The Roland SP-303 is a great sampling machine for beginning or advanced DJ's. There are newer model's from Roland on the market (SP-404, SP-505) but the SP-303 is a simple to use touch and edit sampler. I have used the SP-303 for over two years now and have played and recorded in a studio with the sampler. I like the two banks of onboard memory and the SmartMedia card input with two banks of memory. The memory cards are hard to come by, but can be easily purchase over the internet. Sixteen samples can be set to any memory card. Eight trigger buttons make for easy sample playback. Switching between onboard and memory card banks are easy with simple light up buttons. The SP-303 has over 30 effects to overlay on sample playback or while recording. Effects range from echoes, phaser, eq isolator, pitch shifter, and even vinyl simulator. There is also tempo and beat per minute editing. The SP-303 uses 1/4" inputs on the front of the machine with RCA inputs and outputs on the back. The SP-303 uses a blunky power adapter that can only be attached at the bottom of any surge protecter or electrical outlet. The SP-303 also offers an external source playback. Easy to use recording, playback, and editing makes this a perfect sampling machine for anyone who has not used any type of electronics before. One main volume control, and three effects controls make this a very easy to use sampling machine. The price is very good for this quality of a sampling machine. Other comparable sampling machines will have less onboard memory or not have as many effects. The SP-303 can make a variety of sounds, anything the programmer wishes to produce. They are very good to use in conjunction with each other and I plan on buying multiple of these machines.