S950 w/ MPC 3000

I have a 3K I do all my sequencing with. It has Vailixi and cf reader. I store all my samples on my Mac and transfer things to it as needed. (Mostly one hits)

I was considering a s950 recently since they seem to be reasonably priced. But I don't necessarily want to store samples in it, and trigger from it, mostly cause of storage head aches.

I was more thinking if just running all my samples out my DAW, through the 950 sampling and / or filters, and back to the DAW. I would then put them on my cf card and use them with my MPC as needed

Is this a logical solution? Or am I really not getting anything from the 950 by working this way? Is so, any suggestions?

Doesn't sound like the S950 is for you if you don't want to sample into it. Look how many people use S950's and get by just fine. Why don't you just use the filters in the MPC3000 or your DAW if using an old sampler doesn't excite you?

DAW to S950 back to DAW then into MPC3000 = convoluted workflow killer, besides it won't work if you don't sample into the S950. I think you're seriously missing the whole point of using a S950.

Am I? I sample into the MPC 3000 and then store it on a CF card for later use, which I believe is the same thing I'm talking about here? Sampling into the 950 and putting on my computer for later use.

Doesn't seem much like a workflow killer to me. I would basically have my library of samples, sampled through the 950 in advance. And then put on my cf card when I need it.

Working with floppies seems more detrimental to my workflow. But then again, I asked because I'm curious to hear from people experienced with it

So do I not get anything from the sampler by doing what I described?

Clint wrote:Doesn't sound like the S950 is for you if you don't want to sample into it. Look how many people use S950's and get by just fine. Why don't you just use the filters in the MPC3000 or your DAW if using an old sampler doesn't excite you?

DAW to S950 back to DAW then into MPC3000 = convoluted workflow killer, besides it won't work if you don't sample into the S950. I think you're seriously missing the whole point of using a S950.

You would be getting the 12 bit sound of the 950 which sounds different than the 3k. Plus it's analog filters. You can also just get a floppy emulator to store your samples. The 950 has looping functions etc and the analog filter that the 3k doesn't have. I think you might be missing actual regular use of these functions if you decide to just sample into it then get right out of it instead of actually using it alongside the 3k, as the decision to use some of the functions sometimes comes after spending some time putting the beat together.

Ah I see, thanks for that info. I'll look into the floppy emulator.
I figured the filters would be post-sampling like the MPC.
Thanks agaun

viacom wrote:You would be getting the 12 bit sound of the 950 which sounds different than the 3k. Plus it's analog filters. You can also just get a floppy emulator to store your samples. The 950 has looping functions etc and the analog filter that the 3k doesn't have. I think you might be missing actual regular use of these functions if you decide to just sample into it then get right out of it instead of actually using it alongside the 3k, as the decision to use some of the functions sometimes comes after spending some time putting the beat together.

dtirer wrote:I figured the filters would be post-sampling like the MPC.

[/quote]

the filters are post sampling. bandwidth is pre sampling and is a nice feature of the 950.

once you use the s950 chances are you'll want your samples to work inside there and use the transposition algorhythms in the 950 which are fantastic in my opinion and the filter which is fantastic too, as well the other sample editing features

nevertheless if you want you 950 samples in you mpc 3000 it can be done. i'm in the process of doing this myself.

my way is save the s950 samples in an s1000. then take the s1000 disk, stick it inside the 3000 and save the samples in there.

Hey, that's good to know, I'll have to experiment with that.
Your idea is pretty great actually. So you save your 950 samples to a floppy. Can those samples then be read by the 3K floppy? Or where does the s1000 come in?

thanks a lot!

soundtech wrote:

dtirer wrote:I figured the filters would be post-sampling like the MPC.

the filters are post sampling. bandwidth is pre sampling and is a nice feature of the 950.

once you use the s950 chances are you'll want your samples to work inside there and use the transposition algorhythms in the 950 which are fantastic in my opinion and the filter which is fantastic too, as well the other sample editing features

nevertheless if you want you 950 samples in you mpc 3000 it can be done. i'm in the process of doing this myself.

my way is save the s950 samples in an s1000. then take the s1000 disk, stick it inside the 3000 and save the samples in there.[/quote]

dtirer wrote:Your idea is pretty great actually. So you save your 950 samples to a floppy. Can those samples then be read by the 3K floppy? Or where does the s1000 come in?quote]

the 3000 does not read s950 disks. it reads s1000 disks. and s1000 reads s950 disks

Ah i see! Thanks!

soundtech wrote:

dtirer wrote:Your idea is pretty great actually. So you save your 950 samples to a floppy. Can those samples then be read by the 3K floppy? Or where does the s1000 come in?quote]

the 3000 does not read s950 disks. it reads s1000 disks. and s1000 reads s950 disks

Just do it, and have fun.

I'm not sure the S950 has an analogue filter, but that's another thread for the filter 'experts' to go hammer and tongs in. Whatever it is, eveyone seems to like it a lot...

s950's low pass filter is much much overrated. Nothing special, really, also the majority of the sounds you'll process through it will give a nasty hiss for parameters under 25/30. Never used it much. mpc2000xl filter, which everyone seemes to be hating, works way better. incorporate a 950 in your workflow only if you need smooth sample looping or punchy drums. with an mpc3k you'd really need just the former imho. my two cents

Phra*DOC wrote:s950's low pass filter is much much overrated. Nothing special, really, also the majority of the sounds you'll process through it will give a nasty hiss for parameters under 25/30. Never used it much. mpc2000xl filter, which everyone seemes to be hating, works way better

What are you talking about?

No overaating whatsoever. It just sounds great man

I have to disagree with the 950 filter being overrated. I used a 2000 for 10+ years and then I tried the s950 and the difference in the filter was quite noticeable. Sure you get the resonance on the 2000 series filter but I always found that it didn't give great results. The 950 , although maybe not technically analog (never knew this) certainly yeilds more analog results than the 2000 ever did. In my opinion that is a good thing. Who knows maybe the xl is different.

I haven't heard the hiss either. Ill have to listen for that

The filter is digital.

It's not overrated. It's overhyped. It gives great results if you know how to work the machine. It doesn't give instant magic results as some people may think.