Which MPC?

Thinking about getting one. Not sure which one, though.

Curious about sound, vibe, workflow, functionality, etc

anyway, cheers.

Well, when I did my research, I came up with the 4000 as the most capable. I never got the hang of it, though - software is just easier for me. I'm selling mine, if your research brings you to the same conclusions.

Current models: http://www.akaipro.com/mpc and Akai's breakdown http://www.akaipro.com/findyourmpc Note they mention the 1000 being a good "all around" model and that it and the low-end MPC500 is compatible with the more advanced models:

I've seen MPC1000s and MPC500s a lot on CL and I remember working at a call center and literally seeing a dude make beats on his MPC500 in the breakroom. MPC2500 and 5000 are the ones you see often as "studio" workhorses as used by hip-hop producers.

The classics are the original MPC60 (12 bit, 40mhz, considered the "golden age" hip-hop sampler along with the E-Mu SP-1200) and the MPC3000 which many argue is the best overall (16 bit but same filters, similar design and more features). People cite the hardware as having a distinct warm and gritty sound along with other vintage samplers from that era. The MPC60 and MPC3000 were the only Linn designed/endorsed MPCs and fetch a lot of ebay and elsewhere.

Other discontinued models are the MPC2000 and 4000.

Comparison of all MPCs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_Production_Center#Comparison

As for sound and feature, I suppose if you can prioritize what you want from your MPC you can narrow it down. Browsing the MPC forums and you can tell people gravitate and stick with certain models for specific reasons.

Thanks for the replies, guys.

It's funny: I've done alot of research but there still isn't one clear frontrunner because all the MPC's have different vibes and strengths and sizes and converters etc...

So that's why I wanted to hear some 1st-hand experiences from fellow watmmers.

Cheers.

Personally I would go for the 1000. Also talking out of my ass here, but the size factor, jjos, and the fact that so many use it makes it the clear front runner IMO. Honestly, you'll be recording from it to a computer, so no really need to big fancy master features and all that.

If you have the cash, the MPC3000.

2kxl here

what would Sean do?

ask Sean

Sean pls

I bought an MPC-1000 on ebay about 8 years ago. Got it for around $350. I spent what I saved upgrading the fuck out of it. Got real MPC pads for it, upgraded the hard drive to around 80GB, put JJOS on it and did a couple other things to it that made it just as good as the more expensive MPCs. I didn't even spend that much on upgrades. I just used a generic HD for around $10-$20.

if you have the room then the 2500 is the one to get as it has two slider and knobs for real time tweakage decent stock pads and all this at the back

the 1000 is basically the same in a smaller DJ bag friendly package although the stock pads are shitty especially on the older versions but on the later BK models you can get a nice pad upgrade kit form MPCstuff.com which makes them tap-tastic

it's JJOS that's sets these two apart from all the other MPC's as Akai's own OS tend to be very buggy (especially recently) and there's nothing out there workstation wise to touch the MPC's sequencer especially with the new JJOS3 that came out last month which is being constantly developed and tweaked due to the large very user community

some die hard MPC lovers swear by the 3000 due to it's sound but they do fetch much more

If portability matters must have in mind that the 2500 is heavy as a planet, almost double the 1000.

  On 7/2/2013 at 8:00 PM, phling said:

what would Sean do?

 

ask Sean

 

Sean pls

I got the mpc1k with JJOS about 2 weeks ago and I've been working through various guides from MPC Tutor trying to come to grips with it --- a bit early to say, but I'm pretty happy with my choice so far. I think it will round on the MD nicely for live use.

+1 on the pads on the first version being a bit shit (the one I got :( ), though as I understand it the newer models have better pads. You can usually find one with jjos & new pads on ebay for < $600.

That, and depending where you live, keep an eye on CL. Lots of people give up on their MPC dreams.

  On 7/2/2013 at 2:34 AM, LimpyLoo said:

Thinking about getting one. Not sure which one, though.

 

 

Curious about sound, vibe, workflow, functionality, etc

 

 

anyway, cheers.

