone
e-mail it to me!!!

Thanks

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: Sedat
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.hotmail.com
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 20-Aug-03

Hi..
do you have the manual for the Roland R8?
Regards

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: noelsina laurent
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity:
Date: 02-Sep-03

hello, I looking for an adapter for drum machine roland r8. please help me if you have the product. thank u

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: john
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 10-Sep-03

whats up my muzikal maniacz? LOOKIN FOR R8 MKII manual, any info would be appreciated, for shizel!! jwallka@yahoo.com

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: Adam
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 01-Nov-03

I need to know where I can buy the RAM and ROM cards for the Roland R-8 Human Rhythm Composer! I need them all! Where can I buy them? How much do they run now?

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: JAMIE BLACKER
Email: Email supplied but hidden
n/a
Activity: part-timer
Date: 07-Nov-03

I love this machine and was using it to the fullest I could without instruction manual for about 3 years, however 2 months ago my son deceided to press about 15 buttons at once and it is now permanantly locked with the word TAP in the tempo box.

I cry every night..ha, but seriousley if anyone could help or copy me the applicable part of the manual to deal with this I will reward with a cheque for an agreed amount.

Cheers.

J.

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: admin
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 08-Nov-03

The reset for the R8 is: Power on while holding down CURSOR PAGE and PARAM SELECT, then press the ENTER button twice. That might work.

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: maciek
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 16-Feb-04

If you got R8 manual please, please mail me please or send scan to me. V
I want also buy a RAM card if it's possible.Maciek from Poland

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: paulo
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 03-May-04

Como posso determinar que r8 sequencie as informações enviadas de um sampler akai s900.Não possuo o manual r8 em português.
Aguardo informações,até breve!

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: manuel
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 01-Aug-04

agradeceria a quien me pudiera enviar informacion acerca del manual de operacion de la ROLAND R8 en español y boss DR-770

muchas gracias

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: ian Hewitt
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 15-Oct-04

Desperately need a manual for an R8. Can anyone EMail me one please or details of how to get one ??

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: Guillermo Guerrero
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 19-Oct-04

PLEASE I need a R8 Manual.

Do you how can I can get one?

Pdf is perfect!!!

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: Henry
Email: No email added
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 19-Nov-04

+
Size, sequencer is awesome, sounds are clear (high quality), 8 outputs, editing facilities good, big drum pads, 808 card is great
-
Timing is pretty bad sometimes (when it plays many sounds) in midi-sync mode. Impossible to get the dance (909) card

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: mekanized_man4368
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://rivetcore.tk
Activity: part-timer
Date: 28-Apr-05

My favorite piece of electronic music equipment next to the Roland SH-32 desktop model. I am looking for schematics for the R8 MkII.

If anyone has scans or a way to get ahold of this, please contact me at the above email.

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: major
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity:
Date: 26-May-05

you can find a manual on ebay for the r8

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: neftali lopez cruz
Email: Email supplied but hidden
hola
Activity: Professional
Date: 05-Dec-05

necesito el manual de la caja de ritmos r8 mk2 es que com pre uno y se me extravio vi vo retirado de donde la compre veracruz en un rancho por favor

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: marcio andré custodio dias
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity:
Date: 05-Apr-06

gostaria que alguem me ajuda-se a encontrar o manual em portugues (BRASIL) do "RHYTHM ROLAND R8". Obrigado

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: Monarch
Email: Email supplied but hidden
none
Activity: Professional
Date: 08-Apr-06

Hi,

Does anybody know where i can download the Roland R8M owners manual in (pdf) format?

Thanks...

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: Silma Rose Lesly
Email: Email supplied but hidden
bonjour | invitation
Activity: Professional
Date: 23-Apr-06

Justement pour toi.Enfin de faire des recherches

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: mike
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 19-Jun-06

i really need a roland r8 owner's manual could someone send one for me please

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: emma
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 03-Sep-07

Hey I need the ram or rom cards for my R8. where can i get them? Also i need a manual, anyone wana sell their manual?

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: showboy
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 20-Jun-08

well, all you manual hunters...

go to the roland website (www. rolandus .com) - click on support - product manuals -- and you'll find the R8 manuals there. for FREE.

you might need to register with roland first to make it work but it's free and doesn't need anything other than your email address.

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: admin
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 20-Jun-08

all the manuals are in our FILES section. Go to that section & do a name search

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: neil conti
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 21-Dec-08

ANYONE KNOW WHERE I CAN FIND A POWER UNIT FOR MY R8?

I'VE LOST THE ORIGINAL.

HELP!!!

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: Chris Nova
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.416design.com/archived/r-8_om.pdf
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 26-Dec-08

Ok guys im posting the r8 manual on my site because im PISSED that i cant find it anywhere else and ive just found my cd with the pdf.

CHEERS!

click my 'website' for the pdf

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: DANIEL
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 04-Mar-09

HOLA QUERIA SABER COMO PROGRAMAR RITMOS EN ROLAND R-8 O CONSEGUIR EL MANUAL DESDE YA MUCHAS GRACIAS EL POQUI

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: alex
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 25-Mar-09

I have a small studio and need the manual to the gr-50

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: rodrigo kanamori
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 04-Jun-09

hola...como pueddo conseguir el manual en español de la roland r8 human rythtm composer???? donde la podria descargar gratis??? si esta en ingles no importa
gracias

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: cyclikyl
Email: Email supplied but hidden
pinebox.org
Activity: Professional
Date: 04-Sep-09

i had a similar problem with finding the r8 power supply. if you still are in need, check any pawn shop, used music store, or audio repair. in the late '90s and early '00s people were getting rid of them for cheap prices, and several were damaged. i searched the net, and all over my city. i finally found one digging through a crate at a used music store. they are out there. just ask the owners if you can go through their stuff. they all have boxes of old power suppies. the other terrible option is to buy an r5 on ebay. they are real cheap and have the same supply (the ACH-120).

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: felipe arcos
Email: Email supplied but hidden
www.google.com.mx
Activity: Professional
Date: 11-Oct-09

vrfgregr

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: Miguel Ramirez
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 24-Nov-09

Hola tengo una R-8 y necesito el manual en ingles o espanol alguien que me pueda desir donde lo puedo descargar o conseguir

Hi I have Roland R-8 and I looking for manual book
if you have please contact be mail my I pay for.
thanks

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: Lakshminarayan
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://media.rolandus.com/manuals/r-8_om.pdf
Activity: part-timer
Date: 08-Oct-10

If anyone is still looking for the ROLAND R8 MKII Manual they can find the find the link.

I have a ROLAND R8 MKII and Tabla Card Rom, anyone interested to purchase please call me on 9886774928. Thankyou

Enjoy

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: Steven
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 22-Apr-13

16 bit 44.1kHz
page 4 of the manual

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Product:  Roland - R8
Name: Cleber A. Barreto
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 13-Dec-13

Ok, tenho uma R-8 MKII, preciso saber informações do componente interno
Battery alimenta a memória do aparelho. Qual especificação dessa bateria
interna. Agradeço

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Last added comment

Product:  Roland - R8
Name: G.
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 08-Dec-22

Hey from 2022,



great sounds R8, excellent appearance.

better then buying new *marketing shit at musical stores.

worth every cent.



TOTALLYAWESOMEPOWER

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