Reviews and questions about the entry-level MPC500
By slickhare Thu Aug 14, 2008 1:33 am
My 500 keeps restarting itself all of a sudden. It's never restarted itself once, I loaded some samples today and started playing with them in trim and assigning them to pads, when I went to a random track to try them out, after playing a few the thing decides to reboot. The samples aren't unusually large or anything, I don't get what's wrong.

Is there any way to fix this?
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By diggin24seven Thu Aug 14, 2008 2:49 am
did you buy a refurbished one? i remember i bought one refurbished and there was a screw loose. everytime i applied pressure on the screen of the mpc, it would restart. i remember taking it apart and found a loose screw and fixed it. everything worked fine afterwards but i still returned it cuz that was messed up for akai sendin me something broken.
By slickhare Thu Aug 14, 2008 6:09 pm
eimer wrote:Does it do this when it's on adapter to?


I don't have an adapter at all yet, so I haven't tried that.

After some digging I think it might have to do with the batteries coming loose when I hit the pads, I tried using it in my lap as the thread suggested, and the problem hasn't come up again yet.
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By nxnut_92 Thu Aug 14, 2008 6:47 pm
did u buy it off ebay? you obviously didn't get it new considering you dont have a A/C adapter. But yeah you may have a screw loose
By slickhare Thu Aug 14, 2008 8:25 pm
nxnut_92 wrote:did u buy it off ebay? you obviously didn't get it new considering you dont have a A/C adapter. But yeah you may have a screw loose


f my life, i bought it as a new unit @#$%.

i've been using it on my lap for the past 45 and no problems, i think it may be the battery door thing. is that the same thing as this loose screw issue?
By monacobar Sat Sep 27, 2008 12:21 pm
I just bought a mpc500. I'm just using batteries and I have the same problem when hitting the pads, whether I use on the table or my lap. I figured it might be the batteries getting bumped around because you have to hit the pads so damn hard to get them respond (I've already got a blister on my index finger!). Anyways, i put a piece of paper between the batteries and the plasic battery door to stop them from being able to jiggle around, and I haven't had a problem since :) Really the battery compartment should have a bit of foam on the door so the batteries fit snug.

I'm having a hard time getting used to having to hit the pads so hard, but perhaps once I get used to it this will actually be a good thing, like how bass requires alot of finger strength, but once you've built up that strength you have a lot of control over tone and dynamics - perhaps even more than electric guitar with its light, easy to fret strings. I just hope i don't get RSI in the process!
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By mr_debauch Sun Sep 28, 2008 5:08 am
monacobar wrote:I just bought a mpc500. I'm just using batteries and I have the same problem when hitting the pads, whether I use on the table or my lap. I figured it might be the batteries getting bumped around because you have to hit the pads so damn hard to get them respond (I've already got a blister on my index finger!). Anyways, i put a piece of paper between the batteries and the plasic battery door to stop them from being able to jiggle around, and I haven't had a problem since :) Really the battery compartment should have a bit of foam on the door so the batteries fit snug.

I'm having a hard time getting used to having to hit the pads so hard, but perhaps once I get used to it this will actually be a good thing, like how bass requires alot of finger strength, but once you've built up that strength you have a lot of control over tone and dynamics - perhaps even more than electric guitar with its light, easy to fret strings. I just hope i don't get RSI in the process!



or you will wind up having to replace the pads. I cant believe they make those so flimzy. It's rediculous.
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By fatkyle Mon Oct 13, 2008 8:38 pm
i had this problem too, and when i called akai support, the guy told me he had never heard of this problem ever. which is funny, cause here's three people on one forum, all with the same problem. i think the batteries jostle and a small lose in connection resets the mpc. very frustrating. i think the answer is to glue a small piece of foam on the back side of the battery door. i haven't tried it, but i will as soon as i get the chance.
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By phono Tue Oct 14, 2008 7:50 am
mr_debauch wrote:
monacobar wrote:I just bought a mpc500. I'm just using batteries and I have the same problem when hitting the pads, whether I use on the table or my lap. I figured it might be the batteries getting bumped around because you have to hit the pads so damn hard to get them respond (I've already got a blister on my index finger!). Anyways, i put a piece of paper between the batteries and the plasic battery door to stop them from being able to jiggle around, and I haven't had a problem since :) Really the battery compartment should have a bit of foam on the door so the batteries fit snug.

I'm having a hard time getting used to having to hit the pads so hard, but perhaps once I get used to it this will actually be a good thing, like how bass requires alot of finger strength, but once you've built up that strength you have a lot of control over tone and dynamics - perhaps even more than electric guitar with its light, easy to fret strings. I just hope i don't get RSI in the process!



or you will wind up having to replace the pads. I cant believe they make those so flimzy. It's rediculous.


doubt it, the pad rubber wears in with use and they wont crap out cos they are the senseo pads, not the same as the crappy pads in the 1000 ;)