XR20 - Reviews - Music Tech Magazine

If you want to make beats without using a computer, AKAI’s XR20 could be the solution. Hollin Jones takes a test drive.

Price: £220.00
Manufacturer: AKAI
Website: http://www.akaipro.com

Not all that long ago, drum sequencers were the most common way of making beats if you didn’t have access to a ‘real’ drummer. Before software drum machines, black boxes were the order of the day. And for many musicians – especially those in the worlds of hip hop, R‘n’B and other similar genres – programming beats on a drum machine is still the preferred way of working.

Score: 9

This review first appeared in Music Tech Magazine issue 63
Filed under Hardware, Hardware Instruments, Reviews

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BRIAN GRIFFITH - 13 July 2009, 01:27 AM

I bought the xr 20 because I wanted a totally self contained drum machine for hip hop beat making that doesn't ever need sounds loaded or memory cards or computer updates etc. a unit that i can take with me anywhere & make beats anytime. an example is this weekend I took my girlfriend to a hair salon for a two hour hair cut/ color/styling. I just plugged in my headphones into the xr 20 and zoned out... same thing later when she got her make up done at the mac counter.
I set the xr2 on a display counter right there in nordstrom at the mall, with my headphones on & tapped out a few beats, no memory cards to fool with, no laptop needed, just powered with 6 aa batteries turn on plug in headphones & start bangin beats.. the drum & bass sounds are VERY HOT for hip hop.

If i wanted a sampler, I would have got the mpc 500 BUT I wanted a self contained hip hop drum machine.. and that is what the xr20 is

5 stars from me

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AKAI XR20

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