MPC 1000: Basic Hardware Configuration to Get Started

I've been kicking around the idea of experimenting with MPC production as a hobby for the better part of a year, and I finally pulled the trigger on an MPC 1000 this week. I spend most of my spare time digging and listening to all kinds of music, so it seemed like a natural fit.

Now I need to figure out how I'm going to configure my work/listening station. That's where I was hoping you guys could make some recommendations.

Here's my list of current equipment:

MPC 1000
Technics SL-1700 (Audio Technica 120E Stylus)
Sony HT-DDW790 5.1 Stereo
TCC TC-400G Phono Preamp
Audio Technica ATH-AD700 Headphones

Here's what I want to be able to do:

Sample from my turntable on the MPC.
Listen to my records on the turntable through speakers.
Listen to my actions on the MPC through speakers.

I know it's kind of short-sighted not to be considering a computer in the mix, but I want to get comfortable with the basics of the hardware first.

That 5.1 receiver is a bottom shelf piece of junk that doesn't have an out. That being said, and based on the lurking I've done in other threads and on YouTube, I think I might be missing a mixer. Would that make it easier to hook up some monitors and listen to both the turntable and MPC?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. This is my first post, but this seems like an incredibly knowledgeable and helpful community!

Thanks for the links. I'll check those out tonight!

Thanks again for pulling together that list of links! The "MPC Studio" example in particular was pretty helpful. But in that diagram (below) they show a ton of inputs, which would obviously necessitate some sort of mixer. But if I'm just connecting a turntable for now, can I connect that directly to the MPC and then the MPC to some monitors? Or if I want to use the turntable for both listening and working on the MPC should I get a mixer? If so, do you have any basic, entry level suggestions?

I apologize if this is too entry level of a question for the forums. It will probably start making more sense when it arrives and I can get my hands on it and start learning through trial and error.

Yep, that's sort of what I was implying when I said it will become a little clearer when I actually have my hands on the equipment.

I know the MPC only has the one RCA in, so it wouldn't be both a mixer and a TT going in. And my TT is going through a preamp so it would be at line level to go straight into the MPC. If that was the case, though, I just wasn't sure if I could both use the TT to sample on the MPC and just straight up listen to it passively if I wanted to.

It's all good--I'll do some poking around. I was just trying to see what I might be missing to assemble my setup.

Perfect -- that's what I was hung up on! I'll start researching mixers. If you have any recommendations for very basic entry level mixers or brands to look at, that would be appreciated. Otherwise I'll quit bugging you.

Wiggins wrote:
I know the MPC only has the one RCA in, so it wouldn't be both a mixer and a TT going in. . . . If that was the case, though, I just wasn't sure if I could both use the TT to sample on the MPC and just straight up listen to it passively if I wanted to.

No, there's no RCA inputs on the 1000; what looks like RCA is a digital input (I ain't even gonna bother to explain this, figure out the basics of quarter inch analog audio ports first.)

The simplest setup for you based on your list is:

TT > preamp > MPC Record In
(you'll want to go into the MPC menu and set Record In so you can monitor the TT)
MPC Stereo Out > Sony Stereo

That's your homework, to determine what cables to buy to get the basic audio signal flow outlined above to work. You will probably need to buy some cables and connectors/converters to connect these ins and outs if they don't match.

I think I understand how it will all come together for now. I'll track down the necessary cables and adapters to connect everything.

Thanks again, guys, for the responses -- I really appreciate it!

Alright, this isn't exactly what you guys were suggesting in terms of mixer setup, but it seems like it might work for my basic desire to: 1.) record the turntable on the MPC, 2.) hear my actions on the MPC over monitors, and 3.) simply listen to the turntable without the MPC being involved in any way.

Would this theoretically work? I just wanted to confirm before I started buying stuff.