Cheap old sampler

[Bloodonmyface]

Hello all! I'm looking for a sampler similar to a akai s950 or s900. But I'm wondering if there are cheaper options . My requirements are to be able to transpose a sample across a keyboard, pitch shift and time stretch. Iv seen other akai s models for cheaper than the s950 but I can't confirm if they have pitch shift and time stretch. Also would be nice to have a adsr or Lfo. Also must be in a rack configuration as I'm low on space.
Plan to use it for ala skinny puppy/ministry type sample work. And want to thru some digital wave forms from a esq1/prophet vs for light synth work. Also doesn't have to be low bit sampler if there is a cheaper unpopular model like a 16 bit, would be fine.
Thanks for any info.

Also previous vse user here, been about 6 years. Great job to the web masters and contributors for keeping this site updated and looking good.

[Jay200MPH]

Roland S7xx can do all that & has great filters too. They seem to go pretty cheap in the States.

I just picked one up but haven't had time to really explore it yet. Very cool piece of gear though. The full-screen video out feature is awesome!

[Z]

I don't think there are any 12 bit samplers that do time stretch. I don't remember time stretch coming along until the mid/late 90s and by then all samplers were at least 16 bit.

Before that, we'd take our 12 bit loops and run them through pitch shifters like Korg DVP-1 and Yamaha SPX90.

[plus321]

S950 can timestretch. I think TX16W can with Typhoon OS, but I'm not sure.

If you don't care that much about "lofi," try to find like an s2800 or something. I once got one for $20 when I was buying a case off a guy. S3000 series Akai are really cool. Definitely cool with the extra filter card, but still pretty cool without it. I think they can timestretch. I don't think E-mus had timestretching until e4s.

[mpa1104]

Ensoniq ASR 10 will do time expansion and compression. You can also downsample to lower bit rates for lo-fi stuff. There was a rack version, but haven't seen one around for a while.

[madtheory]

I think TX16W can with Typhoon OS, but I'm not sure.

Yup, it can timestretch. With Typhoon it's a much nicer box to use than an S950. Brighter, slightly harder sound.

But you can do all of that stuff and more with Kontakt. The SP1200 emulation sounds a lot like low sample rate on an S950 or TX16W.

[Bloodonmyface]

Thanks for all the advice! I looked into recomendations and a Roland s330 can be had for dirt cheap. Is it "usable" without having add on controllers and moniters? or is it worth paying a little xtra for an akai s series ?

I guess it comes down to ease of use as a stand alone unit, out of what was recommended.

[madtheory]

Purely for ease of use, the TX16W with Typhoon beats most hardware samplers.

[Jay200MPH]

Thanks for all the advice! I looked into recomendations and a Roland s330 can be had for dirt cheap. Is it "usable" without having add on controllers and moniters? or is it worth paying a little xtra for an akai s series ?

I guess it comes down to ease of use as a stand alone unit, out of what was recommended.

I'm not 100% sure but I don't think the S330/S550 can do time stretch. They are a generation older than the S7xx but still very interesting instruments in their own right. (This video of an S330 was what got me looking into them in the first place - pretty cool stuff!)

The S330 won't have much RAM unless it's been upgraded. I imagine using one without a mouse & display would be a pain. You can plug in any old TV to its composite display port or an Amiga/etc. RGB monitor if you feel like building a simple cable. There are plans for a cheap PS/2 mouse adapter but it's a little more involved (including programming an EEPROM.)

It will load its OS off a floppy so make sure you either get one with it or have a computer with a floppy drive so you can write one (the OS image is kicking around, e.g. here - great site BTW!) The 330 and 550 can also run the Director-S sequencer which the later 700s can't.

All that said, if it's cheap enough just go for it! You can always use it as-is for the time being and get the rest of the add ons later, remember these were very high-end instruments when new.

Edit: here's a blog post with a 'review' and some great info on the S330. Read down into the comments too as he solves some of the issues he mentions and follows up.

[Bloodonmyface]

Cool thanks for the info guys n gals. I'll keep my eyes peeled for your recomendations. Im hoping to score one 75 bucks or under including shipping. It seems like a great time to buy a hardware sampler, prices for even an akai s6000 are like 300 bucks.

[GameChanger]

Ensoniq ASR 10 will do time expansion and compression. You can also downsample to lower bit rates for lo-fi stuff. There was a rack version, but haven't seen one around for a while.

Cheaper option is the EPS 16+ rack, which can downsample to much lower bitrates then the ASR10. I see them going for super cheap too, like $150 range. Its my favorite sampler by far.

[Bloodonmyface]

Ok kept an open mind and searched alot for a steal. It's not the Cheapest sampler but I got my money's worth.
Akai s5000 with expanded ram off local criagslist for 150 bucks. I am a happy camper

I just started rebuilding a small setup so I actually don't have anything with midi to control the akai s5000 yet. Been eyeballing some prices and looks like the cheapest smaller sized keyboard with midi is novation x-station, microkorg and Alesis micron. I would love something like a Yamaha sy22 but I just don't have the space.
Any advice on a smaller keyboard with midi thats usually found cheap please give me your thoughts and recomendations.

[plus321]

alesis q49

[Jay200MPH]

Ok kept an open mind and searched alot for a steal. It's not the Cheapest sampler but I got my money's worth.
Akai s5000 with expanded ram off local criagslist for 150 bucks. I am a happy camper

I just started rebuilding a small setup so I actually don't have anything with midi to control the akai s5000 yet. Been eyeballing some prices and looks like the cheapest smaller sized keyboard with midi is novation x-station, microkorg and Alesis micron. I would love something like a Yamaha sy22 but I just don't have the space.
Any advice on a smaller keyboard with midi thats usually found cheap please give me your thoughts and recomendations.

That sounds like a pretty good deal. Had a look at the S5000 on the VSE main site; I didn't realize those were so powerful! I like the DOS disks and WAV sampling. The removable keypad/screen is cool too (I have a primitive version of that for my Roland.) Nice score, you'll have fun with it!

[tamla]

^^^ I would have suggested an S5000, people are/were flogging them off v.cheap. I bought two the other month.