your advice: KPro or KP3 as hardware looper

[schmidi]

Hello. I'm trying to build an all hardware live PA setup (80's/electro, house, ambient, techno)and I have recently come down with GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) over the KPro, but I am not sure whether the KPro or the KP3 would more suit my needs.

Gear I already have: Boss SP-303, Novation Nova, Korg Microkorg, Korg X3 workstation, mixer etc...

I thought about sampling everything and looping but the Sp is just not fast enough inside for that.

I'm looking at the Kpro or KP3 (or suggest a different piece) as a looper where I could overdub and build the songs on the fly. So, KP3 VS Kpro: which is the better looper for live use?

[Mr36]

If you want to overdub on the same loop bank, you have to have the KPro. If you'll only have 4 different parts or don't mind resampling 3 parts to 1 to free up more available parts, choose the KP3.
if effects and using them on the loops is needed, choose the KP3.

[k0va5]

If you want to overdub on the same loop bank, you have to have the KPro. If you'll only have 4 different parts or don't mind resampling 3 parts to 1 to free up more available parts, choose the KP3.
if effects and using them on the loops is needed, choose the KP3.

hahah.. i bet he buys both

( i did)

[didjeko]

For sampling, KP3. Very limited sampler.
Otherwise there is the BOSS RC50 for your feet.

[SMK]

Alright I gotta chime in here.

I used to use Boss Loop Station and the problem I had with it was that while it was an over dub SOS device, the original sound deteriorated as I added new layers into it. Now in the beginning this was Okay for me. But Now I really needed that clear tone of what I originally did.

For Sound On Sound or overdub recording Korg seems to have the market cornered. Ypu could either go with the Korg SOS recorder but for fast looping the Kaossilator pro is the real ticket. Considering the cost of a Boss Loopstation, you get a better bang for your buck. Yaaaaah a foot board seems cool and all but honestly, when you're looping you really want accurate timing and that foot board really does get in the way.

The KoPro replaced 4 effect peddles and a loop station for my uses. The SOS looper alone is worth the price of admission.

There are still those who will piss and moan about what the KoPro won't do...and it really is piddly crap that becomes a moot point "when i play a sound and want to turn on and off banks it records the sound I am playing"...ahhhh yeeeeaaaahhh, that's what it is designed to do, you hold down a sound then hit a bank, it's going to record that sound. Little things that really can be gotten around of. Don't pay attention to the detractors.

Focus on the fact that you are getting (1) an incredible Drum Machine that is intuitive and flexible to use and (2) a great on the fly, instant sound on sound (overdub) looper that does not deteriorate the sound quality of what you put into it be it external audio, vocals via mic or the internal drum machine.

For what you are trying to do the KoPro will give you what you want.

[schmidi]

Thank you all for your input and advice guys. I've been loving my original Kaossilator, so the KPro seems like a good fit.

Question: does the Kpro generate its own midi clock? If so, do other synths sync well with it, or is it better as a midi slave? IE: the other synths I listed would ideally be sync'd up so I could latch arps etc...

[schmidi]

More questions. Given the hardware I already have (nova, microkorg, Kaossilator, X3):
-- Would the KP3 do most of what I'm looking for?

--And, will the KP3 sync to/from midi clock?

--Can the KP3 send note on off (in order to control other synths?)

--it mentions "beat syncing" of samples...does that mean it also generates a midi clock to the BPM it determines?

-- Is bouncing down on the KP3 fairly simple with NO stoppage of audio?

I kind of realized that while I love the idea of such an instant rompler, I have plenty of sound generators already.

Thank you for your wisdom![/b]

[darthballs]

More questions. Given the hardware I already have (nova, microkorg, Kaossilator, X3):
-- Would the KP3 do most of what I'm looking for?

--And, will the KP3 sync to/from midi clock?

--Can the KP3 send note on off (in order to control other synths?)

--it mentions "beat syncing" of samples...does that mean it also generates a midi clock to the BPM it determines?

-- Is bouncing down on the KP3 fairly simple with NO stoppage of audio?

I kind of realized that while I love the idea of such an instant rompler, I have plenty of sound generators already.

Thank you for your wisdom![/b]

KP3 will do everything you're looking for, except you won't like it's resampling mechanism. It doesn't overdub well at all - you have to resample into another bank, which on paper isn't bad, but it resamples whatever is playing, not just a selected track. KOPro >> KP3 at overdubbing.

As far as all the syncing issues you'll hear about, it looks like after owning the unit for a couple months, it's not nearly as bad as everyone thinks (including me when I owned it for the first time around before I returned it due to f'ed up syncing).

It looks like it definitely does stray out of sync, but it's very unpredictable. I've had it sync perfectly for almost an hour before something confuses it, and sometimes (rarely) it will be significantly out of sync immediately after you sample (and it autoplays). It looks like the issue isn't with a faulty internal clock as I've previously been saying, but certain things screw with its processor, and then it buckles under pressure, giving you some whacky sync issues.

Honestly you probably won't be able to decide which is perfect for your needs until you try both, so buy one (or both) from Guitar Center or something, play with it for a couple weeks and then return the one you don't want. My guess is the KOPro will be better for you.