One thing I'd note is 30 years ago we didn't walk around with half a dozen neodymium magnets in our pockets at all times. I handed my daughter an old floppy a couple years ago, but as she started to lay it on her desk everything was in slow motion with bright red auras around the laptop, earbuds, and whatnot. That's the last thing I remember.
A very well thought out point. I really might consider rolling back to the floppy drive on my SP1200, cause the emulator's been kind of a pain to mess with. As I've listened to you, I've realized it more clearly. Thank you!
Thanks for commenting on this subject. I play Ensoniq SQ-80 and I'm amazed how easy it still is to get blank disks even now. I got a couple of spare disk drives just in case, but I could still get a replacement if needed. I like the idea of floppy emulators but never got one.
I love my emulators for their ability to back up a usb in triplicate but appreciate that we are object/visual people that haven't really changed much in the last 30,000 years. Seeing a disk with my writing on it evokes the sound much more than a list of files on my usb.
As someone with an MPC2500 as a primary workhorse I kinda want either a stock 2k or the 2kxl specifically for its limitations with the RAM and floppy drive. It would change up my workflow considerably and I would be forced to adapt to the machine. That's kinda exciting to me. Im 24 y/o atm, I bought a 10-pack of floppies last year b/c I almost pulled the trigger on an ASR10 lol.
I think it depends on the sampler. The E-MU series 4 samplers have an undo option for editing samples. So if you do a destructive crossfade loop on a sample and it doesn’t sound good, you can undo it and try a different length. It requires a hard drive though. With my e6400, since the floppy drive wasn’t reloading floppies I’d saved, I bought the Zulu SCSI drive which comes with an 8gb micro SD. And it works great! Easy to backup too, as I can just copy it to the computer. The sampler has 128mb, so I can keep adding samples and programs. It’s nice having every sample I’ve made on it always loaded. For older samplers where the ram is roughly the same as a floppy like an Akai S900, MPC60, Emax, EPS, FZ1 etc, floppies would most likely be the best for those. Providing the drive still works! Oh, and the old SCSI drives were always problematic. Syquest drives, Zip, Jazz etc.. all rubbish.
Im saying , yep, yep, yep. Just ditched my syquest 135 for a zulu. However, i havent installed my floppy emulator yet because i cant bring myself to pull away from something that was so familiar. The man here isnt wrong. 👍👍👍💾👍👍👍
Depends on the floppy disk design meaning certain samplers requires a certain floppy disk and if you dont use it will corrode ive cried a thousand times sampling for hours and saving to disk making libraries of vinyl samples only to load in the sp1200 and it says [ DISK READ ERROR] 😢😢😢😢😢😢
All valid points, but I have no faith in floppy disks reliability from my experience (mostly PC related). So for me using good floppy emulator is way to go…. And as a benefit - no mechanical parts (no belts etc.). USB thumb drives have their issues as well, but that is different story, and they are much easier to back up (I am using emulators with FlashFloppy or HxC firmware, so it is literally copying image files).
I still use floppies with all my old Akai samplers and MPC units. + I still have around 30 brand new boxes of floppies, so around 300, and around 1000 disks worth of projects etc, and, all are stored in gasket sealed, army issue ammo boxes, etc, - it's rare that a floppy fails, I'd say once or twice a year, I lose a disk to corrupted data. - Although, the drive on my old MPC60ii finally gave up last year, had it new since 1991, - might replace it with a Floppy Emulator, or I might just sell it, - it's in immaculate condition, I'm literally OCD when it comes to keeping my toys pristine. Also regarding floppies, with drums I often like to sample into one of my S950 units, save the sample to floppy, and then load said sample into one of my S3200xl units, which converts the file. That way I can get all the crunch from the 950, but all the editing and extras of the 3200xl, - I know I lose the 950 VCF and such, but I gain so much more, - imo, obviously. - From what I understand, I think I'd lose that ability if I upgraded the drives, - but I could be wrong, I ain't no professional, just another idiot with enough money to spend on toys that feed my autistic need for sonic manipulation. I know some turn their noses up at the 3200xl, but honestly, its my all time favourite S-series sampler, - I find resampling at around 13,000hz with a Quality value of between 5 and 8, and using the tilt eq in the Tone page can pretty much get me most of the Akai flavours I want. -- current sampler inventory - 2x S950 - 2x s3200xl - S6000 - S3000xl, - brand new, unused backup - MPC 60ii - currently in the casualty department, aka my bedroom - MPC 2000xl SE1 - ASQ-10 - plus I'm currently using an MPC -1 as the main brain in my synthesizer 'Therapy Cell", and an MPC live2 as a glorified track recorder, and breakbeat chopper. - Digitakt - E-Mu ESI-4000, c/w Turbocard I'm guessing Akai will soon release a new flagship MPC, or entry level device, to coincide with their new MPC3 operating system, - that's when I upgrade to OS3, my older machines are staying at OS2, because I work with programs for a reason, and I use MPCs to keep myself away from the DAW mentality as much as possible, - but I have a feeling the new format/formats, when released, will be worth having, - even if the Program option is still void. god bless - love to ALL, feel no hate
Ammo box as long term storage is genius. I have about 1k floppies I need to store. I can't lie, most of them are computer games. Peace and thanks for the idea.
One thing I'd note is 30 years ago we didn't walk around with half a dozen neodymium magnets in our pockets at all times. I handed my daughter an old floppy a couple years ago, but as she started to lay it on her desk everything was in slow motion with bright red auras around the laptop, earbuds, and whatnot. That's the last thing I remember.
