Basically, I want to be able to record to the pads, and edit/layer/arrange/whatever them on my computer DAW style. Can I do this with the 555? I can't record into my PC because it sounds like crap and my PC is too old and retarded to put money into (getting a new one soon hopefully). I was going to go for the Pro Tools Mbox 2 Mini, but I guess I need a bad ass computer and a firewire external hdd to run it. (And I just bought a TB USB hdd dangit!) I already have a 404 and loooooooove it. For hip-hop and crazy shit anyway. Trance is a little more difficult with all the rough edges.

Can someone just describe what working with the 555 and the PC (or MAC i guess) is like? All the reviews I read didn't spell it out.

And how is the bundled Cakewalk? Never used it.

the 555 is perfect for your aspirations.

its already a soundcard so you dont need to worry about that...just connect the USB and you can record what ever is on the 555 to the computer AND vice versa. USB audio in/out is one of the greatest things about the 555. you dont need a great computer, if you do need to upgrade, all you need is a little bit of RAM. and thats like 60 bucks

so this is what i do and it works for me but you can develop your own ways

i grab source material either from computer synths or records, or drum kits...

start making ideas on the 555 solely

develop those ideas on the machine until i know where i want to take it

do some live takes and/or transfer samples one by one into the DAW

make more accompaniment in the DAW based off the ideas i started on the hardware.

arrange them all.

or sometimes i just open up files from a DAW only project and grab bits out, and with them on the 555 with my hands. it lets you get down and dirty quickly and easily

i cant speak about the packaged software, but from my experience its never actually the full version...

ableton live makes a good companion even at the cheaper versions of it. the audio warping engine lets you smooth out some things from the sample and match the tempo easily

but you dont NEED a computer..... these are just tips if you want to work with one...and the 555 is great along side one, especially for more techno-y genres as you are interested in.

woooo im a fast typer.

Thanks dude. Lot of good info. But i need to squeeze a little more out of you if i may. Is the file swapping between the 555 and the pc a seamless and, more importantly, intuitive process? I don't want to sift through menus and be turning equipment on and off and all that kind of thing. If I wanted to do that, I could record to my DP-02 CF and import the tracks from there to a DAW. (All I have now is Acid Music Studio 7.0 which kind of gives everything that computer-y sound, which is what I'm trying to avoid.)

Also, when you say the 555 acts as a sound card, do you mean the final product is mixed down inside the 555? Even from a DAW? My whole thing here is, getting rid of the computer sound (I have a Microkorg, 404, and dp02cf), but having the graphical interface of a DAW which is vital when making complicated trance-y type stuff.

And it doesn't come with the full version of Cakewalk SONAR LE? Because that's what's advertised. I hope you're mistaken because not having to buy a separate DAW was a selling point to me.

And if you can think of anything I might need to know, please let me know. I don't really have the money to be spending on all this stuff, and I already regret buying the dp02cf, and my 404 (Only because I might go ahead and get the 555. Don't get me wrong, the 404 is a little beast!). I need to be very sure of the next thing that I buy.

Also, if I wanted something that just allowed me to record at least CD quality audio to a pc to edit in a DAW, what should I be looking at?

Sorry about ALL the questions! I'm just a poor dude with music in his head that desperately wants to get it in some ears.

its a soundcard so that means that you can record audio from the 555 and run it as an ASIO interface like you would with the fast track pro for example

otherwise you'd be running off of direct X which records awful audio and has HUGE latency to the point where its unusable

it is simple to record audio back and forth. whatever you hear from the program is automatically run to the 555 when its connected through USB. that means if you were browsing drum hits you could sample it before even dragging it into the project!

and if you wanted to send audio back to the program all you would need to do is turn off the monitor on the audio track armed for recording. this is because if you do not, the audio will still be there, but the nature of the soundcard is a feedback loop, but with "Doors" so to speak that decide which direction to go.


There's no complex menus needed. just one button on the daw, and maybe a function (two buttons pressed together) on the 555 if you want to lay down guitar or something. but for the most part it is dead simple to transfer audio and was designed this way.
so say you have a synth loop thats a bit boring inside the DAW. Set the BPM correctly and the measure length on the loop capture, and press record at the start of the loop. You now have that synth loop on the 555 without any file transfers or unneeded cables besides that one USB cable. You can then "perform" that loop with delay or whatever effects, or sample a new version of it with those said effects, or reverse it etc.

again i cant be sure about the SONAR package maybe someone else knows, i was speaking from experience with other gear with packaged software.

unfortunately this is all information that you won't get from the advertisements and a lot of people don't really get this far with the box and claim it sucks, but trust me and others on this site...its a beast

oh and if you really want you could use the 555 as a halfway point between the DAW and your multitrack if you still wanted to get use out of it...

because like i said all the audio comes out of the DAW via usb so then its a simple matter of running RCA cables out to the multitracker

i use my sp55 with my mac...but never with usb

i had to buy a seperate compactflashcard reader device...
then i prepare samples on the mac...and just send them to the sp (card).
bam...done...ready for the gig