MPC5000 reviews, bug reports and fellow user support on the most recent standalone, hardware MPC from Akai
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By Blue Haze Mon Nov 24, 2008 6:18 pm
NorthernElite wrote:I've not used it in anger as yet, only quickly played with it in a test scenario.

I'm currently recording all of my audio and mastering in Sonar Producer edition, so I don't currently have a need to use it, that's not to say I won't use it though.

In fact this function has been on my mind, to do more extensive testing with it - just to see what can be done - but I've just been too busy lately on other stuff to do anything with it.



I see... How about if you were on location or on stage for a live set or friend`s place could you for all points and purposes after you get up to speed with it make a rough demo to play on the car system or give to an artist to practice over until a proper recording session???
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By Blue Haze Mon Nov 24, 2008 6:24 pm
NguoiDuc wrote:
NorthernElite wrote:I know that will leave a bitter taste for some 4K owners, but the HD Recording functionality is 'actually' there in the 5K.


IMO this HD recording function shouldn't leave a bitter taste for anyone cause it's just some half-hearted ****! You can record your stuff. You can adjust gain, normalize and do fades. You can cut, copy and add silence! That's it!!! Okay, at least you can route your tracks to the internal fx! :o :lol:

It's basic. You will get really basic recordings done with that. So if you wanna do some vocals that might work! But to be honest, why does Akai have to chase the MV with it's ridiculous RAM-recording??? Why don't they concentrate on their core business which is sampling? Thank god I have an S 5000 for keygroups otherwise I would have had to think hard and get a 4k instead. Anyway, HD-recording the MPC is a more comfortable version of reel-to-reel recording.

Today you get some sort of DAW with every ugly 70$ interface or you use Reaper. Everything will be a better option than recording into your MPC. I use an Akai DPS 16 for philosophy reasons. Everyone to his own!

Akai, please use your precious developing time for improving the sample engine and stop implementing toy features like Roland and don't even do it properly!!!

Just my 2 cents!

P.S.: People just stop fussin about non-sense! 4k users just tolerate other people not choosing your king of kings. 5k owner's accept, that the 4k is a much - and I mean MUCH - more capable machine concerning sampling, sequencing. And no VA-synth or HD-nonsense or Q-Links will make it an inferior machine to all other MPCs. That's my honest opinion as a PROUD 5k owner! Amen! :lol:



Points taken we are all mpc owners regardless of the model it is the Man on the unit that counts to make great music. A quick remix or direct vocal recording is fine too for the road or test mix. Back in the day the stereo of a mixer was always running into a cassete desk. If you have the options it is a plus in a basic studio. But I do believe most of us have a pretty serious setup on the digital routing. Just curious though to use it.
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By NorthernElite Mon Nov 24, 2008 7:49 pm
Blue Haze wrote:
NguoiDuc wrote:
NorthernElite wrote:I know that will leave a bitter taste for some 4K owners, but the HD Recording functionality is 'actually' there in the 5K.


IMO this HD recording function shouldn't leave a bitter taste for anyone cause it's just some half-hearted ****! You can record your stuff. You can adjust gain, normalize and do fades. You can cut, copy and add silence! That's it!!! Okay, at least you can route your tracks to the internal fx!

It's basic. You will get really basic recordings done with that. So if you wanna do some vocals that might work! But to be honest, why does Akai have to chase the MV with it's ridiculous RAM-recording??? Why don't they concentrate on their core business which is sampling? Thank god I have an S 5000 for keygroups otherwise I would have had to think hard and get a 4k instead. Anyway, HD-recording the MPC is a more comfortable version of reel-to-reel recording.

Today you get some sort of DAW with every ugly 70$ interface or you use Reaper. Everything will be a better option than recording into your MPC. I use an Akai DPS 16 for philosophy reasons. Everyone to his own!

Akai, please use your precious developing time for improving the sample engine and stop implementing toy features like Roland and don't even do it properly!!!

Just my 2 cents!

P.S.: People just stop fussin about non-sense! 4k users just tolerate other people not choosing your king of kings. 5k owner's accept, that the 4k is a much - and I mean MUCH - more capable machine concerning sampling, sequencing. And no VA-synth or HD-nonsense or Q-Links will make it an inferior machine to all other MPCs. That's my honest opinion as a PROUD 5k owner! Amen! :lol:



Points taken we are all mpc owners regardless of the model it is the Man on the unit that counts to make great music. A quick remix or direct vocal recording is fine too for the road or test mix. Back in the day the stereo of a mixer was always running into a cassete desk. If you have the options it is a plus in a basic studio. But I do believe most of us have a pretty serious setup on the digital routing. Just curious though to use it.


