too expensive or one of the coolest drum machines ever?! // Erica Synths PERKONS HD-01 Review
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- Опубліковано 9 лип 2024
- Today we are checking out the Erica Synths Perkons. Disclosure: Gear was provided by the manufacturer & video sponsored by DistroKid. If you want to upload your music to Spotify and iTunes I recommend DistroKid: distrokid.com/vip/bobeats use my link and get a discount and you support the channel.
Check out Perkons in stores here:
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/529121?offid=...
US: sweetwater.sjv.io/9gGdJ0
UK: tidd.ly/3U1JfVV
Affordable and more versatile alternatives:
Roland TR8S
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/434284?offid=...
US: sweetwater.sjv.io/jrX6Ov
UK: tidd.ly/3ZGmBU6
Erica Synths LXR-02
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/522842?offid=...
US: sweetwater.sjv.io/anRGWb
UK: tidd.ly/40CRhqw
Or maybe a Drumbrute Impact? Not super versatile but very fun!
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/444377?offid=...
US: sweetwater.sjv.io/1redWa
UK: tidd.ly/3U0QJZj
Affiliate links support the channel at no cost to you
CONTENT
00:00 Intro & sound demos
03:11 The sound is impressive
05:19 It is not versatile...
06:32 The workflow is amazing
15:26 Not a lot of features...
17:40 Build and I/O is good
19:31 It is inspiring & great for new ideas
22:43 It is VERY expensive...
23:54 the FUN FACTOR is thru the roof
SYNTH MERCH
merch.bobeats.tv
Direct US link: bobeats.myspreadshop.com
Direct UK link: bobeats.myspreadshop.co.uk
PRESETS & SAMPLES (still lots of free stuff!!)
store.bobeats.tv
SOCIAL MEDIA
Instagram: / bobeats
Twitter: / bobeatsmusic
Facebook: / bobeatsmusic
COMMUNITY
Discord: community.bobeats.tv
FB group: / simplysynthesizer
GEAR I USE (affiliate)
bit.ly/bobeatstore
BUSINESS INQUIRY
bonurmimusic ( at ) gmail.com
#Perkons #Bobeats #DrumMachine
You can check out Perkons in stores here and a couple of alternatives
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/529121?offid=1&affid=623
US: sweetwater.sjv.io/9gGdJ0
UK: tidd.ly/3U1JfVV
Affordable and more versatile alternatives:
Roland TR8S
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/434284?offid=1&affid=623
US: sweetwater.sjv.io/jrX6Ov
UK: tidd.ly/3ZGmBU6
Erica Synths LXR-02
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/522842?offid=1&affid=623
US: sweetwater.sjv.io/anRGWb
UK: tidd.ly/40CRhqw
Or maybe a Drumbrute Impact? Not super versatile but very fun!
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/444377?offid=1&affid=623
US: sweetwater.sjv.io/1redWa
UK: tidd.ly/3U0QJZj
Affiliate links support the channel at no cost to you
Since it has a card slot and sound generation is digital is there possibility for sound swap? updates? As the lay-out is fantastic and how you want a drum machine to be, playable and I love the hard style sound & vibe as well but it would be ideal if it could do warm & smooth and bloopy as well.
To everybody bitching about being able to get the same sounds cheaper from other instruments or software, that is not the point: playability and inspiration are the point here. These old-school buttons, quality knobs and the lack of menu diving makes it worth the price for those of us who hate software inspired music. This is not a VST; this is an instrument.
Most fun drum machine since the 909 and worth every cent
I would go with a Jomox Alphabase for better sound and more features
AB is nice, but it doesn’t do gnarly like this beast@@GuitarsAndSynths
Received some awful news today, but the only thing I could do about it is to pray, meditate, take a walk, and watch BoBeats, calming me down. Sometimes things are out of our control, and yet here's Bo to provide that therapy we all need in our lives. Thanks Bo!
Sending my best wishes!! ♥️
Man, honestly, if you rely on this UA-cam salesman to provide solace and “therapy”… you are really in trouble. Good luck!
