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Average Price: $1,196
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$399
$900+
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Description
The SP-1200 was THE drum machine & sampler combo of legendary status among old school rap and hip hop artists from the eighties and nineties. It is similar to today's Akai MPC samplers - it is a sampler plus drum machine. It has limited sampling specs: 26.040 kHz and 12-bit resolution. However the dirtiness of that sound is great for hip hop and house music. They say it sounds like "old vinyl"... It features groove quantizing and a disk drive for sample storage. As an upgraded version of the 1985 SP-12, the SP-1200 focused on its coolest feature - sampling. The preset drum sounds of the SP-12 were omitted, leaving room for up to 32 user samples of your own custom sampled and edited drum sounds.
Although this machine was originally released in 1987, E-mu has reissued them again and again due to popular demand. They continued producing them until they ran out of the SSM filter chips they used, around 1998. It was just too legendary to give up as it was THE beat machine for old-school rap and hip hop! In 1997 a final reissued model was released with a cooler looking all-black case. With the SP-1200 it's easy and fun to grab those sliders and tune or tweak your sampled drum sounds all around! It is used by Roni Size, Todd Terry, Freddy Fresh, Daft Punk, Phil Collins, and The Prodigy.
Product specs
| Brand | E-MU Systems |
| Model | SP-1200 8-Voice Drum Sampler |
| Finish | Black |
| Year | 1987 - 1996 |
| Categories | Drum Machines, Samplers |
| Analog / Digital | Digital |
| MIDI I/O | MIDI Input, MIDI Output, MIDI Through |
| Polyphony | 8 Voices |
FAQs
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What is the E-mu SP-1200 primarily used for?
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The E-mu SP-1200 is primarily used as a drum machine and sampler, renowned for its role in classic hip-hop production during the late 1980s and 1990s. It offers a distinctive 12-bit sound that producers value for its gritty, punchy character.
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How many voices of polyphony does the E-mu SP-1200 offer?
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The E-mu SP-1200 provides 8 voices of polyphony, allowing for the simultaneous playback of up to 8 samples, which is ideal for layering drum sounds and creating complex rhythms.
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Does the E-mu SP-1200 have MIDI capabilities?
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Yes, the E-mu SP-1200 is equipped with MIDI Input, Output, and Through, enabling it to be integrated into a MIDI setup for expanded control and synchronization with other MIDI-compatible gear.
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What is the sampling resolution of the E-mu SP-1200?
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The E-mu SP-1200 features a sampling resolution of 12-bit at a rate of 26.040 kHz, contributing to its unique and sought-after lo-fi sound quality that adds character to samples.
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Can the E-mu SP-1200 be used for live performances?
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Yes, the E-mu SP-1200 is suitable for live performances, thanks to its intuitive interface with faders and buttons that allow for real-time sample triggering and manipulation, making it a favorite among live hip-hop acts.
Videos
Alex Ball
E-mu SP 1200: The Lo-fi Dream Machine
E-mu SP 1200: The Lo-fi Dream Machine
Alex Ball
Primtive World's E-mu SP-1200 sampler - Gear Guide
180 Fact
Ice Cube Sp1200 E-mu Sp-1200
VintageSamplers
How to use the E-mu SP1200 Tutorial
TONELAB
Secrets of the E-mu SP 1200 with Creator Dave Rossum @superbooth 16
musotalk
The Daydream Sound Test drives the E-MU SP1200
The Daydream Sound
E-mu SP 1200 vs Boss SP-202 - Sampling Comparison (Samples and Drums)
vubeatz
Reviews
PROS
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Unique "magic mojo" enhances samples with a distinctive sound
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Immediate use after sample loading for quick creativity
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Adds stardust and meat to samples, especially drums, with 12 bit grit
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Pitching down samples creates unique effects
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Short sample time but efficient for creating huge sounding beats
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Super fat SSM filters for quality sound modification
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Ideal for making old school rap music
CONS
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Expensive, considered a luxury for many
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Requires upgrades like swapping floppy for SD card drive
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Limited sample time might restrict extended play or complex projects
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about E-mu SP-1200.
Features and functionality
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The SP-1200's 12-bit A/D converters and unique pitch manipulation provide a distinctive 'dusty' sound, crucial for its iconic audio character.
Source -
SP-1200 utilizes analog filters on audio outputs with an envelope that allows clear attack while minimizing aliasing, enhancing its unique sound profile.
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The SP-1200 can sometimes skip past the desired tempo, requiring precise adjustments when syncing samples, unlike the MPC's fine-tuning capabilities.
Source
Comparisons
Use cases and applications
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The SP-1200's distinct mono input sampling makes it ideal for vintage breakbeat sampling, emphasizing the unique character of old vinyl recordings.
Source -
The SP-1200 is primarily designed for drum sampling, offering a unique sound but limited functionality compared to the MPC's broader music production capabilities.
Source
Software and compatibility
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Emulation plugins like SP950 effectively mimic the absence of interpolation in the SP-1200, capturing its aliasing effect when pitching sounds down.
