That’s a good point: the headphone experience.
Are many instruments recorded in stereo? I suppose piano might be, and I can only imagine orchestras would be. I suppose in general stereo recordings are of amalgamations of sounds.
If you’re trying to sample and represent some stereo material like field recordings/music/video etc then it needs to be played back in stereo otherwise you lose much of the character, the sense of space and depth etc. Like I do a lot of binaural recordings and those really require stereo to get the effect across. Doing the workaround with using two panned tracks sounds like a right faff that kills immediacy.
The stereo field is a fundamental part of how we hear sound, so it’s a fairly important factor. I wouldn’t call it a spec obsession in the case of samplers. You can definitely make great sounding mono music and make a stereo mix out of mono parts of course, but with samplers it’s always nice to have the option of stereo.
If I was the OP I’d consider trying to save up for an Octatrack, but just keep in mind that it’ll take a while to get proficient and you probably need to be using it every day. I was strongly considering the MPCs too which have some advantages like velocity sensitive pads, but there was just something about the OT and it’s interface+features that drew me towards it.
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Because we have 2 ears ?
Seems essential for mix resampling. I’m pretty obsessed with stereo recording / playback but I think I made my mind with Digitakt and will surely record / resample with new features (dual mono recordings ? 
).
Lots of good suggestions here.
I’m leaning towards MPC plus Syntakt.
And someone mentioned Ableton Live which I do use along with Logic and Maschine. I just want to get away from the computer sometimes.
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Octatrack isn’t that difficult to learn if you want to record loops,
MKI is almost at the same price as a 2nd hand Digitakt. Can be used as a looper. Same OS as MKII.
Blackbox seems a nice alternative for stereo recording. I’d have to try newer MPCs but I have a problem with their size and the screen.
In about the same way as the difference between red and blue are perceivable 
Music without stereo is totally dull and lifeless to me - it would be like having my vision muted from 3D to 2D. It’s another component of musical interest.
Even rules about what can and can’t be in stereo are over prescriptive
Now is it a big deal that Digitakt is a mono sampler? Not really, but only because you can put sounds into the stereo field using the effects and mixer. Otherwise it would sound dull as a doorknob (at least to me).
Do you use headphones? I feel like if you mostly use speakers maybe it’s less obvious?
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Good points. I should have written “why do people want every music device to be stereo equipped”, not specifically music as such (as in finished recordings). I was thinking more that it doesn’t seem necessary to have every instrument, sound, etc. in a music have a wide stereo image.
But I think people have made some really good points that for samplers specifically it’s preferable to have the option for when required. (But in the Elektron product lineup that’s reserved for the premium products only.)
I guess what I was attempting to assert was that not every guitar amp, snare drum, mono synth, etc. and so forth requires that they are captured in stereo or (surround sound). Panned mono and stereo effects is often sufficient for many sound sources. And there seems to be consensus on that.
In any case, I’ve been convinced by the arguments put forth so far.
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It’s a bit bulky, but the Akai Force works really well with the Syntakt… gives you the crossfader for the ability to record loops in live and switch over on the fly.
I like the Digitakt, but not in this kind of role.
I don’t have one, but the SP404mk2 seems like it would be a good choice too.
Digitakt definitely inherited from AR MKI. Mono make sense for AR mono analog circuits. Less obvious for DT imho.
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Hi ! and what do you think of Roland Verselab? sampler and recording directly from the machine with several effects especially for the voice. Seems to be great with Syntakt.
I’ve ordered a sp404 mk2 to use with my syntakt and for guitar loops you can directly plug in a guitar to sample.
With the new update it’s even better.
My reason was that I can run gear into it and have hands on control of fx but more I look at videos I really like the look of the DJ mode for having long stripped down versions of my tracks made in ableton that I can mix and sync syntakt to add drums etc.
Lots of possibilities
Too many probably
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Same audio engine as MC707 ?
Works as a looper ?
I had a bad experience with SP 404 MKI (cheap sequencer, very limited audio editor by ear, no midi control appart notes)
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Not sure as not got mine yet but don’t think it works like the boss 505 looper for example but would fulfill the ops wish to work with guitar loops etc
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SP 555 has a looper fonction iirc (very similar to SP404 MKI).
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Yeah don’t think it has that option
Though if demand could be added ?
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I think that with the Digitakt being intended primarily as a drum machine it makes sense anyway tbh - so it makes sense to me @sezare56 Although I like to place my drums in virtual space the sounds themselves can (and mostly are) mono. I wouldn’t notice if my cymbal one shot was stereo. I give Elektron a pass on this one because they label it that way 
But if I’m working with a field recording of some birds or rain or whatever like you mention @jeffped then that’s where a stereo sampler can really shine - and it goes without saying that if you’re sampling a source that uses stereo effects you’ll want to preserve that. Depends a lot on the effects you’re using with your guitar.
But 9/10 I don’t need my samples to be stereo.
I see plenty of folks doing what you’re describing, using the Digitakt, and killing it - so I don’t think that setup would hold you back at all. OT would give you more options and features, if you like doing live looping type stuff it’s going to be a much better choice than the DT - I think it pairs really well with instruments for that purpose - where I’d treat the DT more as a one shot machine. Sample length limitations, too.
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OT and Syntakt here - OT is my fave machine hands down and I don’t think as complicated as a lot of people make out.
PS - they look great together too
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Now that is a slick rig. Very nice indeed.
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Those anniversary red buttons do go well with the syntakt
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And Anniversary Edition OT.
#jealousy
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