SP-808 - Anyone have a working card reader in theirs?

[somebedroomdj]

Been discussed to death over the years and of course there is the rare IISDMC reader that is confirmed to work. But what about other solutions? Anyone have their 808 upgraded with anything besides Zip?

I noticed that some magneto optical drives seem like they might have the correct specs. Anyone tried this?
Example: Optical Drive

Personally, I have tried the ADIDECF reader and can confirm that it does NOT work. Picked up a Superdisk drive awhile back but didn't even bother to try it because, as I understand it, those are slower than zip drives. And then I've seen vague references to other CF readers here and there online. But never anything very definitive. I badly want to get my 808 upgraded.

[adekoyote]

"Picked up a Superdisk drive awhile back but didn't even bother to try it because, as I understand it, those are slower than zip drives."

the question is a matter of reliability....right?

[somebedroomdj]

Actually, I've never had a zip disk fail on me so, for me, it's not that. My problem with the 808 is the "disk busy" error. I'll record on only 3 of the tracks and it will give the error and the audio will cut out. More or less cripples the machine for multitracking. I've used 100, 250 and 750mb zip drives and it's always the same thing.

The problem comes in because the 808 has no conventional RAM, it reads straight from the disk in real time and zips just can't seem to keep up.

[Hugo76]

Actually, I've never had a zip disk fail on me so, for me, it's not that. My problem with the 808 is the "disk busy" error. I'll record on only 3 of the tracks and it will give the error and the audio will cut out. More or less cripples the machine for multitracking. I've used 100, 250 and 750mb zip drives and it's always the same thing.

The problem comes in because the 808 has no conventional RAM, it reads straight from the disk in real time and zips just can't seem to keep up.

Is this a problem on the SP-808EX as well?

edit: it appears they fixed the problem with the faster 250mb disks on the EX
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/aug00/a ... dsp808.htm

[Hugo76]

Actually, I've never had a zip disk fail on me so, for me, it's not that. My problem with the 808 is the "disk busy" error. I'll record on only 3 of the tracks and it will give the error and the audio will cut out. More or less cripples the machine for multitracking. I've used 100, 250 and 750mb zip drives and it's always the same thing.

The problem comes in because the 808 has no conventional RAM, it reads straight from the disk in real time and zips just can't seem to keep up.

Have you tried replacing the internal zip drive with a 250mb one? When reading the SOS review, it could seem like that's the way to go. Have you installed the EX OS?
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/aug00/a ... dsp808.htm

[somebedroomdj]

Yep, running EX with a 250mb drive. I mean, as a sampler, it's it works great. I can store a huge number of samples, the actual sampling process is super easy and I have no problem triggering samples from the pads in real time. It's just when I try to automate things a bit by triggering the pads from the onboard sequencer or multitracking audio from my other machines on it.

[Synthetech]

I sought out that unobtainamod for a few months only to give up on it since it's about $250 for the guaranteed working units, if found at all.

There is no secret $30 unit to use.. and if a correct unit shows up in a 99c auction, it will go for $200 anyway.

So I gave up and just use it for loops, soundFX and the wild dsp FX.. plus the D-Beams are cool to use on it or in a DAW.

They are nice units, no doubt about it. but I think I'll spend $250 on something else.
I think my sp808's worth the $80 I paid for it.. but that's all I'm spending on it.

I'd probably get a hardware 8track unit with MIDI sync using a hard disk or CF drive of some sort if a multitrack playback is required in your dj setup.
Then use the 808 for loops 'n FX

[somebedroomdj]

I agree, it really isn't worth dropping a couple of hundred bucks on that one mythical reader that works. And besides, in about 8 years, I've only seen the IISDMC pop up on Ebay ONE time. I took a shot this week and ordered a PCMCIA reader that is hot-swappable and a CF adapter. Fingers crossed on that but, like you said, a $30 solution is not very likely. We'll see how that goes.

I don't use for djing at all, just trying to find a convenient way to capture phrases when I'm mucking around on the machines. And I'm probably in the minority here, but I actually like the linear sequencer on it. It's definitely a machine that could have been legendary if it weren't for the poor storage options, no RAM and 4 voice polyphony.

I hate messing with computers when it comes to music but I've bit the bullet and started teaching myself the basics of Ableton, just for tracking stuff out. Gotta say, I'm kinda liking it.

[Synthetech]

I've been twiddling with DAW's recently too and found that a very nice controller keyboard with good pads can replace the 808 quite easily.

