SCSI = Scuzzy?

Yo, I don't have an MPC 2000 but i want to get one soon, and its hard to understand some of the stuff i've researched. I understand that you can get sampled sounds from cds, and the only way to load them into the MPC is through a specific cd drive which has a SCSI (scuzzy??) port on it. Is that right?
Because I use an Ibook, and it doenst have a scuzzy port so I would have to buy this special cd rom drive. Is there no fire wire Mpc in the future which could connect to apple computers and external hard drives? This is my foggy understanding of the machine, so please educate me because I am really interested.

Oh yeah and what are the differences in the different kinds of mpc 2000's that Musicians friend offers. One is 1200 and another is 1700 but the descriptions are the same..? Thanks a lot!

Basically the MPC represents the last "old generation" AKAI product. This means it is not compatible with any of the "new stuff" like USB or firewire. Even if you have got SCSI on the computer you want to use you still can't make the computer "see" the MPC to transfer files (like you could on other AKAI "legacy products" like S series samplers...).

What a lot of people do is install a Zip drive instead of the floppy and use a USB Zip on their laptops. For the Mac there is a shareware program called MPC Program maker (find it in "links" on this site) that allows you to make programs on the mac which can then be transferred via Zip.

Also, and that is the most annoying thing, whenever you copy any files from any computer onto a medium like Zip, the MPC will truncate any filenames longer than 8 characters.

These are all very important points to consider before you spend a lot of money on an MPC. The filename truncation thing is something that put me off personally but I still think the benefits from having an MPC are bigger than the drawbacks you get by the above. However that might be different fot you, especially if you are used to computer-like simplicity for all things music related.

Hope that helps

the special cd rom drive should and would cost like 15 dollars max. The main upside to akai using old skool tech in this stuff is we pay old skool tech prices for it. A zip drive (internal or external) and a cd rom for the mpc, and the max memory should cost less then a new zip drive to use with the Ibook (actually cost about 1/2 new zip= 150 cd=15, old scsi zip=15 ram upgrade=40)


the newer mpc 4000 may be for you if you want all that connectivity. If you use recycle, you cannot export via scsi but you can midi dump and you can load recycled stuff via zip and it works fine in the mpc. Basically it rewuires 70 dollars investment and a few extra seconds to load files onto the mpc from the apple.


the differnece is some models come with: Internal zip pre-installed, 8 outs pre installed, digi i/o pre-installed and efx board pre installed. the combination of these options is why there are a bagillion mpc 2000xl's for different prices on Music. friend.

so like,
The MPC 2000 isn't really that communicative with a computer anyway? what would you say would be the best for me? I want to make beats using midi and real audio, and i've read that the mpc was a user friendly piece to get. But is it really a stand alone unit? I'm looking at two different ideas:
Getting an MPC 2000XL

or

getting an audio interface with midi sockets (Maudio has a new one that is firewire too) and a midi controller so i can use the programs on my computer as well like Reason and DP....but it would be cool to have a sampler. I guess i don't really know what the possibilities in having an mpc could be.
thanks

the mpc is really pc friendly. aside from not being able to scuzzy the thing up and just transmit data, it works great.
I use recycle several times per song, and just save to a zip and export to the mpc for use there. I also have my mpc/pc connected via midi and the mpc controls reason and gigasampler as well as my soundfonts, basically that is an unlimited set of sounds from these 3.

The cost to set up a zip disk exchange thingine to the mpc is cheap, cuz the mpc uses old stuff.

Basically, the MPC is a Midi Production Center, the sampler is an afterthought, but it works really well. As far as contilling a pc or ANY midi gear, I would go with the mPC before all else.
then you get a kickin drum machine and a sampler that can multisample with some "relearning" and it is actually pretty easy once you get the swing of it.

the mpc is GREAT if you plan to expand your rig, since it will always be the foundation. Look at midicase.com's pics and look at all the gear! then look where the mpc is situated in the picture, or in any studio pics. It is usually dead center in front of the chair, IE the most used piece of gear in most studio's.

this last one is key, as your studio grows the mpc allows it to seamlessly integerate with your rig, basically think of the mpc as a foudation that you can build a house on, no foundation=shakey house.

lotsa peeps underestimate the need for growth and get stuck with some POS that isnt flexible enough for them.

the mpc is mustard. no doubt.