SP-606

Hardware Sampler, Meet Sofware Synth

There’s been a brawl going on between hardware and software in the music production world, a struggle to find the portability and dependability of hardware, while taking advantage of the flexibility and convenience of software production. Well, the dust has settled, and out of that royal rumble emerges the tag-team duo of the SP-606 Sampling Workstation and the Cakewalk P606 Software Groovebox.

In This Corner, Wearing Silver and Black…
Not only does the SP-606 have that “killer” look, it packs a massive punch when it comes to sampling production. Sampling from any one of its inputs — analog, digital coaxial, or USB — couldn’t be easier. The new External Sequence Sampling makes it easy to capture a loop phrase of the appropriate length from an external MIDI device.

SP-606 with Laptop

Editing your samples is a breeze with the SP-606’s large display and waveform editor. Use the chop feature to slice and dice your samples to create your own rhythms playing those sounds. And room? Pop in a 512MB CompactFlash card and you have space for up to 512 samples at up to 397 minutes. The compact flash is read in real time, and is used as real additional memory, not just for archiving as on other products.

The Sampling Station That’s Ready to Work
16 velocity sensitive pads provide precise control over timing and dynamics. The four-track sequencer makes it easy to combine your samples into patterns that can be played back individually or chained together to create a song. Use the BPM sync feature to automatically synchronize the tempo of your sample phrases to the tempo of your pattern.

The SP-606 has two built-in MFX processors, providing 45 different effects types that are sure to cover your effects needs. With the three control knobs, D Beam controller, and a footswitch input, you can take complete control over the SP-606.

P606 SoftwareThe Computer Connection
The SP-606’s USB port is your connection to the computer world, providing both MIDI and audio communication to and from your software. This means that with one connection, you can control and pass audio between the SP-606 and your favorite software program. The USB connection is also the gateway to transfer WAV and AIF files between your computer and the SP-606.

And In This Corner, Hailing From Your PC…
The bundled P606 software is a dedicated, 16-track, pattern sequencer to be seamlessly controlled by the SP-606. With preloaded patterns, sounds, synthesizers, and effects, this truly is a software groovebox equipped to create your custom loops.

Virtually Limitless
Once you launch the P606 software on your Windows 2000 or XP computer, the connection between the SP-606 and P606 software is automatically made. There are no user settings that need to be hassled with. Audio and MIDI commands flow from the computer and back in real time.

A P606 project consists of 16 sequences. Each sequence has 16 Parts, or tracks. With each Part you can choose one from over 200 preset patterns provided, or create your own pattern from scratch. Assign a Patch or Rhythm Kit from one of the three built-in software synthesizers to be played by the pattern, or use the GroovePlayer to import a standard or Acidized Wav file, which will automatically sync to the tempo of the sequence.

The P606 software comes with several preloaded effects and is compatible with both DX and VST effects. Each Part can have a unique array of effects assigned to its “FX bin” — limited only by your computer’s processing power. You can completely change the order of effects to create different sounds.

Now That’s Teamwork
SP-606 with Compact Flash The SP-606 can switch between playing the internal samples and patterns to controlling the software at a touch of a button. You have full transport control over the software using the SP-606’s transport buttons. Use the 16 Velocity Pads to select parts, input notes, solo and mute tracks, or select other sequences while playing back live. You can even control various synth and effects settings from the control knobs.

The SP-606 acts as the audio interface for the P606 software. This allows you to hear your computer’s sound output and the SP-606’s output simultaneously. That means you can use one set of audio connections to hear both devices through your speakers or headphones.

The Tag Team Power Move
Once you have created that killer sequence in P606, you can use the SP-606’s External Sequence Sampling to automatically sample the sequence to one of the SP-606’s pads. Tempo, time signature, and length are automatically set so the new sample will loop cleanly — no fuss, no muss. Now using the patterns you’ve created on the computer at a gig is just one pad press away. Could it be any easier than this?

Let the Games Begin
The SP-606 and P606 combo allow you to deliver that lethal one-two punch, and still have money left over for a latte.