I have two MPC 500s but they are different?

Hi

I recently bought my second MPC 500 (I want two for live use). Anyway I've noticed there are some slight differences between them, the screen and font are slightly different, and I think the text on the Q-link might be different. The warning signs on the back are also different.

But the biggest difference is that the one I bought most recently is much much quieter than the other one. This is a bit of a problem for me as I want to play them together and it would be easier for live mixing if they had similar volume outputs.

Does anyone know why the volume difference exists? I'm guessing they are different batches? Maybe the one I have had the longest is actually a newer machine and Akai have improved the volume output? Or alternatively (I'm new to all this and not so tech literate) could there be an internal volume setting I am not aware of? (my first one has been used a small amount before I got it). Or, is it possible the second one is broken/dodgy/or even fake?

Should I be worried about this or does this seem normal? Obviously I can work around the volume differences by setting the volume of the louder one lower, but ideally I want the highest level I can going into my mixer so this is not ideal.

Any comments appreciated.

Mode + other, see if the volume is set to -6dB and try it at 0dB if it is -6dB.

Never had one but that's interesting the differences you noted, especially the LCD being visibly different. I have 2 XL's here that aren't quite the same. Slightly different beige, brighter LED's on one, and the newer one doesn't sound as good as the older one. I'd guess one is from the late 90's and the other is from 2004-05 when the last XL's were made.

Probably changed vendors on the LCD on yours and the LED's on my XL.

Yep, that was it. It was actually set to -12db. Thanks for the tip. I've now got two nicely matched mpcs. Must say I prefer the lcd on the older one, but at least this way I can tell them apart.

Yeah -12 dB is actually a 200% reduction in perceived volume from 0 dB, no wonder you were like WTF?

one might be running an older os then the other, that could be why the text looks different