mpc500 vs. sp404

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mpc500 vs. sp404

By strange_powers Sun May 16, 2010 12:11 am
hi, new here. sorry if this was posted already, i couldn't find anything on it.

So with all of the bugs in the 500, Is it really worth it? I already have the 2kXL and am pretty happy with it but I'm about to start performing 'live sampler playing' in an electronic marching band... as much as I love the format and feel of MPC pads, I'm seeing that the 404 is probably far more reliable. (I'm considering the 404 because the 303 nor the 505 can run on battery's and the 202.. well, you know the deal. haha) plus the 404 is a lot cheaper and has better live effects tweaking.

thoughts?

thanks,
strange
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Re: mpc500 vs. sp404

By mr_debauch Sun May 16, 2010 1:01 am
sounds like you know what you want already. I guess now it's time to go to the shops and test them out personally.
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Re: mpc500 vs. sp404

By fasttrackpimp Sun May 16, 2010 3:52 am
Honestly I'd say just get the 404. I just think the sp's are more fun for doing live on the fly type shit. Plus the 404 has alot more fx and shit to tweak. I have tried them both, but the 404 was just more fun to use. Btw I have a 303 and love the fx, 404 fx's aren't too much different.
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Re: mpc500 vs. sp404

By k_roc Sun May 16, 2010 4:49 am
I haven't used a 500, but I've owned a 404 since '06. I can't get rid of it, I simply can't. It's definitely a great sketchpad type of sampler. Something useful on the fly and so tweakable. The sequencer isn't much to write home about, but the sampling capabilities are excellent, and the built-in mic is very useful for being out and about. I would only wish that it were velocity sensitive, and the pads were more responsive.

I probably wouldn't recommend it for any intense drumming, but it is possible. Still a great tool regardless.

Re: mpc500 vs. sp404

By pull-over Sun May 16, 2010 2:06 pm
the sp 404 is a nice adition to any mpc...
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Re: mpc500 vs. sp404

By strange_powers Mon May 17, 2010 5:18 am
k_roc wrote:

I probably wouldn't recommend it for any intense drumming, but it is possible. Still a great tool regardless.


Why is that? analog latency or something? pads not as responsive? not pressure sensitive? I'm curious because I definitely do plenty of 'drumming'

thanks everyone for the responses, definitely encouraging me to invest in the sp. I used to own the 505 and I loved the shit out of it but the best beats I ever made were when I synced the MPC with it...

peace
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Re: mpc500 vs. sp404

By fasttrackpimp Mon May 17, 2010 9:28 am
Well the 303 atleast doesn't have any velocity, unless you hook(for example) an mpd 24 up to it through the midi out. Also with the 303 the pads aren't as sensitive/responsive as they are on my mpc. I mean it will work, but not as good as the mpc if you're doing fast or intensive drumming. That alone wouldn't out weight the 404 though imo. The 404 still has alot more things to tweak live over the 500 and as I said, if you get the 404 and the pads are an issue for you, you could always just throw an mpd 24 or korg pad control with it and it'd be fine. Mind you I'm just using the 303 as an example because that's what I own and have experience with.
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Re: mpc500 vs. sp404

By k_roc Tue May 18, 2010 7:46 pm
strange_powers wrote:
k_roc wrote:

I probably wouldn't recommend it for any intense drumming, but it is possible. Still a great tool regardless.


Why is that? analog latency or something? pads not as responsive? not pressure sensitive? I'm curious because I definitely do plenty of 'drumming'

thanks everyone for the responses, definitely encouraging me to invest in the sp. I used to own the 505 and I loved the **** out of it but the best beats I ever made were when I synced the MPC with it...

peace

k_roc wrote:I would only wish that it were velocity sensitive, and the pads were more responsive.
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Re: mpc500 vs. sp404

By Ill-Green Thu May 20, 2010 8:20 pm
I'll say get both. The 500 is MIDI friendly with SPs and you'll have a blast. You can sample and tweak with the 404 then dump them in a WAV file and transfer the samples over to the 500 to be sequenced. IMO, MPCs are powerful sequencers and better than SPs but SPs are so much versatile in the sampler department.
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Re: mpc500 vs. sp404

By fasttrackpimp Fri May 21, 2010 3:15 am
Ill-Green wrote:IMO, MPCs are powerful sequencers and better than SPs but SPs are so much versatile in the sampler department.


COSIGN! :lol: Kind of goes without saying.

Re: mpc500 vs. sp404

By skillius Fri May 21, 2010 9:06 am
I'm also facing the same choice for something to travel with, i think already owning a 1000 with jj, the 500 would just piss me off so i might as well go with something very different. I quite like the 202 obviously it's fairly useless for much apart from looping so the 404 looks nice..

Is that your own tattoo?

Re: mpc500 vs. sp404

By alexrock23 Tue May 25, 2010 9:00 am
I have an mpc1000 for the same thing, chose it over the 500 simply beacuse of the multiple out. The 500 is nice but I couldn't live with just a stereo out, but I would choose it over the 404. Have you Looked at the Roland spds, could be a winner for you

Re: mpc500 vs. sp404

By sehnazjoshep Sat Jun 05, 2010 3:52 am
Build quality of sp4040 is quite cheap. 404 does not have USB. If you used the 12 levels mode on the mcp 500 then you can forget about it on the 404 it does not have something like this.
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Re: mpc500 vs. sp404

By NearTao Sat Jun 05, 2010 11:02 am
I have both the 1k and the 500, and I love both, no pissing off here. They both have strengths, and the similar workflow means I'm able to use a similar process for both. I leave the chopping for the 1k, but loading one shots, pads and pre-chopped stuff on the 500 is a dream when you're on the run and don't have an outlet handy.
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