mpc2500 vs mpc1000 (who has both?)

FWIW I have owned an MPC 1000 in late 2003 when they first came out (returned it as it was quite flawed at the time with a buggy OS), and moved onto other mpcs since. I have also owned a 2500 (after 4 swap outs) for almost 3 years, and just sold it this summer gone. Now I use my MPC 4000 and 2000 XL, totally love these machines, and space is not a problem for me at the moment.

However, a good friend of mine bought a black mpc 1000 two years ago, so I get to use it at times. I think it's a great unit, and allows you to get on with things with little fuss. It misses some of the bigger mpc features, like the hinged lcd (but you can always tilt the mpc 1000 on a wedge stand), bigger pads, the numeric buttons (not a deal breaker), more Q links (don't use these myself) and of course the extra outs (if you really need them).

But the 1000 contains all the sequencing and sampling power of the 2500 in a much smaller body, has a nice solid feel and in my opinion has a cool in your face layout with the less clutter of buttons. If I was to add another mpc today, I would take the 1000 over the 2500. I just dont miss much on the 2500. If space is an issue, go for the 1000, and be happy. The price is cheaper too.

Groove66 wrote:FWIW I have owned an MPC 1000 in late 2003 when they first came out (returned it as it was quite flawed at the time with a buggy OS), and moved onto other mpcs since. I have also owned a 2500 (after 4 swap outs) for almost 3 years, and just sold it this summer gone. Now I use my MPC 4000 and 2000 XL, totally love these machines, and space is not a problem for me at the moment.

However, a good friend of mine bought a black mpc 1000 two years ago, so I get to use it at times. I think it's a great unit, and allows you to get on with things with little fuss. It misses some of the bigger mpc features, like the hinged lcd (but you can always tilt the mpc 1000 on a wedge stand), bigger pads, the numeric buttons (not a deal breaker), more Q links (don't use these myself) and of course the extra outs (if you really need them).

But the 1000 contains all the sequencing and sampling power of the 2500 in a much smaller body, has a nice solid feel and in my opinion has a cool in your face layout with the less clutter of buttons. If I was to add another mpc today, I would take the 1000 over the 2500. I just dont miss much on the 2500. If space is an issue, go for the 1000, and be happy. The price is cheaper too.

thanks for your opinion, what i would like to better know is the mpc1000 pad feel, compared to the 2500.

i've tried the last one and seems the same as the 2500, even a bit better..maybe, i mean they are more soft and "expressive"

or am i wrong?

mpc 2500 pads are better. They don't have the gap between the rubber of the pads and the sensor.

Menco wrote:mpc 2500 pads are better. They don't have the gap between the rubber of the pads and the sensor.

honestly i've opened the 2500 and has a gap between the rubber and the sensor.. so i don't know what you mean.

i've compared today at the shop the two mpc and the pads seems the same.
honestly the first time i've tried them i felt the 1000 pads more sensible than 2500, while this time a little less, but was another unit.. so the average is they feel the same.

but i'm still not totally sure, i should use both units for some days, i can't judge very well trying at the shop.

I have them both. Maybe the 2500 does has a gap, but I don't notice it when programming samples.
When u try to program a soft hihat with different velocity's u will feel the difference between the 1000 and the 2500.
When I started to use a 2500 I didn't feel that much of a difference. But when I switched back to the 1000 I could definatly feel a difference.

But once again it's personal preferences. I stick to my 2500

Menco wrote:I have them both. Maybe the 2500 does has a gap, but I don't notice it when programming samples.
When u try to program a soft hihat with different velocity's u will feel the difference between the 1000 and the 2500.
When I started to use a 2500 I didn't feel that much of a difference. But when I switched back to the 1000 I could definatly feel a difference.

But once again it's personal preferences. I stick to my 2500

could you better explain that difference? because when i tried them today i liked more the 1000 on the hi hat, because of the note repeat position, and i haven't noticed any difference with the 2500.

i ask that just because if i have the opportunity to try it another time i could focus my attention to your description so i can see if i notice something.

Program a hihat pattern without note repeat or full level or 16 levels.
Try to put some accents on some hihats and try to hit a few hats a little bit softer to add that more live feel.
Some hits (especially the soft hits) won't be recorded because the rubber won't hit the sensor. It's really hard to gently tap out a few soft events IMO.
With the 2500 I can gently rub the pad and record an event with a velocity of 1.

ok, this is a good explanation, and i felt the same, i've tried pushing softer the mpc 1000 and it doesn't trigger the samples.

but with the other unit i've tried the first time i didn't noticed that issue.

maybe i've just not noticed it.. or maybe it responded better, i don't know.

but that can be an issue.

so, in general, you feel the 1000 needs to be pushed harder than the 2500?

have you also experience with the 2000xl? or older mpcs?
how the pads respond in them? they are the same as the 2500 or they respond better? worse?

thanks

On the 2500 u can tap the pads, on the 1000 u have to bang them. So in general, yes the 1000 needs to be pushed harder then the 2500.

I've worked with a 2kxl a few times and it responds just as the 2500 does.

If you have the JJ OS you can adjust the sensitivity of the pad sensor so it registers notes with soft hits. The upgraded 1k pads do have an extra 1m gap due to more rubber at the base of the pads where the little inserts are.

There is 3 different pad designs. The 1k/500 and MPK in different pad counts, the older pre-Numark pads with softer rubber but similar to the ones for the 2500, and the MPC 2500/ 5000 and newer replacement pads. These stiff newer pads started showing up when the 2kxl, and 4k turned blue. The old MPD16 with black pads where the same soft pads in the white 4k. The old school and new full sized pads are interchangeable.

Not sure if the new MPD series is using the 1k/500 pad design or if the pads are the same as the 2500. I think they are just full sized based on the 1k/500 design.

is this problem with the mpc1000 not registering soft pad hits related to the pad replacement issue i see a lot of people talking about? meaning if you replace the pads does it resolve the problem or is it sensor related?
im still weighing out my first mpc purchase and need to be sub $1000 level, any advice appreciated.