Bug reports & end-user support for Akai's MPC Software 'controllers' including the new MPC Studio 2, the MPC Touch, MPC Renaissance & original MPC Studio and MPC StudioB lack.
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By MPC-Tutor Sat Apr 09, 2016 8:42 am
Dope806 wrote:And am I just spinning my head here looking for something that I already have in my set up?


I think you are, it sounds like you are itching to spend money on a new shiny toy. If you have the Studio and an interface I doubt the Ren is going to offer much more for you (other than 16 dedicated Qlinks).

You're also talking about 'looks' quite a lot - making music isn't about how your gear looks - functionality and workflow are king. What exactly is it about the Studio that is actually holding you back from making music? Are you just stuck in a rut and think buying something new is going to change things?

Personally I think you should just sit down and enjoy making music with your MPC Studio and if you eventually identify an actual tangible problem with your set up, something that is genuinely holding you back from making music the way you want to make it, then see what's out there to fix that problem.
By eccentric1 Sat Apr 09, 2016 6:27 pm
It's definitely been awhile since I have posted... For what it's worth, here is my .02
I use to only be a software guy like back during the beginning days of fruity loops then for a short time I borrowed a friends mpc200xl. Many years later, Roland dropped the MV then the 8800 which I copped and have to this day. I was an earlier Maschine adopter and fell in love, and have loved maschine ever since.

However about a year after MPC Ren and Studio came out, I decided to finally give MPC a chance and man o man I sure am happy that I did. I since have given my Maschine to my friend and work solely on the REN to this day. Granted is was slow rolling from the start, but where it's at right now, imo, is pretty amazing. I had no idea that I would use the 16 Qlinks soooo much and have actually become a staple in my work flow. I have not to this day seen a faster way to chop samples ever.

The first column of Qlinks, in samples moves 1000, 100, 10, 1 for adjusting the start point then the 2nd column does the same for the end point and the 3rd column does the same for loop point. I may be wrong about the 1000, 100, 10, 1 but it something close to that from going to course to fine adjustments. There is no quicker way to trim samples that I have ever seen. Then the bottom right corner of the Qlinks allows for zoom and timeline movement. It really is an amazingly fast way to work to keep the creativity flowing. Also, the rather new list editor is absolutely awesome for fine adjustments and moving things around to experiment.

Granted, I have not kept up with Maschine developement as I have been too busy mastering my REN which is also why I have not yet dabbled with the Touch either. As of today, I absolutely love my REN and those dedicated Qlinks are really awesome for reasons already stated plus adjusting internal effects and 3rd party effects plugins as well. I am not a fan of the internal audio interface, so I just dropped a quick $99 on a Presonus Audio Box, and that with Studio One is my perfect combo for complete tracks where I then record my vocals. MPC REN + AudioBox + Studio One + plugins = full of win!!! ;) and relatively inexpensive at that! Many other combinations of gear/software that are awesome as well, but this is what works amazingly well for me! I hope that helps
By groovemonger Sun Apr 10, 2016 1:04 pm
Haven't posted here in ages but I too am wondering if I should treat myself to a Ren or Maschine.

I was a user of the 2000 and then 2500 but over the last couple of years I've been only really using MPD32+FXpansion Geist. Still love the MPC standalone but the time it takes to go from idea>DAW>finished demo/track is just way, way faster in all-software. Let's face it, all those classic tracks on old beige Akai gear would have been made in software if software had been around.

With the small amount of time I've spent on Maschine I wasn't that taken with it but then that's maybe because I was so familiar with MPC and Geist, whereas the Ren immediately seemed more familiar. On the other hand it seems 80% of people out there diss Akai's software compared to NI's, which is the main reason I've never bothered going for either. Geist works. The MPC2500 works (although it hasn't been touched for ages). So I need a few obvious reasons to upgrade.
By Dope806 Sun Apr 10, 2016 3:39 pm
Thanx everyone for y'alls input it really helps me out a lot yes shiney new toys is what we al want but not always necessary I will rock with the Mpc studio I already have and possibly get the Ren here in the very near future.... Possibly even get NI's complete for sounds. Again thanx for the input def helped me not spend a grand at GC lol
By Dope806 Sun Apr 10, 2016 4:00 pm
MPC-Tutor wrote:
Dope806 wrote:And am I just spinning my head here looking for something that I already have in my set up?


I think you are, it sounds like you are itching to spend money on a new shiny toy. If you have the Studio and an interface I doubt the Ren is going to offer much more for you (other than 16 dedicated Qlinks).

You're also talking about 'looks' quite a lot - making music isn't about how your gear looks - functionality and workflow are king. What exactly is it about the Studio that is actually holding you back from making music? Are you just stuck in a rut and think buying something new is going to change things?

Personally I think you should just sit down and enjoy making music with your MPC Studio and if you eventually identify an actual tangible problem with your set up, something that is genuinely holding you back from making music the way you want to make it, then see what's out there to fix that problem.