And I suppose the previous few posts illustrate that we each have an opinion of what we're after from our equipment (even amongst us 5k owners) - I don't doubt that the 4K is a very sophisticated sampler, but that fact alone was also instrumental in the 4K being labeled as the 'runt' of the MPC litter. As that brought some added complexity from a workflow perspective. I'm seriously not gonna argue the 5K over any other piece of gear as that's 'personal' choice. But I do get a little tired of reading posts by other MPC users here on the 5K threads about how us 5K owners were suckered into a purchase or can't seem to make an educated judgement on what equipment we use to make music. I say use 'whatever' works for you as long as your beats are kickin'!

Now back onto the subject - don't forget that the OS for the 5K is still very young and IMO the features and functionality will grow as Akai release further OS uplifts. That's what I honestly believe. Akai will get it right with the 5K.

I think the HD recording functionality is really useful and in specific scenarios, such as pointed out by BH, it could be a really good way of recording and mixing down a song idea within a single box. I'm not sure it was actually designed to be an 'out an out' DAW replacement, in fact I'm sure it wasn't. But if you've got a need to throw down some long sample tracks, such as vocals, guitar or whatever, it's really cool that you can record up to 8 HD tracks without affecting the 5K's remaining RAM You're limited only by Hard Drive size - That's pretty cool.

Then you've got a seperate mixing section for HD tracks where you can adjust level, FX send, Pan etc etc. and then mixdown to a two track mix for burning to CD etc or export individual audio stems into your DAW up to 24bit. Use the Q-links for adjusting the mix properties in real time and record those changes as mix automation. Now if you ask me - that's pretty cool.

I think Akai got it spot on with the 5K - good functionality with switch on and go 'ease-of-use' I like that and think they've moved back to their roots i.e. what initially made the MPC famous.

The VA synth - call me strange, but I love that to. See all of these things can be actually used to make music. Notice how I said 'Make Music' that's what we're talking about here right?
As opposed to talkin' bout comparing spec sheets. :mrgreen:
That goes back to what you said BH - in most cases it's the man not the machine (but the machine sure helps). Let's all move beyond 'I can p;ss up the wall further than you' - That's school yard stuff!
Last edited by NorthernElite on Mon Nov 24, 2008 10:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
By Beleevah Mon Nov 24, 2008 9:03 pm
Having used the audio tracks feature on the MV's (record to RAM), I was let down by the timing issue - things would start to go out of sync for no good reason.

The MPC5000 continuous sample feature - is that the same idea?

But the possibility of having a virtually unlimited length 8 track HD engine to run alongside your sequences opens up many possibilities. Great for instance for laying down a 'bed' for film/program use or for atmospheres whilst leaving your precious RAM free for tempo based material.

Judging from the manual, the HD tracks seem to have great editing/mixing. As a recording engineer, I would be happy using this feature.
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By NorthernElite Mon Nov 24, 2008 9:13 pm
Beleevah wrote:Having used the audio tracks feature on the MV's (record to RAM), I was let down by the timing issue - things would start to go out of sync for no good reason.

The MPC5000 continuous sample feature - is that the same idea?

But the possibility of having a virtually unlimited length 8 track HD engine to run alongside your sequences opens up many possibilities. Great for instance for laying down a 'bed' for film/program use or for atmospheres whilst leaving your precious RAM free for tempo based material.

Judging from the manual, the HD tracks seem to have great editing/mixing. As a recording engineer, I would be happy using this feature.


Yeah, read about those MV timing issues across at MVNation - wow has Mike Acosta got any hair left to pull...lol

Agree, there's lots of really usefull things that you can do with the 5K HD tracks feature - I'm gonna have a play this weekend see how it hangs together.

:)
By diegoeskryptic Tue Nov 25, 2008 12:42 am
dabmeister wrote:
LvngDead wrote:Y'all dudes own and use two completely different machines. It's retarded that y'all would be arguing.


You know what dude, you're right, I'm fuss'n over nothing. But after looming over a bunch of false claims & misleading a lot of the newcomers that are just getting in on to this site, I find it hard not to post my feelings about the bs.

