MPC 2000xl + S900 or S950 question

Hello all. I have a few very "noob" questions. I own an MPC 2000xl. I see a lot of videos on youtube with various people using the MPC 2000xl in conjunction with an S900 or S950. I am not really sure what they are doing. To my understanding the S900 and S950 are samplers. My questions are, what are they doing with the S900 or S950, what can it do that the MPC 2000xl can't, and what are the benefits? Thanks very much.

--Mick

It has a very distinctive 12bit sound a lot of hip hop producers love.

Dj premier uses it for drums and has been using it since he started making beats!

Mick Swell wrote:My questions are, what are they doing with the S900 or S950, what can it do that the MPC 2000xl can't, and what are the benefits?

they're generally using the mpc sequencer to trigger the sound engine of the s900/950.

reason being the sampling engine in those machines might work better for some samples, not to mention 'the iconic sound' that so many lust after (those are known to have a particular sonic character).

Thanks for the replies. I understand now why. So do they sample into the S900/950 and then transfer the sound or wav into the MPC and then chop it up? Or does the sound/wav stay inside the S900/950 and you chop it up with the MPC via a midi cable or something? Thanks.

--Mick

Mick Swell wrote:Thanks for the replies. I understand now why. So do they sample into the S900/950 and then transfer the sound or wav into the MPC and then chop it up? Or does the sound/wav stay inside the S900/950

likely all sampling and sample editing (chopping included) is done on the rack sampler.

there would be no point in putting it back in the mpc, except to get rid of the 900/950.

Mick Swell wrote:and you chop it up with the MPC via a midi cable or something?

all midi ever ever ever does is trigger notes.
the 'chops' in the s-series are assigned to different notes and the mpc plays those notes.

okay cool got it! thanks!

I've got a mpc60, and used to have a 2kxl.
I also have a s950 which i love.
It has a sound superior to both the xl and the 60.

Like said before I sample drums, bass and most of my samples into the s950, and chop them there.
Then you can assign the mpc to trigger the sounds from the s950 through midi.
and to repeat the post above me - the sounds come out of the s950, not hte mpc.

a s900 is dirt cheap so if you find an urge to get one, go for it, best sounding akai product (according to me ofc).