Post your questions, opinions and reviews of the MPC1000. This forum is for discussion of the OFFICIAL Akai OS (2.1). If you wish to discuss the JJ OS, please use the dedicated JJ OS forum
By fooddude Fri Jan 28, 2022 7:39 pm
I've had the MPC60 since around 2010 as my main-centerpiece/sequencer/brain/hub, made many complete tracks with it and know it inside&out pretty much. Very comfortable with it and I'll always love its' simple UI. It's only 2.02 OS; but, I like it and it works for me (no bugs).

I am selling it, because I have an S2400 now. But, I keep thinking I may miss the mpc's UI and sequencer (I like the OG/classic-style simple UI; I don't want a newer One/Live). Also, I am sure the 1000 can get 'muscle memory" too, unlike the newer One/Live.

So, I am considering getting a 1000.
If I sell my mpc60... and end up really missing its’ sequencer and UI in the future... I think I might just get the 1000. Similar OG, classic, simple UI (just more features I'm sure, since newer; and also JJOS, which I have no idea what it really has, but I've always heard about it), I already know how to use the classic UIs, and it's affordable and not super rare like a 60/3k, and also has USB/CF for easy sample dumps and also saving seqs/projects to computer or CF.

The USB/CF is another main attraction to me; as I'm trying to get away from floppies and slower workflow. (I also sold my S950 a few months after I got the S2400).

I'd like to use the 1000 (just like I did my mpc60) as the main-centerpiece/hub/sequencer/brain to control and midi-sequence all of my external synths/modules/samplers/etc.


That being said... how does the 1000 and/or JJOS differ than the mpc60? I'd love to hear your insights and opinions.
It can be about the sequencer itself, midi-sequencer, song-mode, extra features, sampling, editing, data/cf/usb management, bugs, quirks, etc., etc.
Wanna hear your opinions on the advantages, pros, cons, new features, likes, dislikes compared to the mpc60 please.
(aside from the SOUND of course... as we all already know the 60 sounds dang good)

Also, will the transition to a 1000 from an mpc60 be easy? Or, is there a lot to learn?
I assume it'll be easier than learning let's say the S2400... as that's an entirely new, different UI/machine.
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By Sense-A Sun Feb 06, 2022 8:24 pm
I considered getting the S2400, but I love my MPC 1000.

I have dozens of samplers. S3000xl, mpc 4000, roland mc909, roland S770, korg dss1, eps-16, asr-10, eps, Akai s1100, kurzweil K2500s, k2000s, emu e4xt, etc.

The MPC 1000 with JJOS2XL is my favorite of all of them. It's the fastest, most efficient, best sounding IMO. You can downsample in JJOS2xl. Pitch shifting doesn't sound as good as a few others I own. filtering is better done externally. Most FX are probably better externally.

But I can sample, chop, and put together beats super fast on MPC 1000. Pad mixing, track mixing is easy. grid mode. can visualize the wave form. bitgrunger actually works well. I can take my mpc 1000 anywhere with me in a laptop bag. it boots fast. saves fast.

mpc 1000 goes well with a keyboard synth or a small arturia midi keyboard.

fat pads from mpc stuff and a couple upgrades to ssd, knobs, etc and it's the perfect sampler and sequencer.

Any talk about other samplers "sounding" better doesn't matter when you have to compensate work flow and speed. Also, I run my mpc 1000 through lots of equipment before it hits the audio interface. Same thing with sound going in. I can add "character" to samples many other ways. Hell, i often record to my cassette 4 track before even sampling into the mpc 1000.

The S2400 looks cool and the $1000 early bird price was a bargain. Not sure I'd drop $1,500+ on one now.

Which brings me to another point. The MPC 1000 on the used market is a great bargain. Granted you have to also buy JJOS2xl and do some pad upgrades, etc.

MPC 4000 is a great bargain too at around $1,000 but it's bigger, harder to move around, takes up 4x the desk space, etc. MPC 4000 is more powerful than MPC 1000, for sure. ANd has better FX, more buttons for direct access to features, etc. The displays often fail though and the fans usually need to be switched out.
By DokBrown Tue Feb 08, 2022 5:13 pm
I’m born in ’81, The 1k/2500 with JJOS are the best legacy MPCs that you still might want to use. I sold mine to MPCSTUFF but I still miss her sometimes ;-)

Plenty of supply, so decent prices
Pretty durable, Plenty of life left on those machines
Rec, chop, sequence – do u want more ?


Only downsides
1] Small screens compared to these newer machines
2] Weak FX/filters – you def need an external FX unit
By fooddude Tue Feb 08, 2022 6:32 pm
Thanks for the detailed replies fellas.
Sounds like a good one! Probably way more capable than the mpc60 (esp on 2.02).

Yeah... 1k prices are still reasonable and don't climb much. I'm guessing it's because the new Live/One are so popular, that most people just go for those instead of getting a used 1k.

FX and filters - Not worried about that and don't care if the mpc has them or not.
Forgot to mention I run everything through an old Mackie 24ch mixer (used to be a Mackie 16ch); and I have enough old FX racks from the '80s and '90s on the aux-sends and busses (reverbs, delays, multi fx, cheap compressor as glue or side-chain, analog filter, etc.).
Usually, 8-10 mixer-channels are for the mpc60 and the rest are for synths or anything else.
By DokBrown Tue Feb 08, 2022 9:18 pm
“24 channel Mackie mixer”
“8-10 mixer channels for the 60”


These young guns don’t know nothing about that life.
You should post some pics sometime.
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By Sense-A Wed Feb 09, 2022 12:36 am
The LP and HP filters on my mixer are handy and sound good. Also can adjust with compressor to some extent. Also have lots of EQ options on audio path in and out.

