For discussion about setting up your studio and advice on the gear and equipment within it.
By Ronald Sat Mar 27, 2010 12:04 am
I recently purchased a Technics SL-1200MK5
and I was wondering if anyone could tell me all the equipment I will need to play it and connect it to my MPC

like getting an amplifier and the right cords, etc.

if anyone can help I would greatly appreciate it
User avatar
By revtor Sat Mar 27, 2010 12:28 am
Yeah, I can tell you.

you need to get your 1200 into a phono preamp and then that goes into the MPC. Most people get a DJ mixer because they have phono preamps built in. they are also versatile because you can route something else into the mixer and so you can sample different things with the MPC by just sliding the fader over.
something like this is a basic way to get it going:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/M3mixerd/

Alternately you can get a standalone phono pre if you don't forsee the need to do any mixing.
like this:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DeeJayPre/

You need RCA cable to connect your 1200 to the mixer (prob came with the TT) and then a cable to connect the mixer to the MPC. MPC end needs to be 1/4" phono plugs, not sure what your mixer/premap would have, so the exact cable depends on what mixer/pre you end up with.
This cable will work with the two pieces posted above.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/CPR201


have fun, you have one of the best turntables ever made. Get a Shure M447 or M44G cartridge and youll be set for a long time if you treat your gear right.
~Steve
By Ronald Sat Mar 27, 2010 9:23 pm
wow thanks for the run down, this is gonna help me out

I'll be getting the TT soon enough through the mail so in the meantime collect everything else I need

I'll see how this goes comin up - thanks a lot man..
By Ronald Sat Mar 27, 2010 10:19 pm
with the cartridges, I'm not looking to DJ but I would like to be able to scratch if I wanted

I was reading about the sound difference between the M44-7 and M44-G

if I was looking at it from a strictly sampling standpoint for the MPC concerning sound quality, which should I choose?
User avatar
By revtor Sat Mar 27, 2010 11:14 pm
I'd go for the G, but in all honesty, you probably woundl't notice. Both are very similar, top quality.
By BGBEATS Sun Mar 28, 2010 12:26 am
Image

don't have to fool with headshells/wires

have used ortofons (grey ones) since 1994
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
this mixer since 2004
Image

has kill switches as well as panpots for highs mids and lows

and some effects you may find useful at some point

2 phono/line switchable inputs and 1/4 mic input

has rca outs/ 1/4 outs and rca outs that bypass the mic output
By beach_break Sun Mar 28, 2010 12:56 am
if you're on a budget, but still want quality, older hi-fi amps have phono preamps. i found a nakamichi amp dumped on the street this week.
User avatar
By boxcutter butta Sun Mar 28, 2010 3:29 am
you need an amplifier for those too.
depending on what watt the speakers are
id recommend an alesis ra-100 if they are 100w


but youll need something that looks like this
Image
User avatar
By revtor Sun Mar 28, 2010 3:32 am
Boxcutter has it...
you need an amplifier. a device that amplifies the small signal coming from your equipemnt into a signal powerful enough to make those speakers thump.

don't need anything crazy. first hit on google: MPC into this, this to your speakers.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/3 ... ifier.html
or this if you want top qual, and want to be able to rip those speakers apart:
http://www.amazon.com/Crown-Two-channel ... B000FLYMBM


But beachbreak has it right, you can get home stereo equip these days for dirt.. And they will drive speakers just the same. shop around, craigslist is your friend... you want to look for an amplifier or reciever. $20 no problem I bet.


