Imagine channeling the gritty soul of 1980s hip-hop production with a machine that nails the E-MU SP-1200's iconic 12-bit 26kHz crunch, but packs in modern firepower like 16-bit 48kHz hi-fi sampling and an 8-track live looper.
This desktop beast rocks a sturdy 16-gauge steel chassis with 8mm anodized aluminum sides, tilting from 80-130mm high for easy desk access, and weighs in at 6kg for that premium, roadworthy feel. Sixteen voices across 32 stereo tracks let you layer beats polyphonically, with assignable hi-fi or classic engines per slot—up to 21.5 minutes mono classic or 5.5 minutes stereo hi-fi from 64MB RAM. Hands-on control comes via eight velocity-sensitive RGB pads, eight 60mm faders, dual rotary pots per channel, and pro AV switches, plus on-screen waveform editing for slicing, looping, and pitch tweaks up to 40 semitones in SP-1200-emulating modes. Multimode analog filters warm things up, with DSP effects like LP/HP per track; route audio through four 1/4" line ins, stereo RCA phono preamps, and out to eight individual monos or stereo mixes, all synced via MIDI DIN, USB host, clock I/O, and SD up to 1TB for 100 patterns.
Beatmakers love its intuitive sequencer—live record, step edit, piano roll, or TR-style—with per-step automation, song mode, and swing that nails vintage grooves. The classic mode's anti-aliasing delivers that sought-after grit, though some wish for deeper sample stacking; overall, it's earned props for blending nostalgia with workflow speed in studios and live sets.
