mpc500 vs. sp404

404.

you awready have the mpc, so you gain all that functionality, and the 404 will bring tons more to yr production than another mpc would, plus you gain portability and battery op.

i'm a believer in the 404 for every producer tho. its a great box.

i'm in similar sitiuation and im may have to ditch my mpc2500 and go with something mega portable.

yo, i been reading about the lack of a good pitch function on the sp404, is this true? i know it got an effect on there but it pitches the sample and keeps it in the same time, so its like a pitch + timestretch. not like pitching on the mpc where it effects the length of the sample too (like turntable pitching).

this seems like a deal breaker for me using it as standalone like i can my mpc.

can any one verify? or justify?

cyrus wrote:i'm in similar sitiuation and im may have to ditch my mpc2500 and go with something mega portable.

yo, i been reading about the lack of a good pitch function on the sp404, is this true? i know it got an effect on there but it pitches the sample and keeps it in the same time, so its like a pitch + timestretch. not like pitching on the mpc where it effects the length of the sample too (like turntable pitching).

this seems like a deal breaker for me using it as standalone like i can my mpc.

can any one verify? or justify?

Yeah pitching is really goofy on the 404. Timing aside, pitching just sounds weird in it. I like the sound it makes, but it's definitely not an accurate representation of a sample at a different pitch. For example: Did you ever watch the Gumby Movie? Remember how terrifying their voices were in that film? Well that's what you'd get if you pitched up a vocal sample on the 404. It has a metallic ring to it almost.

k_roc wrote:

cyrus wrote:i'm in similar sitiuation and im may have to ditch my mpc2500 and go with something mega portable.

yo, i been reading about the lack of a good pitch function on the sp404, is this true? i know it got an effect on there but it pitches the sample and keeps it in the same time, so its like a pitch + timestretch. not like pitching on the mpc where it effects the length of the sample too (like turntable pitching).

this seems like a deal breaker for me using it as standalone like i can my mpc.

can any one verify? or justify?

Yeah pitching is really goofy on the 404. Timing aside, pitching just sounds weird in it. I like the sound it makes, but it's definitely not an accurate representation of a sample at a different pitch. For example: Did you ever watch the Gumby Movie? Remember how terrifying their voices were in that film? Well that's what you'd get if you pitched up a vocal sample on the 404. It has a metallic ring to it almost.

i see, so not neccesarily bad, as it could be a useable mangling effect, but not neccesarily good if you expecting an accurate representation of turntable pitching. too bad. i guess on the 404sx you could always port your sample over to the computer, but that seems like a workflow killer.

thanks for the info

Akai MPC 500 and want to get an SP-404. I did not like the MPC500 flat sound, including poor effects. The FX unit has limited set of actual effects. It is possible to hear the internal overload clicking with the turned on EQ compressor or too loud sample.

Flat sound? It's a sampler, not a license to print money

Are your samples you are putting in flat to begin with? When I've put in good samples I've gotten good output... not sure what your process is or what you are expecting though.