Cant afford an MPC4k (yet) looking at 2000xl Z4 combo

I'm brand new to MPCs, just got my self an MPC2000xl. Its a great machine but in all honesty it lacks quite a bit of the stuff Im used to having on samplers. Don't get me wrong I have no intention of ditching it becasue its goin to be taking over the midi sequencing duties from my rigid DAW. I just need to look at a sampler that can do the stuff I used to get my hardware samplers to do (S770, Emu 6400ultra) an dof course the soft samplers I have been using

I was thinking I could get a Z4 and along with my 2000xl Im sort of in the area of the 4k (or is that pure fantasy?). Of course I understand there's more to it than that. But I wouldn't be restrained so much with the MPC2ks slightly limited tweaking abilities. I also like that the Z4 can talk to my computer a bit better than the 2kxl, the 24bit, the ADAT outs option, the large internal hard drive and quite a few other things.

Anyone here ever use the Z4/Z8?? (might seem a stupid question)

The way I see it as well it will be good practice for the day I do manage to get a 4k

Nope. Your not too far off. It's a good idea, especially if you look at it the way that you are: MPC 2000 XL for Sequencing duties and the Z4 for Sampling. To be honest, I never liked the MPC 2000 XL's Sampler but I used the XL for quite a while primarily because it's a great sequencer and extremely user friendly.

The Z4 has an excellent sample engine and good filters. So I think you're good on that one. I have the 4000, but I would do exactly what you're doing. In fact, I still might do it. The one thing your set up is going to have as an advantage is that the 2000 XL is MUCH EASIER to carry around than the 4000. That's one of the reasons I may still pick up an XL, so I think you're good, IMHO - RK

the z4 is dope just like an mpc4000.

i had both at the same time for a while.

teanimin wrote:I was thinking I could get a Z4 and along with my 2000xl Im sort of in the area of the 4k (or is that pure fantasy?).

The integration wouldn't be as smooth but tolerable.
However with the current price of a used 4k you would probably come out better selling the XL and adding the money for the Z4 to get a 4k.

FWIW I would stick with the XL until I could manage the $1200 to get a 4k instead of adding the Z.
The biggest reason I say this is even if you add a Z you will still want a 4k.
The Z will give you the sampling engine but the XL just doesn't have the same weight MPC wise.
So say you pay $300-350 for a Z you might not get it back when you resell since the market seems to really jump around.
That same $350 + 600 for your XL if it's clean and functional would be almost a grand toward the 4k.
Still seems like a better move to wait and just go for the 4k.
There are lots of ways to get by on XL lack of f8unctions while getting the funding straight.
If you do decide to add a sampler to your XL way not go with a ASR or S950, that would at least be something that when/if you ever got a 4k you could continue to make use of.

ntalec wrote:

teanimin wrote:I was thinking I could get a Z4 and along with my 2000xl Im sort of in the area of the 4k (or is that pure fantasy?).

The integration wouldn't be as smooth but tolerable.
However with the current price of a used 4k you would probably come out better selling the XL and adding the money for the Z4 to get a 4k.

FWIW I would stick with the XL until I could manage the $1200 to get a 4k instead of adding the Z.
The biggest reason I say this is even if you add a Z you will still want a 4k.
The Z will give you the sampling engine but the XL just doesn't have the same weight MPC wise.
So say you pay $300-350 for a Z you might not get it back when you resell since the market seems to really jump around.
That same $350 + 600 for your XL if it's clean and functional would be almost a grand toward the 4k.
Still seems like a better move to wait and just go for the 4k.
There are lots of ways to get by on XL lack of f8unctions while getting the funding straight.
If you do decide to add a sampler to your XL way not go with a ASR or S950, that would at least be something that when/if you ever got a 4k you could continue to make use of.

I agree, this makes good sense.

ntalec wrote:

teanimin wrote:I was thinking I could get a Z4 and along with my 2000xl Im sort of in the area of the 4k (or is that pure fantasy?).

The integration wouldn't be as smooth but tolerable.
However with the current price of a used 4k you would probably come out better selling the XL and adding the money for the Z4 to get a 4k.

