Just bought an MPC 2000XL off the floor!

Hello everyone. Thank you to all for your inputs and suggestions, comments. It means so much to me, as I try to equip my first MPC2000XL that I’m extremely excited about.

You all may think that I’m crazy & can’t make up my mind on which route to go as far as storage/reader options and audio routing options. And that’s where I appreciate everybody’s time and effort to help guide me.

After some more research, I present to you all TAKE 3!

I want to incorporate the use of my Mac desktop that will transfer my sound files with ease. It seems to me that an SD card would make the most sense here. I don’t have any problem paying for the kit that’s on mpcstuff website.

Also, I'm looking to route the audio via SPDIF into my Apollo Twin X. Is the digital out on the MPC2000XL mono? Or is it possible to go coaxial from the stereo outs, using a coaxial/optical converter, to then go straight into the optical in on my Apollo Twin X to get a stereo signal? Please someone assist with me understanding the best way to connect my MPC2000XL via SPDIF into my Apollo Twin X!

Best wishes to you all,
Bryce C

Get a ZULUSCSI and this: https://bootdiskandchill.com/store/ols/ ... r-zuluscsi (It's for the 2000 Classic, but it works fine in the ZULUSCSI on a 2KXL)

Format an 8GB SD Card to exFAT and put six copies of the iso on it like this:



Note: There's no HD6, that's a system reserved drive ID on the 2KXL.

Then plug in your ZULUSCSI with a DB25 to HD50 SCSI2 adaptor: http://www.cjemicros.f2s.com/micros/ind ... CSI50M25DF
Make sure the power is off first, you don't want to blow the SCSI fuse!
I got the cable from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07 ... UTF8&psc=1
(UK links, not sure where you'll get the adaptor elsewhere)

When you open up the disk images in the MPC, you'll need to format them individually to be able to use them. I think the MPC formats them to FAT16.







Then you can tuck your ZULUSCSI down the back. Fire it up and you have 6 individual SCSI <1GB drives to play with.

You can open these ISOs on macOS and put files in them. Make sure you are mindful that the file names can only be 8 characters + 3 character extension, or you'll run into issues with drum programs on your 2KXL.

Also, MacOS makes a mess of things by indexing and making double-files on any mounted drive and these will show up in the MPC file system. You can clean them out with this app: https://www.titanium-software.fr/en/onyx.html

HTH!

Bryce Carter wrote:Also, I'm looking to route the audio via SPDIF into my Apollo Twin X. Is the digital out on the MPC2000XL mono? Or is it possible to go coaxial from the stereo outs, using a coaxial/optical converter, to then go straight into the optical in on my Apollo Twin X to get a stereo signal?

SPDIF is always a channel pair, regardless if coax or optical.
You‘ll need the coax to optical converter, because the Apollo has only optical input.

I’d rather recommend analog transfer, though.
If digitally connected the Apollo will be clocked by the MPC with a probably low quality clock signal.
But whatever it is, the AD/DA conversion of all Apollo in/outs is optimized for it‘s own clock. That‘s basically the standard of all (better) interfaces today.

ps: that digital clock is not related to musical timing. It controls the sample rate of the interface converters.

+1 for the zulu scsi..
i went for the internal one
https://store.rabbitholecomputing.com/Z ... rp2040.htm
so the card is installed directly in the mpc.

its much easier then messing with floppys or zip drives
( i had a zip 100 nearly 10 years in mine)
you can use an sd card then and create virtual scsi images (drives) (hd.01, hd.02 , etc).
best way to work with an 2000xl nowadays in my opinion.

if you want the 8 seperate outs for the mpc,
there was an optional board from akai at the time the 2000 xl came out.
but i dont know if u can still get it and if its not way overpriced these days.
https://reverb.com/item/63194608-akai-m ... ts-upgrade

dubsetter wrote:if you want the 8 seperate outs for the mpc,
there was an optional board from akai at the time the 2000 xl came out.
but i dont know if u can still get it and if its not way overpriced these days.
https://reverb.com/item/63194608-akai-m ... ts-upgrade

The price that people ask for the 8 outs has been a lot for years now.

I suggest for anyone else reading this, it may be cheaper for you to find yourself a rackmount S2000 or S3000XL and take the 8 out out of that to put in your 2000 / 2000XL.

You won't get the same mounting plate from the rackmount units as the real MPC one, but there are instructions to work around that on this forum.

right.. did nt know that will work out with the board from the s 2000/3000
but good suggestion!

( although prices for these are raising as well:)

Yeah the prices are all over the place now man. Even still, the chances of finding a S2000 or S3000XL for cheaper than the 8 out is pretty good. Even bonus if the unit has the FX card.

That's how I got an FX card for my XL, by purchasing a S3000XL off of someone. I think I lucked out as the majority of my rack samplers, all were good prices.

nice...
4-5 years ago prices for the samplers were pretty down,
especially for the 2000 and 3000.
everyone were goin "digital" but soon later they were becoming "vintage / retro gear " .

When you see people saying that their MPC Ren is Vintage, you already know things are weird.

....