Roland199816-stepStudio / Desktop$$Mid-Range($250–800)
Roland MC-505 Groovebox
Techno and acid producers wanting classic Roland drum/bass sounds and a real ribbon controller in one live-friendly box.
Find on ReverbUsed-gear listings, graded conditionCheck prices on eBayBroader inventory, live auctions
Strengths
- Includes actual sampled/modeled TB-303, TR-808, and TR-909 sounds licensed from Roland's own back catalog, in one affordable box
- Ribbon controller and real-time knobs make classic acid/techno-style live tweaking genuinely intuitive
- Became a defining tool of late-90s hardware-techno live sets specifically because of this feature set
Trade-offs
- The 303/808/909 sounds are recognizably 'in the spirit of' rather than identical to the real vintage units
- Overshadowed today by software recreations, so its resale demand has softened relative to its 90s heyday
Full Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Brand | Roland |
| Model | MC-505 Groovebox |
| Era | 1998 |
| Typical Price Tier | Mid-Range ($250–800) |
| Synth Engine | PCM sample-based (TB-303/TR-808/909-derived sounds) |
| Voice Count | 32 |
| Steps Per Pattern | 16 |
| Pattern Memory | 200 |
| Built-in Speaker | No |
| MIDI Equipped | Yes |
| Sync Type | MIDI + DIN Sync |
A relative used-market guide, not a live quote — real prices vary by condition, region, and timing. Check the Reverb/eBay links on any item for current listings.
Similar Studio / Desktop
Match Score Explorer
Weight what matters to your workflow. Every deck is re-scored live against your priorities, benchmarked against the Roland MC-505 Groovebox.
50
50
50
50
This deckRoland MC-505 Groovebox
Match60
Flexibility62
Portability70
Ease of Use65
Tonal Neutrality42
Ranked against 23 other decks
- Korg KaossilatorMatch66Flexibility35Portability95Ease of Use92Tonal Neutrality40
- Korg Kaossilator ProMatch65Flexibility48Portability85Ease of Use85Tonal Neutrality42
- Yamaha DJX-IIBMatch63Flexibility45Portability85Ease of Use78Tonal Neutrality45
- Korg Electribe EMX-1Match62Flexibility72Portability76Ease of Use60Tonal Neutrality40
- Yamaha QY70Match62Flexibility48Portability95Ease of Use55Tonal Neutrality48
- Boss JS-5 Jam StationMatch62Flexibility25Portability90Ease of Use88Tonal Neutrality45
- Roland MC-303 GrooveboxMatch61Flexibility58Portability72Ease of Use68Tonal Neutrality45
- Korg Electribe EA-1Match61Flexibility65Portability80Ease of Use65Tonal Neutrality35
- Korg Electribe ER-1Match61Flexibility68Portability80Ease of Use65Tonal Neutrality32
- Boss DR-770 Dr. RhythmMatch61Flexibility45Portability78Ease of Use75Tonal Neutrality45
- Korg ES-1Match61Flexibility68Portability78Ease of Use60Tonal Neutrality38
- Roland MC-307Match60Flexibility52Portability72Ease of Use72Tonal Neutrality45
- Zoom MRT-3 RhythmTrakMatch59Flexibility35Portability82Ease of Use72Tonal Neutrality45
- Roland MC-909 GrooveboxMatch58Flexibility75Portability45Ease of Use62Tonal Neutrality48
- Akai XR20Match58Flexibility62Portability60Ease of Use65Tonal Neutrality45
- Flexibility68Portability68Ease of Use55Tonal Neutrality42
- Yamaha RM1xMatch57Flexibility72Portability58Ease of Use48Tonal Neutrality48
- Roland MC-808 SampleWorXMatch57Flexibility78Portability42Ease of Use58Tonal Neutrality50
- Elektron MachinedrumMatch56Flexibility88Portability62Ease of Use32Tonal Neutrality42
- Elektron MonomachineMatch54Flexibility85Portability62Ease of Use30Tonal Neutrality40
- Yamaha RS7000Match53Flexibility78Portability45Ease of Use42Tonal Neutrality48
- Yamaha QY700Match51Flexibility62Portability45Ease of Use48Tonal Neutrality48
- Vermona PerfourmerMatch49Flexibility78Portability55Ease of Use42Tonal Neutrality22