Forum for all other samplers & synths such as Maschine, MVs, Akai S & Z series, Roland, Korg, OP-1, analog synths etc.
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By nu-comer Wed Jan 13, 2016 4:57 pm
Hi everyone.

I got a chance to get the S3000 (not the XL). Been thinking bout that for a while since I lack some sound shaping options in my MPC 3000. Mostly the FX section.

Never had an oportunity to put my hands on the S3000 but believe me: I've went through A LOT of google and forum searches to get just one simple answer for a simple question:

Does S3000 actually have plenty of assignable effects?

I got kind of confused, because

1) on vintygesynth the description says: 50 effects which are already built in.

http://www.vintagesynth.com/akai/s3000.php

2) and on the website below it says: ECHO/CHORUS/PITCH SHIFT/DELAY

http://akai.brothelowner.com/jules/S3000/info.html

:roll:

I know the sampler has 2 LFO's and 2 envelopes if I understood it correctly. But my main concern is the effects section. What about FLANGER/DISTORTION/REVERB for instance?

Tons of threads and info concern S3200XL or S3000XL. But not many information about S3000. Beasides: I wonder why is that so?

I'd be very very grateful for your feedback. I really couldn't find one and only answer for that and I don't know anybody who uses S3000.

And a bonus question: any of using MPC3000 + S3000 combo? Is it worth a dime?

Cheers! :wink:
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By nu-comer Wed Jan 13, 2016 5:58 pm
craveone wrote:i'd skip on the s3k... you have a mpc3k right now... go with an s3200xl. its the mpc 3k in a rack box with fx... the s3000 is based around the mpc2000.


D*mn, so I can see another confusion, mate.

I've read a lot about S series and each and every pearson wrote, that S3000 IS THE SAME AS 3K - it's like a rack version of MPC 3K but with more sonic options including FXs. S3000 came before 3200XL, which is upgraded version with more options (as long as you buy it with the FX Extension Board).

As far as I know S3000XL is the version which is the equivalent of mpc 2000. The same as S2000XL.
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By richie Wed Jan 13, 2016 10:58 pm
The S3000 has on board effects stanard, as does the S2800 (although less effects). So yeah, the websites you're looking at are not lying man. To be honest, I have not found much personal use from the effects at all as I never really used flangers or delays for anything I create in the first place, maybe a few times I used echos but that was it.

I would have preferred some reverbs or something like that.
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By nu-comer Thu Jan 14, 2016 9:59 pm
Thanks, richie.

Well yes, I'm looking for some effects, wave form edditing, LFO's and envelopes sound shaping options.

Finally, I bought it and waiting for the delivery. Thought about it as a supplement to my MPC 3K.

Anybody about the effects inside the box?
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By richie Fri Jan 15, 2016 12:34 am
I believe the S3000 has reverb effects which the S2800 lacks so I am curious to hear some sound tests from anyone else as well.
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By nu-comer Sat Jan 16, 2016 3:40 pm
Oh, and one more question, guys: what about EQ in S3000? Low/Mid/High EQ or just low pass filter?

I'll get the S3k on Monday but I'm just trying to get some info to know if I should even look for these options. As many of you probably know - getting S3000 manual nowadays is effing impossible...(got the S3000XL pdf manual but can't say how similar the boxes are).

Cheers!
By sadzik Sun Jan 17, 2016 12:28 pm
My s3000 has low pass filter which is filter number 1 and second filter slot where you can choose between lpf,hpf,bpf and eq, however i have no idea if got the fx card installed or not. Also the s3000xl manual is good enough for s3000, the interface is basically almost the same.
Will you be able to post audio shootout between mpc 3000 and s3000 ? :D :D :D
Peace from Poland.
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By nu-comer Sun Jan 17, 2016 2:07 pm
Siemasz, dobrze widzieć Polaka na tym forum :-D

Thanks for the reply. Low pass and the other switchable filter would be just enough. And the EQ, wow! :-D

Yep, I'll post the sound clips from both machines for comparison, no problem! I think they'll sound identical as they got the same specs and converters, but will see. As soon as I get the grip of the box I'll put it here.

Cheers, guys! :wink:
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By nu-comer Sat Jan 30, 2016 9:08 am
For anybody who might have doubts like mine:

AKAI S3000 does have following effects: ECHO, CHORUS, REVERB, PITCH SHIFT wich come with 50 in totall presets (for instance: tape echo, muted echo, fast flange, warm chours etc.)

NO REVERB AT ALL (which is a pitty).

It also has very good low-pass filter with resonance, 2 LFO's, 2 Envelopes. Wide variety of options to shape your sample sounds.

The box sounds pretty good I must say and I still don't know the 95% of its options so it sounds like a great fun for the nearest future :wink:
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By hok-2 Sat Jan 30, 2016 12:49 pm
Yeah the S3000 has built in effects, it's not the EB16 card though, it's part of the machine
Just had a look at the effects list - yep no reverb
Also I'm pretty sure you can only have one effect at a time as apposed to multiple effects on different programs, although I'd like to proved wrong.
You can get a sort of reverb effect by adjusting the envelope when using looped sounds like the built in sine, pulse, square and sawtooph (obviously not on one shot drums)
I have a Mp2000 and a S3000 and I don't think they sound the same, the S3000 sounds a bit muddier and seems to colour the sound slightly where as the Mpc2000 sounds pretty much the same as the original source material in my opinion.
I think with the second filter board you get high pass filter and some Eq's (I don't have it)
I learned the basic operation from a S3000xl manual and havent been able to find a S3000 anywhere online.

I got some copys of sound librarys of a guy on ebay a while back called Juicy Lemon music, he doesn't seem to sell them on ebay anymore but has a website, he doe's a try out disk for 99p you might want to check it out.
It's useful because all the program parameters are set up and make a good template.
I think the S3000 is brilliant and I use it all the time so I'm sure you'll dig it.
By sadzik Sun Jan 31, 2016 12:05 am
Thanks for the shootout, especially the one with the filter :worthy:

Try to mess with samplerate function and timestretching. Doing it gives some weird artifacts - which depending of the material can be pleasant or not.
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By richie Sun Jan 31, 2016 6:53 am
@hok-2 keep in mind that the S3000 is not the same sample engine as the MPC 2000 so that would explain why they don't sound the same. The S3000XL has the same sample engine as the S2000 / MPC 2000/XL

By the way, what makes these Lemon music akai cds interesting? I mean, are there parameters in the programs specifically suited to utilizing the effects in the S3000 series samplers?
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By hok-2 Sun Jan 31, 2016 4:40 pm
@Richie - Just kinda good to have some ready made programs and sounds really.
They're all looped correctly and I think they're copy's of some of the original Akai & E-mu sound banks which are quite hard to find in my experience.
To be honest most of them sound quite dated but are useful for creating new programs out of. The piano ones are quite good as they're multi sampled.
I'm not trying to drum up business for the guy, just like I say I'd searched a long time to find some sound banks like that.

@Craveone - Just wondering about the S3200 . I think they come with the second filter board fitted as standard and effects, is it the EB16 card or is it internal like the S3000?
I'd like to get the second filter board for the s3000 and I'd like a effects card for my mpc.