SP-12
Produced between 1985 - 1987
Launch price $2745
- Sampling Drum Machine
- 12-bit linear resolution
- 48kb memory for 1.2 seconds of sample time
- 27,500 Hz Sample Rate
- 8 voice
- 8 velocity sensing pads
- 24 samples in ROM
E-mu SP-12
E-mu SP-1200
SP-1200
Launched as grey body
Black body re-issue in 1997
Produced between 1987 - 1998
Re-issue Price $2495
Product Specs
- Sampling Drum Machine
- 12-bit linear resolution
- 26,040 Hz Sample Rate
- 8 velocity sensing pads
- 384 Kbytes sample ROM
- 10 seconds sample time
- Realtime sequencer
- MIDI Sample Dump
- Analog filters!
E-mu SP-1200 is a classic drum machine and sampler released in August 1987 by E-mu Systems, Inc. as an update of the SP-12, which was originally created for dance music producers. In an article published in New York City's The Village Voice in November 2007, Ben Detrick explains, "The machine rose to such prominence that its strengths and weaknesses sculpted an entire era of music: the crunchy digitized drums, choppy segmented samples, and murky filtered basslines that characterize the vintage New York sound are all mechanisms of the machine."
Designed to be used as both a drum sequencer and sampler in one, the SP-1200 features a 26.040 kHz sampling rate (roughly half the fidelity of a compact disc) and 12-bit resolution; along with the idiosyncratic SSM2044 filter chips, these machines were fitted with make for a dirty, gritty sound. One of the attributes of the SP-1200 is its extremely small amount of memory---roughly 10 seconds.
E-mu SP1200 interior
Features
The SP1200 can store up to 100 patterns, 100 songs and has a 5000 note minimum memory for drum sequences. It also has a mono mix output and eight individual outputs, MIDI in/out/thru, SMPTE sync, and a metronome output. There is one button that allows you to select between banks A, B, C and D giving the user easy access to each of the 32 sounds. The front panel contains several LED lights, buttons and eight volume and pitch faders for each sound in the selected bank. Below each fader is a large button to initialize the sound, or select the sound for editing, and a switch to turn the trigger's velocity sensitivity off or on. The sequencer works in the familiar pattern-style of placing short consecutive sections of samples into a song. The user can easily add swing quantisation and tempo changes. The sequencer can sync the tempo to SMPTE, MIDI or analogue clock pulses. Also, if one wanted, the sequencer can synchronize the tempo to a tapping finger with the 'tap tempo' button.
On Madvillainy, Madlib is holding a SP1200 in his hands on the back cover. 2 songs were not made with the Sp1200, they instead use the SP-303.
Ski Beatz - the making of Jay-Z's "Dead Presidents" beat using SP1200
Albums produced using SP1200
- Cypress Hill - Cypress Hill
- Pete Rock - INI, Soul Survivor, Petestrumentals
- Lootpack - Soundpieces: Da Antidote
- Ultramagnetic MCs - Critical Beatdown
- Geto Boys - The Geto Boys
- EPMD - Strictly Business
- Cypress Hill - Black Sunday
- Main Source - Breaking Atoms
- Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt
- Madlib - Madvillainy
- Marley Marl (Juice Crew)
- Hank Shocklee (Bomb Squad/Public Enemy)
- Prince Paul (De La Soul)
- Showbiz (DITC)
- Lord Finesse (DITC)
- Large Professor
- Q-Tip (A Tribe Called Quest)
- Pete Rock
- DJ Muggs (Cypress Hill)
- Beastie Boys
- Da Beatminerz: Mr. Walt, DJ Evil Dee (Black Moon), Baby Paul
- The RZA (Wu-Tang Clan)
- Easy Mo Bee
- Jay Dee aka Dilla
- Madlib
Akai MPC5000
MPC5000
The MPC5000 was launched at the 2008 winter NAMM trade show. Its main innovations are an 8-track streaming hard disk recorder, a 20-voice, 3-oscillator analog synthesizer with arpeggiator, a new sequencing engine with 960 ppq resolution, pad and track muting and mixing, 64 continuous sample tracks. It also has a new FX engine with 4 FX buses and 2FX per bus, and is considered by Akai to be its flagship MPC.