Source
User experience
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Sampling loudly into the SP-1200 can intentionally clip A/D converters, a technique used by owners to manage noise floors and enhance sound character.
Source
Critic Reviews
5.0 out of 5
Based on 3 Reviews and 33 Ratings
257
My favourite sampling drum machine
Just brilliant, it has a short sample time but you can throw huge sounding beats together with this in minutes. All drum samplers should be made on this blue print, super fat SSM filters.. loved it so much but i got mega bucks for this and sold it, regretted it within weeks !
41010
I wish I had bought it from you. I have ad the same drumulator since my youth, but I would love to swap her for a 1200.
257
Sold it to a guy in germany for a lot of money about 5 years ago, really regret it to be honest, I've never made tracks as quickly as i did with this instrument.
41010
the emu stuff from the 80s just sounds great and has great workflow... even the 90s stuff is growing on me since I picked up a cheap Morpheus rack. Emu always did their own thing and the sounds are unique even today.
144
"it has a short sample time" Less Is More,Baby!!!!!
41010
I grew up with my dad/uncle's drumulator (still have it)... I am envious of your SP-1200, its a drumulator ons teroids! The old E-MU stuff is so underrated these days, I don't know why, it sounds so great.
796
@jimmarchil No Doubt.
Artist usage
Add artist
In this 2001 interview with Daft Punk about Discovery, they list some of their preferred samplers; the 1200 is listed.
"Then I borrowed an E-mu SP-1200 from System D-128, [an avant-garde multi-media artist] from Florida who helped me learn about producing."
In this old-school NWA interview in the studio, you can see a couple of SP-1200 (the O.G. version, the reissue wasn't out in 88) on the table in front of Dr. Dre
In the video titled "INSIDE: Charlie Puth Home Studio" by Caleb Simpson on YouTube, an E-mu SP-1200 drum machine is visible on the floor to the right of Charlie Puth at the 0:13 mark, which he later showcases at 3:15.
They ask him what gear he couldn't live without and he replies: "These days it’s so different because really all you need is a MacBook and it’s all there. But back in the day it was Akai samplers S-3000 which is the thing I made my first two albums on. Also I used an old E-mu SP-1200 as well."
There is also a picture of him with his SP-1200 here: http://music.newcity.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/bonobosamplerinwoodsfinal.jpg
In a photograph shared during a session with Travis Scott and Future, music producer Metro Boomin is visibly using the E-mu SP-1200, confirming his utilization of this specific piece of musical gear.
Nodfactor re-publishes an article from a February 2006 edition of Scratch magazine where Alvin “Aqua Boogie” Blanco interviews J-Dilla. Aqua Boogie asks what equipment did J-Dilla start with, to which he replies “I started with the SP-12 then moved to the SP-1200 and then shortly after that the MPC-60, then the MPC-62, then the MPC3000 and I’ve been on the MPC 3000 ever since then. I’ve tried other samplers but the 3000 is best for me for what I like to do.”
Spotted on stage at 8:45 in this video of a live set. The SP1200 itself is clearly visible at the :55 mark of the same video.
It was used extensively on the collaboration with MF DOOM "Madvillainy". Madlib can be seen holding one on the back cover of that album.
In the "Equipment Notes" section on Robin Guthrie's official website, the E-mu SP-1200 sampler is listed in the first paragraph, 24 lines down, as part of his gear collection.
"A guy from our record company went to New York and got this for me for my birthday; it was a really good present. It's so nice, just for single drum hits."
“I got a chance to get tutelage from DJ Premier, have him try to teach me how to use the SP-1200, and show me how he scratches records, so the scenes of me doing DJ stuff didn’t look corny,”
Album Usage
The E-mu SP-1200 has been featured on the following albums:
Lost Dialect
Eric Hilton (2022)
Saku
Bicep (2020)
The SP1200 Project: A Re-Awakening
Lord FInesse (2015)
Passion
Para One (2012)
12 bit Blues
Kid Koala (2012)
Good & Evil
Tally Hall (2011)
The Renaissance
Q-Tip (2008)
Madvillainy
Madvillain & Madlib & MF Doom & King Geedorah (2004)
Dial 'M' for Monkey
Bonobo (2003)
Alive 1997
Daft Punk & Daft Punk (2001)
Discovery
Daft Punk & Daft Punk (2001)
Cocky
Kid Rock (2001)
Animal Magic
Bonobo (2000)
Homework
Daft Punk & Daft Punk (1997)
People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm (25th Anniversary Edition)
A Tribe Called Quest & A Tribe Called Quest (1990)
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use E-mu SP-1200, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
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Community setups
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Similar
Add recommendation2 alternative and related items for E-mu SP-1200, curated by the Equipboard community.
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The S2400 is Isla's attempt to offer a modernized version of the SP-1200, vastly improving upon the storage capacity and sequencer specification of the SP-1200, but offering lo-fi sampling modes and true analog filters for input and output to help recreate the signature SP-1200 tone.
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Has a similar sound to the SP-1200 with 12 bit downsampling and ring noises. Also has fx and filters to add on sounds
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