Pioneer DJ Partners With Dave Smith On Toraiz SP-16 Pro Sampler

Musikmesse 2016: Pioneer DJ has announced their first sampler – the TORAIZ SP-16 sampler with Dave Smith Instruments analog filters.

The sampler features an touch screen and layout, 16 sampler engines, analog filters based on Dave Smith Instruments Prophet-6 synthesizer and quantize via Pro DJ Link.

Here’s Dave Smith sharing some background on the Prophet filter and his take on the new sampler:

Here’s what Pioneer DJ has to say about the new sampler:

We’ve poured more than 20 years of electronic music industry experience into our first sampler to create a versatile sound machine. Load samples via USB or from the internal memory; then use the 16-step sequencer to create patterns, or playback loops or trigger one-shots with the multicoloured Performance Pads. And if you’re connected to CDJs via Pro DJ Link, everything is synced to the beat of the master deck, so you can get creative with confidence.

We’ve partnered with the legendary synth creator Dave Smith to add his Prophet-6 analogue filters to the sampler, so you can give your creations a rich, analogue warmth and presence. Plus a touch strip gives you instinctive control of various parameters including pitch bending. The real-time processing engine means you can reliably manipulate the sound using time stretch, pitch bend and amp envelope.

The 7-inch full-colour touch screen puts you in complete control. Pick the Track Menu to see the full information about your sounds and their parameters – which you can manipulate using the six rotary dials just below the screen. The sampler comes with 2GB of samples already on board, courtesy of Loopmasters, so you can start creating bass lines and loops right out of the box.

Pricing and Availability

The TORAIZ SP-16 will be available this summer (2016) with a suggested retail price of €1,599. For more information, check out the Pioneer DJ site.

via Thomas Kress

83 thoughts on “Pioneer DJ Partners With Dave Smith On Toraiz SP-16 Pro Sampler”

    1. Yes, the upcoming CamelBak DSI is BPA-free, spill-proof, and capable of rendering water from any source in the world safe to drink thanks to the Dave Smith filter.

  3. 1500 for a DJ sampler with a weird name. Nothing screams “invest” unless your one of those DJ who can afford to buy a bunch of gear because you played your laptop for an hour and made oodles of money. For that price, they should throw in have of the Prophet and a lollipop for the pain of spending all that money with little functionality and features. Bet you its plenty analogue warm tho!

    1. Yes it does! I spoke with the lead software programmer/designer this evening and he confirmed that you can sample from the audio input. Additionally, you can resample through the analog filters….You’re welcome!

  5. my first thoughts were wow pioneer kicking akai’s arse at there own game this is what the last MPC should have been then I thought this will make a nice mid range device priced somewhere between korg electribe sample and elektron octatrack then I saw the price nearly had a heart attack then realized there’s no way anyone’s going to pay that so had a little chuckle to myself then got very depressed at the realization that they will probably sell tons of them.
    After that emotional roller-coaster ride I now don’t have any clue what to think anyone else got anything

    1. My first thought was also “This is that MPC Touch, but without the need to be tethered to a computer! Duh, Akai.” I was very intrigued… and then I was like “$500, and I’m sold”. Then I scrolled down and it was, “Screw this expensive piece of junk – why not get an Elektron?”

      What I’m saying is we were on a similar rollercoaster. It looks nice, and it is a pretty crazy price point, and it will probably be fairly popular. What are you gonna do?

      1. So you want more features than the MPC Touch at $300 less? I swear too many people simply do not live in reality when it comes to hardware electronic music instruments. Ever since computers made it accessible to anyone we’ve seen tons of people who never would have been able to afford this hobby before asking hardware companies to do the impossible.

        1. Honestly, I really don’t think that much about the MPC. I haven’t used a hardware sampler since the early 90s, when they were super expensive. But now that you have $10 iPad apps that can essentially do the same stuff (and more), I’m not in the market for an expensive hardware stand-alone sampler (only). If someone were to offer something compact and on the lower cost end, I might be interested, but otherwise, whatever. When you can get a kickass poly analog Korg for $500, a semi-modular *Moog* for $600, or even an OP-1 (which is a great sampler, among many other things) for ~$850, then something that cost $1000+ had better be *super* badass. For instance, the Elektron gear. Hell, the Volca Sample is a great sampler/sequencer (albeit limited sample space) for $150. Hey, if this sampler is worth $1500 to you, then awesome – go for it. Maybe in practice it really is super badass.

