4000 Buying Question

So.. I got sonar and reason and machine... I'm happy with my setup but still would like a hardware mpc as I prefer the pads and portability for gigs. Also, When I used to have the 1000, I never had a crash or latency issues. I get a lot if use out of my software, and love it but still feel the need for hardware. There's a different flow and I can gig with it without worrying about crashes. My old, now trashed Dell laptop convinced me to never use it on gigs. I've been drawn to the 4000 for a long time now. I do worry though, 12 years on from its initial release in the early 2000's, if I would have to worry about creeping reliability issues as the hardware ages. I'm thinking of buying one from 16squarez which would be maxed out, and a lot of dough, but I believe it would at least have a one year warranty and I would know that everything is working properly. How are 4000's reliability as they age? Any opinions would be helpful.

In software I always do a lot of deep editing, so I am drawn to the depth of the 4000.

I'm not the original owner of mine, but it appears to an early model so it could be just over a decade old at this point. The buttons and knobs are yellowed, the fan grill actually has rust on the interior ridges...

But other than that it works 100% perfectly. The warranty sounds good but 16squarez costs a lot as you mentioned. Used machines without output expanders and/or digital out boards are as low as $600, perfect machines with boards are around in the $1000 neighborhood, both boards and/or very clean machines as you go over $1000.

I think I saw a thread here this week and a guy found perfect replacement rotaries, tact switches are well documented here. MPC Stuff has you covered with buttons and things for the foreseeable future...So the situation is as good as you could expect with an 11 year machine.

The 4k is really well built, far more solid than the 1000. If you want a 4000 (it's a perfect machine for a DAW user who likes hardware, and would work great along side your other stuff. I have Reason and Maschine too), it seems like the fact that it's huge would be a concern if you are taking it out regularly.

But just MPC's in general, that last thing you wrote is exactly why you'd love a 4k, although maybe for size a 2500/JJOS2XL machine might be better for portability if you want the larger surface over a 1000.

Thanks for the reply. Seems like the route you suggest would be the better option, keep it around the 1k mark.

I know the 4k is a big machine. I've been playing in bands for 20 years, and for rock gigs lug around a 4x12 speaker cabinet that weighs 90lbs, ... so as big as the 4k is, I keep telling myself it still shouldn't be as much of PITA to lug as my guitar gear. lol. Of course, reality can always be a bit different.

Yeah if your used to the weights of gigging musician's gear the 4k's weight/size shouldn't be an issue. Really all I'd watch for is the width of it is just so that it's easy to bang the sides on door frames and that kind of thing. I suppose walking sideways might solve that 100%. (I've put a a couple tiny nicks in my side panels.)

In terms of portability, the 4K is the worst MPC ever in that regard. In terms of anything else, the 4K is the best MPC ever. In terms of price, I'd try to keep it around $800-$900. I've seen 4Ks go at embarrassingly low prices lately and I'm sure it's from people who never really bothered to learn how to use it, or, are jumping on the overpriced toys that are available nowadays. I've owned the 2000XL and I currently own the 2500 with JJOSXL, the 3000, and the 4000. I've owned both the Maschine and the Ren. I know what I'm talking about.

My 4K has the ADAT option and I just purchased the 8 analog out option. If you are looking for something to be the center piece of your studio, from a hardware standpoint, there is NOTHING better than the 4K. Period.

"If you are looking for something to be the center piece of your studio, from a hardware standpoint, there is NOTHING better than the 4K. Period."

truth.

I used to gig with the 4000 and got an anvil flight case for it. It ended up being 50lbs of machine/case to lug around and it wasn't the most nimble to get about. (I too play guitar and know the joys of moving the keyboardist's 130 watt 18" peavey black widow.) I would be especially concerned about the machine shifting in the case and snapping off the plastic screen, which is its achilles heel. Also, there is nothing more fun than waiting on stage for sounds to load while the sound guy looks at you funny. Consider a macbook with an SSD and a midi controller (midi guitar works well, little crappy akai usb keyboards work well, anything really.) The 4K is the greatest thing since sliced bread in the studio but it has been superseded by any number of options for stage.

Yeah a 2500/JJ machine might be a better option if you want a full size MPC for live use, but outside of that the 4k is the fine wine of the legacy machines.