Instrument Review - Sony DRP-1

I was scrolling through eBay one day when I came across this "rare" gem - a Sony drum machine!

The auction was only going for a couple dollars and it made me wonder just what a Sony drum machine would sound like so I bid and lo and behold, I won.  This thing is definitely an audio oddity, which would make it perfect for my music.

Build

What is there to say?  This thing looks and feels cheap.  The buttons are rubber and responsive, so I guess there is that.  The power switch works.  The battery compartment opens with out a problem (although the molds that hold the 2 AA batteries are kind of strange at first but they get the job done).  I would probably rate the build on this well since there is really not that much you can screw up on.

Cosmetics

This thing resembles a computer mouse with added buttons.  I suppose the design is made to fit in your hand and be played with your fingers like a mini drum kit.

Sound 

The sounds are lo-fi samples.  They aren't terrible but they are not dynamic.  This would definitely be fun to play around with for one-off songs or in conjunction with an effects processor.

Features

One 1/8" audio jack.  Seven sounds. Eight rhythms - one of which is just a repetitive cow bell and another punctuated by some really gritty sample of some sped up person yelling "Sony!"  This is reminiscent of the early samples you would hear in Nintendo or Genesis games (or dare I say Colecovision's Squish'em Sam).  Out of the eight rhythms, I would say two are decent.  The others could be fun.  I suppose another feature of this thing could be that it has four little plastic feat on the bottom that serve no purpose.  The legs should have been made of rubber so this thing doesn't slide around.  I also find the plug placement strange.  I would expect it at the top but it is on the bottom below the wrist.  Coupled with the resemblance of a computer mouse, the absence of an internal speaker, the low audio output, and a simple 1/8" jack, I am lead to believe that this device was targeted for desktop users.

Overall

Overall I wouldn't pay more than five bucks for this thing.  I personally love recording with weird instruments so I have something to write in my liner notes.  It also provides me with some subtle variation since I am too cheap to buy a new or professional model but this thing is a toy.  I really find it odd because this is a low-end "drum pad" from Sony Corporation.  Considering their reputation with audio equipment, one would expect a higher quality device.  While the DRP-1 is the entry level of the DRP series, the other two aren't any better.  They feature a couple more sounds and rhythms, as well as a rudimentary programming feature.

Gallery

Sorry.  Not much to photograph!