Sonicware Liven Lofi 12

4 seconds per sample. 2 if you’re using the higher sample rate. So it’s the same idea as the 1200 where your max sample length was 2.5 seconds even though you had 10 seconds total

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Wow looks interesting… had no idea this was in the pipeline either.

I guess this knob is some kind of swing, micromove algorithm?

I’ve just read the fairly new Dilla book (Dilla Time), Ava that explains his timing really well.

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I can’t even hold my breath for 4 seconds nowadays, 4 seconds is plenty of time, bare in mind it only costs $239

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All I know is it would look super cute paired with a Volca Sample

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Yeah the biggest competition for this is the volca samples and this looks like the clear winner between the two. It’s funny how we are getting this sort of pricing gradient with super cheap sampler like the PO-33, then the Volca, Lofi 12, Circuit Rhytm, SampleTrak, SP-404 MK2, Digitakt, MPC One.

It’s like there’s a hardware sampler in every $100 price step.

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Hear hear!

There used to be some kind of a standard with wonky beats that has been reduced to just sounding dumb and generic. Oh well…

I wonder what will be the next trendy thing that is based on something with pioneering elements to it but has been made accessible for everyone.

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if you pay the price for the op1 field you‘ll know by now that it’s way ahead, again. :dagger:

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Lol this!!!

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I’ve had the ELZ-1 for a couple of years and my buddy has the 8 Bit Warps. They’re both cool and weird. This 8 Bit Warps format seems to be an affordable environment for them to output new machines. At the price point it’s an awesome option for those who can’t budget for an OP-1. I think I’d rather have this over a Volca Sample or Model Samples (which I had). I won’t get one myself since I have OP-1 & OP-1F, OT, Blackbox etc. But I like the offering, keep it up Sonicware!

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For some reason I’m getting Sampletrak vibes from this

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Yeah, it’s funny. They just put out a thing called Smpltrek, but this is a lot closer to that vibe. Maybe more Akai S20. I don’t know. I like it a lot

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It does look fun as hell. I had a Volca Sample for about 3 years until I “upgraded” to a Model:Samples. The one thing this has over both of them is actually sampling, the spontaneity of an actual sampler and no usb file transfer bullshit. And keys with polyphony takes it more out of drum machine territory and deeper into lofi synth territory which is great. For a minute my Qun mk2 got jealous but this thing doesn’t have a 4 op fm synth in it so nothing to worry about.

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Volca Sample Pro Max

The product page is a bit confusing. Says it can export and import banks of samples but not import audio files.

So am I right in thinking that the only way to get audio into the machine is directly sampling?

No it means it uses MIDI sample dumping via the MIDI in connection. So you’ll need a MIDI DIN interface to transfer samples from a PC and the protocol is slow. There is no USB plug on the Lofi.

I must say, at $239, it’s tempting.

Reading at the manual:

Lofi-12_manual_en.pdf (sonicware.co.jp)

The MIDI side looks pretty competent.

A bonus, the MIDI implementation chart :

Lofi-12_manual_MIDI_en.pdf (sonicware.co.jp)

most manufacturers have stopped publishing them. Looks like it will be possible for third party devs to write their own software editor/bank manager.

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Oh that’s not so bad then. I am used to that with Volca Sample v1 and its Syro protocol

Well, sh*t. :star_struck:

looks cool to me… although a few more bit and sample rate options would go a long way for the lofi side of it I think.

Also its funny that their marketing is basically focused at people who want to make lofi beats to study to YouTube videos.

I can’t say the demo tracks video does anything for me though. Part of me feels like it is missing something classic samplers have (like a punchyness) but then it has some lofi effects you can slather on everything.

For the price though it still looks fun.

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