@@ZenMountain You seem like an unhappy person to go out of your way to rain negativity on other people. Like changing the channel on TV, you can do the same on UA-cam if you don't like Bobeats, go find something else then.
@@ZenMountain we must time & temper our words. Emotional intelligence should be taught in schools.
Be nice. @@ZenMountain
Great review, thanks BB! The grooves you get with the Perkons sound like the new AFX mode the Novation Bass Station II has, or even a Roland TR-8S using the new FM instruments, probability, flams and per step tweaking. I still want a Perkons though.
I really like this video a lot. You find the essence of this thing and just really commit to exploring it. Great job🌜👍🌛
Great machine!! Thanks for the review.
Great video Bo. Love the attention to editing and sound. 👍🏻
Wow nice !
Great job BoBeat on these Jams 👍
Thanks!!
Enjoyed your review! This seems like a very special machine.
Gotta have one. Great vid Bo, cool beats
thanks Bo ! always great breaking down a synth pros an cons
Great review! Came to learn about the unit, stayed for the performances by Bobeats! Truthfully not my cup of tea, but watching Bobeats perform on that box was so fun! I'll be waiting for the next awesome Bobeats video!
Thanks Bill!!
Excellent review and good how you have provided pros and cons it such a clear and concise way.
But no denying, you could not sit still playing it and you had that smile and groove face on. It’s some hands on original instrument.
I have the ARM2 and the A4M2. Have had the Syntakt, Digitone and Digitakt.
The Perons is an instrument, that’s what is so inspiring. It’s knob for function instrument. No way you could not spend hours on it. Your excitement says it all - it’s really worth it.
I have one and this drum machine is very niche but a beast , the sub base is very powerful and pushes a lot of air at a very low frequency unlike anything else I have ( I have the voyager ) can sound very analog and great for glitch and ambient textures , I don’t use it for techno , at this price point though it’s a luxury purchase, interface is like old school analog and very fun and easy, it’s a great second drum machine , I have Tr8s and they work well together or with VST acoustic drums ….
Yeah I was thinking it would pair well with something like a TR8S. I would love to see someone do a video like that.
Hi, i am considering buying it as my main drum machine, could you tell please why you don't use it for techno? Is it not punchy enough like 909?
@@shamil14basaev88 it can be very punchy, and I think has more weight than a 909 or 808 and with some adjusting could get that sound but it’s more suited for industrial type of grooves I think because it’s easier to get a 909 or 808 sound out of other machines like the TRS for my needs I like it as a secondary machine, but if you’re doing techno yes I think it absolutely would work for that. It’s just a matter of preference and how much time do you want to spend adjusting knobs versus having a 909 sounds ready to go
@@indiefilmcomposer thank you!
why not just get a Jomox Alphabase or cheaper combo of LXR02 and Bassline and have more flexible routing options for way less money?
GODDDAMMM. Every day i wake up and tell myself."You don't need any more gear, just get through the day and don't buy another goddam drum machine"...and then i see this. i have a rytm II which i love but i love the sound of the perkons.
nice vid, how do you compare this with Borland SH-4 you just reviewed recently?
This video makes me want one! How well can you control it via midi?
That thing sounds SO punchy. The compressor seems to be an integral part of the sound, but it's part of the instrument and so I guess it's a bit like the Juno chorus trick.
Seems very well thought out too.
Nice demo sir.
thanks Alex! yes the compressor absolutely does a lot to really get some heavy ompf out of it
I have one and totally love it - these are some of the brightest, funnest rhythms I've heard from the Perkons. My stuff winds up darker, but this is quite a blast to hear it this way!
Nice jams Bosse! 😀
Realize I move my music taste in direction of fun instrument and this is no exception after I got this.
It’s really fun and I can’t let i be. After a lot of hands-on playing I’ve started to use it with a sequencer.
Next step will be to use it for ambient with external effects 👍
Love my Perkons. It is so immediate and sounds great (especially for techno ;) ) Great video of a great machine!
The techno master has spoken!
