Can't decide which MPC to choose? Read these resources or post your questions here.
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By DJ ALX Sun Feb 11, 2007 9:51 pm
I already got an mpc60 and i love making stuff on it but now im into buying some new stuff (im not selling my mpc60) and i am between buying the roland mv8800 (or mv8000) and the akai mpc4000.

Is there any thread with the differences between these two machines?

I want to use it as a DAW in a way. I know the mv works that way, but what about the 4k?

I want to record vocals on it in a professional quality, then export everything on the cd-r then go to a studio and mix the thing.

I think the mv records at 44.1 and 16bit. Ive heard that the 4k records at 96khz and 24bit. Does anybody know more about this comparison?

I know everybody here will be like "get the 4k get the 4k" ... I just want an honest comparison.

Peace!

By adrian Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:12 am
If you want my honest opinion.........do your own research.
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By Blue Haze Mon Feb 12, 2007 8:07 am
Please post in the right forum for comparsions. I would go for what works for you. Honestly the mv has some nice features. But for me the sequencer of the 4k is what I`m most comfortable with. I have tried them both. It`s up to you but check out www.mvnation.com and ask for my man DaMadman dude is off the hook.

Video

http://www.rolandus.com/products/produc ... erview.flv

http://www.mpc-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=65834

By illiac Mon Feb 12, 2007 12:09 pm
Neither the MPC nor the MV makes a very good DAW in my opinion. Both of them record into RAM rather than straight to disk, and this is not a good way to work when you are trying to produce vocals. You are better off with some kind of real DAW or hard disk recorder for tracking and comping vocals.

To me, the 24bit depth of the MPC4K is a big deal. But other people think that this doesn't matter much. Depends maybe on the kind of music you are producing.

I had an MV for a while and sold it; I have a better workflow on the MPC and I like the sound of it better as well. I need almost all the interfaces that the MPC has -- 4 MIDI outs, 2 MIDI ins, SMPTE sync, etc. But again, if you don't need those, then maybe the MV is a good choice. Certainly Roland takes better care of the software on their machine than Akai/Numark does with the MPC4000. I liked the sequencer interface on the MV a lot ...

Good luck. They're both very good machines, you can't go too far wrong with either one ...

-illiac
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By LvngDead Wed Feb 14, 2007 2:41 am
OT, but, from my personal experiences the MV8000 was a big waste of money for me.

The machine has many great features and is laid out very nicely, makes you wanna sit down and start bangin out beats. BUT, with all the damn quantize turned off it will never ever record your midi notes exactly when you trigger them.

It pisses me off that the 2000xl records sequence data so flawlessly and this mv8000 always adds its own little quantize to its sequences. Perhaps the 8800 doesnt have this problem.

I feel so pissed that i pain 1200 dollars for a worthless machine. WTF WAS RZA THINKING?

By moyphee Wed Feb 14, 2007 3:26 am
I own both the 4000 and MV and have never had such a problem. Simply reading the manual explains the quantize functions simply and in good detail. Turning the quantize off exposes the player's off timing not the machine's. This true with any sequencer.

As a former 2000 owner I don't personally find anything great about a robotic 96PPQN. Try playing a piano solo at 96PPQN and every bit of expressiveness is reduced to rigid inaccurate garbage.

It's your money you have to choose what works for you. Who cares if it works or doesn't work for anyone else? Buy it with a 30 day return policy and you can figure which machine works (or not work) for you.

Read the MV manual on page 229 and the quantize is easily explained. It'll take you a whole 5 minutes to understand the MV's quantize. It may help in your decision making.

http://lib.roland.co.jp/manual/en/dl_04 ... 0_r_e4.pdf

By fredwagner Sun Mar 18, 2007 1:47 am
Hi, I've got MPC experience and MV experience. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out whether to buy the 4000 or the 8800 and I chose the 8800.
That being said, they are both very powerful, very deep, very versatile, and very similar.

I use the machine almost exclusively for live performance, so being able to get at everything quickly, without stopping the sounds that are playing, is of primary importance to me.

***

Build-wise, they're both tanks.

Pad-wise, I like them about the same. They're slightly different but equally responsive IMO.

Sound-wise, they're a little different but both excellent. I'd characterize the MV as "warmer" and "rounder" but the MPC as "punchier" and more "brittle".

Sequencer-wise, I seem to end up pressing too many buttons on the MV to get things done. The [+ track] and [- track] simplicity of the MPC pretty much can't be improved on. You can set up the MV to work in almost the same way, though -- to be fair, but why it isn't this way automatically is beyond me. (Maybe it's a plagiarism thing.)

All in all, there are lots of tiny ways in which the MPC is more refined. A main one that comes to mind is that I can alter the active pad in [Program] mode without striking that pad. (To do this on the MV I'd have to use a mouse and monitor which completely defeats the purpose for me.) To be fair, the MV receives frequent software updates and many subtle refinements are always being made.

