MPC Live 2.4 sync lagging when MPC is MIDI master

With the MPC sending MIDI clock, and my EMX1 as slave, via either of the din MIDI ports, there is a significant lag - the Korg lags about 10ms behind. Going the other way, when the Korg is sending clock, and the live is recieving, the timing is solid. I thought, could it be the older machine is to blame? But no, I also have an old MC303, tested it, experienced the same exact scenario, it lags when slaved to the Live, yet when it is set to internal clock, the MPC is synced solidly to its clock. And I tested both the 303 and the Korg together, they both sync perfectly to each other.

Futhermore, earlier this year I got together with a friend who has NI Maschine, and there was significant lag when connected via MIDI din ports, where my Live was sending MIDI clock - yet when we connected via Ableton link, it was solid. (I can't remember if there was a lag when the Live was a slave, but certainly when using the Live as master and the Maschine as slave)

Anyway, since the Live syncs nicely as a Midi slave, you'd think that would be the solution - that I could just use my EMX1 as a master clock. Wrong. MPC recieves MIDI in omni mode. So, when connecting the Live to the Korg's MIDI out, there is no way to stop the EMX1 from triggering whatever program is active on the live.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance for your help

No one? I know I'm not the only one who is experiencing this problem. Dan from Akai? You care to chime in?

This is not new - this is an AKAI typical issue - even with older machines. Reason is simple: AKAI is not sending continous heartbeat to external machines, while almost all other hardware is doing so. AKAI machines start sending those if you hit the start button. I am pretty sure AKAI will never change this, or they would have done so in the past.
If you like precise timing (as most musicians do) you need to sync your hardware with an empty very short sequence, changing channels, sounds or whatever before starting the song. Changes during a song must be placed right at the end of a sequence before switching to a next sequence. This will not prohibit the lag but with the start of the next sequence it will synchronise. I hope this helps a little

...so, you are saying that, in addition to MPC (midi production center) Live not being able to be a midi hub for incoming midi, it is also useless as a midi hub for outgoing midi?? Im not sure exactly if we are speaking of the same thing - in the past I had an mpc 500 and a 1000, and I know that I could sync an external drum machine to both of their internal clocks without any lag.

So... To clarify, I am not talking about switching programs, or even any kind of midi cc thing - simply this - if I play a simple kick snare pattern on my mpc and sync a drum machine playing an identical beat to my mpc's clock, when I press play, they both play, but the sounds from the drum machine (in my case, an EMX1, an mc303, and a maschine) are delayed by like 10 ms. However, when synced the other way, syncing my mpc to the internal clock of any of those machines, there is no delay.

Just in case I was missing anything, I tried making a short empty sequence, then changing patterns, but it is still off, lagging by the same amount

proofofghosts wrote:....play a simple kick snare pattern on my mpc and sync a drum machine playing an identical beat to my mpc's clock, when I press play, they both play, but the sounds from the drum machine .... are delayed by like 10 ms. However, when synced the other way, syncing my mpc to the internal clock of any of those machines, there is no delay.

Yes - misunderstood you. I have not realized this as yet. But I admit, that I am not working the way you do.
But I will test it out....being curious...

Owning the MPCX since 16 month I gave up to use it as a center piece of my setup for now, due to the extra work required to keep midi signals together - too much midi drifting. I use the MPCX mostly as drum machine and sample player. I brought back my old Yamaha RS7000 into the setup as midi recorder - rock solid it is.
The software synth of the MPCX is not inspiring my too - to basic and to complicated to save settings if I tweak sounds. I use the Virus as it is all I ever wanted from a emulating analogue synth... especial as I can save all midi settings including SysEx data on my RS7000, in real time and programmable - that's what I call a studio center piece - except the shortage of data interfaces on it. That's why I bought the MPCX in the first place.

I still hope that future updates will improve the MPCX....

Just a follow up. First, after looking around this and other forums, this is a known issue. Second, I brought my MPC Live to my local music store, where the dept manager and myself tested both a tr8 and a Circuit, both trying to sync a simple hi hat pattern with the MPC sending clock, AND then simply triggering the Circuit and the TR8 with the Live. And there is a very noticable lag. No question. AND we tested it with an MPC new out of the box. Same issue.

This on an instrument that was advertised as a MIDI hub.

That, and the fact that inexplicably in 2019 a professional sampler/sequencer only listens to MIDI in omni, I was offered a refund. Do I take it? I mean, Akai could, if they wanted to, fix the lag, there's no way this is a MIDI issue, it ia certainly a clock issue. They could implement a proper MIDI multitimbral in. Will they??

If not, I certainly will be in the market for a MPC5k

Jesus, Akai, just fix your product