Aight 1st upgrade

okay okay y'all so after 2 months I finally have seemed to lock onto an mpc60. Back in June I purchased one online w/ 3.10 upgrade but supposedly b4 they shipped it, they couldn't get it to turn on. They took it to a tech and low and behold power adapter is out, get a new one, still won't boot up fawk! 5 weeks go by they cant get it to work so I get a refund. I start lookin on Ebay, find one, bid get outbid, way out bid. Couple days later I bid on one, 5 seconds before it closes I lose by 10 bucks. Damn, so a week later(yesterday) I finally win one for 580.00 on ebay. Now, this one is bone-stock so I have a dilema. Which upgrade should I get first. I'm having trouble with making the decision of either 3.10 or 750k memory expansion....similiar in price, 3.10 being a lil more pricey. I dont have enuff to get both at the moment otherwise I would. I have enough to get one upgrade now, and one later in 45 days when I get my first living expenses check. I'm thinking, memory expansion because one can save money by purchasing the 3.10 and SCSI drive at once. But, can you get a memory expansion before u get 3.10? I'm just like a lil stuck here. I want to get that heat going tho as soon as I can. I just picked up like 9 records I have dug up in the last 3 weeks like burning a hole in my crate, when I swore I had an mpc coming in but now they are kinda on lay-away since I vowed not to touch my laptop for makin tracks anymore. But I know there's an og on here who can lend me some advice, which is more important for right now, more memory, or better OS, that's if u can even use more memory with the old OS...
For a little background on me I started as a skratch dj about 5 years ago and at around the same time started makin beats using fruity loops 3.0 demo version but couldn't even save the files, soon got a full version and for about a year or so was like makin my own loops but not really feelin em since. So one day I got out and went diggin at the local flea market and like 3 years later here I am today finally get my hands on some hardware, its about damn time.
My setup is or will(when I get the 60) be:
2x Tech 1200's
Cool Edit 2.0(for editing, sorry purists, u cant beat the zoom)
O5 Pro
Shure M-447
MFC42
Gemini Pre-Amp
MPC60
about 5-6 swoll crates
and for those who are interested, I don't usually do this but Ima throw in my link.
http://www.soundclick.com/djrenessis

45 days? In that case it doesn't even matter what you get first. That's not a long time to wait.

If you have the money I say buy the OS+SCSI first. That way you can start to come to grips with the new, more user friendly, OS. You'll still have 13.1 seconds to work with (some people only have 10 with their SP's so you're not in bad shape).

Good question about the memory, never seen that one before. But yes, I do believe that you can use 1.5megs with the old OS. Haven't seen anything contrary to that.

Listening to your beats, they're dope as hell. You only used Fruity Loops on all of these right? Ill stuff. I can tell you have a great understanding of the programming/arrangement process. Can't wait to hear what you bang out on the 60.

Peace

Just finished listening to them all. Really dope stuff man.

"A Tribute To G Funk" is downright sinister!

Lackin in the low-end though. Don't worry, the MPC-60 should take care of that.

I have the definitive answer for you my friend...

Get the OS first, with SCSI if you can.

Why?

Because it will be the system you will be using anyway, so more time with it adds up. Also, there is a sound compression feature that can compress sounds into half the memory, so you can still get 26.2 secords of use, but you lose some sound quality and the ability to tune as far as you can normally. then get the memory and you're all set.

If it's a mk II you might have the memory, make sure you check what you got when you get it. But OS and scsi at once is agreat first step, if not, just get the OS, saving $50 is pretty good, but unless you can get them both together in 45 days and not now, you don;t want to wait IMO.

My first instinct would be to get the OS and SCSI preferably. Its best to learn how to use it first. My main point being: why start to learn on an OS you'll be upgrading in a month or so's time? You'll only have to start from scratch again (well almost!) if you got the OS 45 days later and the RAM upgrade first.

Thanks for the advice guys, I knew I could count on this board. Thanks for the comments bassLine, and YOU ARE SO CORRECT about the low-end that and just the over 'knock' is what lacks from any software I've touched. I use Cool Edit to edit the loops, samples and fruity 3.0 to program. I mean sure it'll pump on a subwoofer that has a crossover and high wattage amp, but, that really isn't my goal. I want something that has an overall feel on any speaker system, you guys know what I mean. So it looks like I'll def be ordering the OS first, and some DD disks, probably wont be able to get the SCSI drive until the first check, but yeah, get ready for some heat when the mpc arrives(hopefully hehe)

Working on floppies isn't all that bad, just back up your shyt a lot until you get the scsi.

I would say in order of importance.

MPC-60 + 3.10 OS + Memory + SCSI

thanks once again.

As far as me arranging I try and say, emulate those I am influenced by interms of like an overall structure, but do my own thing with my loops, samples, and percussion. My bigest influences being a fellow 60/3k user Thes One, also Ant, Rhettmatic, premo, pete, chikaramanga, pbw, alchemist, evidence, dre, beatminerz, list goes on right...........?

My 60 has barely been turned on since I got it, I can't see the the point in learning the 2.1 OS, or whatever it is, only to re-learn when the 3.10 arrives within the next week! I suppose I won't be able to do a comparison between the 2 but I don't really care.

I've ordered the 3.10 & SCSI and will be ordering a RAM upgrade within the next week, I want to only have to open the 60 once to wack the upgrades in....

Aight Ren, I checked your beats and see your a drum head. I like your drum patterns, your gonna love the 60.

Speaking from experience... go with the 3.1 OS from the gate. I had 2.1 4 over a year and kept putting off getting the upgrade. The major pitfall 4 me was converting my sequences from the old OS 2 the new OS b/c not everything transferred correctly. I used the experience 2 remix/rework my drums but if u don't have the lemons-2-lemonade approach then it can be frustrating. The other issue 4 u 2 consider is that some cats have had difficulty locating the 3.1 OS as of late. So keep it alive and cop that ASAP. Another selling point on the 3.1 OS is that u will be able 2 manipulate samples that u have in Cool Edit and convert them 2 snd 4 use in the 60. Can't do that with the 2.XX OS I'm getting in2 audition, soundforge and recycle now that I have that capability. -uno-

word nino that is a good point about the cool edit to mpc file. Would then a stereo file on cool edit retain it's stereo property when converted to the mpc with 3.10?

yes, with 3.10 you can load mpc3000 stereo samples.

that's buttah.....