MPC5000 reviews, bug reports and fellow user support on the most recent standalone, hardware MPC from Akai
By flagrant510 Sun Oct 25, 2009 9:10 pm
Hey folks,

New to the forum. Been looking at MPC porn for the last 4 years while using Reason
and all the other phony computer sequencers. Copped the 5000 because the black 1000s were
going for $600 knowing they'd need a $200 upgrades in the near future, black 1000s were going for $700 and $800.
Saw a 2500 for $750 and almost copped but caught a 5000 for $1100. Immediately saw the difference in
work flow and creativity for Cheezon 4. Although Logic aint so bad. I Been should have bought and MPC. I can mix well
enough to burn a cd of a beat with the effects give. I any complaints about the mix. I dump it to Pro Tools after the beat is paid for.

These are the plans I have and I need help on knowing whether they'd be feasible with the 5000 O.S. 2.
I'd appreciate ur input.

1. I want to use a keyboard midi controller and Translator Pro to translate Kontakt, and other proprietary formatted instruments to the Akai format, so I can load and play them with out messing around too much. I wanna build a huge instrument library. I wanna use this one program to suck some of the sounds out of the Fantom, and Roland V synth and convert that to an Akai usable format if possible.

I know the MPC was originally a percussion instrument but from what I'm reading, its moving toward a full fledged sampler but I don't know how far they are with what I'm trying to do.

Is this possible? What do yall think?

2. Will my 1 terabyte drive be too big or should I just use a 250 gig?

3. I there a way to midi sync the 5000 to record VSTis INTO the MPC 5000 as audio in timing with the sequence?

Trying to turn this monster into a Workstation. Don't want to touch a computer unless I'm playing
Sylenth, Gladitor, or Minimosta, into the MPC.

I'm trying to make and MPCiko :D

What do yall think?.

Thanks in advance.


Otherwise I'm in the Bay Area and got a mint a MPC 5000 and with throw in Translator Pro, all my samples, and a 250 gig HD for $1300.

POST SCRIPT.
I'm down to help with the synth patch exchange. An easy way could be to do screen shots of VSTi and real synths patches. Then we recreate and tweek them and post our results.

Thanks for reading. Peace.
By dreadnutz Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:32 pm
i wanted to do nearly the same:
convert kontakt libraries into mpc5k format.
but i am not very happy with the results, had always problems with tune settings etc...

the next thing:
transfering 1tb samples into the mpc with this slow usb speed is done earliest in the next century :mrgreen:

my workaround is to trigger softsamples with mpc over midi
User avatar
By Askia Shaheed Wed Oct 28, 2009 8:24 am
My two cents....

There isn't a hardware sample past or present that I would use to replace a software sampler like Kontakt. The key word is replace. An instrument like an MPC is best used with the software sampler. Software samplers can load gigs of samples in a few seconds to a minute or so. Hardware samplers (MPCs, MVs, Fantoms, Motifs, etc) can load anywhere from 16 MB to 1 gig of samples. Trying to load 1 gig of samples into a hardware sampler is a complete waste of time. It can take 5-10 minutes (or more) loading and savng 1 gig of samples using a hardware sampler. After trying this a few times, it will completely destroy the mood to make music.

MIDI your MPC to your favorite software synth/sampler or a hardware keyboard/sound module. If you are looking for a portable all-in-one production center, your best bet may be to get an Open Lab's Workstation. (I have no experience using one of those)
By KidCharlemagne Wed Oct 28, 2009 10:38 am
Its worth a try with the new update. The 5000 is now supposed to be compatible will most of Akai's rack samplers and now has key groups, which you all ready know (I've read many of your post/replys. Respect).

Chickens Systems translator pro claims to be able to convert the following to an S 5000/Z series format:


Akai/MESA/Pulsar
Akai MPC Series
Akai S-5000/Z Series
Emagic EXS-24
Emu E4/EOS
Emu E3/ESi
Ensoniq EPS/ASR
GigaStudio
Kurzweil
MOTU MachFive
NI Battery
NI Kontakt
Propellerheads Reason
Propellerheads Recycle I & II
Roland S-7x
Roland S-50/550/330/W30
SampleCell I & II (PC/Mac)
SoundFont
RGC Audio SFZ
ShortCircuit
Steinberg HALion
Unity DS-1/Session
Roland Fantom Series
Steinberg LM-4
NI Reaktor
NED Synclavier
WAV-AIFF-SD2-etc.

If I can max out the ram MPCs ram and throw in the maximum HD size
(I have a terabyte if necessary) I can deal with wait time. I wait almost a minute loading up
songs with Reason 4. I wanna see if I can have a key grouped sound library on the MPC as it should
have been capable from the jump. Not just drum orientated programs. Hell I'll still need to track out beats, but it would we wonderful to complete 90% of the track on this super machine, and then ad premium synths, and miscellaneous ornaments in the DAW. Maybe just create the concept without clicking and dragging.

I guess this sound like a lot. But the truth is I don't sample very often. Originally wanted a JJOS 1000, but got such a good deal on the 5000, and heard had a three oscillator synth. I copped.

I'll let every one know how things work for me. My first task is to update to 2.0 with a borrowed flash card,
and try to use Fantom sounds mapped on Kontakt. If its an unbearable wait like Askia says. I'll sell the 5000
for a Fantom, and use the 1000 i'm copping for $225 (need pads) tomorrow.

Peace y'all. This is a dope forum. We gotta get this 5000 poppin. I be looking a that JJOSXL
feeling a little buyers regret. lol. I got faith in the Akai's update though. I think they get the point.
They gotta get moving on selling these 5000s. First thing is to make them justifiable
OS wise, not just with hardware.
By bobbybland Wed Oct 28, 2009 2:32 pm
I use software for where it shines, and hardware where it shines. BOTH WILL get you great results...imo
User avatar
By DEWYZEMAN Wed Oct 28, 2009 7:32 pm
bobbybland wrote:I use software for where it shines, and hardware where it shines. BOTH WILL get you great results...imo

Finally its good to see more people getting it, MPC5000 by itself great sampler.

With the correct soft sampler with 4 midi leave your samples on your computer
record on your mpcs triger samples on your software and you are done fast and efficient.

If you have logic 9 with ex4 sampler or kore 6,kontakt 3-4 you are done nothing else
needed or required.

Dont get hang up on all in one this does everything nonsence you would be deminishing your creativeness by limiting yourself by just relying on your mpc.

just my 2 cents.
User avatar
By Askia Shaheed Thu Oct 29, 2009 8:15 am
KidCharlemagne wrote:Its worth a try with the new update. The 5000 is now supposed to be compatible will most of Akai's rack samplers and now has key groups, which you all ready know (I've read many of your post/replys. Respect).....

....If I can max out the ram MPCs ram and throw in the maximum HD size
(I have a terabyte if necessary) I can deal with wait time. I wait almost a minute loading up
songs with Reason 4.


Its true that the MPC 5K can now read legacy Akai format.s However, you will find that Reason or any software sampler/synth is significantly faster for loading/saving samples as I wrote earlier. But don't take my word for it. You will see what I am talking about once you try it yourself. I am not just talking about the MPC 5000. The same is true for any hardware sampler. Having a bigger hard drive in the MPC 5000 does not speed up saving/loading times.