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Forums - Music techology
Subject: Hardware sampling dilemma!
Original Message Date: 30-May-97 @ 01:13 AM - Hardware sampling dilemma!
I'm currently facing something of a dilemma. I currently own a
Quasimidi Quasar (Cakewalk running on old slow 486 ex-works PC -
whoops I didn't say that). Its got a big pallet of usable sounds,
good effects and some pretty flexible editing.
Having used it for a while as my sole sound source my thirst for
new sounds, greater editability etc is fast leading me to a new
purchase....a sampler.
My budget is about £2000. I'm after a quality sampling/synthesis
tool. My starting options seem to be;
1) Yamaha A3000 - need to see/hear one but FM went ballistic! However
apart from the base cost of £1300 I'd also need to buy a mass
storage device, a CD-ROM for those digital transfers and the optional
Digital I/O board - there goes my most of my dosh...
OR
2) PC based sampler - probably a 166 MMX (might aswell go for the best
the budget allows) PC business spec (since I don't want the bundled
rubbish), a Pinnacal? a Terratec EWS 64??? or card X?
Then I can enjoy Rebirth, Stomper etc etc and all the other quality
software thats in development...
3) A Kurzweil K2000 with sampler option: OK...I think I've broke the budget -
but thats what budgets are for :-) From my research this looks like
a demon machine capable of satisfying both my sampler craving and
need to create fresh sounds.
4) ?
The PC option is a strong conteder, I'm prepared to spend money
upgrading should the need arise and I'm impressed with price/performance
ratio of a lot of the new PC products. I'm not into hard disk recording
as yet (although the PC gives me the option of doing that in the future).
Alternatively I could get the A3000 then next year get the PC...
Any thoughts, other ideas etc...I'm after the best quality I can get
for the money (+500 probably!).
Quasimidi Quasar (Cakewalk running on old slow 486 ex-works PC -
whoops I didn't say that). Its got a big pallet of usable sounds,
good effects and some pretty flexible editing.
Having used it for a while as my sole sound source my thirst for
new sounds, greater editability etc is fast leading me to a new
purchase....a sampler.
My budget is about £2000. I'm after a quality sampling/synthesis
tool. My starting options seem to be;
1) Yamaha A3000 - need to see/hear one but FM went ballistic! However
apart from the base cost of £1300 I'd also need to buy a mass
storage device, a CD-ROM for those digital transfers and the optional
Digital I/O board - there goes my most of my dosh...
OR
2) PC based sampler - probably a 166 MMX (might aswell go for the best
the budget allows) PC business spec (since I don't want the bundled
rubbish), a Pinnacal? a Terratec EWS 64??? or card X?
Then I can enjoy Rebirth, Stomper etc etc and all the other quality
software thats in development...
3) A Kurzweil K2000 with sampler option: OK...I think I've broke the budget -
but thats what budgets are for :-) From my research this looks like
a demon machine capable of satisfying both my sampler craving and
need to create fresh sounds.
4) ?
The PC option is a strong conteder, I'm prepared to spend money
upgrading should the need arise and I'm impressed with price/performance
ratio of a lot of the new PC products. I'm not into hard disk recording
as yet (although the PC gives me the option of doing that in the future).
Alternatively I could get the A3000 then next year get the PC...
Any thoughts, other ideas etc...I'm after the best quality I can get
for the money (+500 probably!).
Message 21/26 24-Jun-97 @ 08:40 AM - RE: Hardware sampling dilemma!
Two points missing from this on-going dialog:
1. E-mu puts out some excellent cd-roms that I believe
can only be implemented by the newer higher-end units,
which are really quite amazing and well mapped(yes,
programming is fun, but it is nice to have things just
set up so you can concentrate on writing). This
and the honestly better filters to anything else
available led me to the purchase of my e6400 in spite
of seemingly better deals available.