@@BoBeats I don't know about master, but I do love the Perkons for techno!! :)
The Perkons and the Pulsar-23 is the only drum machines that really gets my GAS going nowadays. But both are just too bloody expensive.
Yeah, my exact thoughts. I have a DFAM, which I like a lot, but I would love to have this to pair with it.
Those are good choices.
Pulsar 23 might be expensive, but its more than just a drum machine. I am really considering purchasing one, especially after seeing what it can really do beyond just drum composition. And now there is the incoming "Pulsar Utilities" expansion module. Pulsar as a bass synth sounds fn incredible, and connectivity is off the chain. Just so many clever tricks up its sleeve, for example tapping the output end of patch cable from clock divider to capacitive buttons on the bottom, mind blowing stuff.
@@l1fef0rm I like both. I think the 2 together would be amazing. The Perkins for more grid orientation and p23 to get a little off with.
I had a pulsar for a year and just never got the snare channel. Everything else was good, but the snare doesn’t do anything for me. It just sounds too nasty snd limited
This thing is awesome, I’m just learning it now but it’s dope!
wow! 1 minute in and im hooked. im scared to look up the price, but dayum, i want it!
Really nailed the review Bo 👍 . Its fun as hell, really immediate but with some drawbacks... I really love mine, but probably not for everyone
Thanks!!
Seconding that LXR for affordable and feature rich. Probably the densest but easiest drum machine to work around for that price. Super inspiring and even has song mode. Run it into a zen Delay or a nice reverb and you can play entire sets with it.
I plan to get the LXR02 and Bassline for desk office play jams and use some effects processing like Analog Heat or Boum.
@@GuitarsAndSynths highly recommend. It’ll make for great quick jams, but they’re deep enough to make entire tracks out of if you’re feeling it
Awaiting delivery. This video convinced me even more - post purchase 😅
Interesting piece of kit... love those Commodore 64 buttons :D
does it have fills ?
I’m really impressed with the Perkons but wonder if I shouldn’t just get the LXR-02 instead. I also wonder as a drum synth goes if I shouldn’t get the Soma instead for this amount of cash. Fully open to suggestions. 🙂
Soma is great choice
I'd say it's not sample versatile. The sound shaping and parameter recording makes it incredibly versatile. If you close your eyes and just listen, it doesn't sound like 4 voices.
It sounds amazing! I wonder if the razzmatazz could make similar sounds? Sure it’s not as hands on, but it looks fairly easy to use.
Razz doesnt come close, but it has its strengths too. Size and sample + digital oscs being one.
Whaha it looked like you had a lot of fun with this one.
Right having now reviewed this and the modor dr 2 which would you choose?
I prefer the Perkons because it offers more physical control. Fewer and perhaps a bit more limited voices tho, in terms of sound flexibility
@@BoBeats yeh i could see on your face you were really enjoying that one. My jams always come out a bit hectic, so think im steering towards the modor. Are the potentiometers pretty decent? Is it just cheap knobs thats the problem?
The funfactor expands even more when you hook up pedals to the send and return of each voices!
do you mean effects?
@@Strages_Powers yep!
It sounds massive and must be great to play with. As you say, probably not very versatile. The Alpha Base is more my kind of instrument in the massive sounding drum machines area, can do standard sounds in its own powerful and beautiful way, while also being a sound designer playground. And I wouldn't mind having a Tempest too... 🙂
not as good as the Jomox Alphabase that has best sound but Rytm best user experience
Good to see that big crazy grin on your face Bo :)
I hope you can test the "Techno System" from Erica Synths. 👍👍
Obviously BoBeats is not a TechnoHead!! 😂 Cause this maschine (and a lot of other products from Erica Synths) is made for that. I'd like to listen to and live at a live act who knows how to handle it at a hughe techno party. (together with the SYNTRX II, the DB01 and of cause the ZEN Delay!)
And i'd like to have the income to be able to buy one of these and neighbours who don't care! 😃
~
Actually this is the first demo i like. I think its thee machine for old school detroit electro Drexciya style.
pshh let's see you do something before you talk trash on the dudes page haha
Looks like knob heaven !!
