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Robots for Robots → General Hardware / Software Discussion → Mfb 503???
Any bots have any experience with this machine???
I had an MFB synth 1, years ago but am thinking of getting changing up my line up of drum machines a bit.
Curious about the programming interface, and the build quality.
The MFB 522 will be out in may, I'm very curious about that one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESeMY1OB0EY
280
I heard from one a friend who had and sold the 503 that it was cool, but my previous experience with MFB products is that they are very fragile and could break very easy..... however the size is about perfect for what i want.... and the youtube videos I have seen sound nice.
522 sounds cool, too
I can't find any 502's for sale. I'm in the US too so they are bit more rare around here.
wow that 552 sound really okay imo
Too bad MFB is shitty build and lousy midisync...
It really sound a lot like a 808, isnt there a 5K compressor on this recording? I think it is very hard to believe that this will cost 280 euro with such a phat sound????
It is very tiny and small, but it grooves really nice
I tried one of them, I think it was the 503... It was tiny as hell and kinda cute. but the hihats and cymbals where samples and sounded pretty bad, almost out of place. the kick and snare were ok. but I think you can find better machines to suit those needs. at least if you can part with the TR-style sequencer.
the 522 seems a lot nicer. still it must be a pain in the ass to program beats on only 8 bars.
http://www.mfberlin.de/Produkte/Musikel … -522e.html
no samples there I think, all analogue...and it's really 280
i read a lot of stories of broken units coming out of the MFB (the MFB synth series and so)assembly lines, one must take that in mind when buying this kinda stuff.
Allthough it is really good sounding i think from that youtube vid (?? hehe)
I have had a MFB Kult, was very non dynamic sounding with RCA outputs 
costs only 175 or so at the time, well it was packed with 192 old skool samples, like a giant library of rhythmbox and oldskool drumboxes in one tiny unit...
if its broken I send it back and get a new one 
hehe yes ofc, but it is kinda lame.
It just wat i read on other forums about the MFB gear....
but then again this MFB 522+ Vermona DRM1 mkIII = awesome i think
Then you got almost the whole roland analogue TR/CR legacy covered.
CR78/CR8000/TR606/TR808, both machines an do that very good i think...
Vermona's are pretty bland sounding I find. But when you have a Syncussion and an Octave Cat SRM (can do great drums and snares) everything else sounds bland. A friend of mine bought a MkIII and would rather have his Techstar 306 back. But he has a 502 that he uses in tandem so he's happy enough.
Do you know what a cheap way to get CR sounds and grooves are? This.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi … 0371556684
I didn't buy this one. I paid $150 for it. But holy hell, it's way better sounding and has more control options than my Univox SR55. It sounds so alive and punchy. Currently chopping the hell out of the beats and rolls. Mixable guiro and instruments ("balance") too. Can't mix rhythms though like you can on the 55.
Vermona's are pretty bland sounding I find. A friend of mine bought a MkIII and would rather have his Techstar 306 back.
Do you know what a cheap way to get CR sounds and grooves are? This.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi … 0371556684
I didn't buy this one. I paid $150 for it. But holy hell, it's way better sounding and has more control options than my Univox SR55. It sounds so alive and punchy. Currently chopping the hell out of the beats and rolls. Mixable guiro and instruments ("balance") too. Can't mix rhythms though like you can on the 55.
well i have a Vermona MKiii aswell and it is kinda cheesy sounding, hence the cr78/cr8000 coverage, for the 808/606 things that MFB522 thingy. Although i can make rather decent 808 kick/snare/hh sounds with a vermona, just needs a bit of good tweaking due to the small sweetspot of the 808sound on the whole range of the pots 
I think the vermona has a really nice rhythmbox/cr78 sound...well if you like that kinda cheesy sounds anyways.
i have had a Syncussion SY1 and SDS800, both are sold
I have a 502 and a couple of the sounds stopped coming out of the stereo output after about a week. I have to use the individual outputs instead. I like it aside from that, but I'm thinking of selling it since I haven't used it much.
mh, if the quality is really that poor, can anyone give a recommendation for a nice (analogue) drum machine with a step sequencer which is not too hard to find and in the same price range? (about 200
mh, if the quality is really that poor, can anyone give a recommendation for a nice (analogue) drum machine with a step sequencer which is not too hard to find and in the same price range? (about 200
Darklord Supreme of the Antigroove stellar systems
http://www.jamendo.com/en/artist/Septic_Underground
http://soundcloud.com/septicstudio
I have an ST-305. It's outstanding. It's so easy to program and so much better than a DR55 in sound and usability (no clave though.) I lucked out locally for $40 Canadian and it's one of the cornerstones of my drumsynth wall. Wish I could tune it though.
Yeah a DR-110 and ST-305 would probably be a better investment than an MFB. But the ST-305s can be tough to find. They don't grow on trees. When they do come up though they're stil crazy cheap.
thanks for all the information.
how much would you pay for a dr-110?
