Reviews and questions about the entry-level MPC500
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By NearTao Mon Jan 18, 2021 3:11 pm
Since it seems like there is some renewed interest in the MPC 500, and we're getting some new users trickling in again, I figured I'd write up a blog post You just bought an Akai MPC 500, what next?.

For our long time forum members... probably nothing worth reading... but I figured I'd just slap something down in case it helps somebody out.

Peace!

EDIT: Fixed the link... Charles spotted it lol!
Last edited by NearTao on Mon Jan 18, 2021 3:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
By CharlesRandolph Mon Jan 18, 2021 3:23 pm
NearTao wrote:Since it seems like there is some renewed interest in the MPC 500, and we're getting some new users trickling in again, I figured I'd write up a blog post Akai MPC 500, what next? You just bought an Akai MPC 500, what next?[/url].

For our long time forum members... probably nothing worth reading... but I figured I'd just slap something down in case it helps somebody out.

Peace!


Makes me want to get an MPC 500. :nod:
Last edited by CharlesRandolph on Mon Jan 18, 2021 3:29 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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By Menco Mon Jan 18, 2021 6:22 pm
CharlesRandolph wrote:
NearTao wrote:Since it seems like there is some renewed interest in the MPC 500, and we're getting some new users trickling in again, I figured I'd write up a blog post Akai MPC 500, what next? You just bought an Akai MPC 500, what next?[/url].

For our long time forum members... probably nothing worth reading... but I figured I'd just slap something down in case it helps somebody out.

Peace!


Makes me want to get an MPC 500. :nod:


Just do it...
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By Menco Mon Jan 18, 2021 6:25 pm
Nice read for those just starting out on the 500! I use it quite a lot, and actually was the only MPC I touched the week before!
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By Ill-Green Fri Jan 22, 2021 7:16 pm
Yes, I noticed the climbing trend as well. Had a couple questions thrown at me about chopping via youtube. I thought "they got the Live and the One to choose but they wanna go back, way back to the 500!?" I guess its reached its vintage point and peeps want that [email protected] sound nowadays :lol:

It was a great machine when I used it for 10 years straight, found tons of gems and made gems. I will say, after going over to the DJS-1000, I realized the 500 is a freakin' nightmare. I can't believe I putted up with all its bugs and quirkiness, I got used to it. But once you know it, its like a sword in your hands that welds with ease.

Thanks Near Tao for the read, brought me back to those old days :mrgreen:
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By NearTao Fri Jan 22, 2021 7:55 pm
Ill-Green wrote:Thanks Near Tao for the read, brought me back to those old days :mrgreen:


It's still quite a piece of kit. I'm torn because I dusted it off about half a year ago, and don't really use it enough to justify keeping it... but it is such a fun little box to just play on. The workflow is plenty fast enough, but there are so many compelling features on the new hardware...

I do need to get my sound setup focussed though, and I think over the next year I'm going to continue to offload some of the gear that doesn't add anything special to my setup. Right now I'd say "but for the pandemic", I'd probably be traveling enough to justify having the 500 as something quick to throw in my backpack... but I don't see myself going anywhere for at leasts another twelve months.
By HxHika44 Sun Jan 24, 2021 2:41 am
Used price ain't getting any lower thats for sure, 2005 was a long time ago now;)
It's just a cute and simple little thing you can jam with, for yutes these days it's back in.

Thanks for the info bro:)
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By Menco Sun Jan 24, 2021 6:01 am
NearTao wrote:
Ill-Green wrote:Thanks Near Tao for the read, brought me back to those old days :mrgreen:


It's still quite a piece of kit. I'm torn because I dusted it off about half a year ago, and don't really use it enough to justify keeping it... but it is such a fun little box to just play on. The workflow is plenty fast enough, but there are so many compelling features on the new hardware...

I do need to get my sound setup focussed though, and I think over the next year I'm going to continue to offload some of the gear that doesn't add anything special to my setup. Right now I'd say "but for the pandemic", I'd probably be traveling enough to justify having the 500 as something quick to throw in my backpack... but I don't see myself going anywhere for at leasts another twelve months.


I love playing around with it on the couch while watching tv (especially when my gf decides to watch ‘90 days to wed...). Lay down some sequences or chopping up some samples. Then import what I have in my 2500 later on.
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By Ill-Green Sun Jan 31, 2021 4:51 am
NearTao wrote:
Ill-Green wrote:Thanks Near Tao for the read, brought me back to those old days :mrgreen:


It's still quite a piece of kit. I'm torn because I dusted it off about half a year ago, and don't really use it enough to justify keeping it... but it is such a fun little box to just play on. The workflow is plenty fast enough, but there are so many compelling features on the new hardware...

I do need to get my sound setup focussed though, and I think over the next year I'm going to continue to offload some of the gear that doesn't add anything special to my setup. Right now I'd say "but for the pandemic", I'd probably be traveling enough to justify having the 500 as something quick to throw in my backpack... but I don't see myself going anywhere for at leasts another twelve months.


Thats just what I did over the last 3 years, selling and giving away gear I haven't been using, my only samplers are two Volca Samples 1 and a PO-33 KO. I like that I can carry either around in my pockets, especially the PO33, which I keep in my shirt pocket at work and bust it out when during downtime.

These days, all I need is simple sampling, the creative canvas is my DAW, a Tascam DP006 :smoker: :wink:
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By NearTao Sun Jan 31, 2021 1:40 pm
Got a PO33... and for such a tiny device, it is incredible what you can do with it. Wish those were around when I was a kid... would have been over the moon. One of these days I'll check out the Volca... it looks awesome, but seems like it needs other gear to do sampling which makes it a bit of a pass for me.
By Lazarillo Mon Feb 15, 2021 1:34 pm
I originally had the 500 when it came out. I had the 2kxl when it came out too. I sold them both about 2013, but bought a 500 again this month. I think the current rising popularity is due to lofi hip hop. The SP404 got kids into being DAW free and fully portable, but the sequencer on the 404 is nothing. Then they find out it’s a myth that Dilla made all his beats on the SP303, and find out he mainly used the 3000. I think the 500 is only just starting to come to the lofi community’s attention. Get ready for the avalanche!
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By NearTao Mon Feb 15, 2021 1:52 pm
The 500 is so dang capable too... I suppose the One was intended to fill this space... it just needed to have a battery and I'd have considered flipping my 500. I might check out the SP line some day... but I'm not sure it adds anything I'd be looking for beyond FX... and I think a Kaoss Pad Mini or similar would be a better fit. My Organelle feels like it can fit this space better anyways... just needs some more patches to cover this space :D