    2. Hard to judge without playing with it, but it may be worth the money, and the real retail is likely be a lot less. On paper it does what people wanted from Akai, and likely a bit more. It seems powerful; filters, touch, outputs, 16 engines all with time stretch, pitch and Amp env. And it is going to be solid build with flawless playback, like most pro hardware; roadie proof. Depending on the full extent of the engines it could also be a good pseudo-synth engine – running a tight wave into it for scale play using pitch and filters, with I guess some re-sampling on the fly. I find that exciting.

      Like already asked here, is it a sampler? It must be at that price, touch and inputs, those can’t be for the filter alone? If they get the flow right, then it is a solid stand-a-lone box. If you are a DJ, with a pioneer setup, then it is a little more promising. Get the price around 999 Euro and it could be a big seller.

      I say all this as someone that doesn’t like samplers, I mean I don’t like sample banks. I use them for drums, but beyond that I find they slow you up and clog everything; gigs of data I’ll never use with load times I don’t need, a wash of shite. And art needs true inception, a sample is a mid-point towards an unresolved structure.

  8. Too light on specs to tell anything. Could be a wet fart, could be awesome. The single filter section seems to spin this more for dj/live than production, but if you could do an entire dj set on it, have it play a whole track while you cut sections to loop to pads… could be worth it. But looks like they’re specifically avoiding the production sampler market, which is a shame.

  10. I have been making music with samplers and synths since early 90s starting off with an Akai s 950 bought from new. My Mpc 2500 weighs a ton and is showing signs of wear . Akai don’t seem to be making a new version of an hardware sampler. This sampler looks stunning and the answer to our prayers (price aside)
    The fact it has 8 outputs is its strength for those who have no veered of course from the 80’s production techniques . If this is a new trend in music tech, 8 output samplers, we can rest assured we don’t have to worry about sourcing old akais any more. Great move and to see Mr Midi Dave Smith on board this is good news . A great day for samplists!!! Price……….not cool at the moment.

    1. > Akai don’t seem to be making a new version of an hardware sampler.

      wrong. akai rep dan gill said at namm that something big will be announced in six months. that was in january, so wait 3 more months. akai has a flagship mpc in the pipeline for more than two years now that is completely standalone and will have windows atm-like software embedded. ask pete brown of microsoft. he was one of the first users. maybe inmusic gives us a glimpse at musikmesse tomorrow.

      1. I was only stating that you would need two octatrack, and a Analog 4 filter, and a magnifier for the display.

        The personal attack seemed to be related to remarking on the kind of person that would own an Elektron device, and linking that kind of person to Sweden and its culture; that was wrong of me. Not all people from Sweden are like that.

        WTF…

        1. “The personal attack seemed to be related to remarking on the kind of person that would own an Elektron device, and linking that kind of person to Sweden and its culture; that was wrong of me. Not all people from Sweden are like that.

          WTF…”

          So restating the insults, good job.

      1. Yes, they are terrible for reading emails and watching porn, which is what you need a stage instrument for, right? RIGHT?

      1. ‘BIG display’… so that’s your main selling point….???
        I don’t want to hear your music, ever. No matter how good it looks on your BIG display.

  12. I don’t care that its 1500 bucks. Its needed. If its built well and does what i need it to do, i’ll buy it. This is the new MPC. My Maschine and TR8 will be gone. and Battery won’t be getting the use it once did.

    This is Battery in a Box. Yes Please.

  14. Probably works well if you have the rest of pioneer kit, other than I can’t see how competitive it’s going to be against an MPC, octatrack or an electribe. It looks like it’s all pioneer apart from the filter.

  15. Why would anyone buy a €1,599 device that’s saddled with a 16-step sequencer?

    It seems like this is so tailored to the DJ market that they forgot the needs of serious musicians.

    1. I hear yes, stereo/mono inputs for sampling, and I hear you can re-sample using the filters. But this is all meaningless, you’d need to do a live test to see how functional this all is.

  18. apart from the filters, no information is given, does it sample, what are the sample depth and resolution, is there any polyphonic mode or is it mono like the octatrack, etc…
    really ?

  20. It would have been kind of great it this where additional features on the tempest…. it would´ve been the beat god

  21. This feels like MAschine targeted towards DJs and stand alone. It is more expensive than it needs to be but Pioneer always does this… eventually it will come down in price and then perhaps I might give it a try. It is an interesting step in the evolution of djing for sure. I do wonder how well this would work in a Live PA situation… The Octatrack does blow this out of the water in terms of LIVE PA.

  22. It has stereo imputs so I would think it would sample. No computer all hardware sounds good. Without inflation it’s way cheaper then how much I payed for my mpc 2000 with 8 outs and a Zip disk drive.

  23. If the filter is on the main output (as it seems from the DS interview on CDM) I just don’t get it but I’ve never done a breakdown into a drop (or whatever the kids call it) in my life. If the filter is assignable to an internal bus that you can resample via, things will be more interesting.

