M:S - the quiet kid at the TE EP-133 party?

Elektron Gear Model:Samples
#1

Howdie All,

A feel a bit like the M:S got invited by accident to the EP-133 party and all the other kids were busting dance moves trying to compete with it, while the M:S sat in the corner, quietly observing, and a bit confused.

I bought a TE EP-133 the other day, then got got a refund for a number of reasons - one of which was “hang on, doesn’t a M:S pretty much do this?”

I miss my Digitakt. I’ve been making tracks on the M8 tracker but the one thing it doesn’t do standalone is that hands-on tweak and twist.

I’m new to the M:S (bought one from a very nice Elektronaut on this very forum only a day ago). Looking forward to it.

I appreciate the M:S doesn’t slice like the EP-133. It doesn’t have the fun factor - at least aesthetically - but I’m wondering why the big rush for the EP-133 when you can get a M:S with immense sequencing capacity, and a different sample locked for each trig, for a fraction of the price?

I’m going to fix the pads too. I can almost guarantee they will not be finger friendly (I may be surprised). I’ll get the screwdiver and some tape out. Still, better than the slightly strange buttons on the EP-133, no? Only half the pad is velocity sensitive.

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#2

I stopped using my Model:Samples because I can’t sample directly into it. That looks like the main fun factor of the EP-133 to me, if there were no issues. Of course, the M:S is much more capable in many other ways like sequencing, looping samples etc…

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#3

12 vs 6 tracks, stereo samples, lots of (performance) effect, cool looks, it’s an actual sampler(!)…

Obviously M:S also does things that KO2 doesn’t.

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#4

From my perspective, and for my needs (just to head off any critique of my reply) … the EP-133 looks like a downgrade to me. Factors influencing that (correct me where I’ve got this wrong)

  • Limited character numeric display to identify samples
  • Much less total storage (64Mb I think I read ?)
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#5

yeah, 12 vs 6 is a big winner, but the send FX is universal! Bit of a dealbreaker for me

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#6

m:s mk2 is going to address all these things :wink:

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#7

Ha ha

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#8

If you want to finger-drum (I don’t) or use the velocity-sensitive feature, then yes, I expect you’ll find them lacking. With Velocity ‘fixed’ (i.e. frozen via the Pad Menu) they work fine so far as I’m concerned.

#9

I like my MS. nice performance features. but the build quality is hot garbage. clicks in some pots. creaky pads. I like the elektron workflow. and sometimes i get weird with its lfos and velocity routing. but its mostly relegated to being a very solid drum machine these days. I get the impression the need to be cheaper then the digitakt / less capable really hampered its development. ep133 feels much higher quality. velocity on the 133 sucks but its not like the MS pads are so great. My launch 133 feels far more refined then my Samples that i bought well after launch. somethingsomething battery handle.

#10

I’ve had ny M:S since launch. It is a very fun machine and I’ve gotten a lot of use out of it. But I also ordered an EP-133 because it can sample, it can sample in stereo, it is battery powered, it has a different workflow, and more FX. To me they are pretty different machines. I also have like 6 other samplers/sample players. I just have a thing for samplers, so there’s that.

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#11

M:S MK2 with sample input would be a deeam come true (: (alsoattackknob)

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#12

Sure - I get it. I’ll probably buy one in due course. The battery on the M:S can be ‘handled’ [sorry] by an external bank. Not as refined of course.

I guess my major concern is that if you put 10 musicians in a room with the same set of samples and asked them to perform and put to tape a track using the in-built punch fx, it would sound quite similar?

#13

What is it exactly that the EP does that the M:S already do?
You didn’t really specify!

All I see are two widely different devices in the same price bracket.

#14

I think the rush more so comes from the unique qualities that the EP-133 offers, its quite appealing even if you already own 2-3 or in my case 5 different samplers. While I think it could be a good first bit of hardware for someone, I personally think something like M:S with the elektron sequencer is a equally good first step but there are bigger samplers that cover almost everything the M:S does… EP-133 seems unique enough that even someone with all the highend samplers might be interested in trying it out.

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#15

Have you ever participated in one of the battles around here, or elsewhere, where people all use the same samples? Often times people come up with pretty different tracks from one another. Will some fx be overused? Yeah, maybe. But that can be good or bad. A million tracks have used the vinyl sim on a 303 or 404, but so what, I still run stuff through my 303 sometimes.

It sounds like you’re concerned about a product that you either won’t be buying, or won’t be buying for a while. At the end of the day, enjoy your Model:Samples, it is a stellar machine.

#16

yeah, maybe I shouldn’t have renounced my purchase! On the other hand, it’s a good excuse to to tinker with the M:S.

I find that each box has at very least 3 or 4 full tracks waiting straight off the bat. I’m also a guitarist, and we say there is at least 3-4 songs in every guitar - just because of the unique nature of it. This is why I have too many guitars! :slight_smile:

#17

Yup, I know that saying, I am also a guitar player.

I’ve knocked out a bunch of whole tracks with the M:S, I think you’ll like it.

#18

So for my very first post, let me ask which I should buy, as my very first sampler… and, I suppose, why?

What I’m looking for is power AND immediacy; I much prefer to play my drum machines than program 'em; but the ability to tweak is definitely appreciated.

Perhaps the comparison between a Roldand TR-8 and TR-6s could be made?
Sequencing would be cool, but to be honest, my DrumBrute is the absolute best drum sequencer I own (it’s a drum synthesis is utter shit)

There is this rather scary “Electron Workflow” that seems a little off-putting, on a side note is ‘working up thru’ the ranges an advisable strategy? i.e. first a Model: then Digi then Rtym/Octatrack like a better way to learn…

Thoughts?

#19

Model:samples isnt a sampler.
It plays samples, but cannot record.

If elektron workflow seems offputting to you, you probably wont like it.

Electribes are very immediate, very powerful.

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#20

Depends what you’re looking for. M:S is not a sampler, it’s a sample player, meaning you have to upload your samples via USB cable. It’s my first elektron device, been a mpc/fl studio user all my life, but I didn’t have many issues with the sequencer on the M:S. It’s powerful, but also annoying at times, especially when you want to use many samples, eg different hi hats and you have to trig lock samples each step. Sample browsing/management is also a bit tedious, but you get used to it.

I really like my M:S, got it used pretty cheap a year ago, I use it with a power bank mostly and it’s great. Ordered EP-133 last week, because I love my PO-33 and I miss sampling. I plan to pair both and use M:S as a drum machine + longer samples player

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