Hey folks - I was debating whether to post this thread but hell I just could not resist.

You might have heard me complain about the MPC 3000 a few years back and how I did not think it sounded like anything special nor did I think the groove was all that super hot.......I love samplers, I own the MPC 60 and 3000 plus a few others.

Anyway I reached a point where I have all the gear I could ever want but I always had the SP1200 in the back of my mind, I could not bear not having it----anyway I purchased it - owned for about 6 weeks.
WTF - Is this machine just the greatest thing ever - none of the stories or things you read about this machine are hype - in fact I think it is understated how good this thing is.

Does anyone else feel like this? I could get rid of all my gear but this will never go.

The sound and groove is phenomenal - I freaking love this machine. Okay specs are limited, but I'm surprised by how far you can stretch 10 seconds.
The user interface is gorgeous and easy to use, the sliders are freaking great, sampling is easy and that 12 bit sound is to die for - it seriously is a dream machine.

I want to hear from SP 1200 owners/you feel the same? yeah it sounds hip hop/boom bap but it sounds very techno also

I love making music with this thing - like I love making music with this.
Man I am so luck to own it - just had to share this with you all.

How great is life hey..
Peace

Haha. My thoughts exactly.

I couldn't talk it up enough. Actually I have it next to my bed to freak it when my wife's asleep...

Love these positive posts on GS. Enjoy! I think these aspirational machines really mean something more. The history and the vibe. True classical instruments.

It's on my final ultimate gear list as well lol

Thank you for hearing me - I thought I was going mad- of course no one else will listen to me so I had to post this thread!

The other night I said what would I do if I lost this maschine? Darn I have never felt like this about any gear - apart from the OB-6 but still did not feel as excited about the OB.
I can't say it enough - it's pure class.

Ha ha yeah cool - I did not want it to come across as I have an SP 1200 darn I'm good - but really just want to share how I feel.

Dude when I stuck the power in I was transcended to 1990 something - no lies......

You will love this maschine buddy it really makes making music on it such a pleasant experience!

All I got to say is .... people who complain about sampling time have no idea what they are doing....

10 secs is too much time... after that you're just stealing...

Yeah I'm way cool with 10 secs - I don't sample loops hell with that. I take my drum machines straight in

After some truncating 10 seconds gets me plenty. I have the S950 if I need 3 minutes
But that ain't ever going to happen - 3 minute sample time.

Want to add - have not used it on a track yet but you know how much great techno is going to come out of this thing....I can't wait

get an s612 if you haven't already.... get 10 of them..

then .. stop buying drum machines and samplers already!!

IMO, SP-1200 is one of the few vintage pieces worth owning with the current prices. I wouldn't buy a 909 or a 808, an SP-1200 yes.

Nah I'm done I'm set.

@ BAR efunkel it is a great bit of kit! Worth every cent and yes I would sell my 909 before I sold this!

i DARE you to do it.

Nah I won't, just can't nice try though.

Oh what about that filtering on this maschine, I think it's cool. I just want to tune everything up and down - it can get out of hand though - I was abusing the tuning way to much 2 weeks in

Sorry guys - like I said no one else will listen to me rave on about this maschine

SP-1200 is probably my favourite bit of kit..

that and a few pedals and I'm in heaven.

People often traditionally use it for HipHop etc, but I love it for house.

Fun fun machine.

My only regret with the SP-1200 is that I didn't buy it earlier knowing now how well it fits my workflow.

Ha ha - my only regret too
It's perfect for house and techno I think. Yeah it's synonymous with hip hop but I think it's a perfect producer tool for house/techno.

I wonder why the techno guys didn't take to it? Perhaps they did and I just don't know

The other day I was messing around with some vocals, tuning them up and down and I swear I heard those Daft Punk vocal sounds come out of it

The method of tuning of samples pitch and volume with the faders is genius.
You can set a sample bass note for example, and jam it out on the pads. Creating a cool riff with your 8 chosen notes. Clever.

I use mine in conjunction with a midipal acting as a sync latch.
When jamming , I can stop. Change modes, load samples etc, then drop back in on the beat.

The SP12 turbo is also a cracker drum machine. It's survival of the fittest drum sounds on that guy. Never would you think 0.2 of a second is heaps of time.. but it is. That's a clave, rim shot and a finger snap.

Ha ha survival of the fittest drum sounds I like that!

I quite the limitations when sampling on mine - makes me think outside the box. Like I said 10 seconds gets me loads of drum sounds.
I think they really thought this maschine out!

Yup, I have way more desire for one of these than 808s et al

The one piece I truly regret selling

Regarding the price difference between the SP12 Turbo and the SP1200 (around 1000 USD) I would even say the SP12 is the better machine. Ok, you get 5 seconds less sampling time. But I would never pay 1000 USD for 5 seconds extra sampling memory. The main advantage over the SP1200 for me is that there is no need for messing around with floppy disks. With EMXP you can share all your files through Midi with your computer (Windows only). Also very nice is that you can turn off the SP12 and all your data will still be there when switching it on again.

Come on @ Looneytune let's hear some techno through it then boyo !

The sound of the 3000 is less obvious unless compared with other 16/44.1 samplers, but the groove (accuracy is what it is actually) is not a fairy tale Innerclock - Litmus test

I just got my SP1200 back from Bruce (da man) and it sounds even better. I don't know what kind of magic he does but his reputation is so well deserved. I sent it to him for a non-sound issue but he tuned it up stem to stern as part of his service and it is HUGE - more headroom, less noise - clean clear and almost painfully in your face. SP1200 rules. (so does Bruce Forat).

Actually, a friend sent this yesterday... Damon Wild's studio.

The SP is a magical thing. its a combination of the limitations, the sound, the workflow, the whole feel of that machine. Its feels like you are controlling some spaceship panel or something. I love everything about it. Its a total different experience then sitting in front of a computer. I have tons of software and plugins, i like them, no doubt, but most of the time i spend in front of the SP and the turntables to dig for sounds. I just love doing that so much. I think i want to be burried with it :-) I have no wife or family, so this is all i do besides work :-) peace

Yeah I hear you about the experience-sound aside what really gets me going is the groove on the sequencer. I don't use any swing - strangely the swing on this sounds weird.
On house or techno beats it sounds almost waltz so I just leave it at 50 percent.

I use it mainly for hip hop, and what you do here to get that signature swing is double the tempo and set the swing at 67% and 1/8 Autocorrect, maybe you try to experiment with that. Not sure if this works for techno/house

Waltz is 3/4 - the swing and ppq on the SP are very coarse grains. Try also using the 16/32 triplet quantize.

Bruce Forat is the man. Super gentleman and an expert tech. I have had the same experience.

I wonder if anyone is capable of creating a modern version of the SP1200 but with all the sound/feel/vibe