Individual shuffle amount per track! Yes!💪
?Okay, I'm hearing snare in there, but are there acoustic snares to it?
Excellent stuff. Pricey, very much a niche thing (which is not a bad thing, despite some people saying cheaper machines are more versatile - that's not the point here). Question is, Pulsar 23 or Perkons. Both is out of the price range and would be a total splurge. I guess better question is "what's different about them beyond being fun to interact with".
Not at all similar. The pulsar is like a wild metal horse. The perkons seems more fun.
Multiple sequencer lanes is really nice to see in a dedicated drum machine. I'd still take a Pulsar 23 over this any day. Sound is really important in any drum machine, if the drum samples/models aren't good, the drum machine suffers. Its why I just can't get into the Arturia Drumbrutes. Had both, no longer have either. I just don't think they sound good at all, wish that wasn't the case because they are really playable machines.
Now THAT is an amazing synth ❤
I so want this… but I need to exercise some self control in the wallet department. I’ve managed to make my Analog Four sound like this quite easily before now - I need to remember that and go back to it. 😅
Threw my Volcas into the trash can when I heard this! Perkons is a very special instrument! Some people may not like it, but I sure do!
Love the look and sound but I could never afford that
I 've got Perkons for a few days, but I'am also a bit disappointed that the sd card reader in the back isn't working on my unit so I've to send it back to the dealer
, that isn't very convincing for that price!
That one drum pattern is similar to one on the Minilogue XD :)
Bo, I got one, and I never get the kind of grooves and sounds that you get hahah. half the sounds you get, I haven't heard out of mine yet
i just tweak every knob and flip every switch until i hear stuff i like :D
This drum machine really needs serious eqing, the low mids really make this machine super muddy
I think the mud might be intentional. Not everyone wants super tight drums to fit in a mix. Some people just want loud, fill your speakers, drums and nothing else. This thing strikes me as a solo machine, with others around for spice. Not as a "sit in the back while I play a sweet synth lead"
It needs more voices like 6 at least like the Rytm since we need kick, clap, snare, and high hats and more for toms and rimshot. That is why I went Rytm MK2 for less money.
I love the interface, but at the price point, it does need at least 6 voices for me to consider it.
@@Eli_B3000 right? I mean a desktop Virus TI2 does way more and costs $500 less brand new as do other drum and synths.
I got mine about two weeks ago, there is nothing like it. Definitely not a versatile machine that does you conventional 808 or 909 sound although you can get it closer, 808 and 909 clones are anyway very cheap nowadays. The playability and transformation of sound on this machine is on another level, you can literaly go from a hihat to a bass line in seconds on the same voice, the absence of menus is what also makes it stick out of other drum machines, learning the "command"
panel is also very easy. I only wish Erica Synths will update the firwmare to include a sync for the delay.
All in all a brilliant machine!
Totally agree!
@@BoBeats To add: All the demos on this machine are around the techno/industrial or ambient sounds, a friend of mine (hiphop) producer had a go at it and he was blown away by the direction this machine was taking his hiphop beats, so maybe there should be demos of this machine doing other styles of music (just as you did on this one)
This is like watching Topo Gigio playing with a grenade.
Grattis Bo !!!! amazing review but I think with this price I would get a Jomox alpha base because I want more to studio. For live I think this drum machine is better!!!
I love mine ♥️
What are some things you like/dislike? Curious to hear.
I want to see an update for presets for the steps that would be dope and more intuitive.
ugh those beep boops hit so good. I wish I had 2k to get this for my partner lol
Wait, getting it for someone else?! 😳
Get a DFAM or Volca Drum. Smaller interfaces, but similar sounds at a present price point.
I love the sound of this thing, it would be great to have a cheaper version without the sequencer, basically everybody who's looking into this already has a sequencer of some kind.
I just want to add, Richard D James would say the genre is Intelligent Dance Music.
Sounds like the Volca Drum. Not a knock on the Perkons (I'm sure it's amazing) but more of a compliment to the Volca Drum
If the volca drum had that interface, sequencer and sounds i agree, same with the LXR02.