FWIW I would stick with the XL until I could manage the $1200 to get a 4k instead of adding the Z.
The biggest reason I say this is even if you add a Z you will still want a 4k.
The Z will give you the sampling engine but the XL just doesn't have the same weight MPC wise.
So say you pay $300-350 for a Z you might not get it back when you resell since the market seems to really jump around.
That same $350 + 600 for your XL if it's clean and functional would be almost a grand toward the 4k.
Still seems like a better move to wait and just go for the 4k.
There are lots of ways to get by on XL lack of f8unctions while getting the funding straight.
If you do decide to add a sampler to your XL way not go with a ASR or S950, that would at least be something that when/if you ever got a 4k you could continue to make use of.

Yep ! I agree with that too. If you can get a Z for about $300-350 and a XL for about $600.00 your price point is pretty close to a 4000. If your main objective is to save spending the excess money and you can get an XL for about $400.00 and a Z for about $300.00 and you primarily want to use your Z in the studio but plan on using the XL to sequence on the go, well.... you get the idea.

However if you just want the zenith of the MPC experience in it's purest form, the 4000 cannot be beat by any of the previous MPC series or present MPC series. The 4000 is AKAI/Numark at it's best despite the 'bugginess' or incomplete form of it's O.S. So yes, if price for point you are spending anywhere within $300 to $400 of the actual price of a good used 4000, it may be best to wait and go 'for the 4'. I just love the portability and smaller footprint of the XL - it takes up less space in the lab, and is definitely a little more portable, but that's if you are using it primarily as a sequencer. Other than that, the XL/Z combo is a winning combination as well - RK

You can get a 4k for the price of a 2kxl and Z4/8 on the bay.

ReuBen KinKade wrote:However if you just want the zenith of the MPC experience in it's purest form, the 4000 cannot be beat by any of the previous MPC series or present MPC series.

+4000

My 2kxl and 2500 are like toys next to the 4k.

For what it's worth, I got my 4K off ebay for 1089.00 with shipping, and it came with the 512mb RAM expansion as well as the effects board. I sold my 2KXL to get it and ended up getting less than I paid for the 2KXL because the screen began to fail (the screens sell between 200-300 dollars). Downside: 4K sux to bring to gigs, upside: amazing production tool.
Long story short 2KXL + Z4 are a good combo if you want portability, but not cost effective in the long run if cost is your real concern. My .02

atestarr wrote: 4K sux to bring to gigs,

You are just referring to the size factor right?

ntalec wrote:

atestarr wrote: 4K sux to bring to gigs,

You are just referring to the size factor right?

Yeah, its 20 something pounds. If you have a car it's not a big deal, totally dependable for use on stage in my experience. I live in the city so I was dragging it around on the subway in a flight case.

I hear what you guys are saying about just going direct for the MPC 4k but I already own the 2XL. It was buying that which made me start looking at the 4k Im in the UK and 4k's dont come up that often. One sold about ten days ago on Ebay for 1080 uk pounds, thats over 1600 us. The lowest Ive seen one which was months ago was about 800 uk ($1200)

I bought the 2kxl for 200 and would probably pick up the Z4 for about the same.

I totally get the combo isnt an MPC4k. The ergonomics are totally different. I also believe without any doubt that the 4K is the best MPC out there, so I definitely want one. But the way I see it is if I do get the Z4 I will be reasonably clued about about the sampling engine for when I do get a 4k.

.....But I will have a further think about my options

Imma have to go ahead and agree with you, teanimin. Where the 4k really shines, of course, is the z engine, which the z4 has. Theyre right about the logistics of itnot being as integrated, but the only thing youd miss would be ease of use, not functions. With a midi controller like a bcr2000 or any controller with a ton of input methods (knobs, buttons, sliders) I dont see what youd be missing. And you cant overlook your existing familiarity with the 2kxl. I think itd be a smart move.

I agree. As I've mentioned before, one of the great things about the XL is that it has such a small footprint in comparison to many of the 'older' MPC's. Yes, the MPC 4000 is the 'all in one' and I love mine for sure but I'm actually looking into picking up an XL for the portability and studio ergonomics and possibly 'Rack' the 4000 as a sampler. I don't think you can go wrong either way but it's just like everything else, each according to their needs - RK

If ppqn & a few other things is of any concern, you'll get more of it from the 4k's sequencer than you would the 2kxl.

Just something to think about.