Korg Univox SR-55 (c. 1970s)
The Univox SR-55 goes by a lot of names, depending on who is listing it. The same unit shows up as a "Korg/Univox SR-55 Drum Machine," a "Univox SR-55 Super Rhythmer," a "Korg Mini Pops 3," and even a "Keio (Korg) Mini Pops MP-7." Period listings carry the tagline "Before Korg there was Univox!", which hints at the relationship without pinning down the exact corporate lineage. Every source agrees on the basics: it's a compact, battery-operated analog drum machine made in Japan, roughly 10.2 inches wide, 5.5 inches deep, and 2.6 inches tall, with a 1/4" output.
The rhythm selection is generous for a machine of its vintage - 54 patterns in all. That's Foxtrot/Swing with 36 variations, 4 Rock variations, Ballad, Western, 2 Bossanovas, Tango, Habanera, Rumba, Beguine, Mambo, Cha-Cha, Samba, Baion, and 2 Waltzes. A seller on MATRIXSYNTH described a working unit with serial number 730674 as an "original analog drum machine." A separate craigslist seller noted that all rhythms, switches, and foot switch input work, and described the unit as cosmetically very clean. The same listing floated a price range of $76 to $700 for parts and complete units. That's a wide spread, and it says more about the murky market than about any particular value.
The historical record on the SR-55 is thin beyond that. There's no original retail price, no production span beyond a vague "70s" attribution (one listing says 1979), no service documentation, and no formal reviews. The relationship between the Korg, Univox, and Keio names on this box isn't clearly documented anywhere either. Collectors still track the unit down for its analog sound and its place in the pre-Donca-Matic-to-Korg story.
- Analog drum machine / rhythm machine
- 54 rhythms: Foxtrot/Swing (36 variations), 4 Rock, Ballad, Western, 2 Bossanova, Tango, Habanera, Rumba, Beguine, Mambo, Cha-Cha, Samba, Baion, 2 Waltz
- Battery-operated; 1/4" TRS/TS output; foot switch input
- Approx. 10.16" W × 5.51" D × 2.56" H
- Made in Japan; c. 1970s (one source cites 1979)
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