I need the lowdown.. The truth and nothing but the truth!

More specifically, if you have owned your 1000 for a year or more, then please post the pro's and con's that you have experienced with it. I am becoming uneasy about the negativity thrown at the $1000 investment I have made(MPC 1000) Many say that the pads WILL DEFINITLY break as well as the main ciruit. That the MPC is built completely cheaper than its older brothers. If this is what I am in store for, then I need to go back to GC, suck it up and buy the 2500. I need to know the deal. If you have owned your 1000 for atleast a year, Id like to know you experiences.

3rd party opinions dont matter(Meaning if this doesnt apply to you then STFU) Im sure you'll post any way

had my mpc for over 1 year. some of my pads broke, but i know downs syndrome kids who could fix them. they're back in business right now.

data wheel acts a bit funny but i can fix that too.

the mpc1000 is not for the lazy producer.

much of the negative hype about the machine are from software users who decide to make an investment but don't want to put in the effort.

as for the blown circuitry, that's only happened to punchdrunk

I've owned my MPC since 04 and that's 2 years now, I never had a problem with it beside pad 1 is not as sensitive anymore, but i just worked around it. Tell you what, I love it! best drum machine i've had so far and believe me i've used plenty. THis thing is the shit!!!!

Antonym wrote:
as for the blown circuitry, that's only happened to punchdrunk

yup, and i'm plagued with bad luck so i wouldn't blame the 1000 for my situation.

and actually i'm in the process of trying to get my hands on another 1000.
so that should be a good indicator of how well the 1000 works.
true the pads can die over time, but i had my 1000 for 2 years and only 2 pads went bad. and like antonym said there are ways to fix it.

the huge price difference between the 1000 and the 2500 with minimal differences in functions makes me not too interested in the 2500.

i still stay faithful to the 1000.
but if money is not an issue then buy whatever...

i have owned my MPC1000 since spring 2004, everything is like the first day - I use it maybe 10-20 hours a week maximum.
I think so well of the MPC1000 (since OS2) that I bought a second one recently. I don't think it will break if you handle things OK. All my pads are responding OK.

Overall the MPC sequencer is stable and reliable, its edit functions are still basic but complete (OS1 sucked on this count). The sampler section is OK too, although the FX section is dispensable.

With OS 1 the MPC was definitely overpriced, but since OS 2 I believe that it has become quite a unique piece of equipment with its good mix in terms of sound, size, specs, and overall quality of build.

All other sampler or sequencer you can compare the MPC1000 to is either:
- more expensive
- bigger/bulkier/heavier/plastic
- less intutitive
- less versatile
- less complete
- or all of them...

also, as far as build quality goes, the mpc1000 is really really tough, just like old models. the only difference is the pads and data wheel, both of which don't deter me.

if only i wasn't in such a production rut these days!

Antonym wrote:also, as far as build quality goes, the mpc1000 is really really tough, just like old models. the only difference is the pads and data wheel, both of which don't deter me.

if only i wasn't in such a production rut these days!

you too, huh? i'm seriously debating whether or not to live my life by the dice, just to see if it has any effect on my music.

Owned the 1k since the summer '04. Had 1 pad lose some sensitivity in 2 years. No complaints here. Prior to buying the 1k I had little experience with midi/music production. Not really into software so the limited editing capabilities of the 1k made learning easy. The new OS makes it worthwhile because of the features and portability. Sure, software editing blows it away BUT for a hardware piece at less than a grand it's kinda hard to beat. As far as the glitches/issues, don't have any problems with that.

i've had my 1k for 2 years and i've never had a single problem harware wise. none of my pads went out on me. and with os2.1, i plan on keeping my 1k for ever. i might (down the line) get a 2500 just to keep in the amp and use the 1k to travel. especially with the hard drive, i can take it anywhere.

had it a litlle over a year. no dead pads or sensitivity issues. best $1000 i've ever spent.

Owned the MPC1000 since it first came out. Latest OS and HDD upgrade option - combined with max memory - make it pound for pound one of the greatest pieces of music production equipment ever made. Mine still looks brand new and, despite being well travelled, is still in mint condition.

I've owned most samplers, workstations, etc, including some previous MPCs and I can honestly say that this will be regarded as a true classic in years to come.

As with most things, treat it like sh!t and it won't last. Look after it and you'll have no problems at all.

G4s

I've had my 1k since late 2004 and I've had a few minor problems. Pad sensitivity has decreased on only one pad and one of my sliders went stupid. I took it to someone who handles electronics much better than me and he fixed it, it was just the original solder wasn't solid enough to hold the control in place on the board. After seeing him do it, I know I could fix it myself next time. Luckily, holmes didn't charge me a dime. VST quoted me like 75 bucks and they don't pay for shipping either!

I love my 1k and would definitely buy another one if I had the cash and lost mine.

-tank.

I want to add that I previously owned a [non-XL] 2000 and that the 2000 did have a heftier and more solid "feel" as well as a punchier low-end, but I barely ever think about the 2k.

The 1k crashes less often (can't speak on comparisons with the xl, never owned one) and has so many more features (especially after OS2) that it's no comparison. 1k wins by a mile.

-tank.

Sigh of Relief... I read some good, some bad. But I can live with these odds.

the 2000 did have a heftier and more solid "feel" as well as a punchier low-end, but I barely ever think about the 2k.

this can definitely be achieved in the mixdown. personally, i'd want the main brain of my composition to be as clean as possible (hence why i switched to using the dig outs) and make it sound the way i want later, without having a signiature "sound" to limit me.

that is, unless you're talking aobut 12 bit sound. that's one machine sound i like to keep.