Roland TR-606 sound comparison between two units

A friend of mine asked me to do a sound comparison video of his 606 and mine. Direct recording from mixer, no EQ, no effects.

[krishna]

They sound different because the metallic oscillator section uses lots of 5% tolerance capacitors so the pitch of the hats and cymbals between different units can be very different.

[vileguile]

Fantastic video! Had no idea the difference would be so huge! Very funky rhythms:)

[didierambact]

It's amazing to hear the same difference of hihats pitch here and in comparison with the TR8S

[eldontyrellcorp]

Amazing ... So much different sound ! It's like a different synth

[ludwigkopp]

One wouldn't expect that big of a difference
👍🤖✋

[KarlSadler]

I think there's an internal potentiometer knob which you can use to dial the amount of noise you want, along with a couple of timing pots, so make sure you tune the right one!

[ditdatzuszo]

Nice vid! I'm on my 4th TR606 now which is in a real frankenstein state. Noisy as hell hehe

[Zeal]

Best comparison video, Guess what all these tones are capable with the 06..but more importantly have fun with what you have and make music. Whats interesting about the 808 is most of the tones its know for were samples of the machine. Or the machines were modified with longer decay times on instruments or sometimes circuit bent. if you understand that analog parts from 1980 are simply old and were purchased cheap from day one, then you understand why there is so much different from unit to unit. Its like an old car, some need to be restored to their original state. Others run as is, or have new parts put in them thats changes how the car was originally built..same with electric machines in my mind

[popcycles]

Sounds similar to a tr808 snare a little bit. Well closer then any of the other roland boxes except for maybe the dr110, which reminds me of the tr606 analog circuitry.

[RhythmBX]

Interesting comparison. Apart from having a much more noise dominated tone, the one on the right sounds like the cymbal is actually broken to my ear! Like the metallic oscillator layer has no decay. I’d get it serviced 😜.

[j.o.plumbing]

Just watched a YouTube video how the tr606 was never calibrated correctly and the service notes are incorrect.
I then looked up compare tr606 found this video and I think it would explain the sound difference

[axymoulm]

I'm glad I got one that sounds more like that on the right side. I downloaded a set of one which sounds like that on the left side and I was suspicious if it was post processed. But I have to admit your's has the nicer Snare Drum.

[markdavenport]

Nice patterns but Guntersson wins. Better tone overall.

[LummusMaximus]

The drums sound basically the same, but the cymbals which have a completely different timbre

[InfoAbsorbent]

Does anybody know if Roland switched up the design after a certain serial number?
The sound / tone difference is more than I expected.
"Mo tone", do you know if one was an earlier model / serial number?

[Timbobs]

This video is a perfect example why all those “clone TR vs real TR” comparisons make no sense.

[filipzawadzki]

Is there a way to remove this metallic sound? Its noy pleasant at all... I wish my TT-606 will sound like this unit on top... no metallic sound please.

[kory]

This is so bizarre, same thing, but I love the noisy hats and hate the metallic hats. Hope one of the commenters here is right, that you can go in and tune how much noise you want.

[Michael_Smith-Red_No.]

So is this type of 'cross talk' normal?

[ordie]

Tr606 with the more metallic cymbals imho not better.