Post your views and questions about the Akai MPC2500
By Hepkat Thu Feb 22, 2018 10:59 pm
So my 2500 arrived yesterday! Is it just me or does the 2500 lack some punch in the lower mids? Im comparing it to my 2000xl and to me it sounds like its lacking some punch around 4 or 5 hundred hz? If thats the case its going straight back out the door! :lol:
User avatar
By richie Thu Feb 22, 2018 11:05 pm
It's not you man. You do have the option of using the built in FX EQ to boost the low end to get it to knock the way you want though.

Once you get used to the 2500, especially with JJ OS, going back to the 2000XL kind of makes you feel somewhat retarded.
By Hepkat Thu Feb 22, 2018 11:34 pm
Any suggestions on a good presetting for a more neutral response for the eq that I could just save? If I had to eq everytime it would really kill the workflow!
User avatar
By richie Fri Feb 23, 2018 12:02 am
I do not know what the frequency curve of the 2000XL is vs the 2500.

However the time it takes to navigate and boost or minimize any unwanted frequencies is in a matter of seconds really. I did not notice a detriment of difference between the 2000XL and 2500 though.
By Hepkat Fri Feb 23, 2018 1:26 am
Haha yeah like the extra features and all seem dope! Maybe I just have to give ot some time!
User avatar
By Lampdog Fri Feb 23, 2018 2:03 pm
Hepkat wrote:Haha yeah like the extra features and all seem dope! Maybe I just have to give ot some time!

You have to give it some playtime and thought. If it’s going “right back out the door” because of that then you’d be making a big mistake.

Get the eq and any other settings setup exactly how you’d want on startup, make a folder in the ROOT of your media named AUTOLOAD, save ENTIRE MEMORY to that folder. Now it will autoload upon boot. Autoload feature is the same on 2kxl and 4k.
By Hepkat Wed Feb 28, 2018 1:19 am
Nice pointer Lampdog! I'll be sure to do that! I'm gonna run the 2500 through a spectrograph tomorrow and see what the frequency curve is, then I'm gonna run the 2000xl through it just to compare, and I'm gonna set up the 2500 master eq so that it sounds more like the 2000xl! Think what you will haha, but I've been on the 2000xl for a while and it would help me get a better mix inside the box! Which is the main reason I bought the 2500 in the first place! To be able to do more in the box! But I take back what I said! Its a savage rig! And all the extra features have me coming up with lots of new ideas!
User avatar
By Sharris Wed Feb 28, 2018 6:58 pm
I was in a similar but diff situation. I've been using the 2500 for awhile & recently decided to incorporate software (I've been strictly hardware for years), I got the Maschine Mk3 & was using it's audio interface. I hated the sound, I was so used to the MPC 2500. The Mk3 sounded sterile & thin. Once I got used to the sound & found ways to get it to sound the way I like, I started liking the sound quality. I think anything different will throw you off at first. ESPECIALLY if you don't think the sound quality is as good.
But if you really like the xl sound, is it possible for you to keep it & use it with the 2500? Combine the best of both!
User avatar
By Lampdog Wed Feb 28, 2018 10:43 pm
Sharris wrote:But if you really like the xl sound, is it possible for you to keep it & use it with the 2500? Combine the best of both!


People use this phrase a lot. Just make the 2500 sound the way you want and that's that.
They are such similar machines that the best of both imo doesn't even apply here.
User avatar
By richie Wed Feb 28, 2018 11:30 pm
I'm going to say this now as I just had an Ice cappuccino and am amped.

The 2000 and 2000XL sound like sh*t okay. I have no idea why anyone would want that "Sound" where you lose the low end and the mids are pumped. The only people that benefit from this are those that have a real engineer to mix their sh*t properly.
User avatar
By Lampdog Thu Mar 01, 2018 8:22 pm
Most times, (not all the time) you can make gear sound the way you want, just gotta mess with it enough to understand it's quirks and shit.

Especially the eb16 in my 2kxl. It was underrated as **** but I made it do what I want 99% of the time.
User avatar
By Sharris Fri Mar 02, 2018 7:30 pm
I think it applies. He loves the way the XL sounds enough to say if he can't get that sound with the 2500 it's out the door. He loves the features of the 2500. The XL might be what he started with & have sentimental value. Using both gets you more polyphony & would definitely help when playing live. I play all my beats live in sessions, I'm not a fan of programming. There are so many things you can do with 2 MPC's. I have 2 MPC's & use the strengths of each. Plus double polyphony, double pads, easier to go from beat to beat. He could sample in the 2000xl, transfer to the 2500 in less time than it would take trying to "get the same sound". I also make beats every day & I LOVE the MPC workflow. Using the same thing every single day for years....I personally couldn't do it. & since I love the MPC workflow it's nice having another MPC to play with. These are just my opinions & I could go on & on. I think there's a reason the phrase gets used.

I do think he should give it some time. Sometimes you just have to get used to the sound. Even if the sound is better, you're not used to it, so it might not sound right. But if he really likes the sound of his XL & likes the features of the 2500, it's def not a bad idea to keep both. Something to think about.
User avatar
By Lampdog Sat Mar 03, 2018 2:53 pm
I got the 4k for the features, not the sound. It seems to have no color on the sound. 4k gives what you give it.

2kxl was a warmer punchier sound when both compared with no effects.

2kxl is not a full fledged sampler, 4k is.

2kxl was my first mpc so I will never get rid of it.

Also I don’t need to choose what gets thrown out, I can and will keep both.
By Hepkat Sun Mar 04, 2018 4:50 pm
Whats up guys? Ok, so I take back all I said about the 2500! It was definitely a matter of getting used to the sound! I have it bumping a lot harder then the 2000xl right now and its literally an all in one box! You can probably do anything you can think of in a round about way with it! Its a little cold compared to the 2000xl, granted! But thats nothing that a bit of tape saturation can't sort out right? Which is my next bit of gear lust! When does it end? :lol: I have set up everything the way I wanted it like you said Lampdog, and saved it to the root folder! Makes the workflow a lot faster! I've definitely leveled up with it so I can't complain! Thanks for sharing yer knowledge! I'll hold onto my 2000xl as I can afford to right now! Reminds me someone on this said something like, " The 2000xl is like my first girlfriend! She keeps finding her way back!" Haha couldn't help laugh! :lol: