Back to the Hi-Fi - sampling with an old sound system

[@mpchead]

I share samples weekly here www.patreon.com/mpchead My sample packs mpchead.bandcamp.com My music here linktr.ee/marlowdigs

[@keithprice1950]

It's always interesting how things go in cycles. As tech moves on we feel that certain things are no good anymore and we jump to the new. Then after some time has passed and we're bored of the shiny new thing we go back to the old thing again.

[@mrnavarropablo]

Brian Eno said once: "“Whatever you now find weird, ugly, uncomfortable and nasty about a new medium will surely become its signature. CD distortion, the jitteriness of digital video, the crap sound of 8-bit - all of these will be cherished and emulated as soon as they can be avoided. It’s the sound of failure: so much modern art is the sound of things going out of control, of a medium pushing to its limits and breaking apart. The distorted guitar sound is the sound of something too loud for the medium supposed to carry it. The blues singer with the cracked voice is the sound of an emotional cry too powerful for the throat that releases it. The excitement of grainy film, of bleached-out black and white, is the excitement of witnessing events too momentous for the medium assigned to record them.” Cannot agree more with him on that.

[@dopeMike_]

"He said it reminded him of doo wop. I said dont you everything goes in cycles? Way before Bobby brown and before michael"

[@iShredStreets]

It’s happening with Video Games right now. People are going back to older consoles.

[@rickywashington2594]

I sample in a old system myself!!! I got a awia receiver system with gold wire speakers!! I still use interface for digital recordings...but that old school sound analog way is undeniable!!!

[@nym053]

Awesome! Thanks for the heads up 😄 Also, have you tried "sampling through a BBD delay that can be turned fully wet (like the DOD Rubberneck or EHX Deluxe Memory Man), by having it set to only repeat once, and then use the time to adjust the fidelity? I've had the idea for some time now, but for some reason not gotten it done yet. I did get a taste of it once, when working on a track and soloed the recorded wet signal of my Rubberneck though. But it was much more of an effected sound with longer tails and extreme live pitchshifting. I really want to try sampling through it soon though 😄

[@filterpunks1892]

I was given an old 8 track that had an input on it! I was pleasantly impressed with how it coloured the sound! I’m gonna dig it out the lock up and try it again after watching this!

[@TheNathtube]

Brings back memories of my first sampler Roland MS 1, it was only 4 voice polaphonic so had to bounce sound back and forth from my technics tape deck and marantz amp, great vid Marlow.

[@mpchead]

MS 1 is a nice sampler for some crunchy samples.

[@carstenaltena]

I had that one too! Loved the simplicity of it.

[@TheEnd10026]

Are you running rca wires or speakers wires to your mpc?

[@mpchead]

Rca

[@nilespeshay1734]

As somebody going through a cassette phase, you can get a lot of warmth and saturation from (mostly Type 1) cassettes. Just need a deck where you can control the recording level (and, ideally, a knob to control bias.) All cassettes have a 'MOL rating' which tells you how much it'll saturate before distortion. (It's mostly 3rd order harmonics, I believe.) As far as cheaper tapes go... TDK-DSX90. They're fine used, but you can still find "New Old Stock" (in the wrapper) for about $5-7/per. But there's, literally, 100s of tape formulations and they all respond to sound material a bit different. Most ppl have poor opinions of cassettes b/c they're used to relatively crappy tapes (tdk-d's and maxell UR's) on crappy, unmaintained decks.

[@mpchead]

Thanks for sharing this, tape is my favorite medium to hear music.

[@XmysticmaliaRoblox]

I have loads of tapes I run them through a technics cassette deck and then into an Allen and heath zone mixer and then into my mpc one.Creates a nice sound when not over done.

[@nilespeshay1734]

@@XmysticmaliaRoblox ya.. i dig it. I'm just experimenting but I definitely "overdo" it. I push really hard into tape to see what it'll spit out. But I'm working more with 'raw sounds' than 'samples' per se.

[@dj78west]

I had a JVC system from the 90s into early 2000s that fed the sound from a Gemini turntable to my first mpc 2000. Miss that setup,but have plans to rebuild one again (Onkyo tape deck is stored away waiting for the receiver). Thx for sharing!!

[@mpchead]

Very cool!🙏🏼

[@daniel_dumile]

The MPCs preamp sucks, beatmaker's so often disregard phono preamp stage but it can significantly improve the sound of samples coming off vinyl. Plus old tape decks with good amps and chips can make cassettes sound great too

[@daniel_dumile]

I got a Schitt Mani preamp and it was wayy better. 😊

[@artisans8521]

I use my Sony DAT55ES and TAF630 ESD for this. Cool shit. But that audioprocessor gets looking into, as well. My Technics SL1900 is also running through my Sony amplifier into an SP404 mk2. There is no professional way of doing things in audio.

