So does the new Akai MPC 'Renaissance' finally supercede the

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So does the new Akai MPC 'Renaissance' finally supercede the

By feline1 Sat Feb 18, 2012 11:00 am
So, Akai have brought out some new MPC models, and the flagship one is this:
http://www.akaiprompc.com/mpc-renaissance

Does it finally make our MPC4000s obsolete?

Taking a brief look at the technical specs, it seems to have all the features of the MPC4000 (e.g. 96kHz / 24 bit sampling, 960 ppq sequencer resolution...) that later models failed to match....

...but it updates the spec to modern connectivity levels (e.g. more than USB 1.1 :lol: )

The main thing that seems to be lacking is SMPTE (does anyone use this?), ADAT out or 8 analogue outs... there seem to be just 2 pairs of analogue outs on the back panel.

It is also much lighter!

There doesn't seem to be a user guide available yet, so it's hard to check details or read about backwards compatability with MPC4000 Multis and Programs.
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Re: So does the new Akai MPC 'Renaissance' finally supercede

By feline1 Sat Feb 18, 2012 11:58 am
It's not entirely clear from Akai Unprofessional's website, but it says "Works alone as your main DAW or works seamlessly with your current studio as a VST/AU/RTAS plugin" and "MPC Renaissance allows you to create using classic hardware controls and an integrated pop-up display"...

...it appears to imply that you can use it standalone,
but can hook it up to a computer to use it as a DAW controller there too?

I'm guessing they expect most people to program it in their studios in conjunction with a PC or Mac, but for live gigs it certainly works on it's own to play stuff back?

Re: So does the new Akai MPC 'Renaissance' finally supercede

By LZ Roberts Sat Feb 18, 2012 12:32 pm
feline1 wrote:"Works alone as your main DAW or works seamlessly with your current studio as a VST/AU/RTAS plugin"



This just means it does not need a host DAW like Logic or Live etc. Ren is basically a controller with a soundcard. It will always need to be plugged into a computer. It does not have its own CPU as such.
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Re: So does the new Akai MPC 'Renaissance' finally supercede

By feline1 Sat Feb 18, 2012 1:00 pm
I see...

To be honest, I would probably find that a much more useful way to interact with my MPC than dicking around with Ak.Sys and the MPC4000 screen....

.....nonetheless, if you can't actually take the thing out on stage and gig with it, without having to bring your computer, then that's a bit f(cking useless!
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Re: So does the new Akai MPC 'Renaissance' finally supercede

By feline1 Sat Feb 18, 2012 1:38 pm
dryad-66 wrote:Some will disagree but i think the 4k has a sound/texture.Although fairly transparent.I feel the ren will have more a daw sound.Not as much character=not so interesting.but will see.



Er, if the MPC Renaissance controller has the D/A convertors in it and so is producing the sound output, then you'll hear its sound, not the computer's!

It has MPC60 and MPC3000 sound emulation modes, which seems a nice touch.
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Re: So does the new Akai MPC 'Renaissance' finally supercede

By Lampdog Sat Feb 18, 2012 1:40 pm
feline1 wrote:...it appears to imply that you can use it standalone,
but can hook it up to a computer to use it as a DAW controller there too?

LZ Roberts wrote:This just means it does not need a host DAW like Logic or Live etc. Ren is basically a controller with a soundcard. It will always need to be plugged into a computer.

gertie wrote:the mpc4000 works standalone
the ren doesnt


Just like gertie and LZ say it's a controller so yep, it will need a computer.

Re: So does the new Akai MPC 'Renaissance' finally supercede

By LZ Roberts Sat Feb 18, 2012 1:42 pm
feline1 wrote:I see... where did you get this info from?


From the other Ren threads & akai info etc. It works similarly to Maschine in that sense.

feline1 wrote:.....nonetheless, if you can't actually take the thing out on stage and gig with it, without having to bring your computer, then that's a bit f(cking useless!


Yep, there's a bit of a debate going on that one. The absolute MPC holy grail will be a stand alone machine with really tight computer integration. But I think that'll cost $$$ooooo much.

But then saying that, the 4000 wasn't cheap on release & it sold a few. So there is a market for an uber MPC but there's probably not enough profit in it for Numark.
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Re: So does the new Akai MPC 'Renaissance' finally supercede

By MPCWeapon1 Sat Feb 18, 2012 4:48 pm
feline1 wrote:So, Akai have brought out some new MPC models, and the flagship one is this:
http://www.akaiprompc.com/mpc-renaissance

Does it finally make our MPC4000s obsolete?

Taking a brief look at the technical specs, it seems to have all the features of the MPC4000 (e.g. 96kHz / 24 bit sampling, 960 ppq sequencer resolution...) that later models failed to match....

...but it updates the spec to modern connectivity levels (e.g. more than USB 1.1 :lol: )

The main thing that seems to be lacking is SMPTE (does anyone use this?), ADAT out or 8 analogue outs... there seem to be just 2 pairs of analogue outs on the back panel.

It is also much lighter!

There doesn't seem to be a user guide available yet, so it's hard to check details or read about backwards compatability with MPC4000 Multis and Programs.



I love my 4K. It'll take a helluva machine to pull me away from it.

I remember the 1st beat I made on it. A Earth Wind & Fire brass heavy beat just to test it out, and it sounded beautiful. Not grainy like my 2.5k was with brass samples. It was love at 1st beat.
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Re: So does the new Akai MPC 'Renaissance' finally supercede

By feline1 Sat Feb 18, 2012 9:18 pm
Anyways, it seems the simple answer to my question is "No".

The Renaissance doesn't function as a standalone machine - end of story. (If it did, with its current feature set, then we'd be talking!)
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Re: So does the new Akai MPC 'Renaissance' finally supercede

By Lampdog Sat Feb 18, 2012 11:06 pm
feline1 wrote:Anyways, it seems the simple answer to my question is "No".


You know when someone asks a q we gotta make it all hard and stuff.
Confusingly more than it actually is... :lol:
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