Pad swap out?

Anyone swap out the rubber pads for the aftermarket ones on mpcstuff.com?
How do they feel? Anyone have likes or dislikes?
I am thinking about getting the clear ones. They look soft.

The 'new' pads I have found to be the equivalent of knocking about 2-6 weeks of heavy usage off from the stiffness. Others might notice more of a difference, but I didn't find it to be night and day... more like it was a tad more sensitive... definitely enough to be noticeable... but it might be hard to justify the cost just for that unless you're looking for a change of looks anyways.

I cannot speak highly enough of this upgrade. Definitely worth the cost in my opinion. My pads were super stiff and the ones off mpcstuff.com were really soft as soon as I put them on. I finally understand what everyone raves about with the "feel" of soft pads - so much easier to get real feeling to my drum patterns (ie. softer notes, ghost hits, etc, variation in sound) the first time around!

Changing over was really easy too. unscrew all the bolts and lift the top casing from one side.

Definitely do it!

+1 for the upgrade. their a lot softer and playing feels a lot more natural. i ordered the black ones. i have to wipe the dust off them every once and awhile, but other than that, i like 'em

Thanks all! I am going to order a set today.

NearTao wrote:The 'new' pads I have found to be the equivalent of knocking about 2-6 weeks of heavy usage off from the stiffness. ...

I swear to gosh Tao, I've heard that using them softens them up eventually but I've been plinking on these gravestones for a year or two and I dont notice any textural improvement at all.

I'm gonna give the 1000's a try soon.

But I want to get this, and I want to get that...etc, etc...

Well it's possible that I don't know what I'm talking about It is also possible that the MPC 500 I bought used somebody swapped out the pads already.

The original 1k pads were really bad in my mind. Swapping out the pad upgrade and getting new pads helped that one out a lot.

NearTao wrote:The original 1k pads were really bad in my mind. Swapping out the pad upgrade and getting new pads helped that one out a lot.

And I've heard the same. Which only makes it more arcane.
Getting the perfect MPC seems more like a process everyday.

I bet if you combine the softer rubber pad set and insert the bumpers underneath like I did you will have an incredibly responsive machine. On mine the only thing keeping it from triggering is the stiffness of the rubber itself. I just have to lay my finger on it and it will trigger at the lowest velocity. Would be nice to have a more flexible pad element so when you play through the velocities there is more of a one to one with how I have to hit it...might have to order those someday if and when the economy stops sinking into a bottomless pit.