    For the lazy, do a google images search for the box and you’ll see the IO which includes a stereo input. Presumably for sampling.

    I wonder how easy it will be to monitor something through it so that you can sample in real time. As in, keep the music going through it, capture and edit a sample while the music still plays and then work with the sample.

    If it’s really integrated with the CDJs then you should be able to do stuff like beat synced sample capture and then, in one move, trigger the sample while pausing the CDJ so that you can extend sections in real time and drop back in as if you never left. If they’re talking that level of integration then $1500 starts to look more reasonable.

    1. The efx1000 already did this with the beat roll function ten years ago man. thats nothing new. if its only with synciing to cdjs that is new then its pretty underwhelming.

  24. Features is all people see. You could say all their gear is silly overpriced, but it is pioneer. They make club proof well built machines, and that comes at a cost. Elektron stuff is made ok, but Pioneer stuff is made to be abused into the ground.
    Elektron stuff never sounds very dynamic to me either, kind of flat, I’d wager you’re paying for seem pretty hi spec internals, not every piece is about features. Personally I don’t mind paying for quality over quantity.

    1. I’ve had terrible experiences with pioneer CDJ’s breaking down, USB slots not working, crashing etc so I’m not sure about this tbh, and it does seem massively overpriced compared to what already exists and does the job fine (Elektron Rytm/Octatrack).

  26. Needs minimum 64 step sewuencer (or at least chains) and some sort of parameter lock per step and/or motion recording to be real deal.
    If Elektron comes out with Octatrack 2, this thing doesn’t have a chance.

      1. 16 tracks and analog filters aren’t really hidden features, that already kills an Octatrack, regardless of what is up the sleeve.

        I find when I say Oct-a-track that I push my tongue into my lower lip and monotonously proclaim OCT-A-TRACK. Why is that?

  27. Nice idea idea to cooperate Dave Smith filters to a sampler. It seems like a nice competitor to Akai MPC Touch.

    Pricewise is this maybe a bit out of hand!
    toraiz-sp-16: 1599 eu
    Akai MPC Touch: 700 eu

    1. MPC Touch requires a computer whereas the SP-16 is standalone and has sampling inputs, 8 individual outputs, MIDI I/O, and Pro DJ Link over Ethernet. Both have a touchscreen and velocity sensitive pads but that is where their hardware similarities end.

  28. has the potential to be a great device for loop artists. don’t know why they put the initals dj on the side. octotrack killer :)onky

  29. The octotrack has the quality and quantity 6 years on and no one has come near this machine, I’m glad I brought my octotrack, last year for around the same price as this !

  30. Ah well, the filter is global and NOT per part.
    I have never lost my erection this fast.

    Could we have just one proper hw sampler in market!?!

    1. Look on ebay…loads of hardware samplers for sale at silly prices. Had my ESI-2000 (w/card drive mod) for 16 years, and still loving it.

  31. “Load samples via USB or from the internal memory” so no recording? why they call it a sampler? because it sells better! If this thing could record samples they would advertise it right away! This thing is nothing more than an overpriced sample player! nothing to see here…. ????

  32. Let’s hope native instruments are taking note …hats off to them for trying but the price tag is outlandish frankly

  33. Dave smith’s involvment is bad news in my book. After tempest his attitude towards bug fixes and the whole we ‘we are looking forward and don’t support our old stuff’ moto i wouldn’t buy anything expensive fromhim…Amd then his filters are the weakest link of his designs..

  34. A good price point would really depend on whether or not the filter(s) are per sample engine or just as a master effect. 16 analog filters (low and high pass) as opposed to just 1 (or two if the low and high pass are completely different filters) makes a huge difference! also the depth of the sequencer – how many steps per sequence? micro timing? does everything need to be quantised? swing? randomness? chaining? polyphony?

    I’m really after a sampler that doesn’t necessarily have so many tracks to play with (I would be using it conjunction with a bunch of other wave warriors) but doesn’t shortcut on sound quality and the range of ways a sample can be manipulated. AKA, at least 16 bit/48 playback, analogue filtering, granular synthesis, analog distortion, separate outputs-CVs for each track, time stretching, delays, reverbs, a few envelopes and a fist full of exotic LFO’s.

    4 tracks would do… not an octatrack. anyone else?

