SP-404SX Linear Wave Sampler

Born from the legendary SP-404 lineage that shaped lo-fi hip hop and beyond, this linear wave sampler upgraded the formula in 2009 with pristine 16-bit/44.1kHz uncompressed audio capture, making every sample feel alive and detailed right out of the box.

Grab one of its 12 velocity-sensitive pads—or the dedicated Sub Pad for lightning-fast repeats—and trigger sounds with feel, while three chunky knobs let you tweak on the fly. Built tough for gigs, it packs a pattern sequencer for real-time loop recording up to 99 measures with shuffle quantize, perfect for hip hop grooves or live improv. Line in, dedicated mic input, and a built-in mic mean you sample anywhere on six AA batteries (4-5 hours life) or AC power, with 29 DSP effects like vinyl sim, voice transformer, looper, and limiter-protected DJ tools ready to morph your sounds seamlessly. Stereo outs, headphone jack, MIDI in, and SD card storage (1GB included, up to 32GB) keep workflow simple—import WAV/AIFF via bundled software and go.

Over a decade on, it's earned a devoted following for its portable punch and hands-on joy, though some wish for deeper editing; producers still swear by its reliability for beats and effects in the studio or on stage.