Upgrading from my MPC2000

Hi,

I currently own an MPC2000 (old version, not XL) and was thinking of replacing it with an MPC4000 because I can finally spare the money for it.

Will it be easy to transfer my disks with my current songs to the mpc4000? Will they still sound the same? I hope I won't have to rebuild all the sequences and stuff.

How does the MPC4K compare to the MC909 and yamaha's RS7000?

Thanks for your time.

You can load everything on a 2000 to a 4000. You might need to adjust the filter and envelopes and effects because the 4000 has a different sample engine. Sequences load perfectly. Simple programs (samples with pad assignments) load perfect as well. Keep in mind you need to buy a usb zip and floppy drive. The zips load way faster than the scsi.

I don't know how it compares with the rs 7000 or mc 909, but I heard they are pretty good for sampling, step editing, and looping. I think the 4000 with a little patience is great for all of these too.

Depending on what you do, you might want to wait until akai fixes its trimming bug (you can only adjust the sample start so far. Happens a lot when working with long phrases). Other than this the machine is almost flawless.

The 4000 has a graphical step editor where you can actually look at the notes on a grid. However the control is basically the same as a 2000 (choose a tc value, use the step arrows, and input a note). Sample editing has about everything you want from a sampler except recycle (although you can zone a sample into multiple regions). You have about just as many filters as a lets say roland xp80 synth. You also can go from 2 pole to 6 pole. I think you get 1 lfo. The envelope section is improved with a ADSR type envelope. All the pitch bending and filter cuttoff can change with the duration of the sample now. Sample editing is also fast although you are forced to trim your samples in a tedious way that take too much time to learn (You must trim in regions to overcome this). I think that is supposed to be getting fixed.

In lamens terms the sampler is no longer limited to a drum sampler. It is just like having a rackmount sampler. This also makes the 4000 a little more harder to learn than its other brothers. Sequencer wise it has the good points of all the mpc's put together with a few new extras. You can edit a lot of stuff while the sequencer is playing now such as channel changing and stuff.

Tnx for the info,

Well, I suppose I could trim my wavs on the pc, right? Shouldn't be too hard with thah ak.sys-or-whatever-it's-called stuff.

Can't I transfer my mpc2000 disks (diskettes, not zips) to my pc, and then send them to the 4k from there? or burn them to a CD-Rom? Or I could always bring an usb disk drive home from work and use that, I guess...

The 4000 is supposed to be highly compatible with the pc. The cd rom can read a wide variety of files. (such as wav pgms.)

You might want to get mpc file creator for making kits on the computer.

Hey J Smacks that was a nice overview of the 4k, I could not have said it better myself. You mentioned Recycle in your review and I wanted to let you know that you can in fact engage Recycle via Ak.sys, export the files back to the 4k along with a midi file and basically recreate the Rex file player mode that you see in Reason, on the MPC. It is a very powerful way to get down with breaks.

ive recently been trying to do the same thing but have hit a brick wall with program files. The 4k reads all the samples and loads the sequence info from my 2k but it does not recognise the program files (pad assignment for samples, filter, tuning, envelope settings, fx etc) which is a major prob 4 me as the mpc is my only sequencer and everything i do is sample based and built up on the mpc.
jsmacks refers to "simple" programs transfering fine. maybe thats the problem. generally by the end of the tune ive assigned samples to every pad on every bank and all of them have xtensive program info. im pretty sure im not doin anythin wrong cos presumably the 4k wouldnt recognise anythin of the 2k formatted zips if i had messed up somewhere.
if any1 out there has managed to do this could they post up? like u cobra, i really dont want to have to reprogram!
But apart from this prob its gotta b said that the 4k is a MONSTER!!! v.vkool bit of kit!!
its not as spontaneous as the 2k but its got a depth that is way beyond the 2k which makes it a worthy addition to any studio ; bedroom or pro.
the sample engine particularly blows the 2k of the planet. its a proper, fully spec'd sampler this time.
and the graphic display......... awsome. makes life so much easier!
DONT try and learn the 4k on anything less than ver 1.40 op system. mine came with 1.13 and it was so full of bugs that it made learning certain functions impossible. even with the latest op.sys it is still a bit buggy. it has locked up on me a few times but hopefully that will sort itself with future updates. just remember to save regularly!!!
and its still got that mpc grooove!!
cant recommend it enuff. buy 1 2day!!

J Bone, try formating your Zip disc on the 4000 first, then save the data off of your 2000 onto that disc. Now Reload onto the 4k. New OS 1.5 is supposed to drop at the end of April.