I’ve always been intrigued by the SP-404sx. Never owned any SP-404 but the wealth of effects for a sampler makes me want one. I wish the DT or M:S had a lot of effects. I get a little bored with just verb/delay/overdrive. Some of the more DJ’ish effects like on the SP-404 would be nice. The effects seem to make them more “jammable” as samplers. Like, videos of people using SP-404s seem to show them being more engaged as opposed to other sample players that have more of a standback approach as they play the sequence… How do you like the SP-404sx?
Dont get me wrong, I loved the Sp404sx while I had it, which is close to 7 years…
Recently I felt that nowadays people always use its effects to make head nodding glitchy lo-fi Hip-Hop stutters and space delays that make everything sound ‘Low End Theoryish’ (stuff like Dibia$e, Ras G (RIP), etc.)
I enjoyed that for a while, but it feels overdone at this point.
What I used it for, was for sampling, editing, resampling bits with effects, etc. for mostly sound editing.
The sequencer is great but goofy so what I did was mainly playing entire tracks on pads and adding live effects or sound editing that I would record and re-use somewhere else.
I moved away from that lo-fi aesthetic and I want to have a more melodic side now with what I do…
Also having a lot more fun with Elektron’s control-ALL lately…
but the Sp404sx sound and aesthetic isnt going anywhere and its resale price is steady for a reason for a long discontinued product…If you like what it does well, you will love it.
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I bought a 404sx a little over 3 years ago & still love it. It can be difficult & it can take time to master, but that’s 1 thing I love about it. It doesn’t just do lo-fi sound well, it can really enhance sound with it’s effects. I did a beat for a sp forum battle & we could only use a few sounds from free ipad apps & could only use the sp to make the beat. This was the first time I REALLY used the effects for sound design, to make sounds… sound better & I was blown away with how well it improved & shaped the sounds.
I think the 404sx has a lot of uses as a sampler & effects box. A ton of useable effects (some effects took me time to see the potential, but all effects on it are useable in some way depending on how you use it, what sound you use it on & what other effects you combine it with), not just live effects to perform or mangle the sound, but also for sound design. It has a ton of sample memory (especially with a 32 gb card!). It’s so easy to sample with & move around, I use it multiple different ways in my set up. & I actually like chopping by ear, it got me to really listen to the sound instead of watching a waveform. It improved my skills quite a bit due to it being more like an instrument that needs to be played & mastered.
Only being able to apply 1 effect at a time can be frustrating, especially when layering the effects is where it’s at. So it can take time to find the right combination of effects.
I didn’t use the sequencer the first year or so I had it, but once I got it down I actually really like it. Combining the sequencer with resampled loops is where it’s at.
The sx has a lot of tricks & work arounds too. I’ll never sell it.
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These beats are simple & microwave but all were made with the 404sx & nothing else & all are battle beats. All were also made using the sequencer on the 404sx combined with resampled loops. I sampled everything directly into the 404sx & chopped everything on it a well.
Battle winner beat -
Didn’t win these battles, but still like the beats 
Not a fan of this beat, but it’s the one where I had to use sounds from free ipad apps, so all sounds expect the Busta YO’s are from free apps.
Edit: When I say resampled loops, I mean loops I created by finger drumming & sampling myself. No “already made loops” were used in the above beats. Not saying anything is wrong with that, but the fact that all sounds are 1 shots chopped on the sx & arranged on the sx shows the sx can make decent grooves with it’s sequencer & can chop tight enough.
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Always dope beats Sharris! Got my head nodding while working late!
Thanks Kegeratorz 
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very late but —have you used the Sp and the Ot together concurrently? what’s your workflow like between them?