I don't know what robotunes is talking about but if you got an Roland s.p. as a m.p.c. alternative then you'll be very disappointed.
SP's are made for live performance, thought none of them could be the
center of your setup 'cause they have very simple sequencers.
SP's are basically efx boxes that woke-up one day and decided to
be sampler/sequencers. some
of them are more at home in
the studio than others but it would be
difficult to make it your
main production box and isn't worth trying unless you really love
its sound.
I made a some comparisons here for readers
The Roland/Boss SP Series of Table Top Samplers
1) Roland MS-1 Digital Sampler: 1995/95
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2) Roland SP-808 GrooveSampler: 1998
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Specifications
Polyphony - 4 Stereo Voices
Sampler - 44.1kHz and 32kHz sample-rates, holds up to 1,024 samples (16 pads x 64 banks)
Sequencer - 64 songs, 2000 events per song
Filter - Filter effect: lowpass resonant, low boost; Isolator effect: isolate hi, mid or low bands
Effects - GrooveSampler: 99 preset patches, 99 user patches; e-Studio: 25 algorithms, 149 preset patches, 149 user patches
Memory - 100 MB Zip Drive
Keyboard - None, 16 touch pads (not velocity sensitive)
Control - MIDI IN/OUT, MMC, MTC, MIDI Clock
3) Boss SP-202 Dr. Sample: 2000
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Specifications
Polyphony - 4 voices
Oscillators - None
Sampler - 31.25kHz (hi-fi), 15.63kHz (standard), 7.81kHz (lo-fi), 3.91kHz (lo-fi 2); 32 to 260 seconds
Sequencer - None
Effects - Pitch, Filter, Resonant Filter, Time stretch, Ring Modulator, Delay
Memory - Holds 16 samples; offline storage to SmartMedia 5.5v Memory Card
Keyboard - None, 8 touch pads (not velocity sensitive)
Control - MIDI
4) Roland SP-808 e-Studio: 2000
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Specifications
Polyphony - 4 Stereo Voices
Sampler - 44.1kHz and 32kHz sample-rates, holds up to 1,024 samples (16 pads x 64 banks)
Sequencer - 64 songs, 2000 events per song
Filter - Filter effect: lowpass resonant, low boost; Isolator effect: isolate hi, mid or low bands
Effects - GrooveSampler: 99 preset patches, 99 user patches; e-Studio: 25 algorithms, 149 preset patches, 149 user patches
Memory - 100 MB Zip Drive (250 MB in e-Mix Studio)
Keyboard - None 16 rubber touch pads (not velocity sensitive)
Control - MIDI IN/OUT, MMC, MTC, MIDI Clock
5) Boss SP-303 Dr. sample: 2001
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Specifications
Polyphony - 8 voices
Oscillators - None
Sampler - 44.1 kHz (standard), 22.05 kHz (long), 11.025 kHz (lo-fi); 31 seconds to 202 min
Sequencer - None
Effects - 26 effects including Filter + Drive, Pitch, Delay, Vinyl Sim, Isolator, Reverb, Tape Echo (+19 more!)
Memory - 32 samples (16 intern, 16 SmartMedia 3.3V Card); up to 112 samples backup
Keyboard - none 8 touch pads (not velocity sensitive)
Control - MIDI IN
6) Boss SP-505 Groove Sampling Workstation: 2002
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Specifications
Polyphony - 8 notes
Multitimbral - MIDI 1-part, Sequencer 4-parts
Sampler - Stereo sampler with 4MB Internal memory (from 2 min to 17 min). External memory cards of 8MB to 128MB (up to 64 min sampling at 44.1 or 395min at 11.025 kHz)
Sample Rate -
Standard: 44.1 kHz
Long: 22.05 kHz
Lo-fi: 11.025 kHz
Effects - 26 DSP effects including Filter + Drive, Pitch, Delay, Vinyl Sim, Isolator, Reverb, Tape Echo (+19 more!)
Sequencer - 4-Track sequencer
Patterns - 40 preset patterns, 100 user patterns
Songs - 20 Songs
Keyboard - none 16 rubber pads (not velocity sensitive)
Memory - Internal memory: 250 samples (16 banks); 64 onboard Tones; External Card memory: 256 samples (16 banks)
Control - MIDI IN/OUT
7) Roland SP-606 Sampling Workstation: 2004
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Specifications
Polyphony - 8 voices
Oscillators - None
Sampler - 44.1 kHz (standard), 22.05 kHz (long), 11.025 kHz (lo-fi)
Sequencer - Notes: 18,000, Tracks: 4, Songs: 25, Patterns: 140, Song Steps: 999, Resolution: 96 PPQ
Effects - 45 x Multi-Effect Types 1 x 2-Band Master Compressor
Memory - 16MB internal – up to 512 MB on optional cf card.