This modded DR 110 seems cool enough! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giPSbJWZOTU
I love small but powerful gear.
So, MFB. Could that stand for Mother Fucker Broke?
I really have to step in here in defence of MFB.
I have had and used MFB Synth lite, 502, 503, Kult and Synth II. I know MFB has a bad reputation for build quality, BUT it is unbeatable value for money. And MR. Fricke is known to be a reliable and generous partner when it comes to repairing faulty machines, even if the warranty has expired.
I can offer those interested in the MFB 502 and MFB 503 these tracks I did a year ago with strictly MFB drums, with this setup. As you can see, I have a thing for MFB 
http://www.videotaper.com/Samples/hyboi … o_porn.mp3 all MFB 502
http://www.videotaper.com/Samples/hyboi … y_hell.mp3 all MFB 502 except the snare coming from 503 (starting 1:53)
http://www.videotaper.com/Samples/hyboi … in_jam.mp3 first part all 502, second part all 503 with exception of the hihat which is all 502
So far, no MFB has failed on me. And if it did, I would send it to MFB and have it repaired. Simple as that.
wow a complete MFB set hehe...
Well it is very cheap so you can say good value for money, thats true. But it is like going to the casino
Some times you come out with your pockets ful and the other times you end up bankrupt hehe
Manfred Fricke Berlin is wat MFB stands for.
I had the Kult thingy, fully loaded with old skool drums and even a sequencer voor 175 orso..but i found it to weak in output next to my other gear. But it is just like a samplecd with 100s of sounds in one little sigarbox..(can you say organ rhytmbox)
That dr110 is realy ok imo...
But mrwho, must it be analogue? I got 3x a Novation D-Station (1 is in repair, the other is saftey backup model, and the third is in use) That is imo the coolest 808/909 clone wit h actually good sound. around 50-60% of all my drums in tracks are Novation D-Station...It has 8 outputs and tweakpots just like the orignal 808 and 909 (same parameters as the original)
I have a real tr808 standing next to it, ands althought the 808HH are more crispy, it is a very good brother for it...
Remember that a D-Station (2004. hotter outputs, 8voice poly silver box) is different than a Drumstation (1998, weaker outputs, 5voice poly) Most of the online reviews are about the Drumstation, that is a wekaer version. But the DStation rocks hard... irts about 250-300 euro orso...The Drumstation can be picked up for 125 (v1 yellow ) 150-175 (v2 orange)
+ 1 for the drumstation. I have the yellow one and do not use it anymore as I have the 808 but great machine indeed. also it's not all samples, it is partly analog (kick, snare, 808 hats and crash, toms, cowbells and congas). Only thing I don't dig is the snappy control on the snare which is really weak, at least on mine. Routing it to a dedicated mixer channel and eq-ing mids and his a bit did the trick for me
+ 1 for the drumstation. I have the yellow one and do not use it anymore as I have the 808 but great machine indeed. also it's not all samples, it is partly analog (kick, snare, 808 hats and crash, toms, cowbells and congas). Only thing I don't dig is the snappy control on the snare which is really weak, at least on mine. Routing it to a dedicated mixer channel and eq-ing mids and his a bit did the trick for me
routing individual outs and limiting it hard works like a charm, but it is all modelled no samples were used i believe.
@ Septic: I am pretty sure some of the sounds, such as 909 hats and others are samples, it also says on my manual... all the others are analog modeled stuff... In my previous post I forgot to type "modeled", quite bad of me. Anyhow that Novation ASM is quite a good technology from what I can hear.
and yes you are right, routing individual outs and eq-ing, limiting etc. does make it sound great Hey I don't have to tell you... you've got three!
I had the V1 and V2 and I think the V2 had hotter outputs.
The drumstations sound cleaner and a bit less lively or powerful than the original but still sound great.
The V1 had an awful case, I had it upgraded to V2 and they couldn't put it back together.
Novation is not top-notch regarding hardware, I stay away from that brand since I had two bad experiences with them.
I had the V1 and V2 and I think the V2 had hotter outputs.
The drumstations sound cleaner and a bit less lively or powerful than the original but still sound great.
The V1 had an awful case, I had it upgraded to V2 and they couldn't put it back together.
Novation is not top-notch regarding hardware, I stay away from that brand since I had two bad experiences with them.
yes
Drumstation v1 = black/yellow (but some are equipped with v2, firmware 1.3 = V2) 1998
Drumstation v2= black/orange ( FW 1.3 with hotter outputs) 1999
DStation = silver = V2 FW but with 8voice poly instead of 5, 2004
@cimabot, youre right
Novation is not top-notch regarding hardware, I stay away from that brand since I had two bad experiences with them.
Fact... Charge more and build better you asses!
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