Realized that no one has really mentioned workflow --- what are you used to working on currently? That would help in describing the mpc's workflow.

as far as tapping in beats you can layer and edit on the fly quite nicely especially using the retrig button, you can then arrange sequences or different programs(kits) to pads and mute or switch ect, you can also use it like a regular software sequencer and arrange bars and loops especially with JJOS3 but editing controller lanes isn't as fluid as with a mouse.

sample editing is more a pre production process but chopping up beats and assigning to pads is a doddle which is more suited to JJOS2XL

like I said JJOS is very well if not over developed for a machine thats well over a decade old but what you can imagine you can do with 16 pads has probably already been thought of

the only real weakness of the MPC 's is the limited yet functional internal FX's (x2 send + eq and compressor for main out) so if you like mashing things up an external FX unit would be advisable

i recently moved to a 1000 as my main sequencer, totally moving out of the computer.

I love it, its amazing however as youve heard the fx are very average and if your using the individual outputs they bypass the fx so you'll want to have a few of your own units.
JJOS 3 is a must, its pretty awesome. the only thing it really lacks for me is proper envelopes for each sound, in saying that i have an emu sampler and a few other synths that i can easily sample or just sequence live.

Would highly recommend the 1000 if you know what your doing in the studio already.

I was using the maschine before which up until the mpc was the best bit of kit ive ever owned however there was almost too much freedom. I love working without a computer, its added a whole new world of fun to my productions

The reason i chose the 1000 was the memory too, getting an older one might be a hassle with the limited storage, i thinking of getting a 80 gig hardrive to go in my 1000 too

The 1000 w/ JJOS is good stuff. Very convenient and portable.

The 2000 and 3000 are supposed to have great converters and nicer pads.

That said I haven't been using my 1000 because I'm trying to focus on the Octatrack which has way more tweaking capabilities than all of these machines put together. I might return to it someday but it's been mostly gathering dust for the last 10 months or so.

  On 8/6/2013 at 3:59 PM, sweepstakes said:

The 1000 w/ JJOS is good stuff. Very convenient and portable.

 

The 2000 and 3000 are supposed to have great converters and nicer pads.

 

Regarding converters...aren't those lousy converters on older models exactly what made THAT sound they're famous for?

hey i'm just having brilliant idea. if old crappy DACs make cool lofi lush sound, THAT sound, couldn't a contraption be made which is 2 stereo plugs and a good ADC and a crappy DAC and a battery? Basically feed it one of those boring hifi signals, and BOOOM it goes, crappy DAC magic. yes?

Hehehe...yeah but where could you find crappy enough DACs? Elektron with its 12 bit machine?

  On 8/6/2013 at 9:39 PM, phling said:

hey i'm just having brilliant idea. if old crappy DACs make cool lofi lush sound, THAT sound, couldn't a contraption be made which is 2 stereo plugs and a good ADC and a crappy DAC and a battery? Basically feed it one of those boring hifi signals, and BOOOM it goes, crappy DAC magic. yes?

yeah j/k. i think DACs sound mostly the same nowadays, these things are everywhere and well understood.

the job of a DAC is to be accurate, not to do some mystical magic turbo boost to a signal.

but when you google for "akai mpc dac sound", you get message board threads full of proper opinionated bullshit which completely defies common sense...

there's probably something in the mpc software which fattens the sound or something.

(disclaimer: never touched an mpc myself)

Could be the software yes, but IMO this myth or not mostly comes from abusing an MPC60's ADCs (clipping?) + conversion to 12 bit internally so there's some truth in it.

ah okay so it's the inputs? overloading an amp or something?

it would be great if there was a somewhat decent resource dedicated to objectively clearing up myths like this imo.

  On 8/7/2013 at 11:36 AM, phling said:

ah okay so it's the inputs? overloading an amp or something?

it would be great if there was a somewhat decent resource dedicated to objectively clearing up myths like this imo.

Overloading the input converters I'd say (not 100% sure) that weren't so well designed as todays ones (clipping ADC is still very popular technique); it was mid '80 after all, at the dawn of the game (i too have zero experience with older models only with the 1000).

...and for clearing up myths the gearslutz.com is pretty good for that. Lots of experienced pros over there; at least they're old enough to remember those days.

And yes, again, 12 bit conversion certainly plays its part, we must never forget about that. It's the reason Elektron stuff have 12 bit storage too, to mimic the sound of the MPC and other old sampling machines...signals with a maximum of 72 dB of dynamic rage. Almost as bad as vinyls but it usually sounds good...mostly for beats.