JJOS2XL JJOS-XL existing and remaining limitations

OS2XL and OS-XL development have come to an end, new updates will only be bug fixes.

Due to memory issues, it seems that nothing can be added.

The aim of this thread is to establish a list of existing and remaining limitations concerning the latest version. I will update this first post from time to time.

Some of the problems described below are not mentioned in the online manual.

When there are detailed explanations I mostly got them from JJ or Murai so I won't quote them each time.

Feel free to contribute


[STEP EDIT][WAIT FOR KEY]

* If STOP+OVERDUB is pressed the "wait any pad or MIDI note" screen appears but overdub is immediately deactivated.


[GRID EDIT]

* By design GRID EDIT for DRUM type track can't display events properly when an exotic time signature is used.

* When two events are close in the sequencer, it looks like a continuous black square even if ZOOM IN is at its maximum (thus making edit a bit difficult sometimes)

* It's impossible to copy events from one pad to another. If the sequencer position is the same, it pastes events at the same location, creating copies of the same events in STEP EDIT and issues like phasing.


[TRIM][Q LINK]

* Editing sample start and end points in TRIM mode with Q links is rough. It doesn't follow the zoom level. taken from here


[TRIM MODE][CHOP][PATCH PHRASE]

* Contrary to Akai chopchop2.0, patch phrase is still in mono. The sound quality is rather bad and this feature is not very useful. Removed in 128XL and OS3 btw.


[GLOBAL PROGRAM EDIT]

* Release setting set at 20 for the default program
This has been bothering many of us for a while now. In fact, it is set at 20 for reasons of convenience to prevent claims from users hearing "noise" after sampling. It could be set at 0 but it won't for this same reason.


[LOOPER]

It's MODE+PAD11

* Samples are played back and recorded in MONO
(This has an influence on the regular RECORD mode so check twice if you're not recording samples in MONO for regular sampling)

* Maximum recording time of 1 minute (there is a minimum amount too)

* FULL LEVEL can't be turned on or off in this mode.

* Because of crashes and claims it's not possible to go by accident in looper mode when the sequencer is running now. It's still possible to do the contrary and go to main screen from looper mode but it is not recommended in order to prevent freezes.

* The metronome rate click is set at 1/4 and can't be changed.

* There are incompatibilities with LOOP & HOLD and CYCLE (GPE functions)

* Regarding assignable outputs, it's automatically set at OUT4 for the 1K and OUT8 for the 2K5.


[MAIN SCREEN]

* During recording pressing F1 (T.C.) or F2 (CLICK) disables recording in order to prevent bugs. Issue described here and there

* Likewise going to other modes during recording in MAIN SCREEN disables it. Issue described here

* Changing bar numbers will automatically turns LOOP off. For those who T.C. is not a crucial function, it is possible to customize the F1 tab by pressing SHIFT+F4 (thus giving the choice between T.C. and LOOP for this key).

* Can't go to previous or next sequence while recording.

The MPC is still virtually recording even if OVERDUB is turned off afterwards. It is compulsory to stop the sequencer to go the next sequence. Issue described in a simplier way here


[MAIN SCREEN][ERASE]

* After deleting notes with the erase function, the sequencer position is brought back to bar 1. Not handy at all for quick modifications inside long sequences.


[MAIN SCREEN][NOTE REPEAT]

* Doesn't work properly with NOTE ON play mode. Issue described here


[MAIN SCREEN][QLINK][LOOP LENGTH]

* It's not possible to use S.START with q links when loop length is set in TRIM mode. Issue described here


[OS install/update/switch]

* It's possible to switch between the latest OS1 version and OS(2)XL at start-up by holding TAP TEMPO. When switching OS, default values are reset so it's better to save SYSTEM SETUPS in SAVE mode.

* If one saves something into the internal memory after having switched to OS1 it is necessary to install OS(2)XL again


[Q LINK]

* Range limitation
The range parameter is common for all types of Q link.
It is not editable for some types. For instance for PAN, values are fixed. Top = R50, middle = MID and bottom = L50 thus the range being used goes from 0 to 100.

In a live context, playing with TUNE with a range of +50 and switching on the fly to PAN will allow an highest value for PAN of +50 too = MID. Moving the Qlink toward the centre will give L25.

It seems that it's an old unfixable limitation and it is recommended to stay inside a range of 100 when modifying other types of Q link.

* Sample start and end are handled as NOTE ON so it is impossible to use them at the same time for the same target. Q2 taking priority over Q1

* NUMERIC KEY doesn't work in this mode due to potential issues with negative numbers.

* NOTE REPEAT doesn't work either.

* Doesn't work properly with multitimbrality. Issue described here


[TAP TEMPO]

* Average value is limited to 4 taps, thus giving a result not very accurate. The reason why this number was never increased is because of a lack of requests from users.


