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 Post subject: bargain addition to any rig?
PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2007 9:45 pm 
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basically, would the 202 be a good addition to a half-way decent rig? gritty sampling for some crunchy drums seems like it would fit in nicely for a DJ setup with a turntable and an MPC1000.

its low price also seems like it would be a cheap way to get some new inspiration/sounds. or would it just be better to keep my turntable and MPC rig how it is?


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PostPosted: Wed May 02, 2007 3:00 am 
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i've been thinking the same thing, man
i plan to check out second hand shops, etc to see if there's cheap Dr Sample units around. can't hurt to have another interface in the rig :)


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PostPosted: Fri May 04, 2007 8:52 pm 
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You have to remember, it takes 4MB Smart Media cards, which aren't that easy to find and when you do find it, i'm sure they're not cheap


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PostPosted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 4:39 am 
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I've had the SP-202 for the last 9 years. I started with an Akai S612, and I just recently picked up an SP-404 and an MC-808. I can really appreciate limited sampling time and lack of flexibility in a phrase sampler.

If you can get an SP-202 for less than $50.00, it may be worth it. Yes, it only takes 2MB or 4MB Smartmedia, but be warned that these are 5Volt cards, and you are not likely to find them anywhere (I stocked up about 6 years ago). However, I find this unit to be a great little scratchpad. You only have 4 notes of polyphony; 2 notes if you use a stereo sample, and one if you use a stereo sample and an effect (only 6!). The SP-404 sinks this unit, and I paid less than half the price of the SP-202(new), for the 404.

I like it partly because I know I couldn't sell it for much, and I have a couple cards for it. Another reason I like it is for its simplicity. Nothing is deeper than one button push, unlike the 404. I find I do far more real-time beat mangling with the 202, and it is more of a fast-paced performance tool. I spend more time trying to "get it right" with the 404 than I do with the 202.

Just a thought. It's battery powered and has a mic. If it's dirt cheap, get it. But...I could have bought two 404's, with change left over, for what I paid for the 202...


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PostPosted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 4:52 pm 
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Brokebeat wrote:
I've had the SP-202 for the last 9 years. I started with an Akai S612, and I just recently picked up an SP-404 and an MC-808. I can really appreciate limited sampling time and lack of flexibility in a phrase sampler.

If you can get an SP-202 for less than $50.00, it may be worth it. Yes, it only takes 2MB or 4MB Smartmedia, but be warned that these are 5Volt cards, and you are not likely to find them anywhere (I stocked up about 6 years ago). However, I find this unit to be a great little scratchpad. You only have 4 notes of polyphony; 2 notes if you use a stereo sample, and one if you use a stereo sample and an effect (only 6!). The SP-404 sinks this unit, and I paid less than half the price of the SP-202(new), for the 404.

I like it partly because I know I couldn't sell it for much, and I have a couple cards for it. Another reason I like it is for its simplicity. Nothing is deeper than one button push, unlike the 404. I find I do far more real-time beat mangling with the 202, and it is more of a fast-paced performance tool. I spend more time trying to "get it right" with the 404 than I do with the 202.

Just a thought. It's battery powered and has a mic. If it's dirt cheap, get it. But...I could have bought two 404's, with change left over, for what I paid for the 202...


Hell yeah, that is exactly how I feel about my 202.


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PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 6:40 pm 
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Dr. Tad Winslow wrote:
Brokebeat wrote:
I've had the SP-202 for the last 9 years. I started with an Akai S612, and I just recently picked up an SP-404 and an MC-808. I can really appreciate limited sampling time and lack of flexibility in a phrase sampler.

If you can get an SP-202 for less than $50.00, it may be worth it. Yes, it only takes 2MB or 4MB Smartmedia, but be warned that these are 5Volt cards, and you are not likely to find them anywhere (I stocked up about 6 years ago). However, I find this unit to be a great little scratchpad. You only have 4 notes of polyphony; 2 notes if you use a stereo sample, and one if you use a stereo sample and an effect (only 6!). The SP-404 sinks this unit, and I paid less than half the price of the SP-202(new), for the 404.

I like it partly because I know I couldn't sell it for much, and I have a couple cards for it. Another reason I like it is for its simplicity. Nothing is deeper than one button push, unlike the 404. I find I do far more real-time beat mangling with the 202, and it is more of a fast-paced performance tool. I spend more time trying to "get it right" with the 404 than I do with the 202.

Just a thought. It's battery powered and has a mic. If it's dirt cheap, get it. But...I could have bought two 404's, with change left over, for what I paid for the 202...


