END OF THE MPC STANDALONE!!!

Hmmmm. Dammmm good convo

To all that questioning on “how many voices at once or technically what is the breaking point of real world max polyphony per preset”

Probably what you would expect for a $600 machine. Look at specs for the Digitakt and Digotone and polyphony count available. These are limited as well but plenty getting a lot out of the instruments by creatively using monophonic sequencing or short sample monophonic sequencing (like drum breaks that don’t have more than a few sounds playing simultaneously) that can be rapidly sequenced and not use a lot of polyphony at once.

It’s a limited machine at a much smaller cost. I would not recommend it as a replacement for those that are happy with the Live or X or as a substitute for the Live or X, but again, it really shouldn’t be compared to the Live and X but we are here with all the MPC heads on MPC forums and just about everything will be stacked against the Live or X even if comparisons aren’t really appropriate.

“But it’s a sampler that has sequencing” is not a good argument to compare every device that does this to Live or X in my opinion. There is a world of other gear that have their own valid competitors operating in much different gear circles than an MPC. There are also price differences that are valid points to make of why one should not be compared to the other. For $600 for the Blackbox plus another $600 for something like a Squarp Pyramid, What potentials do you now have for sequencing external gear and sampling? That might be a comparison to the Live for instance. $100 difference for two devices to the single device.

Danoc wrote:Hmmmm. Dammmm good convo

Enjoying it. I had to dig into videos and manuals to find all this stuff out, but I guess that was good because it confirmed I don’t have a need for it and confirmed what devices it is really similar to. Charles comes from very different mindset than me also. He is a professional in a recording studio environment. I’ve always been a bedroom producer and sometimes live solo artist. Two vastly different needs.

Good thread Danoc

I do deal with those airplane sounding servers though on the daily and have been on the purchasing end of those type of servers for my profession. They scream on startup,but that much RAM like 256GB per server gets HOT as does most configurations of two to four cpu slots on the servers capable of 6-12 cores each. They are beasts clustered though for compute power and running many instances of virtual servers on. Fun to work with and truly midblowing what they can do maxed out like that, particularly with large clusters of them acting as a single resource for compute needs.

So that we're all clear: Preset = Project

Can audio pass though, while applying effects so it could be used as an effect box?
Are there any other effects besides: Reverb and Delay?

CharlesRandolph wrote:So that we're all clear: Preset = Project

Can audio pass though, while applying effects so it could be used as an effect box?
Are there any other effects besides: Reverb and Delay?

Thats what I gathered - preset = project if translating to MPC terms.

Not sure on audio passing through fx section. I’d have to find it in that almost 30 minute loopop video breakdown, or one of the other videos I watched.

I would think fx are limited as they’ll eat CPU running multiple instances for each pad/sequence

Probably stuck to more global use of fx

Wormhelmet wrote:To all that questioning on “how many voices at once or technically what is the breaking point of real world max polyphony per preset”

Probably what you would expect for a $600 machine. Look at specs for the Digitakt and Digotone and polyphony count available. These are limited as well but plenty getting a lot out of the instruments by creatively using monophonic sequencing or short sample monophonic sequencing (like drum breaks that don’t have more than a few sounds playing simultaneously) that can be rapidly sequenced and not use a lot of polyphony at once.

It’s a limited machine at a much smaller cost. I would not recommend it as a replacement for those that are happy with the Live or X or as a substitute for the Live or X, but again, it really shouldn’t be compared to the Live and X but we are here with all the MPC heads on MPC forums and just about everything will be stacked against the Live or X even if comparisons aren’t really appropriate.

“But it’s a sampler that has sequencing” is not a good argument to compare every device that does this to Live or X in my opinion. There is a world of other gear that have their own valid competitors operating in much different gear circles than an MPC. There are also price differences that are valid points to make of why one should not be compared to the other. For $600 for the Blackbox plus another $600 for something like a Squarp Pyramid, What potentials do you now have for sequencing external gear and sampling? That might be a comparison to the Live for instance. $100 difference for two devices to the single device.

Pair the Black Box with that Mine S Modular Controller.

That would be a nice compact pair. Just the tactile control it needs instead of just the touchscreen.

Wormhelmet wrote:That would be a nice compact pair. Just the tactile control it needs instead of just the touchscreen.

The Black Box could also work to load all my 24/94 Sample Sets, connect it to my MIDI Keyboard and use it as a sample set box. How many MIDI devices can connect to this at once? Play some Steinway Piano on MIDI 1, Someone play a Rhodes Sample set on MIDI 2, and drum sample set on MIIDI 3. Have to look into this more.

CharlesRandolph wrote:

Wormhelmet wrote:That would be a nice compact pair. Just the tactile control it needs instead of just the touchscreen.

The Black Box could also work to load all my 24/94 Sample Sets, connect it to my MIDI Keyboard and use it as a sample set box. How many MIDI devices can connect to this at once? Play some Steinway Piano on MIDI 1, Someone play a Rhodes Sample set on MIDI 2, and drum sample set on MIIDI 3. Have to look into this more.

If you have a powered hub it looks like each preset is capable of a global midi channel setting or individual per pad setting. This also associates the sequence tied to that pad with your individual midi channel setting. I think as long as you had power for the controllers, it could accept up to 15 additional devices each set to one of the 15 midi channels available after the global channel is set.

That’s pretty powerful if correct. From the manual that’s what it looks like.

Wormhelmet wrote:If you have a powered hub it looks like each preset is capable of a global midi channel setting or individual per pad setting. This also associates the sequence tied to that pad with your individual midi channel setting. I think as long as you had power for the controllers, it could accept up to 15 additional devices each set to one of the 15 midi channels available after the global channel is set.

That’s pretty powerful if correct. From the manual that’s what it looks like.

Yes, It would be. if it could handle the polyphony. I'm always interested in stress testing gear, to see the absolute limits. I've always found that most things works great, when it's not under pressure. I like the UI, however more dedicated buttons would make it a much useful tool.

For the Visually impaired, devices like this are useless. I feel gear should, always take being tactile into account first. Personally, I feel every function should have dedicated button. I should be able to navigate the device without looking at it.

I agree about the dedicated buttons... its so nice and needed to speed up workflow. Tired of menu diving...

This black box looks totally uninspiring to me honestly.
At this point I would get a SP404A

Frisbi wrote:This black box looks totally uninspiring to me honestly.
At this point I would get a SP404A

I agree. No pads means l can't play my drums in.

F*ck, maybe I'm just old I guess. Why does any of this shit even matter? If you copped? You copped, and if you still using it, then it's obvious the purchase was worth it. My first live started acting crazy the first week or two after purchase. Screen issues, etc... Contacted Akai and got another brand new one sent to me immediately. Standalone is something that only a few really understand. I get it, the live doesn't offer a whole lot as for being easily upgradeable, but in the age of everything being tied to a computer? This new direction is fresh and appreciated. Whatever way folks like to work? There's a hundred other options to choose from to accomplish it. Dead ass, this convo is irrelevant. Use what you use, rock how you wanna..

I think i will be rockin the ipad from now on....