Auto Normalize :: Display fade :: MPC 5000

Hi,

I just switched a AKAI MPC 500 for a AKAI MPC 5000. The small was just too small for me. I used to work with a MPC 2000 for many year, so the MPC 500 was a step back.

Now I have two questions. Maybe one of you dolls and boys can answer it.

- Is is correct, that the MPC 5000 does NOT have a "Auto Normalize" function. The MPC 500 has it, but the big brother doesn't?! If the MPC 5000 has it, where is it hidden? I have found a normalize for the HD, but that I do not need.

- On the machine I got, the display is a little purple/pinkish on the left side. I think the machine had been running for a long time in the shop already. Do I have to worry about it? Will the display die soon? ... or it the MPC 5000 display just a low quality display. ... my MPC 2000 display got stripes and stars in the end.

Thanks for helping out!

Best,
Julian Beat

idk about a auto normalize but when editing / trimming samples there is a normalize feature. if the screen is looking like that u may need to replace it. buy it from http://www.mpcstuff.com/mpc-5000-s5000.html

Hi PSR,

Thanks a lot for the answers!

- Yeah, the normalize in TRIM I found, but the Auto Normalize is extremly handy. Maybe AKAI thinks 5k users are so PRO they can do it themselves manually. I hope I will still find the function somewhere.

- Thanks for the link. I was looking there before, but exactly the screen itself is not offered there. That makes me a bit nervous.

Best,
Julian

The mpc5000 has some screen issues. vstservice.com sells the actual lcd screen for $200 but I reckon there are several places around that sell something compatible for $60. I myself have an mpc5000 with a burned lcd and I am going to try one of these $60 replacements I will report back when it's done.

JulianBeat wrote:but the Auto Normalize is extremly handy. Maybe AKAI thinks 5k users are so PRO they can do it themselves manually. I hope I will still find the function somewhere.

The auto was a crutch to compensate for the 500, the 5k has no such requirement, which is true of MPC's in general.
You need to change your sampling methods since the input settings on the 5k allow you to sample pretty hot unlike on the 500.

Basically if your samples require normalization you are either sampling at to low a level, have your output set too low (-12/-06/00 ) or a combination of the two.

One last thing, because of the way some people expect things to sound they will only get that sound if they use the Master EQ and Compressor.

Hi ntalec!

You are certainly right about working as hot as possible. Yes, I raised the output to 0dB by now. Nevertheless was a the auto normalize a handy feature on my old EMU (I think).

Yeah, once you resampled the output a couple of times with effects, eq and compression applied, it gets pretty massive.

Hi ritec,

Thanks for the link to vstservice.com. Didn't find a display there. Guess I have to look harder. Please let us know about your luck with the replacement. Good to know that there is an option for replacement - so I do not end up like with my MPC 2000 (Bars and Pipes ... Stars and Stripes).

Best,
Julian

JulianBeat wrote:
- On the machine I got, the display is a little purple/pinkish on the left side. I think the machine had been running for a long time in the shop already. Do I have to worry about it? Will the display die soon? ... or it the MPC 5000 display just a low quality display. ... my MPC 2000 display got stripes and stars in the end.

Thanks for helping out!

Best,
Julian Beat

The 5k display:
(1) has a kinda one sided backlight
(2) most people don't realize they are using too high a contrast level
(3) are using a tilt angle that causes them to use too high a contrast level

Don't know what you have your MP setting on but if it's tiltable then mess around with the angle of the MP, the tilt of the display and the contrast setting (probably around 12 or 1 o'clock).
You should be able to get a more balanced appearance from your backlighting by messing with those aspects.