What is so good about the MPC 60?

I know this may sound like a dumb a#$ question but I am curious for only people who know about the ins and outs of the MPC in a technical sense.
What is so damn good about this machine?
I am contemplating about getting one...I have heard the sequencer is so legit nothing can compare.
I am just wondering...how can something so old still be so coveted by artists worldwide? What is it technically about the MPC 60 that makes it so good and the sound so raw? If it is so used today, why hasn't it been duplicated exactly by other companies? does it have a patent on it? why does it seem that many others swear by the old 60 and not the new 2k model and higher models? i wish i could ask roger linn myself but i swear if i had his email i would. i agreee he is a genius. I am getting into the hip hop scene and hear this item is a must have. it is just confusing because to many people i talk to they say the newer models are sh#$ compared to the mpc 60 in terms of sound and sequencing, but how can this be especially if it is so old? why dont they manufacture the damn thing anymore, like make an mpc 60 III? it seems the mpc 60 came before its time. replies would be appreciated. thanks to all. peace out
lm

Good question !

"only people who know about the ins and outs of the MPC in a technical sense"

Why? It's not a technical issue. Popularity is the answer. Why is it popular? Who knows? Does it really matter? If people tell you it is a `must have`, do you feel comfortable being just like everyone else?

Every genre in every generation has that `must have` peice of equipment in order to do music what they `think is the right way.` This has been the way whether you are talking about guitarists, drummers, keyboardists. Why is a Stradivarious a `must have` for a `real` violinist? Surely they have better violins since then. Regardless, we continually have the sought out pieces of equipment for every niche in the industry. There is always a `must have` for every type of musician.

You really cannot say it is better because `it sounds better`. The perception of better cannot be quantified. When the MPC3000 came out, everyone sold their MPC60's to buy the MPC3000 since, in fact, it sounded better than the MPC60. So how can they say the 60 sounds better now? They can't. Only our taste in what we want to hear changes.

So the final question I would pose, does popularity make it better? In terms of ice cream, is it somehow better to have the latest flavor of the month? Even if this month's flavor is opposite of last years flavor? Do you feel better eating the same flavor everyone else is? Now this isn't intended to be critical of anyone here (especially since this likely more than the original question wanted), but this should give us time to think about what we are doing. Skip the impulses and take a moment to reflect on the why we do the things we do.

i have both the 3000 and the 60... and use them as samplers/drummachines and sequencers...

i worked on the 60 for 9 years... and recently upgraded to the 3000... why? cause i know the 60 with 3.10 OS like i know how to talk... making beats is like a reflex after all those years... and since the OS of the 3000 is exactly the same, it took me 1 hour to get used to the different button placement and that was it..

but back to why the mpc 60 is so good...

its vintage, old school sounding, looks big and heavy and seems unbreakable...
plus the recording/sequencing is just easy as hell...

BUT!!! its only a miracle worker for those who never switched to working on cubase or other programs involving a mouse and a much bigger screen and shit... people who know the ins and outs of packages like cubase, logic or pro tools would stumble over the limited possibilities...

so work with what you can do best... i'm used to working with an mpc since day one, so for me its hell trying the same things on a mac or pc... and for other people its the other way around...

it aint the equipment, its what YOU can get out of it!

well said