I have an older (now) 404 and Apple Logic Pro for which all music is created edited etc. A lot of my work is done on the road, which is why I love my 404. I was thinking about buying a second sampler (battery powered) to compliment my 404 and take road production further. Here is what I am thinking so far:

1- the new 404sx. With its linear sampling and 32gb sd card compatibility I can do some serious stuff between the 2. The main negative is no midi out to keep things in sync. But I can have so many full sample programs (Piano, strings, bass, etc.) on the large card and just record and edit into my old 404.

2- MPC500. hiphoptools.com has a nice bundle package for $700. I think the price of this is ridiculous, but the bundle is worth it. I can do some pitching with the MPC and have the effects from the 404 and midi sync em. Drawbacks are Cheap build quality, I heard there are many bugs (could just be a rumor), bad exp. w/ akai, and you have to load all samples to use them (although the bundle pack makes this much less of an issue).

3- mini KP3. Although this really ain't a sampler, it is battery powered, has tons of good sounding fx, and has really good reviews. Price is well mannered. I would like to know from exp if the effects make your music sound more electronic or techno-y?

4- nothing at all. Just stick to my set-up and continue doing what I have been. Although I really do think another sampler would help me benefit alot more.

So yea. Other options can be brought up as I mainly only know about these products. I looked at the microsampler, but I like the more portable pad samplers, and love to bang on things. opinions are greatly appreciated. Thanks.


Music is Love

id go for the mpc 500 since your already working with the 404. i have a sp 555 and i sont know if you even considered that but its pretty dam cool. it works as an audio interface/ soundcard and it controls midi so you can play your tracks in sync with other software, probably logic will work. and it has the loop capture which i think is the best part because you can overdub like mad without worrying about quantizing, and just get busy quickly. and everything else about it is like the 44 so if you've mastered the 404 and would like something to complement it, the 555 might be real nice. but the time stretching sucks balls and pitching is pretty gay when you have to stay within the samples range. i like slowing the samples down, not just pitch shifting, which i saw that the 303 does, dont know if the 404 does it. but i use the djfx looper to do minor pitching.
after all that id sgtill go for the mpc 500, then you'll have the best of both worlds.
hope it helps

I was looking at the 555. That was originally what I wanted until I saw the 404.. With Loop Capture though, can you take pieces out of the loop if you don't like them?

hi
crazy advice:
have you consider the yamaha su10? it has a pitch scale (like the mpc500 12 level) and some editing the sp (202/303/404/505) don't have: the Loop point mode, real useful feature. it is limited in polyphony, the fx are not bad (filter is good), but you can't choose them pad by pad:they influence all pads. saying this it's not a bad choise. and it is very cheap.

for the mpc500:
i had one, didn't like the (hard) pads and it was for me my first mpc, so too many sub-menus (little screen), fx like all the mpc (so and so)....but it was my first mpc, so i didn't knew how those machines worked. now that i have an mpc1000 i could use an mpc500 very easly.
the price is not good in this case.

if you're looking for another cheap sample wich have good feature and capture loops/sequences , another choice is the zoom st-224. great sound, good fx, this machine is the cousin of the sp-303. maybe a little more complete (loop capture, pitch scale).
the price is very cheap. no battery powered.

maybe get a microkorg?

that 500 is way overpriced..I've been seeing them for $300 on Ebay..so the $400 must be getting you a lot in that package, but I'd buy used and try to get someone that didn't know how to use the MP and sold it quick (happens all the time)

another vote for keyboard

i dont think you need multiple hardware samplers if you like your 404

but if not anything musical, a BIG necessity would be to get

1. Decent headphones

2. Decent monitors

or if you are gettin noise in recording get a new 8 track or audio interface

after all that

i have to say I LOVE MY 555

i vote for this.
and the su10 ehehe ...

hey beanz!

i think it's cool yr looking for batt-op for road beats. very cool.

i am sort of with ellaguru on this one. the mpc500 has really hard pads and sub-menus inside sub-menus (etc), and there is NO jjos for the 500.

however, i have a 1000 and the basic functions of each are the same btwn the two. you'd gain multi-track sequencing, actual pitch shifting and the very cool track-mutes function. coupled w/ the 404 you'd have TONS of space, good fx, good sequencing, etc.

i don't think the 500 is the be-all-end-all (in fact, no mpc is, despite what everyone says), but i actually think that the 404's LED screen would prepare you pretty well for the 500's tiny screen.

i agree, tho, that you can find 500s for a lot cheaper than $700 used.

mpcs can be really frustrating, esp. as everyone hypes them so much and the reality is different, and they are SO expensive. but they offer a lot to peeps, esp if yr awready rocking the 404.

For that price, you can get a brand new MPC1000, so you're really paying waaay too much there. In fact, a second hand mpc1k probably with JJOS installed can be found for less these days. Economy is rough, people will sell at great prices.



But what for? Having more tracks will definitely aid you a lot having the SP-404 only, so that's probably where you're focus should be.



Nah, you're probably better off with a multi-track recorder or another sampler that will give you that too. But then I'm more so thinking about non-portable solutions.

I think the MPC500 being portable and offering more tracks could be a good answer, but it's as they say, not the most intuitive mpc out there. Your work flow will be slowed down and you're likely to run into it's disadvantages too. Like stiff annoying pads, mediocre build quality and a handful of bugs.

I'd wait for the Korg Microsampler - Battery operation, many sampling modes (including pitch shifting & mapping across the keyboard), sequencer, MIDI out for syncing, and supposedly the same kickass effects as the Kaoss Pad. Surely 1 month after they are on sale you will find loads of them on eBay, as many people are gonna buy them just because of the novelty and then realise they don't really know a sh*t about sampling, as usual

Thanks for all the replies!

True That. I love people who Buy crazy things and then get pissed because they don't know crap about sampling. The Microsampler does look nifty. I have been keeping an eye on that.


The su10 looks kinda nice. I have never seen That before.



I totally think the 500 is way to overpriced. I was just looking at it though. As for the mpc1k, I don't think I will be getting that anytime soon. I already have had 2 of them and returned them both. I just wasnt as creative on that as the 404. I also don't agree with payin crazy money just to have to put in way more money to get the 1k actually usable. (RAM, hard drive, jjos - not worth all that money for me)



Are you criticizing my set up. You &##(@)!)*#&^$%$#@(!(...... haha J/K!

I have all the stuff you mentioned. I have tons of headphones form sony to akg to denon dj headphones.

I have an apogee duet for my interface ( that piece is awsome) and everything into Logic Pro.

I was more just looking for something to compliment my sampler. Maybe another 404.... What is linear wave sampling opposed to what my 404 does? Ugh.... I hate looking at new gear.

linear wave sampling means less degradation on resampling

i think you might be best off with the microsampler when it comes out

hey beanz, you never really said what type of music your producing and what would you need another piece of equiptment for. theres so much shit out there, you could basically buy anything and everything and have fun with it but figure out what you'd specifically like to do, or what is your 404 not doing that you would like to do, then buy something to fit in that gap. id love to have some sequencing so id buy a sampler with more sequencing opportunities than the 555. but if you just got money to spend and you need advice on what to buy, maybe your not ready to waste your money just yet, you shouldnt need advice, you should know what you need cause of what you need it for.
sorry if i sound like a DOO- SHHH!
peece

The SP-404 has midi out and ins right? You might be able to use both together, so you've got the SP pads to bang on.

100% the truth