Used Prices on sp-303 vs sp-505? Why?

[Modorange]

Hello Sp forum! I am new to sampling, I am a drummer, and honestly most my technology is pre-midi (synths juno 60 and Roland SH-1, Minimoog, Rhodes Piano, Simmons Drums, acoustic drums, decent size record collection), so I'm suffering from some techno-phobia. But I'm going to go ahead and try. Over the last year I've found both a used SP303 and SP505. Both seem to work well although I have yet to really put either through their paces.

I may end up selling one of them. The 505 seems to have more features, but when I looked up used prices on both, they have similar prices, low to high. Why?

Is there something about the SP303 that makes it more valuable? Both have similar sampling specs but the 303 doesn't have as many features.

[Ill Green]

In its heyday, the 505 was meant to be a studio piece while the 303 was to be taken on live gigs. You can chop and edits samples in the 505 and take out the Smartmedia chip and put it in the 303 to play live without any formatting. Prices were $500 for a 505 and $300 for the 303, new.

Enter Madlib, who took the least sampler of the dynamic duo and crafted an album called Madvillain with it. The sound was unique and everyone had to have it. The sales of the 303 overshadowed the 505 and left the 505 in obscurity. Like Robin getting more shine than Batman.

Now, because cats are doing their homework, the 505 is recognized to be the same as the 303 but with many useful features. So get it while its hot.

[squ!L]

Like Robin getting more shine than Batman.

[Modorange]

Great, thanks Ill Green for the short history. That explains much.. So they're compatible.. One could keep and use both, the 303 for live performance, the 505 for the studio?

[groktopus]

Great, thanks Ill Green for the short history. That explains much.. So they're compatible.. One could keep and use both, the 303 for live performance, the 505 for the studio?

You can chop and edits samples in the 505 and take out the Smartmedia chip and put it in the 303 to play live without any formatting.

Seems so, which is pretty dope

[Ill Green]

Yup, at least thats the way Boss advertised them at the time, but not too many people was up on the compatible side back then neither. People were performing live with the 505 anyway. The 303 appealed more to the Hip Hop heads while the 505 appealed more to the Electronica heads and thats why using and owning the two became a lost art.

I'm not sure but I think the 404 and the 555 were designed that way too.

[Ill Green]

Yup, at least thats the way Boss advertised them at the time, but not too many people was up on the compatible side back then neither. People were performing live with the 505 anyway. The 303 appealed more to the Hip Hop heads while the 505 appealed more to the Electronica heads and thats why using and owning the two became a lost art.

I'm not sure but I think the 404 and the 555 were designed that way too.

[vingthorthehurler]

I <3 my 505 and I used to own a 303... sell your 303 and get the money xD

[Gundola]

In its heyday, the 505 was meant to be a studio piece while the 303 was to be taken on live gigs. You can chop and edits samples in the 505 and take out the Smartmedia chip and put it in the 303 to play live without any formatting. Prices were $500 for a 505 and $300 for the 303, new.

Enter Madlib, who took the least sampler of the dynamic duo and crafted an album called Madvillain with it. The sound was unique and everyone had to have it. The sales of the 303 overshadowed the 505 and left the 505 in obscurity. Like Robin getting more shine than Batman.

Now, because cats are doing their homework, the 505 is recognized to be the same as the 303 but with many useful features. So get it while its hot.

I wonder why there is so many anecdotes of people saying the 303 sounds "warmer" or that the compression sounds different on the 303 vs the 505 if they supposedly have the same exact FX engine and/or are essentially the same exact unit.

Is there some magic fairy dust the 303 imparts over the 505?

I read reports that the 303 rolls the hi's off more? And the 303 has a subtle white noise the 505 doesn't?

I am about to put the chips down on one of these pieces....I can get the 505 anywhere from 75-100 USD cheaper. But for some reason I see myself lusting the 303 more....Maybe it's just perception.

[Gundola]

In its heyday, the 505 was meant to be a studio piece while the 303 was to be taken on live gigs. You can chop and edits samples in the 505 and take out the Smartmedia chip and put it in the 303 to play live without any formatting. Prices were $500 for a 505 and $300 for the 303, new.

Enter Madlib, who took the least sampler of the dynamic duo and crafted an album called Madvillain with it. The sound was unique and everyone had to have it. The sales of the 303 overshadowed the 505 and left the 505 in obscurity. Like Robin getting more shine than Batman.

Now, because cats are doing their homework, the 505 is recognized to be the same as the 303 but with many useful features. So get it while its hot.

I wonder why there is so many anecdotes of people saying the 303 sounds "warmer" or that the compression sounds different on the 303 vs the 505 if they supposedly have the same exact FX engine and/or are essentially the same exact unit.

Is there some magic fairy dust the 303 imparts over the 505?

I read reports that the 303 rolls the hi's off more? And the 303 has a subtle white noise the 505 doesn't?

I am about to put the chips down on one of these pieces....I can get the 505 anywhere from 75-100 USD cheaper. But for some reason I see myself lusting the 303 more....Maybe it's just perception.

[ellaguru]

In its heyday, the 505 was meant to be a studio piece while the 303 was to be taken on live gigs. You can chop and edits samples in the 505 and take out the Smartmedia chip and put it in the 303 to play live without any formatting. Prices were $500 for a 505 and $300 for the 303, new.

Enter Madlib, who took the least sampler of the dynamic duo and crafted an album called Madvillain with it. The sound was unique and everyone had to have it. The sales of the 303 overshadowed the 505 and left the 505 in obscurity. Like Robin getting more shine than Batman.

Now, because cats are doing their homework, the 505 is recognized to be the same as the 303 but with many useful features. So get it while its hot.

I wonder why there is so many anecdotes of people saying the 303 sounds "warmer" or that the compression sounds different on the 303 vs the 505 if they supposedly have the same exact FX engine and/or are essentially the same exact unit.

Is there some magic fairy dust the 303 imparts over the 505?

I read reports that the 303 rolls the hi's off more? And the 303 has a subtle white noise the 505 doesn't?

I am about to put the chips down on one of these pieces....I can get the 505 anywhere from 75-100 USD cheaper. But for some reason I see myself lusting the 303 more....Maybe it's just perception.

i have both and i can tell you that it's true: compression or sound in general is warmer on the 303. i don't know but maybe boss guys mounthed other a/d converters or other on the 303...there's a thread i opened 1 year ago in wich i made sound comparison with many different samplers (303 and 505 were there of course), it should be the production side if you're interested.