Just got a s950!!!!!!!

jibber wrote:I have some issues with the 950 and high frequency noise too, might as well post in here...

What i'm doing is the following:

- I sample from vinyl 45 + 8 into the 950 at the highest sampling rate (doesn't matter, tried low rates and it gives the same results)
- I low pass the sample in the 950 (value was set to 24 in this example) and record it into the MPC60
- I put the sample on 16-level in the MPC60

This is what i get:
http://www.mediafire.com/?ya141wici2g9qgy
If the sample is pitched up or down in the 950 it's no problem, if it's done in the MPC after it's recorded, bam!... high frequency noise!

This is recorded the same way, but not using the filter on the 950:
http://www.mediafire.com/?b9u7xus1g7d23bp
No problem there... or maybe it's just harder to hear, but it seems the issue only shows when using the low pass filter on the S950.

At first i thought this might be a defective unit, but i'm not so sure anymore. I actually found a 2nd S950 for very cheap this past weekend and bought it. And now guess what... does exactly the same!

Can somebody else with an S950 recreate this and share their own results?

I know it's not the MPC60, i tried the same thing replacing the 950 with the 2KXL and using the low pass filter, then 16-level on the MPC60... nothing, sounds clean.

If this is normal, how do people sample bass notes through the 950, low pass them and use 16-level on an MPC? I always thought the 950 was dope for basslines, but it seems the filter sucks monkey balls after all....?

mr_debauch wrote:yeah, really look into the screen and inverter... I always hear about those old ones causing noise like you describe.. also check for the thread with the new replacement displays that cost 20 bucks. the thread topic was called something like "S950 LED LCD" I think if I remember correctly.

But is this really the inverter? I was under the impression the machine itself would produce an audible whine if the inverter was bad? Both machines are silent as can be and the screens look fine...

jibber wrote:But is this really the inverter? I was under the impression the machine itself would produce an audible whine if the inverter was bad? Both machines are silent as can be and the screens look fine...

i dont know, I only have the s900 and I dont have the problem.. however I dont think the sound from the inverter has anything to do with how well the display is showing the text... I never had the problem.. just take a look at those threads anyways though because it may point you in the right direction or help you think of what the problem may be.

I've seen the thread you're talking about (LCD one) and consider it an option... but i'm suspicious since it's exactly the same on both machines and only with a low passed sample... Everything sounds fine, no noise whatsoever, until i put a low passed sample to 16-level on my MPC60.

jibber wrote:I've seen the thread you're talking about (LCD one) and consider it an option... but i'm suspicious since it's exactly the same on both machines and only with a low passed sample... Everything sounds fine, no noise whatsoever, until i put a low passed sample to 16-level on my MPC60.

oh, I thought it was there but became louder with the low pass..

you know what? I heard the s950's filter (contrary to popular belief) is actually analog but controlled digitally... maybe there is something grounding or messing up the signal path? If you had the service manual you could maybe look into where and how it is connected and integrated into the machine so you could see if anything needed to either be mended or maintained due to age.

vinyl_junkie_1620 wrote:That's right the S-950 will make you sound just like DJ Premiere and remember always sample in mono on the 950

Lmao oldie but goodie

mr_debauch wrote:oh, I thought it was there but became louder with the low pass..

you know what? I heard the s950's filter (contrary to popular belief) is actually analog but controlled digitally... maybe there is something grounding or messing up the signal path? If you had the service manual you could maybe look into where and how it is connected and integrated into the machine so you could see if anything needed to either be mended or maintained due to age.

I am not sure, but i can't seem to hear anything when i don't low pass the sample. Did you listen to the two audio files i posted? One is with a low passed sample, one without. To my ears, the 2nd one without sounds fine.

The weird thing is that both S950's behave exactly the same way... that's why i asked if somebody else with an S950 could maybe try and recreate this and post up their results.

I'd simply like to isolate the problem a little more before i try and get something repaired or serviced. I have no problem with putting a card reader into an MPC or fitting an OS upgrade, memory expansion, etc. But when it comes to more technical stuff i'm lost. There's a guy in a town nearby that does service and repair old machines like this, but he's expensive as ****!

Aight, sorry for the double post...

I phoned up the guy i mentioned in the post above to see what his opinion would be. Described what i'm doing and what's happening with the sample... blabla.

He said this would be normal and not a malfunction. He went into more detail when explaining how and why it happens, but again... i'm not very good when it gets too technical so don't ask me to repeat what he said, but it made sense somehow...

I almost guarantee that anybody with a 950 could recreate this. Guess it's just not the way how to use this machine and i'll have to dive into the whole midi-stuff (just thinking about it is giving me a headache... meh!).

Thank you for the audio demos!! Another thing learned. I didn't notice this since your audios but I was now able to recreate it on my 950 too.
Ok. Here is what I found out:
The noise you're talking about is a very high frequency peak at about -55 to -60 dB (depending on the filter setting).
The samplerate doesnt matter. It's always there when a sample is played thru the filter (the sample itself also doesnt matter. It can be silence too. So I think its ok to say the noise is generated by the filter).
The peak is only there in the range from filter=29 down to filter=0
The frequency of the peak also depends on the filter setting:


filter=28 - peak = 21560 Hz
filter=27 - peak = 20940 Hz
filter=26 - peak = 19780 Hz
filter=25 - peak = 18680 Hz
filter=24 - peak = 17610 Hz
filter=23 - peak = 15680 Hz

at filter=22 to filter=00 the peak stays on the 15680 Hz

The peak is not a single frequency but has two mirror frequencies (+/- 1000 Hz from the center frequency mentioned above)

Now I think there are two reasons you hear the "noise" more than I did:

1. I always sample really loud (I use the "saturation-little-distortion-technique". Feeding a very hot signal into the 950. )
Since the noise we're talking about here is always at the same level ´no matter how loud or quiet you sample, the signal to (peak)noise ratio on my samples is high.
If you sample a signal with low volume or gain settings the signal to peak-noise is lower and it's more audiable.

2. When you resample the filtered (and therefore noisy) sample with another sampler and play it back at different pitches the peak-noise will always be audiable.
It will also change its frequency and is easier to hear. Mostly when you pitch it lower cause the frequency of the peak-noise will be in a lower frequency range which means: its easier to hear it.


I recommend to sample at high volume into the s950.
If its still not acceptable you can try to use an EQ before sampling into the MPC. Maybe the Revox EQ can be used. Cut the high and boost the low frequencies and sample it to the 60.

You can also try the following: Tune down the sample in the 950 lower than you actually need it (for example 16 semitones). sample this tuned down sample with the 60. Since you have to tune it up to be in the tune you need it the noise will be in a very high frequency range you might not hear anymore.

Another thing I thoght about. AFAIK the 60 have a function to half the samplerate. Try this too.


peace