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Bash von Gitfiddle
Hi,
 I am interested in selecting a good synthesized or modeled drum machine instrument. I have found some good sample based instruments that were sampled from old synthetic devices.
 
 I have begun a personal project that is based on a retro synth motif, and so I want every sound to come from a synthesized and modeled mathematical source rather than a sample. I have been using a lightweight Bedroom Producers Cassette 808 and 909 drum sampled kit for my early demos but would like to swap to a traditional synth based kit. 
 
 Arturia's Spark 2 software seems like a possible choice because it does have some exclusively modeled drum sets.
 
 Roland has the cool Roland tr 808 VSTi, but it is only offered as an uncool cloud subscription, with a rent to own contingency that equates to an outrageous price.
 
 Ideally, the software will be lightweight and efficient so that I may use it on my laptop away from my DAW.
 
 I want to use the drum instrument as a MIDI driven VSTi in a DAW host on a windows based system.
 
 I have not thought about something like this until recently, so I feel like there may be many choices I am not aware of.
 
 Thank you for any suggestions you may make.
 
  

I think you could be right.

The Aly James Lab VPROM 2.0 - It's a virtual Linn LM-1 drum machine (Minus the pattern sequencer)! The data from the LM=1's EPROM chips are translated into VST form, and even the hi-hat behaves just like the LM-1's HH!

If you've always wanted to sound like Prince or early '80s new-wave or R&B, you NEED this. 

http://www.alyjameslab.com/alyjameslabvlinn.html

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anyone mentioned axon yet? https://www.audiodamage.com/collections/plugin-instruments/products/ad042-axon-2

Can also go with a straight-up synth. Chandler has done some nice overviews and constructed an 808ish sound right off the bat in this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Du-pWfHk_I You can do similar in many different synths with the same parameters exposed.
 
With the advancement of VSTs, a lot of the parameters on a synth (ASDR, Cutoff, Resonance, etc.) are built into the tail end of many samplers nowadays, so even a generic "sample" can be mutated into just about any sound.
 
You may already have either or even both off the above already available.

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Rob Papen's Punch has synthesized drum parts as well as samples and a sequencer.  But it's not really trying to emulate any classic anything, might be harder to get a "real" retro vibe out of it.
 

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