Important:Thread to collect bugs so we can send them to Akai

I've finally e-mailed Akai!

These are the information regarding my MPC500:
Model : MPC500
O.S Version : 1.13
New/used : New
Owned since : MARCH 2007
Memory amount : 128MB
CF card(s) : DSE 512MB CF, Akai 128MB CF

These are the problems I have encountered:
Crashed after step edit ("System Error") : Yes
Crashed when saving to new folder : Yes
Corrupted CF card after saving : Yes
Metronome when auditioning samples : No
Strange flanging sound : No
"CPU Addr (read)" crash when loading project
: Yes

Akai have looked into my problems and say I need to return my MPC500 for repairs.

They suggested to return it to their office in the Netherlands (where I live) but I called them and they won't take it since I bought it online in a German store.

So I need to contact the German store (www.thomann.de) or the German Akai office.

I contacted the store, and they will send UPS to pick up my MPC... and they will "repair" it. I have serious doubts they will be able to "repair" my unit...

Snerg

Man, that sux if i have to return mine. I am in Australia, so I probably have to send it overseas (which will take many weeks to get back).

I sent:

The MPC-500 is riddled with bugs. I have owned it since it was first
released, and I cannot use it because when I spend hours creating a
song, save it, then try to load, the ALL SEQ & SONGS file is corrupt
resulting in:

CPU Addr (read)
PC (883e24de)

Everyone are affected by this and other bugs. It is not a faulty unit
unless all of them are faulty. Hopefully it is a problem in the OS so
that you can issue a new release to fix these problems.

I've tried downgrading to O.S. 1.12!

Still when I save a project I can't load it because it crashes my MPC, the difference is this time it doesn't show the "CPU Addr (read) PC(884afa96)" message.

It just freezes when loading the sequences in a project.

Like Akai say, I must have a faulty unit... and it looks like the problem is getting worse with time. So I guess my MPC is broken.

Snerg

about the corrupted saving data:

it is all linked to these bugs:

1 - when saving over old material: DIRECTORY ERROR
2 - when creating a new folder: FREEZE upon NEW FOLDER CREATIOn
3 - result: WRONG FILE and CORRUPT DATA

this is not a single faulty unit. this is the same bug that has been present and repeated again and again in 3 units: first the mpc1000, then the mpc2500, and now, finally, the mpc500.

same effect, same symptom, same frustrated users, same silent akai.

@Antonym

1. I was not saving over older files!
2. The files I posted are not a result of a "new folder" crash, it's corruption when saving.

3. My files are corrupted for sure

Are you serious about all those MPC models having similar problems?

Snerg

snerg wrote:@Antonym

1. I was not saving over older files!
2. The files I posted are not a result of a "new folder" crash, it's corruption when saving.

3. My files are corrupted for sure

Are you serious about all those MPC models having similar problems?

Snerg

yep that's why everyone is purchasing the JJ OS for their MPC's

Are you serious about all those MPC models having similar problems?

yes, the 2500 and the 1000 both. of course, this no longer was a problem after jj fixed these saving bugs early in his OS release. he even fixed it for the FREE os version.

as for your specific problem, i have a feeling it's linked to the above one way or another. of course i could be wrong and you COULD have a particularly effed MPC500, but that's less likely. for the most part i was referencing folks who reported this:

Crashed when saving to new folder : Yes
Corrupted CF card after saving : Yes

the latter is joined at the hip with the first.
and ALL of this is simply disgusting on Akai's part - the fact that they used the same FLAWED saving code on 3 consecutive MPCs...and responded that it must be a defective unit - ugh.

I have provided Akai with my corrupted project files, I hope they put them to good use and fix these problems!

I'm not sure if I have a faulty MPC or not, I've tried about everything to figure out what is causing my problems. I can't seem to find it, even with the stock CF card and without the RAM expansion it crashes constantly.

I hope the Thomann's technical support will take time to read my description of the problems and swap my unit for a new one.

Snerg

If it crashes constantly, meaning nothing ever works, it's faulty. When I first got mine, I had the original OS, card, and could save simple practice projects. I even completed a couple songs.

But once I started getting deep into it, making lots of tracks, multiple sequences, songs, lots of slider data, etc., that's when I noticed bugs.

So even if you have a faulty unit, which crashes constantly, if you return it for a "good" one, you will end up with crashes sometimes. Either way it's no good for actual use outside of just playing around on simple tap taps without saving.

The question then is, are there any people out there who are deeply skilled with this machine, making complex projects, and have had no issues?

(I have some time, I'll go make a complex test project using the 128MB card, no RAM upgrade, most recent OS, and see how I do)

Okay

OS 1.12
Akai 128MB CompactFlash freshly formatted within the MPC
Built-in ram only

3 sequences, 1 song, recorded all samples fresh, slide data, FX, copied seq, copied track data, trimmed samples, changed pans, multiple saves replacing files

The only bug was that the battery low warning came on while I was recording outside, so I came in, plugged it in, but it wouldn't stop recording. Somehow after mashing a bunch of pads and a minute went by I got out of it and back to normal. Otherwise, it saved and loads fine.

Try it and see if it works in yours, and try messing with the project, resaving, and reloading it.

http://jamon.name/files/mjvsvbdjmpj.zip

The proper way to load it is, mode load, project, go into folder, project 01, do it, mode song, play start.

does anyone else have these problems?

i've saved 5 different samples on my cf card with long file names, like "curtis mayfield 1,2,3..." just for example. when i try to load them on my mpc, it shows there's only the first one "curtis mayfield" sample five times. when i scroll by data wheel it looks like it has five same samples and when i try to play each one of them, it allways plays that first one.

also, very often when i load several samples from memory card (and yes, i assign them to pads) and then i go to trim mode, it claims there's no samples in memory. but when i hit the pads, samples plays just normally. then i have to do something else, like go to program mode or something until i can use trim mode.

i hope you understand my explanations.

lso, very often when i load several samples from memory card (and yes, i assign them to pads) and then i go to trim mode, it claims there's no samples in memory. but when i hit the pads, samples plays just normally. then i have to do something else, like go to program mode or something until i can use trim mode.

I have exactly the same problem! Send an E-mail to [email protected] Maybe they'll bother fixing it, if enough people complain about it.

Snerg

PS: Please post your complete specs so we can use your info to send to Akai. (check my first post)

My email didn't go through. Their mail server seems to block .name domains, I emailed them before telling them, but they still haven't fixed it.

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<[email protected]>: host mail.akaipro.com[204.200.197.76] said: 451 4.1.8
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I wish someone else would make something like the MPC... something like the software sequencers with MIDI/Audio, mixer, FX sends. The MPC is close, but not quite, and AKAI sucks. I don't like using computers for music though, so, damn.