***

In the end the decision to go with the MV came down to a few small things:

* the MV has those 8 sliders at the top. They change functions dynamically based on what screen you're in. Most of the time they control mixer channels (in 4000 parlance, the "part mixer"), but when you press [Quick Edit] (like pressing [Program] on the 4000, they change the ADSR envelope for the Amplifier and the Filter of the current "Partial" (in MPC-land, the sample(s) assigned to the current pad.

* the MV allows you to utilize the same sample multiple times, but with different start, loop, and end points. Crucial for the way I use it. (I could be getting my MPCs mixed up here, but I believe the 4000 stores only one set of start/end/loop points per sample.)

* The MV has the main labeled function buttons spread out in sensible places over the whole unit, as opposed to the MPC which has them all in a 3X5 grid. The placement of these buttons makes good sense to me: [Effects] is near the FX knobs, and [Mixer] is near the level faders. [Quick Edit] (aka [Program]) is to the left of the pads, basically where [Pad Assign] is on the MPC. This is easier than searching the grid of buttons in the heat of the moment, IMO.

* The MV makes more use of LED buttons to provide feedback. For instance, the [Enter] key associated with the number keys lights up when an acceptable value has been entered. Also, the [Tap Tempo] key blinks along with the tempo -- red for beat "1" of a measure and green for every other beat.

* The MV has a [Hold] button. The way it's implemented is currently not very useful however -- it disengages if you switch Pad Banks or Instruments (aka "Parts" on the 4000).

***

$0.02,
fw
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By Groove66 Tue Mar 20, 2007 3:30 am
moyphee wrote:I own both the 4000 and MV and have never had such a problem. Simply reading the manual explains the quantize functions simply and in good detail. Turning the quantize off exposes the player's off timing not the machine's. This true with any sequencer.

As a former 2000 owner I don't personally find anything great about a robotic 96PPQN. Try playing a piano solo at 96PPQN and every bit of expressiveness is reduced to rigid inaccurate garbage.

It's your money you have to choose what works for you. Who cares if it works or doesn't work for anyone else? Buy it with a 30 day return policy and you can figure which machine works (or not work) for you.

Read the MV manual on page 229 and the quantize is easily explained. It'll take you a whole 5 minutes to understand the MV's quantize. It may help in your decision making.

http://lib.roland.co.jp/manual/en/dl_04 ... 0_r_e4.pdf


Interesting...very intertesing :wink:

Why do i get this strange feeling that you do not even own a 4000?

Th 4000 has 960 ppqn - Not 96 (like the 2000 that you may have owned) or 480 like the MV8000 and MV8800. The 4K is and has always been the most powerful hardware sampler / sequencer with upto 960 resolution. Playing piano parts has to be the next best thing about the 4k's sequencer besides highly flexible and expressive drum programming.

The MV 8000 that i bought a few years back in 2003, had to be the biggest waist of time ever. I had already used an mpc 4000 prior to purchasing the MV 8000, and it was like driving in reverse without any visibility. It was the most terrible experience ever, the lengthy load up time was pathetic, not to mention the amount of button pressing to do the most basic of things, and way too many menus, i just had to return it and copped a 4k.
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By Gruik Tue Mar 20, 2007 9:42 am
Groove66> you are pathetic. We all know you love your 4000 and you hate the MV. All your posts say the same thing. You bought a Mv in 2003, wich was in version 1.0...We all know you sometimes chat on irc with Roland engeneers who tells you they own a 4000 cause the Mv sucks...We all know the 960pqn resolution is better than the 480pqn, so the Mv sucks...We all know ther are timing issues on the Mv...We all know there are millions of menus/sub-menus to do basic things on the MV..Pfff.

Pa-the-tic.

You live in the past, man. As I already said: return into your cave,

NEANDERTHAL66.
Image
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By Groove66 Tue Mar 20, 2007 12:05 pm
Not sure about the living in the past bit, but it's always worth putting the A'wipes right when they start to drift the facts into b***s*it info.
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By Lampdog Tue Mar 20, 2007 2:12 pm
moyphee wrote:Turning the quantize off exposes the player's off timing not the machine's. This true with any sequencer.


So many people don't understand this little fact.
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By Hamzter Tue Mar 20, 2007 2:25 pm
Personally I would go with the 4000. The support group is better...

as for HW... the MV might be a little more up to date, not sure though... It definitely helps when marketing finds someone impressive to show what the unit can do...
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By Gruik Tue Mar 20, 2007 3:03 pm
I would go with the 4000. The support group is better...


Hamzter>put an eye on MVnation

Support is perfect. There are no unsolved problems (except the "timing issue" :lol: which became THE running-gag ). What's more if you want to see what can do the Mv, look at the beat section.

No need to wait youtube videos or Dre, Timba.. any-else promotion. When you have to buy a DAW, do you search youtube videos too? just look what the gear can do for you.
When I see things like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZIQy4izCWY

Wow :shock: ! I need a mpc4000.


About updates...mv8000 in v3.52 is super stable. mv8800 (based on the 3.52 but renamed 1.01) will have many other upgrades.