1. how reliable are the pads?
i saw three different forums with one or more bloggers talkin' about certain pads foulin out.

2. how does the scene thing work?
what i would like to do is program it to play two( if not all) pad banks and then be able to switch over and use it with my mpc as well. so could i use eight scenes for my 404 and 4 scenes for my mpc?

3. is the bundled software pretty good?
i'm thinking 'bout jumpin into soft programming a little bit but nothing serious. so as a novice in this area would it be understandable and yet give me room to grow?

4. how reliable are the pads?
i know i asked this twice but this is the main reason i would buy this controller. midi is learnable, my mpc pads are replacable and that would cost me the same as the padkontrol but i really don't know which way to go right now.

my final option is grab a 606 for 400bones but i can't quite decide. i really want a 'sketchpad' that is dependable and will stay velocity sensitive for a few years at least.

anyone have any advice at all! speak up it would be greatly appreciated.
peace

1. I use it a lot and so far so good...
2. As long as you setup the mpc with a different midi channel than the sp404
3.did not use the software
4.The pads are mpc NOT pads...they're much more sensitive. As for reliability, I used for 6 months and it is not enough to answer fully your question

1; never had an issue, IMO the pads are the best i've used

2; "so could i use eight scenes for my 404 and 4 scenes for my mpc? " - definitely man, easily done!

3; never used the software - i use it control hardware and sometimes Ableton/Reason - never an issue with any of them

4; the pads are great!

Thanks billyboy and drewzle. i will be ordering one next week when i have the cash. hope you don't mind if i message you two when i'm trying to set midi params. but instead just pulling my hair out peace.

feel free man, i'll be happy to help out

jbl - thought i should mention that you need to buy a power lead for it (doesn't come with one). if you are using the USB cord to send MIDI to your computer, you don't need the power cord. but if you want to have a MIDI cord (like you will need to control a SP) then it won't accept power from USB, thus requiring a power cord

i got mine from Tandy for $15

yeah, figuring out that "no midi out w/out power adapter" thing drove me up the wall...

i remember that.
confused the shit outta me too originally

i got it yesterday. came with the power cord and bundled with ableton live le plus reaper. on top of that i got the next week off. whenever i'm not takin care of the fam i'll be learnin my new gear midi

by the way, i haven't used 'em yet but i just kinda played with the pads for the hell of it and they are nothing like an mpd/mpc. i really like how they are numbered too, corresponds well with my 404.

have you linked the SP to the PK yet?!

you're gonna love playing your 404 with those new pads

get both machines on the same midi channel, then on the PK hit Setting, then Note CC, then hit the pad you wish to assign a MIDI note to. by scrolling through the range of notes with the PK's selector knob, you'll see and hear when the 404's notes are found. the SP pad's lights will get lit to make the job easier

i can honestly say that this is the best i've felt in pads. i've spent time with the 606/555/fantom pads mpc1k and 2500 and these are the tops. it's really nice how the sensor responds to all points on the pad. i have not gotten into much else with it but if i never do i'll still feel like i got my money's worth.
questions;
1. do you like /use the x/y pad much?
2. for G-J banks i think you have to change midi channels right; do you even bother with that cuz it seems like i would have to reboot the 404 every time, what is the consensus on this?
3. finally; user1, user2, etc... can i save 16 scenes on this and then set sixteen different scenes on the next user? this would be helpful if i were to incorporate pc programs and later my synths.

i think you are confused here
the 404 responds to MIDI on two channels
so you have to change the MIDI Channel that the PK is sending on to get to G-J, not change the 404

ie if the 404 is receiving on channel 7, then channel 8 is for G-J