[@mpchead]

Sounds dope

[@danceswith7wolves]

Mom handed me down a great sounding Marantz combo from the 70's

[@philip6252]

You are a vibe wizard. I feel it

[@Gear-Tube]

Ahahhaaha

[@mpchead]

Is all about that vibe

[@Roland_Tr909_Swing]

Nice look forward to these videos makes me want to turn the live on

[@danceswith7wolves]

Mom handed me down a great sounding Marantz combo from the 70's

[@mpchead]

Dope bro 🔥🔥🔥

[@famosguider205]

Bro nice to bring out the classics to add a new sound to your pallet! I have a Sony D7 with BP 200 CD Player from 1985 that works! It’s one of the first CD Players, it has history. My grandmother gave it to me, it’s sentimental. It sounds so punchy and clean almost like vinyl! I have CDs I will start experimenting with sampling! Thanks for sharing

[@mpchead]

Sounds great! 🔥🔥 the old machines have a nice natural saturation.

[@ruffiankick]

Took me back with one of these! When I started making beats, 8 had one of these and a kenwood dual set tape deck & a 6-cd changer. I couldn't afford a computer and FL Studio (this was the '00s and I was a teenager). I had the fire hand-me-down gear lol. Shouts out to Pops! Lol

[@mpchead]

Very cool!

[@iShredStreets]

Would you say that you need the equalizer? I see one online but without the equalizer. It has the Amp, Tuner, Cassette-deck and CD Deck.

[@mpchead]

In this setup the eq is doing some magic as well but the amplifier is a nice addition if the price is right.

[@iShredStreets]

@@mpchead Okay, good to know. Thank you for your answer! Much appreciated.

[@diegocarrasco6562]

Hi, I have a question. I am thinking of buying an amplifier for my LP120 technical audio turntable, but I would like to know how you record the sound that comes out of the amplifier and sample it on mpc? Thanks! I love ur music man

[@KhaliqueAmel]

It brought back that warm analog sound,....I get it!!!

[@XmysticmaliaRoblox]

I go back to eighties in terms of music and had a great hi fi with Kef speakers 🔊 I totally get it concerning the sound .

[@peterpiper0815]

I wonder if the amplifier sends the processed signal out of the rec-out. AFAIR recording or sampling from my Hifi amp (different ones) wasn't possible from the rec out but I had to use the headphone out to get the processed signal. The knobs (bass/treble) only affected the speaker and headphone out. Of course sampling from a connected turntable the RIAA curve and I guess rumblefilter (if the amp comes with one) WILL be recorded/sampled thru rec out

[@marylewis3311]

Number 5 Jazz Club 😮😮😮

[@mpchead]

My favorite is theater

[@stephensellers9033]

I have an old nakamichi cassette deck from the 90’s and had it refurbished. Been sampling old cassettes I found at the local record stores from my cassette deck to my mpc. The cassettes have that old analog sound and warble that make a great sample.

[@Lawro74]

Can you recommend any other models with similar functions or sound ?

[@mpchead]

I don't know really, trying to figure it out myself.

[@Lawro74]

I use to change timbre of sound akai s20

[@danceswith7wolves]

Mom handed me down a great sounding Marantz combo from the 70's

[@mpchead]

Marantz are really cool

[@danceswith7wolves]

@mpchead Yup, back before plastic was invented 😂 the knobs on that thing could withstand a direct hit. Really clean saturation, maybe not the best choice for lofi, but definitely a vintage sound. Many a classic albums have ran through those circuits

[@dopeMike_]

These old receivers put out some decent sound. I have a 18 year old Kenwood that puts out some amazing depth of sound. If you don't have the money for the high end equipment going the receiver route might be a good option for having multiple I/O sources. dope! video Marlow! 🤙

[@Gear-Tube]

77.7k 🍀

[@BIG1TOWER]

yeah buddy that sound o good coming out of that old gear.

[@KennyLoopins]

I only listen AND monitor with Sony amps from the 90s

[@mpchead]

Any reason why only sony?

[@KennyLoopins]

No reason, but they've always been reliable. Sony decks and Maxell tapes were everywhere. @@mpchead

[@dopeMike_]

And TDK I used to have boxes of those lil sh!ts

[@ipainthouses3084]

Thats actualy a smart idea. I have , what used to be top of the line hi fi system in my basement. Has all kinda components , tape, cd , mini disc , amplifier.

[@mpchead]

Hey man that sounds like you gonna have some fun digging through the settings.

[@carstenaltena]

Nice alternative to turn tables. I don't have a turn table myself, I like to sample from my old shoebox tape box.

[@ChrisSmartFilms]

Thanks Marlow for all that you do! Your inspire me. I picked up an MPC One last year and built a setup using some of my old DJ equipment. Using a Yamaha EQ-550, Numark DM 1080, Technics SL-1200Mk2, A Tape Deck and a Sony HiFi VCR giving me various options to sample from. The Yamaha EQ really adds a nice warmth to the samples. Plus it looks super cool with its Spectrum Analizer. Love your videos!