~Steve
By Ronald Sun Mar 28, 2010 9:43 am
the 2nd amplifier you listed seems great and at a good price

any recommendations for speakers that would go nicely with that? how about these?
http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-Studiophi ... m_dbs_MI_3



and about mixers, I read this:
You cannot sample from a sound source and at the same time use that same source as your MPC sound amplifier - it would cause a feedback loop. The solution here is to connect your turntable/DJ mixer to your mpc RECORD INs but do not connect the mpc AUDIO OUTs to anything.
Instead, you will have to use your headphones to monitor the sounds - just plug them into the headphone socket. This is why it is better to have a dedicated studio mixer to control your MPC output signal and not rely on a DJ mixer.


are these what it's talking about?

http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-XENYX-1 ... B000GHB9XE
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/3 ... Mixer.html
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Behringer+- ... 9165154959
User avatar
By revtor Sun Mar 28, 2010 2:07 pm
Those speakers are powered, they have amps built in them. So you wouldnt need the amp with them. You want PASSIVE speakers/monitors. If youre gettin the amp, then just use the ones youve got. Studio monitors are $$$$.. Save it for now.

Yeah those mixers will do the trick. . . - if you plan on having other signals that are part of your music, then you'll need a line mixer to blend them together. If it's just your MPC then you dont need a mixer.

You might even have a small mixer dedicated to the MPC record ins (2-3 channel DJ type mixer w/phono pre) and then your main mixer (line mixer, like the ones you posted) for the outputs. This way you dont have to move and replug everyting all the time which can be a drag.

~Steve
By Ronald Sun Mar 28, 2010 9:14 pm
so instead of buying the amplifier I can just get those speakers instead because they have built in amps?
the speakers I posted up, I don't know what to do with them since they just have wires coming out the back

so far I'm getting together everything -
got the TT, got the TT cartridge, I'm picking up a Mo Phatt for cheap this week

all I have left to figure out is what I'm gonna do about the mixer and sound (speakers, amp)

you think it would just be cool in the meantime to go with the Numark M3 mixer?

sorry for all the questions, I just want to be sure I don't get into something I don't want
User avatar
By revtor Sun Mar 28, 2010 10:10 pm
yo man, you've never hooked up speakers before? ho shit. those wires conect your speakers to the amp. you'll have wires no matter what speakers you get. get used to wires, keep them neat. you're gonna have alot more wires really soon.
speaker wires, RCA phono wires. MoPhatt MIDI wires, 1/4 line wires, power cord wires.


You've got a MoPhatt coming, so now youre gonna need a line mixer to blend its sounds with the MPC's and then you send that mix out to your amplifier or speakers. You need 2 1/4" to 1/4" cables to connect your MPC to the Mixer and 2 for the MoPhatt. You're also gonna need a MIDI cable to connect your MPC to your MoPhatt, so the MPC can trigger the sounds in that module. get a short one. Also, you're most likely going to want to play the MoPhatt with a keyboard. and then the MPC records your playing and can subsequently play that back. So if that sounds good, you're gonna need a MIDI Controller Keyboard: (and one more MIDI cable)
http://www.sweetwater.com/shop/keyboard ... ntrollers/
(BTW, this midi thing doesnt transmit any sound it just triggers and controls events)

now back to the turntable side, you need that preamp to get the level up and EQ'd so your MPC can hear it. So you gotta get either a standalone phono pre or a DJ mixer with one built in (like I said a few posts above)

you gettin all this?

go to Guitar Center and they'll outfit you right up.
By Ronald Sun Mar 28, 2010 11:52 pm
yea I'm following along good I think... thanks for the help again, really, I didn't expect it
and nah I've never hooked up speakers like that before


concerning the MoPhatt, I already have 2 MIDI cables, so I'm good there

I have one of these already... so I need another one?
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1 ... le_to.html

keyboard, I have a microKorg, I can use the MoPhatt with that right?


I guess I'm just going to get one of the Numark mixers posted up, seems like a reasonable deal



the whole reason I'm getting all this stuff
I've had an MPC and one keyboard for a few months and after I honed my skills a little I felt kinda limited
since I got the MPC almost half price I decided to spend quality cash on equipment to expand what I'm doing
so I got my tax return, saved up some more money from work and now I'm tryin to build my sound library
I already got hundreds of vinyl so that's why I copped the record player and the MoPhatt I'm getting for $100