Used 303 or new 404SX?

[GeekSonique]

Hey guys,

I posted a topic a while back about whether the SP series was right for me in terms of what I was looking for at the time. I actually ended up picking up a Maschine Mikro which has turned out to be great. For my ITB production workflow it's perfect, does everything I need it to and really comfortably fits into the way I work.

However, it's gotten me a lot more into sampling, something I didn't do all that often before. Now I'm keen to get some kind of little sampler/groovebox purely to mess with when I'm not at my computer. I'm into stuff by the likes of Dilla, Madlib et al and I like the idea of getting creative on an SP.

Question is, which SP should I go for? The two main questions I have are; Firstly, effects. I've read that the effects on the 404SX are more 'limited' than the 303, in the sense that you can't tweak them or push them as far as you can on the 303 to really mash up the sounds. Is this true? If so, does the 404SX still offer a decent amount of 'tweakability'?

Secondly, how do people find the sound of the 404SX? I love that warm bump from the 303 tracks I've heard and I'm worried the SX is gonna be ultra clean in comparison.

So really, I'm just not sure on which to go for, the both the SX and the 303 seem to have their pro's/con's!

Thanks

[Leptic P]

the both the SX and the 303 have their pro's/con's!

i'm happy with a 404 sx but got good echo about 303

[ghost ghost ghost]

I don't have a 303 so can't say much about that but the SX is definitely capable of messing up sounds pretty good. It definitely offers a lot more control than a box of its size should. I've turned drum breaks into fat bass lines, electric pianos into synth emulations, all types of stuff.

[juniormungus]

i have both and prefer the 303, but maybe the 404 is better for your needs, heres some pros/cons of both hope it helps!

303 pros: responsive low profile pads, nice sound, ext source resampling, lo-fi sounds crunchy and not as muffled as the 404, realtime reversing, vinyl sim compression, fast looping
303 cons: takes forever to delete stuff, no int. mic, less sampling time than 404sx, no battery power (although you can make a battery pack for it)

404sx pros: lots of pad space and sampling time, fast!, batt powered, int mic, decent glitchy live effects
404sx cons: clicky pads, harsh effects (imo) i dont like how the sample restarts when you restart mark points (makes chopping take longer)

the 303 rules tho!!! i highly reccomend it

[preqwal]

The fact that the 404sx can copy samples AND patterns onto different pads was the main reason I got it. Really eases my work flow, especially when chopping samples up and elaborating on patterns. I used to have the original 404, but the extra differences on the SX are so worth it!

[GeekSonique]

Nice one guys, thanks for the comments.

Based on that then, I think the SX is the one I will go for. I do love what I hear on the 303 and there's no doubt it's a capable little box, but the long sample time and the reduced load times, as well as the extra pads seal the deal for me now I know the effects and sound is all good.

I was kinda leaning towards to SX, I just wanted to make sure I wouldn't be better off with the 303. I would say I'd pick up a 303 later but those things almost go for the same price as a new SX, here in the UK at least anyways.

Thanks again.

[thx]

^
i copped a 303 for 150€ 1 month ago (here in my town, in italy)
don't know the price of a new 404sx but i think is much more than that.
isn't it?

[MDX]

$499 new for 404sx. just got one bout a month ago.

[thx]

never tried the 404
but the 303 it's 1/3 and a half the price of the 404sx...

don't know
to each his own

[MDX]

ya wish i could use the 303 style pads on the sx tho

[djazid]

^
i copped a 303 for 150€ 1 month ago (here in my town, in italy)
don't know the price of a new 404sx but i think is much more than that.
isn't it?

Could be, but you do have to get some *expensive* smart media cards for it.

[admbmb]

I dig the looper and the portability. I would get the OG 404.

[YellowT]

had the sp303 - and it was wayyyyy to slow for me. truncating, copying...took forever. also: no dj looper. I might actually grab a 404 at some point.

admbmb - why the og 404 and not the 404sx?

[thx]

for me the 303 is ok. great machine.
i've got mine with a smartmedia card (64mb, which is far more than enough for me)
the lack of dj looper is not a problem for me, i use a rc-20xl to loop stuff in real time.
but... to each his own

[ellaguru]

. I'm into stuff by the likes of Dilla, Madlib et al and I like the idea of getting creative on an SP.

Thanks

go with 303, close the thread here***.

my experience
404:
PRO_very nice live sequencer, battery power, int mic, more fx (well 2 or 3 more) than the 303, huge space with CF card, faster than 303, wav saving

CONS_pads not very responsive (quantise or not you're nearly mad to make beats), midi sync troubles (hardware and software tried), resample/reverse as all 303 fellas said, sounds a little bit clean than 303

303
PRO_pads fantastic, warm sound, perfect midi, no quantise problem

CONS_"manual" (by hand) sequencer (or, at least, 1 track sequencer) , slow (save/delete/load), smartmedia (rare), no wav saving, no int mic



***check madvillain!!!