Post your views and questions about the Akai MPC2500
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By Triple-X Thu Jul 09, 2009 5:59 am
First.. YES I searched the forum and the web.. IN DEPTH

Now...has there ever been a definitive fix for this? (other than the likely issue being a bad batch of CPU's requiring that the Entire Main Board be replaced?)

I bought a second hand 2500 a couple days ago.. Luckily I got the receipt from the person I bought it from and it was purchased NEW in February of this year, So have registered it with Akai, sent an email and I am waiting for a response.

as for the Issue.. keeping it as simple as possible.. I hear light crackling coming from the right output. At first I thought it was my monitors, so I tried my near fields instead, same thing.. but then I swapped my left and right outputs and the crackling switched sides.. tried different cables, same thing.. so I knew it was NOT as speaker issue, but rather something with the mpc internally.

So, using just the def. sounds that load up at startup, I went to the "Str&Bass" program and played pad B9 repeatedly.. I could still hear the cracking on the right side, but check this out.. I panned the string on B9 all the way Left, and when hitting it I could hear the crackling all by its self alone on the right side, despite the fact that the sound was only playing on the left as it was panned like I said. So I turned the volume of B9 down completely.. No crackle on the right anymore, but when I raised B9 back up, the crackle came back.. and yes, I tried headphones.. same exact issue.

It does it on any pad, any sound, ever short sounds but you have to hit them repeatedly to hear the crackling..
and I also tried different programs.. same thing..
as for ruling out the variables..
I have the Mpc plugged into its own outlet away from my monitors, mixer, keyboards, rack gear, furmans, etc etc etc.. I also tried 3 different AC plugs with the mpc, and at first I thought it went away, but nope. Im running Akai OS 1.24, which to my knowledge is the most recent, aside from a JJ os, which is next to try..
and this mpc has a cd-m25, a 30gb HD and No upgraded ram as of yet(its on the way, lol)

If I had to guess the issue, Im gonna say its the Main Board, most likely the cpu.. or the D/A converters, etc..
what a pain in the ass.. its obvious that this piece of gear is a powerful and intuitive tool.. when it works... And I have used mpc's for over a decade now.. but it seems that akai uses the cheapest crap parts they can buy to increase revenue, and we wonder why we have all these issues.. example: ram for 150 bucks that you can buy new for 20 and used like I just did for 9 dollars. come on.. they profit off of people lack of knowledge with respect to gear/computer stuff, and take advantage of us to make more money. its wack.. Don't get me wrong.. I love Mpc's.. but I'll love mine more if it works properly.

Okay sorry for that last paragraph of rant.. SO, any solution or suggestions?
or is everyone gonna say, call tech support, send it in for warranty..
If anyone replies at all that is.. :(
User avatar
By Triple-X Thu Jul 09, 2009 5:09 pm
Otayo20 wrote:probablly a soldering job of the outputs would help. Call VST.



nah.. like i said above, its not just an output issue.. otherwise it wouldnt translate to the main outs AND the headphone out.

I thought of that though at first.. of replacing the Right output jack with like assignable output #8 which most likely I would never use. and I would do it if I thought it would work..

Im afraid the problem is internal. cpu or pcb.

I just want to explain the issue as a comparison to see if other users that have heard about or experienced this problem found a solution, and if so what was it?
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By djchucknorris Thu Jul 09, 2009 8:50 pm
And I have used mpc's for over a decade now.. but it seems that akai uses the cheapest **** parts they can buy to increase revenue, and we wonder why we have all these issues..


Word!
Welcome to Nukai...they've sure come a long way since Roger Linn.
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By Triple-X Sat Jul 11, 2009 1:59 am
i know right?
at least back in the day they had locally authorized repair centers..
They finally called me back. I gotta send my joint in. Current turn around is 11-15 biz days. ouch..
I know it aint too bad, but man I finally just got my hands on an mpc again and now I gotta send it off.
Brutal. they do pay for return shipping and match your shipping method you sent it with.
So overnight it is!

but man, all these companies buy each other out, and ruin the brand reps with cheap components and crap service.
its wack.
User avatar
By Menco Sat Jul 11, 2009 7:04 am
Triple-X wrote:They finally called me back. I gotta send my joint in. Current turn around is 11-15 biz days. ouch..


Akai called u back?
Ur the first person I know of who received a response from akai's customer support.
User avatar
By Triple-X Sat Jul 11, 2009 10:05 am
yeah they called.. after I sent two emails and called two times and left a fairly heated message on the second attempt.
but yeah they called and I talked to the guy for at least 15 minutes.

went through the issue, he collected some info from me, and then sent me an email with instructions on how to proceed with sending it in for warranty repair.
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By Triple-X Mon Jul 13, 2009 9:53 pm
yeah I actually have deoxit and have used it before.. it worked wonders on my yamaha a4000 samplers rotary encoders.

But his issue is not specific to a physical jack like the right rear out or the headphone jack. It appears to be internal, like a digital crackling being generated by the cpu or possibly the D/A converters.