2. Lo-fi is cool! 12-bit is cool! My S-330 sits next to
the E-mu because sometimes I just like it better(in
fact, ALOT of times I like it better, esp. on loops).
On the other hand, my AWE32 doesn't really do anything
in my kit, because soundcard AND hard-disk sampling
is a pain.
Hell, if you're not using digital audio, the Akai MPC's
are always a fun alternative to computer-based sequencing
systems. I know which one I'd rather have just in terms
of being a writer, the lack of features easily made up for
by the 'fun' factor of the Akai's. All said, I'd sell you
my e6400 for 1800 or 1900 quid, but only because I can get another
another one for cheap from a friend. I don't want to be a
salesman here, because price/performance-wise the EMAX II
really is better (I've seen them for around 500 quid
lately), but mine'll stay with you and hold that price
longer than anything otherwise.
1. E-mu puts out some excellent cd-roms that I believe
can only be implemented by the newer higher-end units,
which are really quite amazing and well mapped(yes,
programming is fun, but it is nice to have things just
set up so you can concentrate on writing). This
and the honestly better filters to anything else
available led me to the purchase of my e6400 in spite
of seemingly better deals available.
2. Lo-fi is cool! 12-bit is cool! My S-330 sits next to
the E-mu because sometimes I just like it better(in
fact, ALOT of times I like it better, esp. on loops).
On the other hand, my AWE32 doesn't really do anything
in my kit, because soundcard AND hard-disk sampling
is a pain.
Hell, if you're not using digital audio, the Akai MPC's
are always a fun alternative to computer-based sequencing
systems. I know which one I'd rather have just in terms
of being a writer, the lack of features easily made up for
by the 'fun' factor of the Akai's. All said, I'd sell you
my e6400 for 1800 or 1900 quid, but only because I can get another
another one for cheap from a friend. I don't want to be a
salesman here, because price/performance-wise the EMAX II
really is better (I've seen them for around 500 quid
lately), but mine'll stay with you and hold that price
longer than anything otherwise.
Message 22/26 24-Jun-97 @ 08:40 AM - RE: Hardware sampling dilemma!
Two points missing from this on-going dialog:
1. E-mu puts out some excellent cd-roms that I believe
can only be implemented by the newer higher-end units,
which are really quite amazing and well mapped(yes,
programming is fun, but it is nice to have things just
set up so you can concentrate on writing). This
and the honestly better filters to anything else
available led me to the purchase of my e6400 in spite
of seemingly better deals available.
2. Lo-fi is cool! 12-bit is cool! My S-330 sits next to
the E-mu because sometimes I just like it better(in
fact, ALOT of times I like it better, esp. on loops).
On the other hand, my AWE32 doesn't really do anything
in my kit, because soundcard AND hard-disk sampling
is a pain.
Hell, if you're not using digital audio, the Akai MPC's
are always a fun alternative to computer-based sequencing
systems. I know which one I'd rather have just in terms
of being a writer, the lack of features easily made up for
by the 'fun' factor of the Akai's. All said, I'd sell you
my e6400 for 1800 or 1900 quid, but only because I can get another
another one for cheap from a friend. I don't want to be a
salesman here, because price/performance-wise the EMAX II
really is better (I've seen them for around 500 quid
lately), but mine'll stay with you and hold that price
longer than anything otherwise.
1. E-mu puts out some excellent cd-roms that I believe
can only be implemented by the newer higher-end units,
which are really quite amazing and well mapped(yes,
programming is fun, but it is nice to have things just
set up so you can concentrate on writing). This
and the honestly better filters to anything else
available led me to the purchase of my e6400 in spite
of seemingly better deals available.
2. Lo-fi is cool! 12-bit is cool! My S-330 sits next to
the E-mu because sometimes I just like it better(in
fact, ALOT of times I like it better, esp. on loops).
On the other hand, my AWE32 doesn't really do anything
in my kit, because soundcard AND hard-disk sampling
is a pain.
