This was one of my very first drum machines.I bought it because it was cute, small, easy to use and cheap. It came out in 1985/86.
It's looks understate it's sounds. They are really like my Roland TR 505 & 707.... very 80's sounding.
The "A" version of the 220 is grey plastic.
The "E" version is a silver colour. The "E" stands for electronic and it has Simmons-like sounds
(Simmons SDS-V from 1979)
The Dr.220 has Roland's famous Matrix Display.
You will find this in many of Roland's and Boss' drum machines starting from the Roland TR-707 in 1984.
It had 12 pads for 11 drum sounds (the 12th one was for accessing the setting functions).
The sounds are LT, MT, HT, CCY, Rim, HCP, CH, OH, BD, SD, RCY.
Trig In & Trig Out.
comes with a silver padded case
Though everything is lo-fi 12 bit it doesn't sound weak. Once to put this through some distortion & delays
you can get some wicked sounds.
Here are some cool mods:
http://www.circuitbenders.co.uk/newsarchive/DR220A.html
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For more info on the history of Roland Drum Machines click here