But then too, it's all in the fun of nature & schooling. :D



and I respect my elders and would never disrespect anyone of you in person, so imma stop doing it here.... I'm done with all this...
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By Askia Shaheed Tue Nov 25, 2008 12:53 am
I didn't buy the MPC 5K because I needed a multi-track recorder. I have been using Nuendo for years. Can the 5K compete with Nuendo? Hell naw! But you sure can mix down your RAM based tracks to the 8 hard disk tracks. If you are worried about using the hard drive to record audio and save your projects..then use the CF card (or even the CDR burner) to save your projects. The USB function can be used to archive your files on your computer.

Now....if you believe the hard disk tracks are limited (which is true comparing it to a DAW), I am curious to know what functions you would like to see added. And before anyone asks again....NO. The synth and hard disk recording are not features that are going away.

As far as beat battles with users of other MPCs/MVs...I don't feel threatend by anything I have heard in this forum or the MV forum.
By moyphee Tue Nov 25, 2008 1:37 am
Having used the audio tracks feature on the MV's (record to RAM), I was let down by the timing issue - things would start to go out of sync for no good reason.


I haven't had this problem at all. I use acapellas all the time and my live tracks have never been have never been off. Then again I've never dropped phrases that were really long. If there's any drift it's just a simple matter of inserting a break point to serve as an index. That takes only a couple of seconds to do.

But you sure can mix down your RAM based tracks to the 8 hard disk tracks.


Continuous samples are not RAM Tracks. They have to be triggered by MIDI and they cannot be recorded to live/in real time or in a linear manner. Trying to rename the feature won't change what it really is.
Last edited by moyphee on Tue Nov 25, 2008 8:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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By NorthernElite Tue Nov 25, 2008 1:57 am
diegoeskryptic wrote:
dabmeister wrote:
LvngDead wrote:Y'all dudes own and use two completely different machines. It's retarded that y'all would be arguing.


You know what dude, you're right, I'm fuss'n over nothing. But after looming over a bunch of false claims & misleading a lot of the newcomers that are just getting in on to this site, I find it hard not to post my feelings about the bs.

But then too, it's all in the fun of nature & schooling. :D



and I respect my elders and would never disrespect anyone of you in person, so imma stop doing it here.... I'm done with all this...


Tact and diplomacy - that's the difference. dabs you could learn some manners from diego. Obviously age doesn't automatically equate to wisdom?
Last edited by NorthernElite on Tue Nov 25, 2008 10:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
By diegoeskryptic Tue Nov 25, 2008 2:33 am
NorthernElite wrote:
Tact and deplomacy - that's the difference. dabs you could learn some manners from diego. Obviously age doesn't automatically equate to wisdom?



Northern, we all learning from each other... we squashed the beef via PM....
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By NorthernElite Tue Nov 25, 2008 9:22 am
diegoeskryptic wrote:
NorthernElite wrote:
Tact and deplomacy - that's the difference. dabs you could learn some manners from diego. Obviously age doesn't automatically equate to wisdom?



Northern, we all learning from each other... we squashed the beef via PM....


That's cool diego. Hopefully you reminded Dabs that not everyone wants to hear his almost continual 4K preaching sermon. Thats sh;t get's boring real quick.

Especially since most of the guys on the 5K threadz own a 5K (not everyone wants or needs a 4k, that has nothing to do with 'musical' ability, but it's just personal choice')

i also don't wanna read threads where katz are quoting age group 'murder rates - wtf?' to anyone who doesn't agree with their opinion - instead, let's try focusing on impartial music or MPC related debate to add value for the 'other' forum members, that perhaps don't have a product-specific agenda.

Things must be really 'quiet' on the 4K threadz if the 4K katz gotta be across here all the time...lol

Then there's dudes like Blue Haze who have a knack of intelligent debate and product comparison without making it personal. i actually like that. - i've read a few of his posts and gotta say 'respect'. Others can learn from that - huh dabs?
By diegoeskryptic Tue Nov 25, 2008 3:03 pm
Northern, lets just move forward and leave the past in the past. Dabs is ready to do the same.

There's not enough hours in a day to argue on the net, make beats and still keep the wifey happy :lol:
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By dabmeister Tue Nov 25, 2008 7:02 pm
diegoeskryptic wrote:Northern, lets just move forward and leave the past in the past. Dabs is ready to do the same.


Yep, I've had my fun for the week. It was very enlightening to share this debate with you guys, I hope some of us learned something from it at least. :wink: