e-Licktronic NAVA Roland TR-909 Clone Hands-On Demo

This video, via Masaki Takada, is a quick audio demo of the e-Licktronic NAVA – a DIY clone of the Roland TR-909 drum machine. 

The NAVA v1.01 is a clone of the Roland TR-909. According to the creators, the analog sound circuitry of the NAVA reproduces the 909’s circuits, but the sequencer is designed to be more intuitive.

Details on the project are available at the e-licktronic site.

21 thoughts on “e-Licktronic NAVA Roland TR-909 Clone Hands-On Demo

      1. Which basics of intellectual property doesn’t Troll understand, the ones that don’t apply to the Moog case or the ones that don’t apply to this case? Neither is infringing on any still existing rights.

        1. Old synth circuit designs are not legally protected – any patents would be expired by now.

          The names of old synths, though, can be protected by trademark. And the look and feel of old synths are protected by trade dress laws.

          So cloning old circuits is legal; making knockoffs that copy the look and name of another company’s product is a dick move at best and potentially illegal.

          Neither applies here since this project is selling the circuits. The cases are a separate diy project.

          If Berhringer made a ‘BR-909’, they could get sued again by Roland, who sued Behringer successfully in the past for ripping off the look of their guitar pedals.

    1. It’s legal to clone circuits no longer covered by patent.

      It’s not legal to clone a product’s look and feel, though.

      1. If it’s a trademark, it may be protected. If it’s a design patent, it has probably expired long ago. Probably it’s neither.

  1. i concur it’s awesome and the main workhorse of my setup now. so great to get to know in detail all the circuits of each voice and be able to tweak them. at this point i’d never mod a real 909 if i had one, but this thing, the kick can be modded until the Nava can be used for demolition.

  2. I wish somebody would issue an Oberheim DMX clone, or even better – a proper reissue. For me, it’s a far superior sounding drum machine than either the 808 or 909. Unfortunately, the only units available are the expensive vintage ones on the secondary market.

  3. I may be younger, but I never saw anything Magical in the 909 and the other Roland machines. Noisy clattering infernal machines. I like the synth kicks off today from Ableton or Zeta. But, the 909,808s and their clones along with Roland’s acid filter reek of unoriginality and people clinging to nostalgia. Embrace the future.

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