In addition, the MPC5000 features a 64-voice drum/phrase sampler with 64MB memory, expandable up to 192MB. The display is 240x128, twice the size of the MPC2500 and MPC1000, but smaller than the one on the MPC 4000 . Integrated Chop Shop 2.0 now supports stereo chops and Patched Phrases. It is also the first MPC to include Random and Cycle sample playback in addition to velocity Zone Play. A turntable preamp is also included, as on the MPC 4000.
Akai MPC5000 promotional video
2 videos of Akai MPC 5000 at NAMM 2008
Warren G. on MPC5000 at NAMM 2008
Akai MPC500
MPC500
The MPC500 is the smallest MPC ever made and is the first truly portable MPC created. It can be run on 6 AA batteries but also can be run on a 12V DC plug. It combines a 48-track MIDI sequencer and a 32-voice stereo digital sampler. The MPC500 is the first MPC that only has 12 velocity sensitive rubber pads. It comes with 16 MB RAM but can be upgraded up to 128 MB of RAM. It has a CompactFlash slot for storage of samples. One major appeal of the MPC500 is the fact that you can take a project created on the MPC500 and transfer it to any current MPC with a CompactFlash reader. The MPC500 has a USB port for computer connectivity. It has one stereo output, making it the only MPC currently in production that does not have assignable outputs.
Akai MPC500 promo video
Features
* USB port (Mass Storage Class)
* CompactFlash card reader
* 12 velocity sensitive rubber pads
* Stereo L+R in & out
* 1 MIDI in and 1 MIDI out
* 4 pad banks
* 2 x 16 character LCD screen with back light
* Standard effects include:Chorus, Flanger, Bit grunger, 4 band EQ, Compressor, Phase shifter, Tremolo, Flying pan, Reverb, and Delay.
* Approximately 4.5 hours of continuous use with LCD backlight on.
* 465.5 sq CM footprint.
Akai MPC1000
MPC1000
The MPC1000 is a 64-track sampler/sequencer. It comes with 16 MB sample memory as standard, and can be expanded to 128 MB. It supports sampling rates of 22 or 44.1 kHz, in stereo or mono. Its features include a USB port, an internal CompactFlash card reader, two MIDI inputs and outputs, and effects and multiple analog outputs as standard.
MPC1000 introduced at NAMM 2004
Akai MPC1000 promo video
Features
* USB port (Mass Storage Class)
* CompactFlash card reader
* 12 velocity sensitive rubber pads
* Stereo L+R in & out
* 1 MIDI in and 1 MIDI out
* 4 pad banks
* 2 x 16 character LCD screen with back light
* Standard effects include:Chorus, Flanger, Bit grunger, 4 band EQ, Compressor, Phase shifter, Tremolo, Flying pan, Reverb, and Delay.
* Approximately 4.5 hours of continuous use with LCD backlight on.
* 465.5 sq CM footprint.
Akai MPC2500
MPC2500
Produced since 2006
List price $2,999.00
Street price $1,699.00
Estimated eBay value $800
The MPC2500 is the mid-range of the Akai line of MPCs. It can be upgraded up to 128 MB of RAM with the AKAI EXM128 stick of RAM. It contains an USB port for computer connectivity. It contains a CompactFlash slot for storage of samples, and can be upgraded with a variety of hard drives. The MPC2500 contains 2 MIDI inputs and 4 MIDI outputs. The MP2500 also has the Chop Shop feature, which can chop a sample into as many as 64 pieces. A CD drive can added for burning and reading capabilities. Also comes with a 128 mb compact flash card with sound kits.
Taj runs through the feature set of the MPC 2500 for Producer's Edge Magazine.
Review of MPC25000 by Akai
Features
* USB port (Mass Storage Class)
* CompactFlash card reader
* 16 velocity sensitive pads
* 2 MIDI inputs, 4 MIDI outputs
* 100,000 note, 64-track, MIDI sequencer
* 16 MB sampling memory (upgradeable to 128 MB)
* Included standard effects include:Chorus, Flanger, Bit grunger, 4 band EQ, Compressor, Phase shifter, Tremolo, Flying Pan, Reverb, and Delay.
* It contains 8 assignable outputs and 1 stereo output.
* It has two assignable Q-link sliders and knobs.
* 240 x 64 hinged backlit LCD screen.
* The CD-M25 CD Drive can added.
* JJOS compatible
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