Super Cool! Glad someone was able to get in on it 
So I got my MKII a few days ago from turntablelab and so far Iāmā¦ not loving it. Mind you, I come from the world of OT and MPC (I owned a DT but preferred the OT).
I know my way around unusual workflows from the M1, QY10, and s950 days but this seems archaic for no reason. Iām reminded why I sold my SP-808 all over again.
Canāt record patterns in chromatic mode? So I have to resample my chromatic performance, chop it to samples and then assign to pads and then I can do itā¦ wow.
I want this to work but Iām pulling my hair out here. Iām gonna try it with my OP-Z as sample fodder and go from there. Maybe if I treat it as a sampler/resampler only and not use the sequencer Iāll be less frustrated.
Am I trying too hard to make it work? Should I return it or sell it? Decisions, decisionsā¦
I would advice to keeping it. It needs some firmware updates, thatās true. By Iām convinced the updates will come. The MKII will be a classic too, just like the older SP404 series.
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Iām in a similar space to youā¦ been using serious sequencing and sampling gear for a long time, and definitely know my way around and know how to think about strange stuff.
No way around it, but if it isnāt for you, it just isnāt for you. So Iāll dump a few thoughts for you, but certainly not going to try and change your mind or anything. The mk2 is definitely not going to conform to how you want to work, you have to approach it for what it is.
Iāve had the OP-1 and OP-Z, and both absolutely frustrated me with the limited sample time, and frankly awful storage constraints compared to modern hardware. The OP-Z certainly fairs worse here in some ways, but can at least manage multiple sequencer projects at the same time, and given thatā¦ it may actually pair incredibly nicely with the mk2 so you can have both a powerful sequencer and a powerful though not necessarily feature rich sampler. Better, the OP-Z can function as a USB host, so might be able to pull some USB-C to USB-C tricks with the mk2. I donāt have it any more so cannot confirm though.
As far as a sampler goes, the mk2 is certainly passable. Sure youāve got an AHR instead of ADSR, no filters without what you do by hand, and there is no gate releaseā¦ but with a bit of thinking outside the box a lot of these issues do make me at least think about alternative workflows within the box. I donāt mind copying samples a few times, and tweaking individual samplesā¦ or using gate mode to control how long a sample plays to get velocity and note length variations. Yes, the MPCs and S series samplers all have way more features to them, but they are also doing different things. Compared to these, the mk2 is really only geared for sampling fast, and having various interesting fx. Itās a gross generalization but why I think some people say the SP series is a toy.
And heck, youāve already got great sequencers and great samplers, so why compromise? I cannot answer this for you, but for me itās just nice to push myself into other spaces. The mk2 could replace a ton of guitar pedals for me just as an effects box. The mk2 is so darn quick to just record notes, chop things up in weird ways, and just see what sticks, and while it has a bare bones sequencer, it is kind of fun to just commit to something and move forward and see where things go for you.
Iāve been there right with you though on plenty of instruments and effectsā¦ purchase itā¦ donāt get what I like out of it and move onā¦ and thatās okay. If you only use the mk2 to supplement the sampling issues on the OP-Z Iād say it is a perfectly good use for it, or if you want to just use it for effects then go nuts. If itās not moving you, I am willing to bet you can sell it here super quick, or put it up on eBay and do better than break even.
Good luck!
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I just got mine from Turntable Lab as well and I think itās going to be amazing, but itās also going to take a lot of work to wrap my head around it. Personally I donāt care about chromatic sample use ā Iām trying to break myself of the melodic/tonal habit anyhow ā so Iām ok with the limited chromatic functionality. Plus, you can use resample to record chromatic samples, so you can do it as long as youāre willing to part with quantization.
The resampling workflow is totally new to me but it has some incredible possibilities. For example, the fact that skip back works on every sound you hear (!!!) is mind-blowing. I discovered that you can go into the sample edit screen, tweak the loop+start+end points in real time while looping the sample, and then use skip back to get wild granular-style textures. Iām also looking forward to creating drones with some of my orchestral sample libraries. (Holla out to 8Dio CAGE, which has wavs instead of proprietary Kontakt instruments!)
Going from a step-sequencer world to the 404 will take a lot of getting used to, but I think the journey will be worth it.
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Off-topic
Maybe the new OP-Z module can bring you even moreā¦
/OT
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Any audio/video examples of people using the SP with synthesisers? Thinking of more melodic, less beat- based compositions. I am interested in this machine as some kind of non-linear multitrack recorder for synthesiser based music.
How long did it take on processing order from turntablelab? It seems they notice like 3-5 days for processing before shipping.
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I think theyāve been a little bogged down since the holidays. They always come through, though.
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It took 6 days from order date to arrive. I paid for usps priority but they sent it ups ground. Oh well.
It took 4 business days ā not too bad.
I use a 990 250ohm and its driven well while i dont have extra gain on in the menu and the knob is at noon.
Thought Iād drop a quick and dirty beat sketches file in here. I know, I know, more hip-hop type stuff on the SP 
Combination of using the pattern sequencer and resampling. All using the same sample source apart from the last. Just a bit of fun. Might flesh some of them out. Still very much enjoying the machine.
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Having owned this for a month or so now, Iād say this definitely wonāt be for everyone so do what you feel, BUT I also think after a few days youāve almost certainly barely scratched the surface. Itās surprisingly deep once you adapt to the SP workflow, but, for me at least, I think it will take months (or longer!) to dial in my workflow and get really comfortable and quick with it.
I honestly expect a lot of people to have the same reaction you are having when they get it. The workflow is definitely like nothing Iāve used and it can feel like hard work trying to figure it out. On the flip side, the SP can yield some really great/unique results because of its unique workflow.
Good luck!
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I come from the land of Octatrack so obtuse doesnāt scare me. Itās maybe the clunkiness. Iāve played with it a lot today and itās getting better but I still have a while to go. I want to like it and the immediacy is great.
Back to it!!!
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Haha. Yeah, probably not in the same league as that. Iāve been too afraid by the workflow to buy an OT. 
Great job!!!
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Jump in! Itās great! Who wouldnāt want a sampler that doesnāt easily or clearly identify how to sample? 
Just kidding- it is indeed a learning curve but now itās all second nature to me. Owned an OT since 2014.
Now Iām back to the 404!
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Totally off topic, but this was the first video of the OT that Iāve seen that made me realize some of the possibilities. Perhaps if I ever start doing live stuff 
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Any of Cuckooās videos about it are great as well.
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