Boss SP-202 Dr. Sample

July 11, 1997 -- As any DJ, hip-hop producer or techno artist will confirm, it's impossible to create phat, slammin' tracks without a good sampler. Yet many samplers on the market either lack professional features or are prohibitively expensive for the DJ on a budget...

Breaking the price/performance barrier once again, BOSS is proud to introduce the SP-202 Dr. Sample. This affordable, easy-to-use sampler gives DJ's, techno-heads and dance music artists powerful professional sampling capabilities, built-in effects processing and unprecedented sample storage via new SmartMedia^TM cards - all housed in a cool-looking, compact table-top box.

Unlike other low-cost sampling units on the market today, the SP-202 provides truly professional sampling quality and storage options. It features four user-selectable sampling grades including a high-quality 31.25k mode, and a maximum of 4 min. 20 sec. internal sampling time*. External sample storage is provided via affordable 2MB or 4MB SmartMedia^TM the same cards which are now widely available for digital cameras. With each 4MB card, SP-202 users can store up to 35 minutes* of samples-quite an arsenal of beats and phrases!

The SP-202's eight onboard pads-each with a user-selectable sampling grade-light red when in use, instantly confirming which tracks/samples are ON. Designed with simplicity at heart, the -202 also features a bright red LED display and dedicated buttons and knobs for controlling everything from sample Start and Stop points and built-in Effects to beats per minute (BPM). All DJ's and hip-hop musicians need to do to lift that funky bass line is set input level and hit the Record button.

Once a sample has been recorded and looped, its tempo can be set using the Control knob. And the BPM indicator can actually calculate beats-per-minute from the sample length. Or DJ's can input BPM before sampling via the Tap tempo button, letting the SP-202 adjust the sampling Stop point automatically, taking all the headache out of syncing loops.

Built-in effects like Pitch Adjust, Filters 1 & 2, Time Stretch, Delay and Ring Modulation add to the power of this amazing unit. The Pitch control lets users transpose samples into any key desired, while a sophisticated Time Stretch function makes it possible to extend or compress the length of a phrase without changing its pitch. Delay and Ring Modulation effects are of the same world-renowned quality of other Roland and BOSS products, with Ring Modulation available to the SP-202's built-in mic input for voice processing.

Filters 1 & 2 can take you from mild to drastic filtering as found in today's electronic dance music scene. And both Ring Modulation and Filters 1 & 2 can be assigned to the external inputs, giving SP-202 users some very cool sonic options. MIDI Inputs even allow sample triggering via an external sequencer or MIDI controller. These functions, coupled with battery operation and a very DJ-friendly design, add up to the most full-featured affordable sampler on the market.

* SP-202 time figures vary depending on user-selectable sampling grade. Time figures quoted in this press release are for "lo-fi 2" mode.

For more information, visit their web site at www.rolandus.com.