Exchange tips and tricks for the Akai MPC4000
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By incurablebeatlust Fri Dec 31, 2004 1:40 am
The filters on the 4k are good enough to use alone? i really want a 4k but don't want to have to go get a filterbank or whatever afterwards..
peace.
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By Rob Fri Dec 31, 2004 2:32 pm
I like them quite a lot!

We discussed them in a recent thread, and someone described them as good 'tools' to get the job done, and not so much an 'effect' as found on other gear.

For digital filters I'd say they sound very nice. They are perfect for what I use them for on the mpc: adding color to samples, or to filter out part of the frequency. They have a good powerful sound as well. Be careful with the resonance though, before you know it its too much. You can also use them to EQ a sample. For example, using a LP2+ filter with freq set to max 100 already boosts the higher frequencies. And when using the tripple filter, you get EQ and EQ+ algos as well.

Do mpc4000 filters sound like analog filters?
Absolutely not. I have some very nice filters here in my MOTM modular, and they sound very different from what you get in the mpc. But that's allright, since you can't compare analog and digital filters. The analog stuff has more life and juice, like anything analog.

Will I use the mpc filters a lot, now that I also have the ultra nice analog filters available?
Yes, and quite a lot even, because they do the job. But if I want that sexy, creamy analog sound, I'll use a sexy, creamy analog filter. The mpc can't do that.
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By incurablebeatlust Fri Dec 31, 2004 5:43 pm
cool, ive been using the filters on the 2kx but i really want a 4k. ive been reading some of the old 4k posts and youre in there quite a bit...igotta think the 4k filters are way better after reading your posts..there was one post that bothered me though, someone wrote that they like the 2k sequencer better..whatsup there??
thanks, peace.
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By Rob Fri Dec 31, 2004 7:00 pm
I can't really comment on the mpc2k vs mpc4k sequencers since the 4k is my first mpc. I've read some of those messages as well, and afaik some posters simply prefer the more simple feature set of the 2k. I guess on a 4k with it's much bigger screen, there's more cursor jockying than on a 2k.

Feature wise the 4k is much better though, and the sound is much better too (so I'm told). So it depends on what you're after.
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By incurablebeatlust Fri Dec 31, 2004 10:29 pm
im after better sound. not really cleaner sound but more interesting filters and effects. i like the all in one aspect of the mpc 4k. whats a good price for one these days? im selling off my gear right now to afford one..
thanks for the responses
peace.

By RAVEN Fri Dec 31, 2004 11:23 pm
The filters on the 4k kick the shit out of the limited filter on the 2kxl.
Also the samper in the 4k is better.

The sequencer sounds the same to me as the 2kxl, I dont know what people are talking about there. One think is sure tho, the 4k is a lot deeper
of a machine and it seems like Akai could have made it easier to use, like there older mps, but half the fun is learning it.

As for a good price check out the used ones, got mine used with a cd bunner and a 60 gig HD for $1500.00.