Feature:
Workflow ! thats the biggest feature on this. I think this a sampler more for those of us who have been producing for years and just want something simple that gets the job done right. Thats what this machine is. Everything is right there where you need it. and everything works nicely. You gotta have some tight rythim for the sequencer though. I give it an 8 because I think it lacks 2 important things: Sample tuning and pattern copying (or pattern re-sampling). Oh.. and battery power is awesome ! load up some samples and make beats sitting by the ocean breeze at night and make beats !

Quality:
Its made very well... I actually broke mine tho. The volume got stuck all the way down.. i'd move the knob and nothing would happen. To its defense though I literally took it everywhere I went and it was banged aroudn quite a bit.

Value:
Yes...I think $255 would be a bit more fair. But its worth it.

Desirability:
I had to sell mine cuz I was broke. I need a new one asap ! lol

Sound:
The sound is FAT ! Roland is making the best sound sampler today. The FX are cool also. They are differnt. Very unique sounding.

Ease of Use:
Cant get any easier than this. I give it a 9 because the sequencer isint very tight. You have to be on point.

Support:
When it broke they were helpfull... But its wak that its only 30 days labor on the warranty.

Overall:
Great workflow, tons of sampletime, Great control of samples, Its everything u need minus pitch control and pattern copy. For a good price and portable !!! Go buy it now !

Feature:
The features are great.27 mfx effects is a good start for anyone.12 good pads and I know they'll never compare to akai's but there better than the old groovebox plastic buttons LOL! If roland want to improve on anything have a compactflash card built in so people that have ideas that they want to lay down don't waste time on buying 1gb flash cards that stores don't sale anymore.

Quality:
Its made very good but i wouldn't drop it on the ground or something. very light easy to carry.

Value:
It should cost now $200 because its been out for a while but for $395 its a deal just go to a music website that let you do a payment plan like ZZOUNDS.COM!!!!!

Desirability:
been wanting it for two years finally got it love it!!!!!!!!!!

Sound:
The sound that comes out of this is crystal clear and very nice. It also depends on what samples you put in that makes it sound good. If your samples sounds like crap going into the machine chances are its vise versa coming out.

Ease of Use:
This is so easy to use its not even funny. Pattern select record pick the pad you want the pattern assigned to hit record and begin. read the manual can help too if you don't know what your doing.

Support:
Didn't need it unless you need to know what to add to it.

Overall:
Overall the only things the sp seris needs if it wants to dominate the portable sampler game is to change the fact that when you do a pattern that all the patterns you do have the same tempo WACK!!! and have it come with a compactflash card. Other than that I'm sick and tired of these people that go on any site and complain about it dosen't do this or that you have to have talent to do this stuff. 20% is experience 20% is knowledge 30% is having a good ear for music and the other 30 is just being talented. So i will never sell my sp 404 because its too easy and i'm having fun do what I do. Peace One Love

Quality:
yeah, this is a pretty sturdy build, least i hope... is there something ya'll know that i don't? ha

Value:
YES

Desirability:
VERY COMPELLING AND APPEALING like that guy said like a gameboy just way better or whatever.

Sound:
the sound is quality, ultimately whatever the musician makes of it. yes it is quite expressive. It helps me get the sounds i hear in my head onto tracks. this can work with any musical style, just takes the ear to place it right. specifically with it i use an electribe emx-1, microkorg, and tr-707.

Ease of Use:
the interface is as intuitive as it can be for its size and number of buttons and knows. very tiny learning curve(an hour or two)

Overall:
sequencing is the only problem i have. the real time pattern recording is ok but step editing and recording would make this an ace. this is such a rad piece though, it allows me to be composing beats and sounds on the fly where ever i go, using the noise around me is a pretty incredible, so portable. i really love it, i could hug it.

Feature:
Plenty of effects, BPM Looper, DJFX Looper, Subsonic, Filter + Drive, Delay and Pitch are all of my favorites thus far. The features are simple. Learn the SP style operating system in a day or two, begin sampling and sequencing. Work flow can be intuitive and amazing if you take time to use quality samples (Using the "Mark" function and the "Start"/ "End"/ "Level" to time in and out points of sounds ).

