The SU10 is a very compact and portable sampler and sequencer. Best suited for the on-the-go musician it ultimately is a note-pad for musical ideas. It has a maximum of 4 simultaneous samples polyphony, 11.64 to 44.1 sampling rates, 54 to 19 seconds of sampling time (respectively), stereo input/output (using one-eighth inch mini stereo plugs), 4 songs with up to 100 events in each and a maximum of 48 samples can be stored. The 12 key-pads are not only used for editing and programming, but also for triggering samples stored within any of the four banks (bank a, b, c or d).

For professional use these specs are just not good enough. Its overall sound quality is questionable. However it features some pretty cool tricks that may interest DJ's: a ribbon controller that can be used to filter the samples cutoff, alter pitch, reverse, scale, crossfade, hold and scratch samples. It features a VCF type filter with 3 resonant settings and a bandpass, highpass, or lowpass shape. It can even be used to filter an external sound source. Unfortunately the filter is 'sketchy' and prone to crackles, distortion and noise. Filtering external sounds have extremely low output too.

The SU10 won't replace your real sampler nor should it be considered a professional sampler but it does have its place. If you can handle the limited sampling specs and very poor filter then the SU10 can still provide you with hours of fun and entertainment, but that's about it. It has been used by Jimi Tenor, Autechre, and Scanner.

Hagen

March 16, 2013 @ 10:55 am

The SU10 was also utilized by Atari Teenage Riot on the Live at Brixton Academy noise show when they opened for Nine Inch Nails in 1999. I haven't listened to this disc in ages :)

Nic Endo - SH-101, Moog Filter, Ring Modulator, Yamaha A-3000, 2x Yamaha SU-10, Moog Prodigy
Carl Crack - Vocoder, Atari Noise Guitar
Alec Empire - TR-909, Akai S-1100, MC 202, Poly Moog, Roland Space Echo

FBK

January 29, 2013 @ 11:46 pm

The SU-10 was one of four samplers I was using at one time (emax, zoom sampletrak, akai s612). It fit right in the middle of that mess. Zippery filter? Yes. lo-fi sampling? Absolutely. Fun to use live? HECK. YES. When you take it off of its sitting place and play the ribbon controller in front of 3-4000 people, you get a reaction. I used this machine to do all sorts of odd job sampling. The tempo looping is fantastic as well. Put odd sounds in, get even more strange sounds out. I love this thing so much, I've bought another :)

SVMCWD

December 16, 2012 @ 8:06 pm

i don't really understand what justifies the judgements in this article. the su10 is a real sampler, and it is perfect for professional use if you know how.
the su10 has a really nice lofi character in lowest quality mode, allowing one to create warm pads by just recording the own voice and also for the common beats and other sampling use it just has a very nice character, the "professional, real samplers" mentioned are most likely either missing the character or the price is just higher.
i'm heavily disappointed reading this instead of more information regarding the actual functionalities.

wax

October 17, 2012 @ 5:39 am

seen kid koala using 5 of those little [beep] ers on stage for his 12-bit-blues-tour!
sweet sampler and due it's real pitch a great addition to the roland sp series...

OMMSYNTH

September 23, 2012 @ 2:50 am

I have this on from 1998
and I love it
he has helped me many times
because a little and very effective in different styles.
In studio in low-format sound and on stage as a scratch box

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