[VELOCITY LAYERS]

* Layers are not shown properly in TRIM MODE when coming from MAIN SCREEN or when using Pgmmode. Issue described here


[NEXT SEQ]

* Next sequence always plays from bar 1 even if there are different loop settings. It was made like this in order to prevent lag in case of long sequences.

One that annoyed me a bit couple of days ago was:

MAIN screen Q-Link LFO -> RATE only applies when q-link is moving and immediately reverts back to rate set in pgm when stopped.

^ Rephrasing the previous sentence would be most appreciated before sending it to JJ.

le rat wrote:It seems that OS2XL and OS-XL development has come to an end, new updates just being bug fixes.

Quite offtopic but: If so, may we expect a price drop for OS2XL? Has this ever happend before e.g. when OS2 was released?

olf> Regarding prices, as far as I remember there was a slight price change (raise?) in the past, I think because of the exchange rate between yen and dollar. Probably, he has to maintain a certain amount of money in yen.

About what will happen in the future, I don't know. I think logically JJ OS will be less popular because of the new MPC and if I remember well the first series of OS was launched in 2006 so it's been quite a long time now. Anyway, it's just my opinion and you'd better ask him directly. Personally when I sent messages it's just to ask if it's a bug or a limitation. I'm not involved in any kind of serious things

m:t:c> I'll ask if it's a limitation and if yes why.

One could go through all [BUG] threads that are unresolved and link them here with either "will be fixed" or "wont be fixed" status if JJ could provide such.

olf wrote:

le rat wrote:It seems that OS2XL and OS-XL development has come to an end, new updates just being bug fixes.

Quite offtopic but: If so, may we expect a price drop for OS2XL? Has this ever happend before e.g. when OS2 was released?

I was about to say that that would be a shame.

Isn't JJ making good money off of it?

Everybody who knows what their talking about regarding MPC's is still talking about the 1000/2500 just to buy and install JJos on it.

I'd guess so too, but the focus is on the OS128XL at the moment.

ThobRom wrote:Everybody who knows what their talking about regarding MPC's is still talking about the 1000/2500 just to buy and install JJos on it.

Word of mouth must have earned JJ a nice few quid over the years, but that's probably slowed right down since the big screen appeared on the scene. The fragmentation may eventually affect all future development unfortunately.

Guys this is all speculation..

JJ has not made any kind of announcement that os(2)xl is going to be deprecated. It just seems that new features are currently going into os128xl .. but it is newer and less stable so this is normal.

I have hedged my bets and bought the big screen and both os128xl and os2xl.. However, many people feel that given that os2xl doesn't require additional hardware, that it is more likely that the os(2)xl or maybe another small screen successor is going to be the long term supported version

There are still arguments both ways - os128xl has some better sequencing/workstation features, yet os2xl is still far superior in loop sampling and some live features (q-link to track, patched phrase, MIDI CC to LPF to name a few).
OS 128 xl does feel luxurious with the increased screen real estate... but the devices are not as portable (someone could make some money making a custom road case here )

If os128xl does get some of the sampling capability of os2xl then it will be the better product but JJ is still a businessman and unless the sales of os128xl and the big screen outweigh the sales of os2xl I very much doubt he would drop the small screen variant altogether...

Remember though, that JJ now needs to compete against computer variants from AKAI, NI and ableton and potentially others... the big screen version maybe attractive to some people who are considering computer based options... (I'm not sure how popular the mp5k still is, but that's also a potential competitor)

I'm hoping that OS128xl will continue long term and catch up on the sampling front to os2xl, but i'm fully prepared to go back to a small screen if it doesn't.... (I only recently upgraded from a mpc2kxl which internal clock had died)

m:t:c wrote:I'd guess so too, but the focus is on the OS128XL at the moment.

I will say it.

no SysEx implementation

astronaut wrote:no SysEx implementation

care to elaborate? you can rec system exclusive dumps from synths to mpc, save them and transmit back to synth etc.

m:t:c wrote:

astronaut wrote:no SysEx implementation

care to elaborate? you can rec system exclusive dumps from synths to mpc, save them and transmit back to synth etc.

I meant that there is no implementation for controlling the MPC with SysEx.

astronaut wrote:I meant that there is no implementation for controlling the MPC with SysEx.

this would be great to have if it meant having full control over all the mpc parameters. i'm thinking of having control over all of the internal fx parameters and the PROGRAM parameters as well.

you could then sequence these with the mpc itself by running one of it's midi outputs back into one of its midi inputs.

of course, it would be easier if there was some sort of internal routing matrix so you could sequence these things internally without having to physically loop a midi cable back in or mess around with sysex commands. something as easy to use as recording q-link automation, but being able to send it to any internal parameter instead of just the limited options that are available now in the q-link screen.

Sys ex?! make me laugh have you ever programmed sys ex, why would you request that to control MPC when there is midi to button already? Come on your pulling my leg surely.