    1. I wholeheartedly agree. In particular, what is the sequencer really like? If it is really only 16 steps can it be configured to allow samples to continue to play across patterns (as well as to not be, like choke groups for example)? Why does it seem no one is paying specific attention to this? You presumably have access to a great amount of flash memory, again presumably with the intent, like Maschine, to be able to record long samples (which with the inputs you’d expect this to be able to do) and use them. Being limited to 16 step samples because they get cut off while pattern chaining would be a tremendous bummer, and if you could allow each track access to the global filter or not (firmware, maybe available via update if not immediately available) would be a huge deal, as well as what kinds of and the quality of FX are all either huge deal-breakers, or define the makings of the next best piece of gear ever to have crossed paths with. Parameter locks seem like a possibility on the digital side- maybe there will be a filter FX (and other, like distortion) assignable per track with parameter locks, as well as the global analog filter. Now that would be something special!

  35. Hmm. Looks like the better mpc touch. As for the octotrack comparisson, does the octotrack have touchsensitive pads on which you can drum like on an mpc? If not i don’t see how you can compare it. It is too different cause of that. Anyways i find the price a bit sad. Sad cause i thought musicians and hardware creators are one family in a way . Or like minded. Seems like the manufacturers sometimes ignore the financial crisis and the average possibilities of a normal earning person. I could never afford this. At least not in a forseeable future

  38. Why are people comparing this to an MPC? It’s 16 steps! I can run 400 bar sequences with 64 tracks controlling 32 external channels at a different time signature every bar on an MPC1000. I don’t think in steps, and while plenty of awesome music has been made with step sequencers, many musicians are looking for sequencers not tied to steps.

  39. Looks like a cool performance tool without a computer, nice and big screen, easier to upload samples, etc. But global filter, what?

    Octatrack obtuse learning curve and tiny screen keeps me away. Maybe Octatrack 2 with Overbridge will be bring sampler mpc into reality.

  40. Guys, let’s keep in mind this is aiming to the DJs crowd and not producers, sure you can use it in the studio, but primary it’s a dj performer tool , and it’s Pionner …love it or hate it their DJ gear was never cheap

  41. …I only wish Pioneer would have forced them to finally get rid of that awful mistral font for dave smiths signature logo. It was fine to quickly get going and get the new DSI company off the ground, but it’s so bad.. it’s ok for flashdance, silk stalkings, sandals resorts, or the crappy restaurant across the street from my house, but I hate it for a logo on a pro audio device.

  42. How are people even comparing this to an MPC when it seems you can’t even play a sample polyphonically? It does seem like a more DJ-friendly Octatrack. I’d rather have the OT because it’s way deeper, but there are plenty of people who hate how confusing the OT is and this thing is probably exactly what they’re looking for.

    1. I didn’t catch that. Couldn’t agree more, I hate everything with the PA397. They milked it as far as they could and rightfully so doing good business selling lots of PA397 synths and using enough pcs to support the initial investment. The prophet 6 filter is not my favorite either but imo vastly better.

  44. Here’s a hands-on writeup from CDM. http://createdigitalmusic.com/2016/04/we-got-our-hands-on-pioneers-new-sps-16-sampler/ as well as a video from Sonic State http://www.sonicstate.com/news/2016/04/07/messe-2016-pioneer-toraiz-sp-16-sampler-hardware/

    The SP-16 is confirmed to have the following features:

    Realtime sampling from the two line inputs as well as Pro DJ Link
    Sampled loops can be sliced and laid out across the pads
    Two high pass filters and two low pas filters on the master (stereo pair)
    Swing controllable from the tempo page
    Song mode in the form of chains
    Send FX taken from the DJM series of mixers

    This is just a basic list answering some of the most common questions.

  46. you guys are all mad ,i would advise akai s5000/s6000 cheap as chips can have a huge gb harddrive
    means you can load/diva or any amount of softsynths ,no laptop lag or crashing ,it is not heavy unless you have no muscles at all (girls like muscles) and you can process all your samples with laptop before loading ,i really do not need a dave smith sampler

  47. It’s about time someone stepped up the plate and brought to market a professional stand alone sampler that can used for live performance. This is the unit Akai should have made. This is a brilliantly conceived idea because it targets the needs of 3 industries – DJ’s, Producers, and Live Performance – all without the need for a computer! About fricken time! In my opinion, the Akai and Korg stand alone units out there are toys.
    From the live performance point of view, I’d like to bring attention to one serious market demand out there: Backing tracks for live performance. With 8 gigs of ram, this unit answers that call no matter what type of musician you are. I’m a drummer who uses the Akai S6000 as a sample based drum module slave and I deploy backing tracks during live performance. There has been nothing out in the market that I could use to replace my old Akai S6000 short from a computer based system. Yeah, there is the Roland SPD-SX sample pad with 2 gigs of ram – the pads suck and what’s underneath the hood is shockingly low end technology. I think $1500 is a more than fair retail price for this new hardware sampler. Lead the way Pioneer!

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