AKAI with digital inputs to use their converters

Hi there

Are there any AKAI MPC or sampelers with digital inputs you can use to play your own audio thru their converters? I dont suppose I would be so luck to find one which you could pipe 8 channels thru their individual outputs - ADAT...but I dont suppose that is possible...

From my understanding only 2 inputs can run through a mpc at a time.. You'd have to somehow track into the sampler, then assign each take to a physical output ...

I am assuming that you want that akai mpc sound...

Not worth the hassle imo..

Is that what you want to achieve? Running your 8 outputs through akai converters?

What do you want to do with your current setup?

Connect 4 MPC3000s to your DAW via 4 SPDIF cables, put them in sample mode?

Same with 4 MPC4000s connected via 4 ADAT cables?

What MPC sound do you want though, they all sound different?

thanks both...

Ive been doing some listening tests with the samples kindly produced by a guy from here I believe:

http://sampler-shootout.fromafarawayplace.com/

Its clear the akai sound can really add some weight - and my favorite is the S1000 which sadly doesnt do digital in...however - I also like the MPC2000XL (not sure why people are harsh on its sound - seems good to me in this example...)...

I hear the S3000XL is the same engine? It has SPDIF in - could I run a stereo track into it and monitor out live? Yes - its for the sound of the converters...Ive tried a big range of plugins - but its difficult to get the punch of that sound...

Are they using the sampler inputs and AD though, as well as the DA and outputs, and sometimes overdriving the sampler input, in those tests?

SimonInAustralia wrote:Are they using the sampler inputs and AD though, as well as the DA and outputs, and sometimes overdriving the sampler input, in those tests?

thats a good question but as far as I know - the std files I tested were recorded at a normal level - because there are a few separate ones titles 'hot' and 'hotter' which I didnt focus on because I could not compare across the full range...but yes - there is a chance that the A/D plays a role...

I think the guy that made them is szr on this forum...

SWAN808 wrote:Its clear the akai sound can really add some weight - and my favorite is the S1000 which sadly doesnt do digital in....

Get the digi card for the S1000.
I have an S1000 here that has an s/pdif-TS cable connected up to it.
I mainly use it just for backing up my sounds easily onto my computer, but you can use it for sampling too.

I don't think szr used any digital input. that shootout is to compare the influence of the sampler on a sample and most people won't use the digital input.
The AD plays a big role in sound. Its the part that "chop the signal in 1/samplerate pieces" and therefore have much influence on the sound.

Also....don't underestimate the influence of the whole concept and workflow on these old machines. You will get different results chooping a drumloop on a sampler with and without graphic display for example. There are big differences with the envelopes too.

peace


EDIT: this thread is from 2013.....

jimmie wrote:

SWAN808 wrote:Its clear the akai sound can really add some weight - and my favorite is the S1000 which sadly doesnt do digital in....

Get the digi card for the S1000.
I have an S1000 here that has an s/pdif-TS cable connected up to it.
I mainly use it just for backing up my sounds easily onto my computer, but you can use it for sampling too.

hi dude thats interesting re digi card for s1000 - didnt know that exists...

so can you route sounds via SPDIF and monitor live on the s1000 outputs? much latency?

Yes m8, you can route into the S1000 with s/pdif and monitor the input at either 44100Hz or 48000Hz.
Latency is very short. Not sure what your goals are.

I always sample into the analogue inputs because the clipping sounds ok, so you can sample at a higher volume, meaning that you compress the audio as you sample it. i.e. loud peaks are clipped whilst the quiet audio is brought up in volume.

Hi Jimmie - thanks for the response - Im gonna try a s1000 and see if I can find one with a digi card...maybe a s2000 also...

S1000 owners please correct me if I'm wrong.

Doesn't the sound compression that gives it the "S1000" sound happen after the sound is recorded and temporarily saved in the RAM? I noticed that when I leave it on sample record mode that it's not at that sound until it's temporarily saved. Then i record back from S1000 into my sound interface.

Seems to me it's a bit backwards to want a vintage sampler
to color the sound but then use the digital inputs??
I guess I've never really used any spdif or light pipe
connections.

I should try it & see if any difference. I don't understand
If you're going to gain anything from that.
Someone know better? It seems to defeat the purpose if
I think about it..

Can you even overdrive a digital input?? Bad sound?
I think the 5k is only digital input I have these days so
I'm not even sure I can do a real test.
I will have to look again at my gear..