Hell, if you're not using digital audio, the Akai MPC's
are always a fun alternative to computer-based sequencing
systems. I know which one I'd rather have just in terms
of being a writer, the lack of features easily made up for
by the 'fun' factor of the Akai's. All said, I'd sell you
my e6400 for 1800 or 1900 quid, but only because I can get another
another one for cheap from a friend. I don't want to be a
salesman here, because price/performance-wise the EMAX II
really is better (I've seen them for around 500 quid
lately), but mine'll stay with you and hold that price
longer than anything otherwise.
Message 23/26 24-Jun-97 @ 08:55 AM - RE: Hardware sampling dilemma!
Thanks for tip
P.S Heard you the first time
P.P.S The Yamaha's getting some mixed reviews. Anyone any thoughts?
P.S Heard you the first time
P.P.S The Yamaha's getting some mixed reviews. Anyone any thoughts?
Message 24/26 25-Jun-97 @ 08:48 AM - RE: Hardware sampling dilemma!
agreed with some of the triple post....emu's filters and sound surpasses all...I 've never understood why people wank on about Akais being "Industry Standard"....because that is bollox........
I don't agree with the comment about hard disk sampling is a pain......awe32 is a bit weak, but with a tahiti or similar quality card especially the new Event 8 output cards, this is awesome.....I use the pc for all the audio hooks, and longer loops.....brilliant....add to that 8 seperate outs instead of 2, and you are flying...
as for the yamaha, It may be excellent, but yamaha have been out of the game so long, maybe folks will be worried about compatability problems....I think as it is their first sampler for a long time, they should have made it ALOT cheaper.....I'm surprised there isn't an Alesis sampler....seems strange huh?
I don't agree with the comment about hard disk sampling is a pain......awe32 is a bit weak, but with a tahiti or similar quality card especially the new Event 8 output cards, this is awesome.....I use the pc for all the audio hooks, and longer loops.....brilliant....add to that 8 seperate outs instead of 2, and you are flying...
as for the yamaha, It may be excellent, but yamaha have been out of the game so long, maybe folks will be worried about compatability problems....I think as it is their first sampler for a long time, they should have made it ALOT cheaper.....I'm surprised there isn't an Alesis sampler....seems strange huh?
Message 25/26 14-Jul-97 @ 04:22 PM - RE: Hardware sampling dilemma!
Guess what....EMU are bringing out a TURBO kit for their ESI-32
tommorrow (July 15th)!!! The board really boosts the filter count
by 17, adds 2 independent FX units, 6 outputs, Windows 95
SCSI disk friendliness(!) plus some other bits. For the full SP
check out http://www.emu.com
Speaking to Emu this has been planned for 'way before the Yamaha was heard of' (yer right).
Anyway the price is £350 inc VAT so brings the ESI-32 in
at around £60 cheaper than the Yamaha A3000.
My local dealer is boasting arrival of a demo version tommorrow.
Anyone have any insights into this (apart from listing full specs
which we can all read on Emus web site).
Your thoughts...
tommorrow (July 15th)!!! The board really boosts the filter count
by 17, adds 2 independent FX units, 6 outputs, Windows 95
SCSI disk friendliness(!) plus some other bits. For the full SP
check out http://www.emu.com
Speaking to Emu this has been planned for 'way before the Yamaha was heard of' (yer right).
Anyway the price is £350 inc VAT so brings the ESI-32 in
at around £60 cheaper than the Yamaha A3000.
My local dealer is boasting arrival of a demo version tommorrow.
Anyone have any insights into this (apart from listing full specs
which we can all read on Emus web site).
Your thoughts...
Message 26/26 14-Jul-97 @ 07:36 PM - RE: Hardware sampling dilemma!
my thoughts are....I'm fuckin' starving !!.... I'm going home to eat!!....as for samplers....well, er.....If your using a pc, maybe the Terratec EWS-64 card should be looked at !!.....(it's in the soundcards section)
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