Exchange tips and tricks for the Akai MPC4000
User avatar
By feline1 Sun Jan 22, 2017 11:04 pm
I know there's a whole dedicated "MPC Comparisons" section on this forum, but I hope the mods won't mind me just putting this thread here specifically for we stalwart MPC4000 users...

For many years, the MPC4000 seemed like a bit of a white elephant, a high-point in the original standalone hardware MPC range in terms of raw features... subsequent models seemed to have *less* capabilities (e.g. less 5-pin DIN MIDI ports, no 96k/24bit audio), or had to be used in conjunction with a PC.

From reading the MPC-X blurbs on the Akai website, it does look like this machine finally does have the MPC4000's raw hardware features, updated with modern tech (USB3.0 instead of USB1.1, for instance :lol: )

Could I finally retire the MPC4000 and replace it with this new machine, and not lose any functionality? (Are the Effects backwards compatible, for instance... although the 4000's effects were rubbish, to be honest! and those filters in the programs urgh).

the Blurb says compatability with old 5000 and 2500 programs, but doesn't mention the 4000 explicitly...
User avatar
By MPC-Tutor Sun Jan 22, 2017 11:23 pm
feline1 wrote:Are the Effects backwards compatible, for instance... although the 4000's effects were rubbish, to be honest! and those filters in the programs urgh).
the Blurb says compatability with old 5000 and 2500 programs, but doesn't mention the 4000 explicitly...

It loads AKPs, pretty basic conversion though, i.e. it reads the basic keygroup mappings, but you might as well forget about the rest (effects are ignored, filters, envelopes and LFOs are sometimes transferred in bits and pieces, but on the whole there's very little useful like-for-like.

Remember you can download the MPC Software trial and give it a spin with your 4000 projects.
User avatar
By BlackC7 Wed Jan 25, 2017 12:12 am
I don't believe this new stuff is on the level of the MPC4000. Numark is not Akai that we know. The 1000's, 25000's, 5000's to the Renaissance's were garbage that were discontinued with no support. I'm not convinced that MPC-X will worth my money. I've got an MPC3000, two MPC4000's and a Z8. I will never let them go.
User avatar
By Ian Canefire Fri Jan 27, 2017 12:03 pm
Hey Feline,
We definitely need to wait until the bugs are gone. The younger market is no longer controlling tons of hardware. Maybe older users are but newer users are not torturing themselves with learning to edit old synths.
Plus computer power has moved so far forward and so quickly. A.I. is where the companies are going next. The fact that you don't see it yet in akai products should be alarming. They are likely to get beaten by startups or established corporations soon, considering how well A.I. is implemented in new yamaha gear. One example would be its usage in arpeggios with yamaha gear.
Yamaha has been on this A.I. move since the QY700 sequencer. The Motif XF has tremendously powerful arpeggios.
Computers are now writing original songs that are based on music theory and past hit recordings. So while many make a beat now, some rich person will afford a product that composes a hit song.
Processor power is here, latency is dead, touch screens are durable, coding labor is cheaper, code is writing itself, user trend data is freely accessible, and all we got from Akai is mpc4000 functions (though not 24bit 96khz stand alone) multicolor pad lighting, and speed in the mpc x and live in 2017.
The mpc touch is a great tool. Very intuitive and in many ways better than the 4000 for people not emotionally connected to older gear. KORG has been doing touch screens for a while. My roland vsynth has a touch screen and xy pad.
So when the mpc live and mpx x software is a fully functioning product with no bugs you the current buyer will be behind the next big trend by 2020.
When I can talk to my mpc the way I can talk to Alexa in my house and have A.I. then Akai would have made a leap forward. I am keeping my 4000 until I am impressed by technological advancement that is worth $2000.00.
Cheers
Ian
User avatar
By Coz Thu Feb 02, 2017 8:39 pm
feline1 wrote:Could I finally retire the MPC4000 and replace it with this new machine, and not lose any functionality?


I've just retired mine and I'll be getting the X as soon as it drops. I'll give an honest appraisal of it when I've spent a bit of time with it, but I'm under no illusions that it'll be bug free or have no issues at release.

I don't think it's missing much functionality wise. It hasn't got the mod matrix of the 4K, and keygroup programs have less features. Other than that, it's strange that it maxes out to 24/44.1 in standalone mode but I'm hoping they rectify that. Operationally it should be light years ahead of the 4K though. :popcorn:
User avatar
By Ian Canefire Thu Feb 02, 2017 9:27 pm
Say it ain't so Coz. LoL.
I think a lot of companies realize that 24 44.1 or 24 48khz is where most people are working.
To me that sounds good. Storage and file transfer wise it is so much easier to deal with 41 and 48khz.
96khz is a hog.

Peace
Ian
User avatar
By Horseclick Thu Feb 02, 2017 9:34 pm
Coz wrote:
feline1 wrote:Could I finally retire the MPC4000 and replace it with this new machine, and not lose any functionality?


I've just retired mine and I'll be getting the X as soon as it drops. I'll give an honest appraisal of it when I've spent a bit of time with it, but I'm under no illusions that it'll be bug free or have no issues at release.

I don't think it's missing much functionality wise. It hasn't got the mod matrix of the 4K, and keygroup programs have less features. Other than that, it's strange that it maxes out to 24/44.1 in standalone mode but I'm hoping they rectify that. Operationally it should be light years ahead of the 4K though. :popcorn:


@coz was your unit this one on ebay?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Akai-MPC-4000-/162372477201

how much did you get for it in the end?
User avatar
By Coz Thu Feb 02, 2017 9:39 pm
Ian Canefire wrote:Say it ain't so Coz. LoL.


It's so I'm afraid... onwards and upwards and all that. :mrgreen:

I'm tired of waiting for shit to happen all the time, and with DJ Trump at the helm I think we may all be running out of time, so **** it. If it doesn't work out I'll sell it.
User avatar
By Horseclick Fri Feb 03, 2017 1:57 pm
Coz wrote:
Horseclick wrote:@coz was your unit this one on ebay?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Akai-MPC-4000-/162372477201

how much did you get for it in the end?


Yes mate. I let it go for the starting price.


bad time to sell coz, if you couldve waited it would have worked out better for you, as you had the adat and digital i/o & worldclck nearly fully maxed missing the 8outs but you had 2 of the 3 expansions...

hope the x works out for you , i will probably pick one up but wont get rid of any of my classics
User avatar
By Coz Fri Feb 03, 2017 4:50 pm
Horseclick wrote:bad time to sell coz, if you couldve waited it would have worked out better for you, as you had the adat and digital i/o & worldclck nearly fully maxed missing the 8outs but you had 2 of the 3 expansions...


I only paid £195 for it in the first place so I made a few quid on it. You always end up taking a hit when it's a 'buyer collects' sale, plus nobody really wants the 4K any more unfortunately. I had 18 watchers but no bids for the first 10 day auction, then had to relist it with a spare LCD just to shift it. A D&B producer from Manchester drove down and snapped it up.

I haven't bought a new MPC since the 2000XL in 1999, so I'm looking forward to it. 8)