@@snorrevonflake the sound is like 90% the same to my ears, and the Volca does have a step sequencer with similar functionality, it just has two more voices than the Perkons. What a time to be an electronic instrument enthusiast!
Agree. I love this interface style, but only 4 voices and the price point make the Volca Drum more appealing, and it possibly does more in the long run.
@@adognamedshinji I love turning knobs and hate menudiving. Havent touched my volca drum because of that.
@@snorrevonflake you could probably get a midi controller to get more hands on with the Volca drum. Are all the parameters cc controllable? I think they are.. Or if having some knobs is worth 15x the price of the Volca then the Perkons might be for you! That being said, there aren't really any menus on the Volca Drum to dive into
Can you review a Vermona Drm1 mkiv?
i have been wanting to do a review of one for a long time
@@BoBeats make the magic happen 🪄🪄 ..if possible
I just need 1 voice of perkons on a eurorack module with all cv in
Throw some tr-808 sounds in it!
that's a tough one considering pulsar 23 is around the same price, but if this was let's say $1499 i'd buy it over Pulsar...
hey yo Bo-master of beat machines. im looking for an analog drum machine to sync other semi mod-gear and I like how this one is laid out. im a big fan of the dial setup like this. I really like the workflow of the drumbrute impact, but the drum sounds are a bit distinct and id like some other styles. I like the following about it:
1) how the dials for sound tweaking are very intuitive and nicely laid out
2) the individual outs to do seperate tracks for each sound
3) the randomizer
4) how the randomizer/swing can be set per voice
5) easy and intuitive step or record mode
6) ability for song mode (even though I dont use this a ton).
Those are a few of the qualities I really like in the DBI. I also like Volca Beats - simple, ability to switch beats not he fly, and equipped with a cool stutter effect, but the sound quality sometimes leaves something to be desired. I also am well-versed with the op1, but the sound quality isn't super rich. The Perkins looks cool, but I wanted analog...also the pulsar seemed really cool but maybe bit complicated. I bought an Roland tr-08 and Im not a fan... I dont find it intuitive at all. I messed up on that purchase and got confused between the tr08 and tr8 --- I dont know why they are so similar lol. I plan to sell it. Any suggestions would be helpful , you do a good Job explaining features and I feel like youre the right person to ask!
im really digging the probability feature for some variation, I really like stuff like that (way to create cool variance in a pattern)
Could you PLEASE jam with this and a 303?
Its like a giant Korg ER1 :)
Its like a hardware version of reaktor beatboxes lol....
I always wanted a hardware "sinebeats" !
This is cool and all, I like the physical interface, but the sounds all remind me of Sonic Charge's Microtonic drum synth VST. Which you can use with Teenage Engineering's PO-32 Tonic. So, for about $100 for the VST and $120 for the PO-32, you can get about 80-90% of what this does. Or, get a midi controller with the knobs you like. Again, not saying this isn't cool, just *wildly* overpriced for the end result sound you get.
Tried something similar with the PO32, not even close, the thing with Perkons is not only the sound itself but the playability, the whole interface is an experience on its own which you can't really get with anything else that is available outhere.
It’d be cool to see a smaller cheaper version of this drum machine.
Volca Drum my guy
@@adognamedshinji Yep. I just got a Volca Drum last week. It makes very similar sounds at a fraction of the cost.
Dfam
Like a DFAM but controllable
Need is a strong words.
I’d pair this with a drumbrute impact
perfect for the adult film industry music producers
This is a great drumcomputer but I’m going on a more cheaper affordable and also a very expressive route,Sampling sugar bytes drumcomputer into my circuit rhythm and having a blast 🎉
think of the price like 4 dfams, a bbd delay and a compressor all in one and thats why its 2k
What a comprehensive introduction to the device.
It made my decision to NOT buy it easier. THANK YOU!
Happy to help regardless what choice you make ♥️
I feel like If a Korg Volca kick was like a pokémon and evolved , It would turn into one of these LMAAAO.
That's what the Volca Drum is. It sounds very similar to this, almost better in some areas, you just don't have the interface or compressor.