FL Studio is what I've focused on to learn first, it has Slicex to edit phrase samples.
It can chop up audio and quickly assign each phrase to a note. Then just have your pads set to different notes that correspond to the phrase and its alot like an Akai MPC.

I still love to play around with the 808. I like the Dual D Beam(and use it with my DAW to control plugin parameters).
The FX on it are cool as well as the "Slicer" that step modulates with BPM and gets that groovy gated sound going.
Yea, Roland royally screwed up when they used that ZIP drive. But it's still a good unit to keep around IMO.. zip drive or not. It sits quite nicely next to my MC-505.

[Ugly Goblin Boy]

I recently picked one of these up for about $99 and was pretty excited to see what it could do, I thought it would be a breeze to switch out the Zip250 drive for a multi-card reader. Then I hit the forums, and respectively hit myself. I read dozens of forums discussing the mythic IISDMC, but no dice.

Of all the forums I've read, I haven't heard a definitive answer about the Addonics multi-card readers. Has anyone tried? The specs seem right, but I know it can't be that easy.

Suffice to say, I broke down and picked up some Zip250 disks to start playing around. I really dig the machine and the effects are great, but overall I think it's an ok sampler. I was never a fan of MPCs for the same reasons. They have a lot of features, but in a practical setting I only use about 80% of what they have to offer. For that reason I stick with the SP-505. For the price point, size, and functionality it can't be beat. Sure, Smartmedia is a drag but it's only 3.3v and those can be easily found for a decent price.

So, anyone have any other ideas? What about the SCSI options?

[School of Oslo]

Now you can get a SP808 with a functioning CF-card reader.

Well, the Roland SP-808EX with a functioning CF-card reader may have been a mere myth, but the myth is now reality. I have a fully functioning SP with a CF card reader (and probably SD-cards as well, but haven't tested) that gives you over two hours of 44 kHz stereo sampling in one take, and which can be triggered to that full length. If you choose mono you got 4 hours plus, if you compress the sample rate you can go on almost forever. This is not matched by any standalone hardware sampler to my knowledge, and certainly not the Octatrack or Electribe which are also in mye gear collection.

Now this unique and mythic sampler is for sale, as it has been sitting on the shelf for far too long doing nothing:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Roland-SP-808EX ... 1377672496

I replaced the zip-disk with a new unused replacement CompactFlash/SD (not SDHC) multicard reader meant for the Akai MPC 2000XL, and badaboom, it is noiseless and functions flawlessly. It is also expanded with the OP2 XLR and SCSI, digital output/input board, which makes this a serious beat beast. So for anyone interested, now is the time.

[clockdivider2]

Now you can get a SP808 with a functioning CF-card reader.

You can't post this without also providing the exact brand and model # of the CF reader, as well as where you got it. That's just evil.

[edit] It appears to be this: http://www.mpcstuff.com/akai-mpc-2000xl ... sed-black/

[School of Oslo]

Now you can get a SP808 with a functioning CF-card reader.

You can't post this without also providing the exact brand and model # of the CF reader, as well as where you got it. That's just evil.

[edit] It appears to be this: http://www.mpcstuff.com/akai-mpc-2000xl ... sed-black/

Yeah, but as you can see I provided the information and you found the right one, mine was new though, but it is the same model. And it functions, and it is for sale ; ) But there is perhaps som inherent evil in that...

PS. Seems like it is sold out, actually. And when I look at those old MPCs that they are selling for 900$ +, with specs that not in any way can match the 808 with CF and XLR expansion and FX, I would say one can make a bargain, whether you buy mine, or you actually get hold of the proper card reader and OP2 expansion board (but that could take a while).

[electricmotion]

Hello,

Still have this reader for sale ?
I'm interested.
I live in Belgium, Europe.

Thanks,

Geoffrey

[School of Oslo]

Hello,

Still have this reader for sale ?
I'm interested.
I live in Belgium, Europe.

Thanks,

Geoffrey

The SP808 I had is sold on ebay, to my knowledge MPC-stuff doesn't have anymore of the only CF-reader that works with this machine, but if you find a MPC 2000 XL you could rip the CF-reader out of it.

THE SP808EX with the CF reader was a great machine, but for me with OSX it is impossible to covert file formats from the idiotic Roland file format that is why I sold it. Now I use the Octratrack, which of course has other capabilities than the SP808, but the SP808 is unique and if Roland had put their mind to it(which they stopped doing after 1989 or so), it could have been a classic with just some small adjustments/upgrades.