Roland SP808EX

Two years after its launch, Roland's innovative SP808 sampling workstation has undergone a dramatic change in appearance, and also now benefits from new effects and improved Zip drive storage. Chris Carter embarks on an affair with an EX...

Back in SOS August '98 I reviewed the original Roland SP808, a keyboardless synth/sampler/multitracking workstation. At the time, groove was king and the SP808 was the 'Groove Sampler': now, two years on, it has been reborn as the SP808EX eMix Studio. A slightly less catchy title, but a more apt description.

So has the SP808 been transformed in more than name? Well, the most obvious change is that the brooding black‑and‑red livery of the original has been replaced by an iMac‑inspired translucent case, highlighted with areas of pearlised purple and black. However, there are also differences under the bonnet: the updated EX includes fancy new effects algorithms and, most importantly, a larger and faster 250Mb Zip drive.

The physical layout, operating system, connectivity and day‑to‑day operation of the SP808EX remain essentially the same as the previous version, so rather than cover old ground I suggest you check out my previous review for any in‑depth background information. The SP808EX incorporates a hard disk recorder capable of recording four stereo tracks, a five‑stereo channel digital mixer, a 16‑pad, 64‑bank stereo phrase sampler, a monophonic virtual analogue synth/step sequencer, preset and programmable multi‑effects and a theremin‑like D‑Beam controller. It doesn't contain any RAM to speak of as everything is recorded, saved and played back directly from the built‑in Zip drive. This means that recording and sampling times are limited not by the number of SIMMs you can afford, but by the amount of free disk space available.

Zippy Stardust

Despite the radical new look, the most important hardware upgrade is the specification of a 250Mb Zip drive in place of the original's 100Mb version.

Power up the EX and you are presented with a spiffy new start‑up screen, while the 16 sample pads perform a rotating light show waiting for you to insert a Zip disk. However, you can now use the SP808EX — unlike its predecessor — without a disk in the drive. The mixer, effects presets, synth/sequencer, D‑Beam and mic, line and Aux inputs are all operable in this diskless mode, which allows you to route decks, instruments or a microphone through the EX and use it as an effects processor. Alternatively, you can use the D‑Beam or a MIDI keyboard to play it as a stand‑alone virtual analogue synth.

The 100Mb Zip drive has been replaced by a more substantial 250Mb Zip drive, which unfortunately still exhibits some of the annoying whine of the original Groove Sampler. But this is a minor irritation, and the extended recording and sampling times now available stretch to a staggering 169 minutes at the 32kHz mono setting and 61 minutes at the 44.1kHz stereo setting. Not many samplers offer these kinds of figures straight out of the box.

If you are moving up from a first‑generation 808 you'll find that your 808‑formatted 100Mb Zip discs can only be read and not written to by the EX, due to differences in the disk format. When using older (and slower) 100Mb Zip disks in the EX you also may encounter 'Drive Too Busy' problems and interrupted audio when recording and playing back audio tracks and samples simultaneously — this is a problem existing 808 users are only too well aware of. With the EX, therefore, it's best to stay with 250Mb disks wherever possible and just use those old 100Mb Zips for backing up. If you have either of the OP1 or OP2 SCSI expansion boards fitted, and a spare SCSI Zip drive to hand, there's a Convert Disk function which allows you to transfer the contents of an 808 Zip disk onto a blank 250Mb EX Zip disk.

Modelling

The SP808EX adds five new COSM effects algorithms to the original quotient: Mic Simulator, Vocoder, Voice Transformer, Guitar Multi and Vocal Multi. The Mic Simulator has half‑a‑dozen useful presets covering various input/output configurations such as Condenser to Dynamic, Headset Mic to Condenser and so on. Programmable options include selecting mic input types from Line, Condenser, Dynamic, Headset, and mic output types from Dynamic (General, Extended Low and Vocal), Condenser (Flat, Vintage or Normal) and plain old Flat response. There are Bass Cut and Phase controls, a fully featured Limiter and a variable Proximity Effect for adding ambience or distance.

The Mic Simulator algorithms work well in the right situations and can usually compensate for basic response characteristics of a particular mic. Roland suggest that "it's possible to convert the sound of an inexpensive all‑purpose mic to an expensive studio‑quality mic," but don't go expecting a DJ head mic to magically acquire into the sound of a Neumann!

The 10‑band Vocoder offers extensive control over the individual frequency bands, the Level, Sensitivity, Mix, Pan, Envelope and many more parameters. It also includes its own dedicated delay (adjustable from 1mS to 1195mS) and chorus. The Vocoder can accept carrier and modulator inputs from various source combinations: external Mic and Line input, Mic and sample pad, Line and sample pad and even two different sample pads. If you wish to use the Virtual Analogue Synth as a source, though, you'll need to sample it to a pad first, then use the pad as one of your sources. The quality and versatility of the Vocoder is excellent, and the results are very smooth‑sounding and quite capable of holding their own against a dedicated unit.

The Voice Transformer (VoT) is a drastically cut down, but nevertheless real‑time, version of the Roland VP9000 Variphrase processor. The only VoT controls are Voice pitch, Formant, FX balance and Robot. Formant adjusts the voice characteristics (variable from male to female) and Robot eliminates any pitch present in the voice. If the Robot control is active, the voice pitch can instead be controlled from an external MIDI keyboard. This gives a similar effect to vocoding but is slightly more natural‑sounding as it doesn't superimpose any modulation sound over the voice. This effect block also includes a 3‑band parametric EQ and a delay section, plus a handful of presets to give an idea of what it's capable of. Although noticeably lumpy, the VoT is surprisingly usable given the right type of track.

The Guitar and Vocal Multis consist of two separate stereo multi‑effects blocks, each with seven different effects sections. The Guitar block offers Compressor, Wah, Drive, Amp Simulator, Noise Suppressor, Delay and Chorus/Flanger while the Vocal block includes Noise Suppressor, Limiter, Enhancer, EQ, Pitch Shifter, Delay and Chorus. A dozen or so presets are included for each block, and include some very good guitar/amp simulations and vocal effect combinations; enough for most eventualities. Of course, you don't have to use either of these multi‑effects on guitar or voice, and each block has 30 or so programmable controls, enough to keep anyone busy tweaking for a few hours at least.

Big Softy

The SP808EX bundle includes a triple‑format CD (Mac, PC and audio) containing a handful of slightly predictable demo songs intended to show what the new EX can muster. More interesting though are nearly 300 samples, loops, vocals, stabs, pads, kits and sound effects covering everything from electronic, jazz and heavy metal to techno, hip‑hop and jungle, in both AIFF and WAV format.

Of real interest to Mac and PC users is the new SP808EX Wave Converter v2.0 utility. If you have a Zip drive connected to your Mac or PC, this program will allow you to transfer AIFF or WAV samples to and from an SP808 or EX Zip disk in the comfort of your own desktop. The utility has a single small window with 16 pads and a clipboard pad (arranged like the real thing) and transferring AIFF and WAV samples to an SP808EX Zip disk is just a matter of dragging and dropping files onto the relevant sample pads. It really couldn't be simpler, at least on the G3 Mac I tried it with! And it's worth noting that loop points are also retained when transferring AIFF files. The utility also allows you to name sample banks (but not samples), perform a Zip Disk Cleanup (to reclaim disk space), and to save and load complete sample banks.

What the utility won't do, however, is save or load EX‑recorded audio tracks — but there is a workaround. Because the new EX Zips mount as standard DOS disks, I found it was possible to drag the contents of a disk to a Mac folder, then drag the files back onto a fresh SP808EX‑formatted Zip disk. You end up with a perfect copy and everything reappears on the SP808EX as it should, including audio tracks, samples, song information and effects settings. In fact, I would hazard a guess that this method could be used to permanently back up the data onto a CD‑R, something not previously available on either the SP808 or EX. I can't guarantee that this procedure will work on a PC, but I can't see why not! If you don't want to, or can't afford the cost of investing in an OP1 or OP2 SCSI interface, but already have access to a Zip drive on your Mac or PC, this is an painless and reliable way of backing up SP808EX songs and projects.

On Target

The EX shares many features of the recently upgraded Roland VS/EX multitrackers, so should potential VS purchasers consider the SP808EX instead? Possibly, and although the SP808EX is primarily targeted at the dance music making and remixing fraternity, don't dismiss it too quickly if you don't fall into any of these brackets. Admittedly it is more suited to producing electronic‑based music, but that shouldn't preclude ambient, industrial, experimental and even off‑the‑wall electronic/sample‑based punk and thrash.

The SP808EX would also make an ideal companion to an existing keyboard and sequencer setup or to complement a slow Mac/PC not quite up to the job of hard disk recording. And those mistrustful of computer hard disk recording may be attracted to the SP808, as they are famously stable and are particularly suited to live work. I've used both the 808 and EX on numerous occasions, and have never had one crash yet.

EX Appeal

So what's the verdict? Well, anyone previously hesitant about buying the 808 is bound to be swayed by the EX's new features. The increased recording and sampling times available thanks to the 250Mb Zip are going to be invaluable for gigging, as this will mean a lot less disk‑swapping. The effects arsenal now has double the number of preset and user banks, and the quality of the new COSM effects is up to the usual high Roland standard. OK, so the Voice Transformer may not be as glitch‑free or sophisticated as the revolutionary VP9000, but this cut‑down version can transform a sample of any length (which the VP9000 can't) and is certainly capable of some interesting and useful vocal manipulations.

The lack of support for larger‑capacity non‑Zip external SCSI drives could deter some, as could minor annoyances such as the lack of sample waveform editing. I would like to have seen SCSI included as standard and velocity‑sensitive pads but these would add to the final cost.

Of course, the whole DJ, phrase‑sampling, dance emphasis of the EX isn't intended to, or going to, appeal to everyone, and getting into the deeper levels and complexities of the unit takes a while. However, I still have no problems recommending the updated SP808EX to anyone producing dance‑based music looking for a versatile multitracker/sampler, particularly since the price has remained the same as the original.