Reviews and questions about the entry-level MPC500
By DrWho Fri Feb 22, 2008 6:06 pm
Just another question about the usability of the 500. The bugs didnt get fixed officiallly so I wonder how everyone is dealing with. Backgroung is, I have a MPC 1000 (with JJ) and love it for production and live. But some of my gigs requires me to fly to and I dont see getting the 1000 as hand luggage along with other equipment. Checking it in as usual luggage would be the dead of it. There are some good cases for it but what happens when these monkeys (ok , they are underpaid so lets not be that harsh) drop it from 5 m? Exteriour could survive with foam housing but I guess the display and motherboard would break because of shock and impact.
Anyway, my idea was to get an 500 as handluggage MPC but wonder about the state of file i/o errors which are largly reported here. Nothing sucks more when having a soundcheck and couldnt get at least the sequences to load.
Its often posted here that these errors could be releated to a faulty format routine by Akais Os, did anyone with access to a 1000 or 2500 with JJ tried to format it there and using it in the 500?

Cheers for any advices.

By Otavio Fri Feb 22, 2008 6:45 pm
I've had my mpc500 for a year and use it a lot. I've never had problems with bad samples, everything has always worked perfectly so far, but I've had the whole thing crash like twice... just freeze or something whacky happen and I'll have to restart it.
Best thing is being able to take it around to places. I just put it in my backpack sometimes, bring some headphones.. I've use it at the airport, taken it overseas, etc

As for putting it in your luggage, I'm pretty sure if you pack it well it won't get messed up. Just put it in the middle surrounded by clothes. The MAIN thing to watch out for is water damage: when flights are delayed/cancelled, luggage often gets left outside and water (rain) seeps in. So wrap your shit in plastic

By DrWho Fri Feb 22, 2008 7:46 pm
The MAIN thing to watch out for is water damage: when flights are delayed/cancelled, luggage often gets left outside and water (rain) seeps in. So wrap your **** in plastic


Thats a good one, thanks for pointing that out. I noticed it several times at airports but forgot about that always.

About transporting stuff in suitcase between the clothes: Not the best idea. I read recently in an old discussion somewhere about transporting laptops as checked in when due to 9/11 and british bombers (I guess the one who tried to light up his shoes in plane) handlugagge were temporary completly forbidden and some got the experience the hard way, that when your suitcase got searched, dont expect them to put the stuff back the way they found it.

These super rugged guncases seems a way to go anyway but be should hidden in an ordinary suitcase because they scream 'steal me, values inside!'. And although they might be bullet proof and sealed, what happens to the shock when they though around your stuff, dont think the foam will consume all the impact.

All information I found on the web but I experienced some serious damage anyway myself so I prefer to bring it in hand luggage.

To be more on topic, I wonder what the big boys and girls are doing. I guess particulary in the states you often have to take a plane to your gig, or?

Cheers[/quote]