Newbie help- Beat machine

I want to start making beats with hardware, been told MPC are good for this. Is this right? whats the best MPC, how come some people prefer 2000 over the 3000 and the 2000 over the 4000? which is the best? 4000 is most expensive...
What about classic drum machines? 909? anyone used a JoMox?

the 2000 does the most for the price......the 4000 is suppose to be the best......ppl say the 3000 has a better sound than the 2000...i disagree(but that is just me)4000 is the best no doubt.....but i feel it is ahead of itz time...technology is not ready.....the 4000 is like sega cd to me,like we went a good 4 years without seeing another game on cd after sega cd...all the competition is gonna do is build on it and perfect it....hopefully akai will regroup and make things happen....with a Z4 and a MPC 2000xl i think you will be ahead of the game...if you can use it right....but again that is just my opinion

Whats the Z4 and hows it do??? I'm always lookin for ways to better my beats which is why this site is coo, plus thinking about gettin a Equalizer so anybody got any thoughts on this?or that?or huh?

for equalizing...get a full blown mixer, dont just get an eq...

decide what type of beats you're interested in more...synth or samples

get a compressor...you need this

for hip hop, the 2000 will do you just fine, screw the other machines

Been writting for a while on the mpc and throughout the last few years I've picked up stuff along the way that I knew I would need sooner or later... 12 ch mixer, alesis compressor, tube pre amp, triton keys, turntable...the only thing Ive been tryin to do is warm everything up and get that good ol' studio sound...I'm just wonderin how yall felt about a 15 band eq and if that could that extra sound controll or anything else for that matter short of actually goin' to a studio...just got a recorder so I'm learnin about all this as I come across it...thanks yall for your advice, you dont even know how much it helps a mufuka.

pz.
speek

i usually just eq after the sound gets into the controller, i wouldnt know much about eq'ing on the way in...i think it limits your flexibility when you're mixing

hell, i dont even like compressing on the way in that much

so if i can afford mpc4000 go for it?
whats easiest to learn and use? do they take all take wav cos i dont want to have to spend 100 hours just gettin the sounds into the 2000.

You'll probably put in some time no matter what machine you decide to get...BUT...can it only use WAV. files???No...I use mostly SND. files...plus you just sample right into that biatch and start choppin up your shtuff from the get...if you can afford the 4000, but that thang...why the hell not.

pz
speek