:worthy: :worthy:
By kingP1n Mon Apr 11, 2016 2:50 am
i got mpc ren and my bro has maschine. from what i can tell maschine beats the shit out of mpc in terms of integration and allthat. pluz it has mad sounds. feels like its easier to make dubstep/trance/techno and shit like that since its made from the same company aka native instruments. i got no regrets with my mpc though. i love it. pretty much same shit when it gets down to the nitty gritty. the music wont make itself and you gota learn the program and get your skill up anyways. i do like the way maschine looks as well..both the software and the actual hardware..all the colors and clear pads and shit..but thats just a bonus
By DannyBmpc Mon Apr 11, 2016 4:17 pm
Honestly IMO if I was about to buy a ren I would wait because I would guess the ren 2 would be dropping in the next 6 months which means
A. the ren 1 will go way way down in price and 2. if you wanna drop the extra dough on the ren 2 it will be way improved. Especially if you already have the MPC studio...
By Dope806 Mon Apr 11, 2016 5:12 pm
DannyBmpc wrote:Honestly IMO if I was about to buy a ren I would wait because I would guess the ren 2 would be dropping in the next 6 months which means
A. the ren 1 will go way way down in price and 2. if you wanna drop the extra dough on the ren 2 it will be way improved. Especially if you already have the MPC studio...

Do you know if the Ren 2 is going to be windows based only?
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By MPC-Tutor Mon Apr 11, 2016 5:59 pm
Dope806 wrote:Do you know if the Ren 2 is going to be windows based only?


Nobody knows anything about a Ren 2, people are just assuming there will eventually be a Ren 2. Akai have never confirmed anything about this.

Regardless, no future MPC is going to be 'windows only' - that rumour just came about because some people misunderstood the concept of using Windows Embedded as the OS for a potential 'standalone' machine.
By DannyBmpc Mon Apr 11, 2016 8:15 pm
I think we can both agree that its probably in akai's future. The touch is obviously not going to be akais flagship. I would picture a touch with the rens q link to be a good idea of what the ren 2 will be like.
By dustymaestro Mon Apr 11, 2016 10:52 pm
I'm pretty sure that there will be another MPC. Why would it called a Renn 2? The MPC Rennaisance was for the lack of a better word a throwback to legacy mpc's. If you add updated features like a touch screen, it will get farther and farther from that idealogy.

Did it really hurt some of you guys that much when an another MPC came out after the Rennaisance? Your willing to trade off for what a lot of people are saying is a better workflow and visibility with a touchscreen? For what dedicated q links? That sounds stupid to me. There are q link banks on these controllers, you only have two hands. Not to mention they are on one side, your left. There not even labeled. I understand on something like a hardware synth, but a dedicated knob for every function on a controller is clumsy. Smart is Yamaha and Steinbergs approach with there AI controllers.

Actually, from a cosmetic point of view I would rather have Maschine 2 or a MPC studio than the Renn. If I wanted legacy, I would have gotten and still have a standalone MPC.
By Dope806 Tue Apr 12, 2016 12:35 am
We're never happy anyway haha and never satisfied I do like cool toys that I can make music off of. No it's not necessary but for me it helps my creativity.... One thing about technology is that we will never be able to keep up every few months something new is coming out so unless u have big bread forget about.... Plus after a new piece comes out that's something new to learn. I did end up getting the Maschine got a hell of a deal on it and tbh it's not an Mpc, mov seems so much more durable rugged and sturdy and I have been finding myself using the Mpc software and the Maschine plugins win win for me that's pretty much what I wants was more plugins thanx tho for everyone's input
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By Lampdog Tue Apr 12, 2016 12:58 am
eccentric1 wrote:It's definitely been awhile since I have posted...

It says 1 post since 2008 :lol: :lol: .

I can DEF feel the joy in your post. You AND Heavie. Something about it made me wanna
post and say thanks for telling ur stories. Open minded and whatever works WORKS for
you, that is what it's all about. So, thanks guys!

Me, I haven't been an Akai fan since a decade ago, I keep my 2kxl and 4k though.
I AM a Korg fan however, lol.
By groovemonger Tue Apr 12, 2016 11:17 am
Akai got caught between two stools when they released the Ren. It was supposed to stop old school MPC users buying Maschines or appeal to people that bought into the MPC legend, whether they were existing users or not.

Trouble was Akai alienated MPC diehards because it wasn't stand alone and, even worse, Akai didn't have the software ready and suffered a huge amount of bad vibes from early adopters. The software is much improved now and the product has plenty of happy users but then people that wan't the ultimate hybrid are still buying Maschines. I'd bet NI are selling massively more Maschine Studios than Akai are selling Rens.

Akai's cheaper general purpose controllers sell well and are well reviewed so the economics of why they would sink heavy R&D into Ren when it's a minor product for them are probably not that good. In the medium term it'll be incremental software updates with perhaps some more price cuts on the flagship.