‘Out with the old, in with the new’ might be the standard new year mantra, but for Isla Instruments, it’s more a case of ‘out with the old, in with the even older but sort of new’. That’s because the company’s SP 2400, a reinvigorated reboot of the classic E-MU SP-1200 sampler that we’ve been tracking for the best part of a year, is now ready to go into production.
The preview video above indicates that this is now a stereo sampler with internal panning, with the main stereo outputs being joined by eight individual outs. There are also two sets of phono inputs with preamps, making them suitable for hooking up turntables, with one of these being suitable for line-level signals, too. Support for timecode vinyl is also in the works, and there are a further four individual line inputs.
Next up, there are MIDI In/Out/Thru ports, as well as Clock In/Out. An SD card slot can be used for storing samples and installing firmware updates, while a USB host port enables you to hook up a MIDI controller. The USB device port, meanwhile, can stream eight channels of audio to your computer.
The SP 2400 has brushed aluminium sides, and a dedicated headphones port sits on the front. You can draw on four banks of eight sounds, giving you 32 in total. Each voice has a sweepable filter, and the video suggests that Isla Instruments has managed to nail the gritty lo-fi sound that was the SP-1200’s trademark.
With the hardware design finished, the next step is to finalise the SP-2400’s code, and shipping should begin in late February.
Find out more on the Isla Instruments website, where you can pre-order the SP 2400 for $949.
