hi
i just received yesterdeay an sp-404. i've got also an sp-303 (and in hte next days i will receive an sp-606! you know, i'm crazy ).
i'm trying to compare the two little beasts.
the sp-404 is more practic to interface with other gear(i talk about import/export .wav/.aiff and other stuff).
i found that the sp-404 pads are a little bit harder than the sp-303 pads. i also notice that the 2 machines sound a little different (the sp-303 is more rough), and sp-303 compression fx is more convincing (to me) than the same sp-404 fx.
unfortunately a also noticed that quantizing in recording patterns is more "precise" in the sp-303 than in the sp-404; i found it more difficult in the sp-404 when i put quantize on 16 and more....i hoped that the fact that sp-404 got a 32 quantize would helped me to have more rythmic variations, but until now it doesn't.
...maybe it's only a question of consuetude (just 2 sp-404 days) , but...

hahaha, you're not crazy!
Your just rich motherfucker

But seriously, I bet you gonna have wonderful time with your ULTIMATE-SP-SETUP!

[Just a little advice, you probably know it. That's what Blindfold said once back in the day and I couldnt agree more with him. Don't get into I-NEED-NEW-HARDWARE-2-MAKE-BETTER-BEATZ mania ]


I aint complaining.
You'll probably get used to it.
Or just fuck quantizing to add some "groove" to your beats ( Yeah, I love this phrase )

Peace

You got to get used to the pad action on the 404. It forces you to be more precise than the 303.

That's all I've really got for you.

...yes, i'm rich in the mind ...no, seriuosly, i look at samplers market beacause i want to keep the pc away from me...after 3 years of pc and only pc i said stop. i will use it only to stock files and (maybe) record files.
i think that an mpc 1000 black is a good machine but too expensive. the true good machine is the mpc 2000xl. but you know, the akai team is not magic in talking about "the fx thang"...so i bought an mpc 500, 'cause it was a second hand not expensive occsion...but i find his pads hard to play (except in "full level" for the mpc knowers-sorry for my english), and the fact that you don't have a screen "to see where you are",sometimes makes me mad. so i get an sp-404 in a not expensive occasion and the same for the sp-606 (this one from ebay). now i have to decide if mpc 500 will go out from this family (i have also a"grand father"of all this little boys, the akai remix 16 from 1996...)
....the real sp i would like to try is the sp-505 because is the only one wich got a f******ng real pitch and i love his sp-303-look. but i doesn't export .wav and so....
...you know what? the perfect sampler doesen't exist!...



...maybe is just a question of pratice...but you have to push harder than the sp-303.
thanx anyway!!

gee congrats
I just ordered my sp, so you don't have to worry about having to sell it
no really
good luck

hi 8bit!!
felicitations for your sp-404!!
how much did you pay it?
cheers

my pads are soft and very responsive. I might post a pic later to show why

Your 404 pads are soft and very responsive? If so, I'd be very curious as to see why so I can copy you maybe.

heh.

...me too...

Ok i cant take a picture today .

I rubbed the numbers off the buttons . this makes them softer.

however, I am not shure how much this will devalue your unit.
I am not planning on getting rid of mine. and out of my 202 303 404 and 505
I used them untill they were pretty much unusable.

I would think it would make it worth more LOL. I got the idea when my 1 pad started to fade and rubbed it off all the way, then continued to do the rest. I will post a pic later,

i changed the kick samples from pad 4 to pad 6 and now at quantize 16 it works a little better. but i got always some inequality maybe (i hope) depending on pratice...i also try to push EXACTLY where the number is written on pad, maybe is better that way. anyway i wait for your pic.

About 230 euro, including shipping and a card. I won the auction but I still have to pay. Might've been a high price but I wanted the SP so bad! By the way, why don't you look at some akai samplers? If you have enough money. I think an Akai 1000 or 2000 would be great to use alongside your 404.
Cheers and good luck

i have an akai mpc 500 and an old akai remix 16...i'm drugged by samplers

cheers to you and tell me please if you got the same problem with the pads...

My friend just got a 404 and the pads are a little clunky but nothing to hold back a dedicated sample artist.

yes euclid, i know, at the end that's not the only thing to see at sp-404. but i use to quantize at least at 16, not even at 32, and belive me the results are really discouragging with this machine. maybe i will post a video in wich i do confrontation between sp-303 and sp-404 in quantizing thing.