Keyboard – 16 velocity sensitive touch pads
Control - MIDI IN/OUT, USB, MMC, MTC, MIDI Clock
8) Roland SP-404 Sampling Workstation: 2005
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9) Roland SP-404 SXLinear Wave Sampler: 2009
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Specifications
Polyphony - 12 voices
Oscillators - None
Sampler - 44.1 kHz (standard), 22.05 kHz (long), 11.025 kHz (lo-fi)
Sequencer - Maximum recordable notes: Approx. 16,000 notes, Resolution: 96 ticks per quarter note, Pattern Length: 1-99 measures, Recording method: Realtime Loop Recording (with shuffle quantize function)
Effects - 45 x Multi-Effect Types 1 x 2-Band Master Compressor
Memory - up to 32GB SDHC.
Keyboard – none 12 touch pads (not velocity sensitive)
Control - MIDI IN/OUT, MMC, MTC, MIDI Clock
10) Roland SP-555 Sampling Workstation: 2010
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Specifications
Polyphony - 12 voices
Oscillators - None
Sampler - 44.1 kHz (standard), 22.05 kHz (long), 11.025 kHz (lo-fi)
Sequencer - Maximum recordable notes: Approx. 16,000 notes, Resolution: 96 ticks per quarter note, Pattern Length: 1-99 measures, Recording method: Realtime Loop Recording (with shuffle quantize function)
Effects - 45 x Multi-Effect Types 1 x 2-Band Master Compressor
Memory – 32 MB internal up to 32GB SDHC.
Keyboard – none 16 touch pads with velocity sensitivity
Control - MIDI IN/OUT, USB, MMC, MTC, MIDI Clock
the 808 is not the best sp but it is cool, being a mini hard-disk recorder and all.
sp's come in two flavors, "display" and "mark button"
sp-808, sp-808ex, sp-505 and sp-606 are all "display models" meaning they all have a wave edit display. these are the ones with menu diving.
sp-202, sp-303, sp-404, sp-404sx and sp-555 all have the "Mark button" instead of a display, your supposed to sample with these by ear.
the 606 and the 555 are both weirdo's in-so-much-as the 555 is a 404sx that's missing some key features but can be a usb audio and midi interface.
606 is a 505 missing some features but can also be a be a usb audio and midi interface.
now you can sit at your desk and make a beat completely with just some vinyl
and anyone of these boxes but they are made to be on stage triggering
simple loops filtered through efx. so don't be surprised at the lack of depth in the sequencer and polyphony. also only the 555 can sample its own patterns!!
I keep 2 sp's, a 606 and a 505 just to bounce patters between.
to understand the attraction to the Roland/Boss SP-Sampler series you have to know what an SP
is: just enough midi/sequencing to get by as a sequencer,
just enough audio routing to be a sampler.. but an effects engine beast. consequently where SP's
fail you as a sampler you have to make up for those failing with the effects. it forces a lot of
creativity out of you.
almost all of its weakness have a workaround involving the efx's,
for instance: you can't resample a pattern on any sp except
the 555. real bummer for a sampler with only 8 voices of mono.
how does one over come this limitation?......with the effects!
the 606 can resample its delay buffer: if the wet and the echo
are all the way up you can get a whole bar of a sequence in
there---basically a one bar, lofi, pattern resample.
need a bass tone on a sample but can't find one you like?,
load the oscillator effect in one effect slot and the envelope
effect in the other, now you have a synth.
need 16 levels but it doesn't exist on your sp? just resample
the sound triggered 16 times through the pitch effect as you
twist the knob, then auto-chop that pad to a new pad bank.
these boxes are great but they are not mpc's and should not
be thought of as one.
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you know if i can use 8 track with some way at roland sp 808 and no 4?because on says 1/2 3/4 /5/6 7/8 and mono left right or something?if this is possible is the best machine,because 4 track is little,i find a ways for example i write a track then with mark i sent to pad and then i mix it and i have all form of mixing and then resampling final form and if something dont like i have and before forms,and if i can plan tracks with software and midi,plz reply only if you know because i was quest if you can put ADSR in samples and all says no and one guy told me how you can and finally has,thanks aaaa and if you can plan tracks with synth pattern sequencer.thanks soz for my bad english i hope you understood the points