Is there any way to make it not sound like space invaders? Seems like good kit if that’s the sound you want, but you better want that sound, because it seems locked in.
Good but the "Quitch-Sound" uahhhhh (everybody will leave the dance floor). I love my Alpha Base.
I would swap for a rytm mk2 and norand mono… 😃
@3:51😎
looks fun. not 2k fun tho
I like the company, but I keep waiting to hear something warm come out of this machine. It all sounds like distortion.
That’s 5 pros and 3 cons - some quick maths tells me that adds up to 2 pros in total so I’m getting one!! #BobEatsGuarantee
Thats some real Bob Eats maths! 😎
I have to disagree strongly with your negative about the Perkons not offering a variety of sounds. I actually have started using my Perkons as 4 melodic voices alongside my TR-8s for all my beats. Check out some of my videos featuring that setup on my UA-cam channel. Yes, the Perkons can be a techno drum beast and in drum sounds, I would agree it has a narrow zone, BUT as far as variety of sounds it is actually much much broader than your negative mark against it in 6:30 area of this video implies.
Glad to hear counter points!
Well... I've owned this for, say about, 3 months and I've played it only 3x.
I don't even fully understand it as I've not taken enough time with the pdf manual I printed out. The times I used it I paired it up with a Volca Drum and they compliment them well. I'm awaiting a used LXR02 I just bought off Reverb as the Perkons is part of project I'm putting together as it's sound fits perfectly into what I'm attempting to accomplish.
Once I get my Benidub pedals and 1 more volca drum I'll be ready to commit to lots of time exploring this dream setup of mine.
So, I will say, though it's currently being neglected and collecting dust (not really as I own a dust cover for it) i can say to myself that I didn't succumb to G.A.S. but stood firm in choosing this instrument for a specific purpose and that I doubt I'll ever part ways with it.
Simple yet complex device.
Can we have an update on ur journey?
You’re right! I’ll sell a kidney or two and get one!
Kind of cool but it looks like a truck carrying knobs to the MXR factory hit a Rhythm Wolf and Volca.
I love Perkons, no MICRO-TIMING though
Yeah its a negative for sure
You can use fast clock multiplications with pattern chaining to get high resolution timings. That's possible on it
Wont buy without Erica Eleniak stickers
Maybe I missed it, but I think you did not mention the incredibly noisy compressor and that it doesn't save the compressor and delay settings per pattern. I could be wrong, but you are maybe the first to leave that out of the review. My apologies if you did mention it. I also understand that if they send you such cool gear you might not wanna be too harsh. I doubt Erica Synths is gonna send Tim Shoebridge anything anytime soon after his one day with the Syntrx. 😂
The compressor does get noisy when pushed, I could have had that as a possible 4th negative in hind sight. I tried structure the vid around broad ”themes”. That said I’m pretty sure not every other reviewer brought up the limited not versatile sound or suggesting that a majority is better of buying something cheaper. So hopefully the video provides a few good pros and cons to help ppl decide.
Nice one Bob !
Sorry, but for me, even if it was €500, I'd say no...
I love Erica synths but I'd rather get an analog rythm for less.
It sounds like R2-D2 overdosed on E.
Man I really want to like this but it's... meh ? Looks gorgeous and super fun to play, but I'm just not convinced by the sounds. It just sounds kinda... annoying ?
Is it me or does it sound a little like a huge Volca Drum with those metallic tones?... For the price of 12ish Volcas 😅 still love it though but would have to part with the family car
haha
Sounds more like a Korg ER1 to me :)
You're not lying... Those pitchmod tones in the beginning... and the next pattern too... yeah actually I can get a ton of these sounds with the Volca Drum and Operation Overlord stereo distortion pedal. This thing is expensive, but man it seems like a cool drum machine I wouldn't mind having one.
@@aikighost love me an electribe!!!
@@GizzyDillespee seems easy to handle compared to a volca in fairness and that really does count... But think of the noise 12 Drums would make 🤣
Does not feel it has a lot of sounds rather see a vid it has been hooked with other gear pushing more sounds through it to transform or see to make a song.