I WISH it was just the right jack.. I would take out 8 from the 8 out board and swap it for the main right out jack. just solder it in place.

but like i said.. the crackling is only audible on the right side, but occurs regardless of what output jack on the mpc the signal is sent to. At first I thought I was hearing Sh1t. but having taken the sound and panning it hard left, then muting the left channel on board, or when using the headphones just taking the left side off my ear, you can hear the crackling ALL ALONE on the right. when you adjust the sounds volume, the crackling goes with it, if you turn the vol all the down it stops. With that description you would think its the sample it self.. But I can produce this crackling on ANY sample other than short drum oneshots(which are too short in length to reproduce the problem.

its clearly a digital crackling that is obviously being produced by an internal component when sounds are played back.

since having originally posted this I have found other complaining about this issue online and on this forum, and it appears to be a bad batch of CPU's installed on the mainboard. apparently Akai is aware of this issue.
It may have something to do with the fact that Explicit told me that Akai discontinued the 2500 now too.
yay :roll:
User avatar
By Triple-X Tue Jul 21, 2009 1:16 pm
okay.. I was trimming a sample.. tossed it to the left and sure enough heard that annoying crackle.. its almost so bad that makes me wanna stop working on sh!t. its that distracting.

So I decide impulsively to switch from using the Main L&R outs to using output 1&2.
and BAM its gone.

Now granted this is only a TEMPORARY solution to a permanent problem.
BUt more importantly it tells me that the issue exists ONLY with the PCB Board that has the Main L&R outs on it right?

Well yes and no.. the Headphone Jack spits out the same crackling that the L&R Main outs do.
and that board is connected via ribbon cable to the Main PCB no? as is the 8 Out Board.

So I dont get it.. Why is it affecting the headphone outs and not the 8 Out board?

Im going to try the other outs and report back.

I know I just need to send my mpc in and get it fixed. wait the 11-14 days and just chill.
I just cant bring myself to do it right now.
By rarara Tue Jul 21, 2009 3:30 pm
interesting. the 8-outs don't have EFX so the path gets split somewhere. have you looke at the schematics? the file is pretty complicated though unless you were an engineer.

how does the repair work - do they look at it and then contact you with a quote for what needs fixed? any idea of costs?

can you also try and get a detailed report of what they fixed/replaced - would be handy incase any of us get the same issue
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By Triple-X Wed Jul 22, 2009 9:37 am
rarara wrote:interesting. the 8-outs don't have EFX so the path gets split somewhere. have you looke at the schematics? the file is pretty complicated though unless you were an engineer.

how does the repair work - do they look at it and then contact you with a quote for what needs fixed? any idea of costs?

can you also try and get a detailed report of what they fixed/replaced - would be handy incase any of us get the same issue


I know it is strange. I had thought of looking at the schematic too actually.

as for the repair.. I called and spoke with support, they emailed a set of instructions with a return Authorization number.
So I send it in, and they fix it. No cost, as its under warranty. 5 months old and has a bad screen and the crackling issue.

and yeah, when I know what it is, in the end I will post it up. Im pretty sure its the main board. Maybe the CPU or something with the A/D/A converters.

Im not one to use the 8 outs much based on my setup and how I record and multitrack, but I have noticed that when I assign sounds to the 1&2 outs, I lose the ability to hear other stuff.. for example just to hear my click track and audition samples(in Trim), I HAVE TO keep the main L&R out connected to my mixer.
ANYTHING that comes out of the MAIN outs (L&R outs and headphone) is subject to this crackling I get on the right.
And I keep forgetting to mention.. I also get a frequent POP coming from the left side. by fairly often I would say at least one to three times a minute. sometimes less, sometimes more. The Pop is very similar to the crackling. the same type of digital sounds, but one is a pop, and one is a crackle. my best explanation without trying to record it to show ppl.

Like I said, Im fairly certain its the Main PCB or a chip on it. Which means I may be right about what I wrote in another thread about not being able to upgrade to JJOSxl yet, because if they swap out that Main PCB, my paid JJ password will go with it, and I'll be out 113 bucks. Akai needs to just send me a new 2500.
This thing is too new for all these issues.
User avatar
By Triple-X Fri Oct 09, 2009 3:04 pm
UPDATE...

I never did wanna spend the time it takes to send my mpc to Akai for repair.
And god, with what I have found who knows if they would even properly address the issue.

Thru my talks with Akai, Vst and others plus the opinions from ppl on the forum with the same and similar issues,
the general consensus is that the crackling issue was being caused by either bad AD/DA converters on the PC Board,
or by the CPU on the PC board itself.. and maybe even a different but related issue.

Well I can tell you now that it is NOT being caused by the PC board at all.

I have replaced the PC Board, the 8 Out Board, and the PC Operation board(w/ the jog wheel and buttons on it) as well as the Q-Link board... AND STILL HAVE THE CRACKLING RIGHT OUTPUT ISSUE!

So at this point the only things left that it can be, that I have not YET replaced, are the Power Supply, the 3prong AC Plug Input, The hard drive input connector, the Function button board, and the CF card/headphone input board.

And I am going to try swapping those out as well. I think at this point that it is the Power Supply. So that is next on my list of things to try tonight. I will let everyone know what the outcome is.

Also its worth mentioning this..
I was in a position where I have been forced to wait to install JJos, in fear that if I replaced my pcboard out my Akai product ID would change and it would force me to purchase JJ again, as if I had a new mpc.
Well there is Truth to that. HOWEVER, I have noticed that the PC board is NOT the only thing that affects/changes your product ID. A different combination of PC board, Operation Board, and Qlink board have rendered different Product ID's for me. So it is possible that even if you have a defective part OTHER than your PC board, and change it out for a working one, that your Akai Product ID will Change, and you will be forced to purchase a new JJos password.

I am still looking for definitive details as to which parts cause and do not cause the ID to change. I will post them if and when I find them. But in the meantime, keep in mind that if you have JJOS, and change a bad part out of your mpc, it could change your Product ID and force you to RE-purchase a new JJ password.

More later.....