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I sold my A3000 V2 to buy this baby for one major reason: For my music i wanted to have a sampling/sequencing unit and there has been no real alternative until the SU700 appeared. From the first time on i read about it i could'nt wait for it's release. I thought i could live without many of the really professional features the A3000 provides - some of 'em i miss already (filter types, more flexible effects setup, 'virtual' sample-copies etc.), but i'm glad what i got instead with the sequencer. First of all: the machine is really fast and intuitive, though SCSI is very slow. It sounds really great, brilliant effects and filters, tight timing. I don't think it's a problem that you can't assign different funtions to each knob, everything is just the push of a button away. Sampling has never been this easy, and i nearly never hear any clicks while tuning the start and end points of the samples. I assume it uses a kind of Autozero algorhythm like the one the A3000 provides, but the SU's is much faster. Sad that you can't change start and end points while the sequencer is running. A great plus is the synched LFO and synched effects, though i don't like the way insert effects are restricted. I don't understand why they did'nt use the way the A3000 offers, the same goes for sample copies and missing filters. I'd pay more for those features, maybe an update will add them (at least the filters). What bothers me most right now (got it for 3 weeks now i guess) is the ridiculous way scene switchings are recorded (on RELEASE of the button) and that they can't be edited like events. I totally hate it and will try to not use it. Another thing is the chopyness when slicing the loops - percussive samples work out quite will, but forget about anything else. Yesterday i found out that the only workaround is to change bmp tracking to pitch shift - works ok for me. Another thing i really miss is that you can't move note events while the sequencer is running - this is essential for intuitive, loop-based working! Please, Yamaha, add it in the next update!!! And to finally add yet another bugger: bpm changes cannot be recorded. Oh, and i nearly forgot: resampling is mono only - WHY?!? Uhm... and: You can't import samples out of A3000 volumes (SCSI-zip) - sad, very very sad... got to do it all over again... I rate this machine 4 out of 5 though... well, you won't get a perfect machine for this really great price: it's still a monster, great-sounding, rockin'(!), intuitive, fast, cool, sick, progressive, new. I really needed this machine as i hate working with software sequencers. I wanna make sick stuff and this machine lets me do it - more than i expected. I MIDI-synched an R-8 drummachine, no problem, 1 press of a button. I bought a cheap Bob Marley CD, recorded a very well known vocal phrase, and within seconds i turned it into a bubbling groovy bass-arpeggio, not noticable any more!!! My friends could'nt believe it as i changed the sample slowly back to normal - and you can even record it!!! You can record everything, nearly every parameter, and it can sound so sick! Wow! Keep in mind though that it's made for loop-based music, i guess Techno, House and bigbeat(!) people will love the machine... d'n'b is harder to achieve as event editing is not intuitive enough. I can't wait to get familiar with this machine, the startup is really fast, hope i don't find more to bother. This blue devil will become a classic!
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