[@mpchead]

That is awesome! Thanks for tuning in 🙏🏼 I plugged in a guitar to my sony amplifier yesterday, sounded so nice, incredible how these forgotten machines sound so nice

[@MS-1]

Nice video Marlo. This is slept on during the sampling process. I use a Technics Sa-ex140 receiver with my 1200MKii turntable with dj mixer ran through the tape monitor. I have my DAC output going into input 2 on my turntable mixer through to the receiver and, it totally warms ups samples. I noticed it gives it a sort tape saturation and, slight hiss bringing out more character from samples with stereo image and grit. And like your doing, there is an EQ aspect from the receiver (in my case with also an equalizer and dj mixer EQ as well. The receiver has a preamp and, so does the dj mixer too). And then there is the frequency response of it from 10hz to 70khz. All receivers differ and, the Hi-Fi one you have has a greater frequency response.

[@mpchead]

You got a nice setup for sampling. It definitely helps the sound to have all this in between the turntable and the sampler. As you said it warms it up and adds some nice touch to the stereo image ✌🏼

[@BasSelektah]

I love this kind of craziness!

[@mpchead]

Yes 100%

[@t.l.5464]

Im doing something similar to this already. Im going out of the tape out into pro tube. I'm just curious to how you would route output into your MPC for sampling?? headphone jack? When using tape out on the back of the amplifier it would bypass the eq correct? Serious question Marlow. Thanks.

[@mpchead]

I've always been a fan of headphone jack for anything really. I haven't tried that connection but I don't think it bypasses the eq. Not sure, need to try.

[@bradauer5109]

Do you have any Eurorack gear yet? I'm just scratching surface of this stuff, but there's many possibilities running signals through modules for various processing. For instance, I tried running signals through bit reducer or saturation/distortion modules to see if I could mimic suble effect similar to SP1200 or S950 12 bit samplers. I have been also using my S1100 sampler to process samples(chopping mostly in Ableton)... pitching in older Akai seems better than Ableton. Love all your work! Hope your well

[@mpchead]

Been looking at some old rack samplers but they cost a lot of money. The sp202 does a great job at that in case you want a crunchy sound.

[@The_Sonic_Ally]

I have an old cambridge audio amp system thats super warm. gets my drums nice n airy.

[@mpchead]

this thing even has a mic in that sound great when I send my rhodes through it, I just love a nice dusty sound.

[@The_Sonic_Ally]

@@mpchead us too ! we all love your sound man, i wish i could settle down myself into something specific.

[@ralfmoss]

I started collecting after we did a show...I have 3 vintage amps...tape players cd players ...as far as vintage speakers,....love the sound of it all. Just don't time for sampling unfortunately.

[@mpchead]

Yeah is true I missed this sound, I feel a but stupid having forgotten it.

[@ralfmoss]

@@mpchead it suppose to be - *no time for sampling, that what's happed when I commented in the middle of the night 😀 you got the idea anyway.😀😀

[@miloczech8813]

Nice video, I totally agree, i ofte use my Unitra 80’s tape deck´ as pre-equaliser, then run it thru old sony amp to NI Maschine or 2000 claSICK.. amazing texture.. thanks for this vid, I thought that I’m the only one freak tha does this crazy chaining😂

[@mpchead]

Im just sad I forgot how good it sound, 👊🏼

[@dopeMike_]

That's old skool chaining. It was trial and error. But it worked and made some amazing sounds.

[@andrij.demianczuk]

Oh man! I used to work for Sony back in the day and I remember selling the HiFi amps! Those were so dope!

[@mpchead]

Very cool! They do sound nice 👍🏼

[@karinegrandvoinet2038]

your own old hi-hi is what you used to listen to music on : so it shaped your ear

[@mpchead]

Makes sense

[@afprojects]

There are Amps from Marantz from the seventies that have a great warm Sound.

[@mpchead]

Yes Marantz is a nice brand for sound

[@ceciliafbrown373]

Is the stereo width like a Haas effect? Keep digging brother!

[@mpchead]

Yes something like that, it creates a nice space in the stereo field

[@annawakrecords]

nice gear :D

[@zarkozarkov2100]

Very interesting shaping of the sound. Did you manage to record the output of the deck back to the DAW with the recorded effects ? If the outputs of the deck bypass the effects then what output do you use ? The headphone ?

[@ideovidiot656]

I've got to tell you how much I've learned from you over the years, but is one I've been utilizing for years. I use anything that can "shape" the sound before I get it into my mpc2500.

[@mpchead]

Yeah man I feel like "what that hell was I thinking". This definitely the way to go for me.

[@ideovidiot656]

​@@mpchead I got at old Fisher EQ-885 graphics equalizer I use. It gives sound a big room feel with distancing it

[@iShredStreets]

I remember buying a vintage turntable and a vintage amplifier. I put on Madvillainy and it was af if my whole body and soul was hearing the music.

[@mpchead]

🔥🔥🔥