Elektron-Users

True JB...some of the old MPCs didn't need the layering to sound fat...I think the new ones do.

thats interesting, i didnt know the xl sounded any different. ive only used the 2000 before and i have an s2000 gathering dust and an s612 that died. might just have to give up on the sampler idea and get a midi sequencer with cv gate outs instead. maybe its no tougher to get the black case here - just more expensive. its not such a bad idea though..

surely not trying to talk you out of a machine you might really enjoy. really, i wouldn't mind another mpc1000 at some point. as for sound comparisons, here's the way i see it (anyone else, please step in if you feel otherwise)...

rough similarities in sound(??):

[8 and 12-bit samplers]
MPC-60, SP-12/1200, older Emulators, s612, s700/750, s900/950, older Rolands (s330), tx16w, Mirage, RZ-1, DDD-1, etc

[early/mid 16-bit samplers]
MPC-3000, s1000, Casio FZ, EPS-16, ASR-10, e4/64/etc, later Rolands (s760), etc

[mid/later 16-bit and 24-bit samplers]
MPC-2000/xl/1000/4000, s2000/5000/6000, z4/8, v-synth, a3000/4000/5000, etc

i'm missing a bunch of models and maybe a few could be in a different spot, but this is how i've generally thought of hardware samplers when it comes to 'thick, mid, and thin' sounding. raw in/out sound, not figuring filters or anything else into it. i think the MD/UW would fit somewhere into the first or second group.