Hell yeah, that is exactly how I feel about my 202.



Thanks guys,
My plan was to buy the 404 that I can't quite afford at this time and I read your insightful posts,I found out that my good friend had a 202 gathering dust and he'll sell it to me,along with a prized card,for 120$ shipping included.I figured that I don't need all the sampling time and I'll sequence on my Mr-8 while I try to get the Dr-202 down the road.
I totally agree simplicity is the key and I love my music grimey anyways.


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PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 8:14 pm 
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if you want a 404, americanmusical.com will send it to you immediately and bill you in three monthly payments. you get billed $133 now, then twice more 1 and 2 months from now. you just have to have a card with a visa or mc logo on it i.e. a debit card. i don't work for them but i think it's a great setup and that's how i got my 404.

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 8:28 pm 
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rob p - you may want to ask yr friend if you could borrow / try out the 202 b4 buying it. i borrowed a friend's (again - gathering dust) and really grew to like it. there are actually things about it i like more than the 404 (simple filters, for ex). howevs, what this let me do was see what limitations i could live with & what i couldn't. i learned i needed more sample space, wanted more pads, more fx, etc., so i went with the 404.

my friend won't sell the 202 to me, but if he would i would buy it, and use it WITH the 404. if yr friend lets you borrow his, you'll figger out if it worx for you or not.

keep in mind too, that when people offload their 202s, they often sell them with cards.


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PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 8:29 pm 
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Rob P,

I think that you'll enjoy the 202. I've done a little side-by-side with my 202 and my 404, and I love them both. Bear in mind that the 202 samples at a lower sample rate, and sounds lo-fi right away, and that the 404 records at CD quality and has high-quality digital effects.

It takes more work to make the 404 sound grungy because of this, and it still tends to sound like a CD quality sound that has used high quality effects to sound "dirty" (clean dirt?), so it's not too fair to compare the audio quality of the two for what you want.

As for the DR202, I would only get one for myself for the sake of having a "matched set". Otherwise, I would recommend looking for a used Yamaha RM1X, as it is a great drum box and sequencer (actually, it's quite a bit more than that, but it is a bit dated in the synth department). Also worth mentioning are the Korg Electribes (used EA-1 bass synth or ER-1 drum synth), as they are great little step sequencers, especially when used with a controller keyboard.

Enjoy


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PostPosted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 2:16 am 
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thanks a lot guys!!
IG9,I could get my aunt in Florida to order from me as I'll be going to see her soon.
Fauna,I'm currently using a Sampletrak and my limited experience with it tells me that a 202 would be getting plenty of use due to the fact that I could use it for its lo-fi capabilities and I'm used to low sampling time which can be a blessing and a curse at the same time :lol:
Brokebeat,good looks on the er-1 and ea-1 and yamaha rmx1,I'll look into that.
You guys's inputs are well appreciated!!


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PostPosted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 1:17 pm 
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I actually find when sampling in lofi on the sp404 (22khz) I get the exact sound im looking for. It leaves a few artifacts in the hi end but sometimes they sound cool.. and if they dont a simple filter handles that. I always slept on the lofi button when sampling because when using my old 303/505 lofi was 10khz.. a bit to lofi for me :) Also, how does the pitch shift on the 202 work ? I find the one on the 404 almost useless...I usually use the chromatic PS...but I know the 202s timestretch was is better... if it also has a better pitch shift that would probably sell me on this piece.

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PostPosted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 7:45 pm 
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Dj Frantic,

I agree that the 404 does a pretty decent job of lo-fi, and you'll know from using the 303 what the differences are. Mostly a matter of taste (digital artefacts can sound pretty cool). Personally, I don't look for "lo-fi" versus "hi-fi", as I don't usually use these samplers to capture and replicate a particular sound (I use a computer and Sound Forge for that). I like these two samplers for grabbing a sound clip and mangling it into something interesting.

The pitch shift and timestretch on the 202 are pretty good. Both can be used at the same time, and they are dead simple to use. Two dedicated buttons to push and one knob to turn. Very fast, very effective (well, you have to hear it to judge for yourself).

I like my 404, but the 202 is no slouch and I can sketch quite well with it. If the price is right, it is a fine companion to a 404. I actually considered a second 404, but I like my 404/202 match up. I actually have to sit down and work with the 404, but the 202 can be used quite easily in short bursts for working out ideas.

Check out a 202 if you can. If you pay less than $100.00 for it, it is definitely not a wasted investment.


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