Live performance: "Wakai" MPC w/JJ OS or MPC4000?

I already own an mpc3000 and I love it. In fact, I love it so much that I would not dare to take it out of the studio. So, I'm shoppin' for a more portable mpc that I can use to recreate tracks recorded in the studio and perform/press play on the sequencer to play MIDI sequences and playback of prerecorded audio loops. I am drawn to the MPC1000 w/JJ OS2XL because of its smaller more portable size and awesome JJ power, but I am also drawn to the MPC4000 because of its more powerful multitimbrel sampler. Plus it will play back Emu Emulator III samples! But which is "better?" It seems like the JJ OS's basically turn your once "Wakai" mpc into an almost mpc4000ish-clone. Is this a correct assumption? I have read about a few bands that actually use the 4000 on the road to perform live. From what I hear it is just a really great machine and very dependable. However, it is kind of huge, and makes it a little less ideal for live use knowing that the 1000 w/JJ OS2XL exists as an alternative option. However, I could get over the size of the machine if it really is light-years ahead of an mpc1000 w/JJOSXL. If I'm going to drop the cash on one or the other, I want to feel really good about my purchase and extract the most productivity out of it for my needs. I'm kind of thinking of a suitable model that will serve as the main hardware sequencer (playing midi sequences within its own programs/patches, and controlling an external synth or two), and use internal instrument programs to play patches via midi controller keyboard, virtually replacing a laptop. What are your thoughts? Thanks in advance.

4k without question...'nuff said.

If this is what you really want to do "perform/press play on the sequencer to play MIDI sequences and playback of prerecorded audio loops." Then isn't a 4000 way overkill? A 500 will do that.

~Steve

aaah yeah, got it.. my bad.

With either one you won't get clean transition back and forth from the 3k.
You will eventually start using the 1k or 4k more.

Now as far as the comparison most people probably haven't used both so they can only give one perspective.

With JJ OS2 or OSxl there are so many things he added that makes it a Live performance tool.
That along with things like INST PGM, non dustructive editing, the cleaner file structure, expanded Q-Link control, synth based features etc makes it a much stronger tool for creation as well.

JJ worked on the 4k OS and a lot of what he added has been based on the 4k but with better or maybe I should say more direct access.


The biggest advantage the 4k has over the OS2/XL for live work is it's external control.
You can map external slides and knobs on a MIDI controller to give you direct access to functions for incredible realtime control of parameters which is great for live work.

The 1k even with JJ still has a limited number of CC's that it responds to.

revtor wrote:JJ worked on the 4k OS and a lot of what he added has been based on the 4k but with better or maybe I should say more direct access.

Sick. That is exactly the kind of answer I was hoping to hear from someone. I heard through the grapevine that JJ did, in fact, work on the OS for the MPC4000, which, as most know, was designed from the ground up to be a seriously expressive music makin' machine/interface. I just wanted a respectable opinion to confirm this.

revtor wrote:The 1k even with JJ still has a limited number of CC's that it responds to.

Very cool. So, despite some physical and/or software limitations of the MPC1000's hardware or JJ OS2XL features relative to the MPC4000 (e.g. 1K's sampler's inability to RECEIVE mulitimbrel data, only 2 midi outs vs 4 on the 4K, only 4-6 individual audio outs vs. the 4K's 8 outs, less extensive external control of cc parameters on the 1K, and fewer supported sample formats of older sample libraries on the 1K, the MPC1000 w/JJOS2 or XL still manages to be a suitable, and in many ways, an extremely suitable choice for the live performing musician with OR without a laptop. Could it be possible that the JJ man will update his OS to incorporate even more external control over the 1K's CC value parameters in the future?

revtor wrote:The biggest advantage the 4k has over the OS2/XL for live work is it's external control.
You can map external slides and knobs on a MIDI controller to give you direct access to functions for incredible realtime control of parameters which is great for live work.

OK, this is what interests me the most. Do you or does anyone else know whether or not midi controllers such as the Behringer BCF2000 or BCR2000 or any of the Kenton midi controller mixers can be mapped to control the 4K's internal mixer? I will be absolutely point black SOLD on the 4K if this is a possible application.

Thanks everyone!

JJ can't add more CC's to the 1k/2500.

This says it all about external control of the 4k.

4k Touch Screen