A very well thought out point.
I really might consider rolling back to the floppy drive on my SP1200, cause the emulator's been kind of a pain to mess with.
As I've listened to you, I've realized it more clearly.
Thank you!
I have hard drives 20+ years old working fine.
Thanks for commenting on this subject. I play Ensoniq SQ-80 and I'm amazed how easy it still is to get blank disks even now. I got a couple of spare disk drives just in case, but I could still get a replacement if needed. I like the idea of floppy emulators but never got one.
I love my emulators for their ability to back up a usb in triplicate but appreciate that we are object/visual people that haven't really changed much in the last 30,000 years. Seeing a disk with my writing on it evokes the sound much more than a list of files on my usb.
As someone with an MPC2500 as a primary workhorse I kinda want either a stock 2k or the 2kxl specifically for its limitations with the RAM and floppy drive. It would change up my workflow considerably and I would be forced to adapt to the machine. That's kinda exciting to me. Im 24 y/o atm, I bought a 10-pack of floppies last year b/c I almost pulled the trigger on an ASR10 lol.
A 2kxl with a zip disk, is a happy compromise. MPC 2K, 2XL had the best feeling pads, imo.
Someday I am gonna travel to Toronto. Hope to see You there at your gig. Cheers from Poland!!!
I think it depends on the sampler.
The E-MU series 4 samplers have an undo option for editing samples. So if you do a destructive crossfade loop on a sample and it doesn’t sound good, you can undo it and try a different length. It requires a hard drive though. With my e6400, since the floppy drive wasn’t reloading floppies I’d saved, I bought the Zulu SCSI drive which comes with an 8gb micro SD. And it works great! Easy to backup too, as I can just copy it to the computer. The sampler has 128mb, so I can keep adding samples and programs. It’s nice having every sample I’ve made on it always loaded.
For older samplers where the ram is roughly the same as a floppy like an Akai S900, MPC60, Emax, EPS, FZ1 etc, floppies would most likely be the best for those. Providing the drive still works!
Oh, and the old SCSI drives were always problematic. Syquest drives, Zip, Jazz etc.. all rubbish.
Im saying , yep, yep, yep. Just ditched my syquest 135 for a zulu. However, i havent installed my floppy emulator yet because i cant bring myself to pull away from something that was so familiar. The man here isnt wrong. 👍👍👍💾👍👍👍
Agreed, 100%
Depends on the floppy disk design meaning certain samplers requires a certain floppy disk and if you dont use it will corrode ive cried a thousand times sampling for hours and saving to disk making libraries of vinyl samples only to load in the sp1200 and it says [ DISK READ ERROR] 😢😢😢😢😢😢
All valid points, but I have no faith in floppy disks reliability from my experience (mostly PC related). So for me using good floppy emulator is way to go…. And as a benefit - no mechanical parts (no belts etc.).
USB thumb drives have their issues as well, but that is different story, and they are much easier to back up (I am using emulators with FlashFloppy or HxC firmware, so it is literally copying image files).
I still use floppies with all my old Akai samplers and MPC units.
+ I still have around 30 brand new boxes of floppies, so around 300, and around 1000 disks worth of projects etc, and, all are stored in gasket sealed, army issue ammo boxes, etc, - it's rare that a floppy fails, I'd say once or twice a year, I lose a disk to corrupted data.
- Although, the drive on my old MPC60ii finally gave up last year, had it new since 1991, - might replace it with a Floppy Emulator, or I might just sell it, - it's in immaculate condition, I'm literally OCD when it comes to keeping my toys pristine.
Also regarding floppies, with drums I often like to sample into one of my S950 units, save the sample to floppy, and then load said sample into one of my S3200xl units, which converts the file. That way I can get all the crunch from the 950, but all the editing and extras of the 3200xl, - I know I lose the 950 VCF and such, but I gain so much more, - imo, obviously.
- From what I understand, I think I'd lose that ability if I upgraded the drives,
- but I could be wrong, I ain't no professional, just another idiot with enough money to spend on toys that feed my autistic need for sonic manipulation.
I know some turn their noses up at the 3200xl, but honestly, its my all time favourite S-series sampler,
- I find resampling at around 13,000hz with a Quality value of between 5 and 8, and using the tilt eq in the Tone page can pretty much get me most of the Akai flavours I want.
-- current sampler inventory
- 2x S950
- 2x s3200xl
- S6000
- S3000xl, - brand new, unused backup
- MPC 60ii - currently in the casualty department, aka my bedroom
- MPC 2000xl SE1
- ASQ-10
- plus I'm currently using an MPC -1 as the main brain in my synthesizer 'Therapy Cell", and an MPC live2 as a glorified track recorder, and breakbeat chopper.
- Digitakt
- E-Mu ESI-4000, c/w Turbocard
I'm guessing Akai will soon release a new flagship MPC, or entry level device, to coincide with their new MPC3 operating system, - that's when I upgrade to OS3, my older machines are staying at OS2, because I work with programs for a reason, and I use MPCs to keep myself away from the DAW mentality as much as possible, - but I have a feeling the new format/formats, when released, will be worth having, - even if the Program option is still void.
god bless
- love to ALL, feel no hate
Ammo box as long term storage is genius. I have about 1k floppies I need to store. I can't lie, most of them are computer games.
Peace and thanks for the idea.