I use an Ensoniq DP4 almost full time Mixer to DP4 to compressor, EQ, other fx racks.

My mixer has FX plus I have a few racks I found cheap at local thrift stores and pawn shops.

Or when I'm traveling i just bring the zoom 70CDR multi-FX pedal with stereo in and out for portable delay chorus and reverb. Fits in the laptop bag with the MPC 1000. Few sd cards, extra cables, good to go.

JJOS2xl has some filter and envelope options http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/~mpc1000/os2 ... filter.htm


Also I wrote how you can get a grungy sound (character) that older samplers had. Or at least something close. viewtopic.php?f=25&t=198520&p=1825041

Also in JJOS2xl you can assign whatever you want to the two sliders. So you can have one adjust pitch and the other a LP filter or something cool like that. So you can adjust each sample on the fly.

Also you can get a dual foot switch and assign foot switches to various functions.

I wish the mpc 1000 had an extra pair sub out.

You can get an upgraded 128 pixel screen and JJOS 128 makes use of extra real estate. I like the old dot matrix displays and am not drawn to the modern oversized tablet screens. But I see how that could speed up menus and workflow even further.

Something like mpc x is too modern for me and I think I'd struggle to gel with it.

I have to emphasize the size of the mpc 1000. Functionality per cubic inch i think it provides way more than most other samplers that take up 2u or 3u rack space or large space on a table/desk.
By fooddude Thu Feb 10, 2022 7:29 pm
Wow... the 1k with JJOS def sounds a lot more capable/features than the 60 alright - filters, envelopes, lfos, time-stretch, bit reducer, bit crusher fx, q-link sliders, etc. Sounds a lot like the S2400 in features.

I prefer dot-matrix too. Much easier/simple to look at and less complex/headache. It's like you see everything that's available or running, with no hidden stuff and millions of options.


Btw... how is the USB/CF data management, samples, etc. in use? Pretty easy?

Like... is it easy to dump samples to the CF/mpc1k from a computer via USB?
Also, the other way around... saving prgms, seqs & songs from the mpc1k to a computer? (and also loading old past seqs/sngs/prgms from a computer)

Those (USB/CF) are also the big attractions for me with the 1k (since I'm trying to get away from floppies) - dumping samples, and saving/loading prgm/seq/sng, to and from a computer.
By fooddude Sat Feb 12, 2022 6:38 pm
...also, what is the biggest card it'll take (via external slot)? I want to use a 256gb card.

I've done a little research, and I read 128gb works with a CF/SD adapter. But, a lot of those threads are old. Wondering what the current state is, for successful maximum storage.

Are iFlash and Digigear adapters the best and most reliable ones?
By fooddude Sun Feb 13, 2022 7:59 pm
NearTao wrote:I had a working 256gb CF card in my 1k running JJOS. The difference I think came from what was officially supported... and then what enables a ridiculous amount of samples.


A straight up CF card, and not a CF>SD adapter was used? No crashes, freezes nor bugs?

What brand/model CF card and how did you get that to work?

From what I've read and researched, everyone says big CFs don't work, and you have to use a better quality adapter and SD card.
By fooddude Mon Feb 14, 2022 7:28 pm
NearTao wrote:This was with a CF card... Transcend I think. I don't have it any more so not sure I have any details on it.


Wow, that's awesome!

Wonder if there's anybody else out there that's had success with big 128gb or 256gb CF cards (without using CF>SD adapters). You're the first I've read of.

Can anyone else confirm?
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By Lampdog Mon Feb 14, 2022 9:05 pm
I'd go mpc one (if you want the small form factor) and wouldn't look back.

The S2400 is great, all muscle, no fluff, my ONLY gripe is the coating on the pads. It should have NEVER been allowed. It's a damn good & worthy successor to SP1200's.

Don't need both, not at all. MPC one with a midi keyboard can do ALOT of DAMAGE.
By fooddude Tue Feb 15, 2022 8:00 pm
Lampdog wrote:I'd go mpc one (if you want the small form factor) and wouldn't look back.

The S2400 is great, all muscle, no fluff, my ONLY gripe is the coating on the pads. It should have NEVER been allowed. It's a damn good & worthy successor to SP1200's.

Don't need both, not at all. MPC one with a midi keyboard can do ALOT of DAMAGE.


One is def sexy and attractive to me... I'm just scared of the possible complexity and daw'like UI of the newest mpcs. I really like/prefer the simplicity, muscle-memory and quickness of dot-matrix and old-school UIs.

But, getting a One is always possible tho. Esp because there's no need to upgrade the ram, updated pads, figure out compatible CF cards, buy jjos, repair any aged tact-switches, sliders or encoders/pots, etc. ...like you gotta do with the 1000.
Ram is $20, updated pads is $180, CF card is $75-150, JJOS is $130. With the One, just need an SD card.

Yeah, I love the S2400 too. My only gripes is low 8voice polyphony and also midi-sequencer can't record/pass-thru pitch-bend, mod-wheel and basic CCs. (I use a lot of external synths, keyboards and racks... so proper midi-sequencing is very important).