Akai S2000 vs S3000

The Marrvel · 12th June 2006

I have the option to cop a S2000 for $80 or a S3000 for $160. Both have 16mb RAM. I'm only really using it as a summing experiment. Which one would you go with for the price and purpose?

perun · 12th June 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Marrvel

I have the option to cop a S2000 for $80 or a S3000 for $160. Both have 16mb RAM. I'm only really using it as a summing experiment. Which one would you go with for the price and purpose?

I would go for S1000 or S1100, it could be around $160, with full options and memory! It still sounds best! But in your case, if you can't find one, buy S3000...

Cheers!

Samplecraze · 12th June 2006

I would also opt for the 3k.

The screen on the 2k will have you spitting nails after a while.

funkynuts · 12th June 2006

s3000xl all the way!

Still love the sound of mine...great envelopes and filters!

The Marrvel · 12th June 2006

do any of these have a stereo compressor? I remember my MPC1000 did...

The Beatsmith · 12th June 2006

why would you buy one of these when a software sampler shits all over them?

it's not gonna change the sound, man

anyway, for compression etc, i'm pretty sure you need the FX card, the same one that fits into the MPC 2k/2kxl, can't quite remember

The Marrvel · 13th June 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Beatsmith

it's not gonna change the sound, man

it should, the converters oughta sound alot different from my soundcard's.

my old mpc mixes sounded pretty different from the Cubase mixes using the same exact wav files in battery. i really like how the hardware sums the mix.

atma · 13th June 2006

i'd get the S950, personally.. simply for its variable sample rate.. i can never replicate the way vintage samplers like the s950 or sp1200 alias using software. obviously that's not what you'd want if you're looking for a hi-fi sound though..

illynoise · 13th June 2006

Between the 2000 and the 3000? It depends on which 3000, if it's the XL then go for that one.

I can't believe they are going to that cheap.

I still have a 3000xl and I will keep it forever I guess. It's funny that an ASR-10 would go for more than a Akai, since the Akai was the best sounding out there.

BaseJase
illynoise

The Marrvel · 13th June 2006

It's a regular 3000, which i'm leaning towards since it's expanded and comes with a zip drive too.

Would using the spdif defeat the purpose of getting the 'akai sound'?

illynoise · 13th June 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Marrvel

It's a regular 3000, which i'm leaning towards since it's expanded and comes with a zip drive too.

Would using the spdif defeat the purpose of getting the 'akai sound'?

I think that the 2000 came out after the 3000 and CD3000. If I remember right the 3000 has a better menu setup than the 2000, and I would use the main outs and expansion if it has it. Those pieces sounded pretty similar to the MPC, at least my s3000xl did. But again, I think that the 3000 was a generation behind the 2000.

The sound of the akai isn't in it's digital outputs, it's AT the output.

BaseJase
Illynoise

DJ ALX · 9th October 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Beatsmith

why would you buy one of these when a software sampler shits all over them?

Depends on what you want the sampler for.

If you wanna do house/hip hop/techno you can still make a song on Reason, FL or Cubase but if you make the same song on one of these samplers youd get a song with character, something that most tracks out there lack.

Its weird that when you make a song on Reason and you make the same on an MPC2000 youd like the MPC2000 more over the Reason one.

kazper · 9th October 2009

I think the 3000 as the only sampler in the line replaced in about 1993/1994.
I'm not sure of when the S-3000 stuff hit the market but 1993 was the EOL for S-1000 Line.

1995
S-2000 Introduced

1996
S-3000xl Introduced

1998
S-5000/S-6000 Introduced

I'd skip anything below the S-5000 unless you have a library or it's a super deal. I got a S-5000 for $150 recently off craigslist. I would say there very much worth it because it is a sampler at it's best.

Out of your options I'd skip the S-2000 and go for the S-3000, but for the price it better come with lots of add on's and devices.

elan · 30th December 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Beatsmith

why would you buy one of these when a software sampler shits all over them?

it's not gonna change the sound, man

anyway, for compression etc, i'm pretty sure you need the FX card, the same one that fits into the MPC 2k/2kxl, can't quite remember

are you sure of what you are saying? have you ever used a hardware sampler or you write assuming that digital is digital math is math so there shouldn't be any difference between a software or a hardware sample.. both are computer?

because i really suggest you to try, for example, an mpc 2kxl as you mentioned.. or something other..

and i suggest you to sample with the mpc 2kxl and to use their filters..

i spent years working totally itb without getting the sound i like, using all kind of processing and i spent 1 min last night to get my perfect kick sound (for now) with the mpc 2kxl and a novation drum station (808 kick)

the way you compress the 808 kick attack and the way the filters and the envelope work on it is totally unique.

personally i can't get the same processing using anything other via software. but even with the few hardware outboard i have (an 1176 for example)

12th June 2006	#1
The Marrvel Lives for gear Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NYC Posts: 607 Thread Starter	Akai S2000 vs S3000 I have the option to cop a S2000 for $80 or a S3000 for $160. Both have 16mb RAM. I'm only really using it as a summing experiment. Which one would you go with for the price and purpose?

12th June 2006	#3
Samplecraze Gear maniac Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 213	I would also opt for the 3k. The screen on the 2k will have you spitting nails after a while. __________________ Samplecraze Stretch That Note

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12th June 2006	#4
funkynuts Gear addict Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Gothenburg Sweden Posts: 354	s3000xl all the way! Still love the sound of mine...great envelopes and filters!

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The Beatsmith Lives for gear Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: UK Posts: 3,388	why would you buy one of these when a software sampler shits all over them? it's not gonna change the sound, man anyway, for compression etc, i'm pretty sure you need the FX card, the same one that fits into the MPC 2k/2kxl, can't quite remember

13th June 2006	#8
atma Lives for gear Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,349	i'd get the S950, personally.. simply for its variable sample rate.. i can never replicate the way vintage samplers like the s950 or sp1200 alias using software. obviously that's not what you'd want if you're looking for a hi-fi sound though..

13th June 2006	#9
illynoise Lives for gear Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 1,665	Between the 2000 and the 3000? It depends on which 3000, if it's the XL then go for that one. I can't believe they are going to that cheap. I still have a 3000xl and I will keep it forever I guess. It's funny that an ASR-10 would go for more than a Akai, since the Akai was the best sounding out there. BaseJase illynoise

9th October 2009	#13
kazper Lives for gear Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Seattle WA Suburbs Posts: 876	I think the 3000 as the only sampler in the line replaced in about 1993/1994. I'm not sure of when the S-3000 stuff hit the market but 1993 was the EOL for S-1000 Line. 1995 S-2000 Introduced 1996 S-3000xl Introduced 1998 S-5000/S-6000 Introduced I'd skip anything below the S-5000 unless you have a library or it's a super deal. I got a S-5000 for $150 recently off craigslist. I would say there very much worth it because it is a sampler at it's best. Out of your options I'd skip the S-2000 and go for the S-3000, but for the price it better come with lots of add on's and devices.