Quality:
I felt like the 404 wasn't as massive as I had imagined. It's just heavy enough (without batteries) to sense what kind of circuitry is hidden beneath the shell. I'm sure with batteries it would feel as solid as I had originally imagined. It would be a cinch to take this on the road. Mind the KNOBS and all is well. And no dropping of delicate electronics. I'm sure if the 404 were dropped enough, it may suffer damage as any piece of musical equipment would.

Value:
I somtimes have a friend drum with me while I alter the rhythms. There is an "EXT Source" button to use this as an effects board. Switching through effects between phrases is tricky yet fairly easy. I can sample directly into the 404 from my mixer which provides me with acoustic sounds from mics, more drums from my TD3, and samples from synth. Great asset to work-flow.

Desirability:
Finally adult toys without any perversion?! The pulsing blue light is definately a draw in a Gameboy-like sampler. I can barely fathom what will become of my musical creations as I become more comfortable using this machine.

Sound:
The sounds are as diverse as your imagination if you prefer. Resampling can layer as many effects to a sample as you desire. Sampling sounds are as clear as you intend them to be. Sounds are "thickand well pronounced", not "Rich and lush" (it is a sampler and effects module, not a 3 grand synth.

Ease of Use:
It's real simple to operate this small, simple and entertaining piece of musical equipment. Please allow yourself some time to become familiar with patterns. This allows you to play along, performing live edits while sequencing. CF card is mandatory for any serious musicians. Larger canvas.

Support:
Haven't had to contact Roland. You get what you buy.

Overall:
I plan to be satisfied by this for the rest of my life. It seems new now, and 10 years from now with be semi-vintage already. Flexibility (creativity on our part) and intuitive operation all make this a keeper. A powerful tool in the hands of those who take time to learn patterns and sequencing. I've had the 404 for over a week now. The learning curve is great.

Feature:
Great set of features for the price range. Patterns sync up automatically unlike the old 303.. this is a big upgrade. Also 16th triplet and 32nd note quantizing is a welcome addition. The subsonic effect is sick ! Sample editing is very simple. I do wish it had swing and step editor though.

Quality:
Very sturdy, it take it almost everywhere I go and its been droped banged and throw around quite a bit and still holding strong.

Value:
much better than the electribes IMHO

Desirability:
looks nice.

Sound:
plenty of headroom when recording samples, phat full sounds.

Support:
havent needed customer support. I give it a 10 because roland makes the best manuals.

Overall:
I think this is a sampler I will use for a very long time. I have a full array of software/hardware samplers but the fact that can work on my tracks ne where I go on a machine that gives me as much flexibility as this thing is dope !

Feature:
like i stated previously its pretty dope . i got an mpc 2000 and although its a sick piece of equipment capable of amazing things, some of the stuff the 404 allows u to do in terms of manglin sounds with the fx opens up a lot of apportunities that u cant do with an ilder mpc model

Quality:
i m not one who particularly cares for looks that much but i wasnt realy feelin the sparklin blue screen thingy. looks kinda toyish with all the bright lights and stuff however the blinkin orange lights do serve a purpose and r needed i just wish it didnt look so radio shackish

Value:
i wish it was $300 rather then 4 but all in all its worth it

Desirability:
see above

Sound:
the effects sound dope , the only drawback is u can only use 1 at a time but u can get around it by resampling the sound with the effect on it to another pad . so u can pretty much use all the effects u want that way.i took one of the preset hi hats that the piece came with added a compressor to it , resampled it , added a reverb resampled it again and ended up with a ill original sounding snare. deffinitly dope for wildin out with sounds. plus the subsonic bass thing is cool, if u need a bassline and cant find one to sample which happens all the time

Ease of Use:
very easy

Support:
the manual is idiot proof and designed really well with things repeated over and over so by the time u read the whole thing it sinks in

Overall:
i actually owned it for about a month and had to return it due to money difficulties and have been greatly missin it and fiendin for another one ever since. and as soon as i got $400 again im runnin back to the store to cop another one

Sound:
I returned the first one I got thinking something was wrong but.....it has a hum and a hi frequency buzz (like a hi F# note) that's especially aparent when you record, the buzz is recorded onto the track, and it's noticeable, especially if you hit multiple pads (it adds up). This is more like a toy .