Roland SP-404 mkII

An article on the engineers behind the MK2.

https://articles.roland.com/roland-engi ... p-404mkii/

the SP 404 has to be one of the most successful scams in music gear of all time. it honestly blows my mind how many people have been tricked into thinking the SP 404 is a useful piece of gear. I've even seen listings for these silly toys that are in the same price range as an MPC. I'm honestly convinced this whole "lo fi" wave online was at least partially started by roland people to sell old stock on used markets and eventually get people to buy more toys like the MKII. that's the reasoning people use to justify buying SP 404s, right? that it has a cool "lo fi" sound or whatever? regardless, seeing people get excited over this is downright depressing to me. I really hope at least have of the people in this thread are secretly working for roland and aren't genuinely unwittingly perpetuating a scam.

Well... you're certainly entitled to your own opinion.

man preorders are so backed up, some retailers closed their windows until further notice. Sweetwater mentioning "in a few months" if you preorder now. Its crazy, like the Mini-NES and Volca Sample2 fiasco.

Was getting anxious and planning to cancel but I'll keep my spot now since they come so scarcely now.

folks are starting to post on eBay for x2 to x3 of the price... crazy.

I saw that, they were up for a brief stint but were taken down. Maybe ebay cried foul at items not actually available.

1st batch orders look like 10 to 20 MK2s per retailer. Buyers should check with their retailer on how many they are getting and what number are you in line. Those that ordered after the 14th of Oct. may get pushed to 2nd or 3rd batches. Its that crazy right now.

SpectacularCommodity1776 wrote:the SP 404 has to be one of the most successful scams in music gear of all time. it honestly blows my mind how many people have been tricked into thinking the SP 404 is a useful piece of gear. I've even seen listings for these silly toys that are in the same price range as an MPC. I'm honestly convinced this whole "lo fi" wave online was at least partially started by roland people to sell old stock on used markets and eventually get people to buy more toys like the MKII. that's the reasoning people use to justify buying SP 404s, right? that it has a cool "lo fi" sound or whatever? regardless, seeing people get excited over this is downright depressing to me. I really hope at least have of the people in this thread are secretly working for roland and aren't genuinely unwittingly perpetuating a scam.

The SP202 was my first sampler. The series is successfully because it's basic, anybody can use one including kids and also the fact that unlike many other devices, it does stream samples from the disk, making sample playback time virtually unlimited.

Artists use it during various performances, and so do filmmakers or comedians who want to trigger FXs during a play. So no, it's not a scam, it's a tool that has absolutely no competition in the hardware space at its price.

SPs been the Swiss army knifes of DJs and producers all over the world for years since the millennium began! Wtf is lofi? We just make music, yall call it lofi.

Faceplate arrived but no MK2 in sight...

...yet.

that looks pretty sweet. might have to give it a try myself.

I had the original sp404 for a month.
A piece of crap with great effects, many people use it for effects, the rest is crap.
And you find the same effects on mc707 which is much much better as a sampler/drum machine/synth.

The SP-404 MKII looks very good from what I've seen.

Truth be told, I have the SP-404 OG and I always found it mind numbing to see that anyone enjoyed making actual beats on it in the first place. I used mine for effects sparingly.

I'll sell mine to anyone here for $500 and I'll autograph it as I have come to realize how I am the President of these forums.

Thats what makes the SP404 an appealing instrument. Especially when taking it live, because its so limited and people know its limited but there you are, cranking out beats and soundscapes, its a great gig gimmick.

The MK2 is an SP that should've been here years ago right after the SP-606 or at least from that direction. I always thought Roland went backwards with the red LED screens and eliminated USB sampling, though the 555 could sample audio from USB too but that was a hulk-404 that lived short like the 606.

Looks like the honeymoon will be over soon. Due to this "drip" of SP404mk2s, prices will be jacked up to $549.99 USD by January.

This supply and demand game Roland is playing feels like a front to raise the price anyway. Big corp like Roland with limited supplies is a joke.

MK2 gonna get a price hike.