MPC 4000 vs 3000 Sound test

straight from source to each mpc, No compression, effects or what have you.


MPC 3000

MPC 4000



I don't think there is too much of a difference, and didn't expect that big of one between these to models

yeah minor differences .. can't really parse too much out. guess the extra 8 bits aren't too palpable

I think I noticed it more on the kicks of the 4000, they seem a little brighter and possibly a little fuller.

the 3000 sound more analog while the 4000 sounds digital

I'm gonna do it again, but make the pattern have aboutt 5 seconds of silence then kick, then silence then snare, so waveforms are identically sequenced to help compare, but I think if there is any difference it subtle.


I love some of the people that commented on soundcloud as if they were actual beats

actually may I suggest adding a few second clip of sample.. for example the moondog violin or something because you know how some machines work when there is more of a frequency range covered... like the sp1200 in the upper mid / highs with the "ringing" type artifacting etc..

Yeah I can do that....I'll chop a dynamic ranged sample, pause few seconds lay few different types of kicks, and then some hats pause and snares.

I've not had chance to check the results (just going on feedback in this thread), but if you could recreate a groove in both machines it may be more conclusive. Say, 5 tracks... drums, bass, keys, guitar etc.

starcrusher wrote:yeah minor differences .. can't really parse too much out. guess the extra 8 bits aren't too palpable

24 bitrate sampling would make a big difference, esecially for recording vocals, acoustic music instruments, ripping vinyls, etc. The sound would be much more clear compaired to 16 bitrate.
24bitrate is great especially for live recording, because you get more headroom for signal to get clipped out.

Then I rip vinyl record (for listening), I use 24bit, because it sounds much better than using 16 bitrate. By using 24 bit you'll hear less surface noise, and pop click noice would be less annoying. I usually convert the 24 bit WAV to 16 bit AAC before I copy it to iTunes.

By sampling in 24 bitrate, you can normalize the sample, then convert to 16 bitrate, without getting it "pixelated" much.

Although each AD converters are different in quality, 24 bit sampling capability has to be one of the most useful feature of MPC-4000.

ArKyve-31 wrote:I love some of the people that commented on soundcloud as if they were actual beats

I was tripping on that, was gonna make a comment about it...some serious dick ridin going down

You got more possitive feedback for those breaks than ive got for my whole lifes works

scoobylol wrote:I think I noticed it more on the kicks of the 4000, they seem a little brighter and possibly a little fuller.

+ 1 ( exactly what I was thinking, plus a slight bit more sizzle in the mid to highs, if only very slight, from the 4K ).

I listened to both sounds over and over and the difference is very slight like a sheet of paper. I thought the kick was deeper on the 4000 too but then when I played the 3000 again, it sounded a bit the same.

Gotta remember that both machines were made in Japan and the 4000 was the original Akai's last product before handing it over to Numark. The newer models were made in Malaysia and China.

Ill-Green wrote:I listened to both sounds over and over and the difference is very slight like a sheet of paper. I thought the kick was deeper on the 4000 too but then when I played the 3000 again, it sounded a bit the same.

Gotta remember that both machines were made in Japan and the 4000 was the original Akai's last product before handing it over to Numark. The newer models were made in Malaysia and China.

Id love to think my 4000 was made in Japan but mine says made in china on it.......

dryad-66 wrote:

Ill-Green wrote:I listened to both sounds over and over and the difference is very slight like a sheet of paper. I thought the kick was deeper on the 4000 too but then when I played the 3000 again, it sounded a bit the same.

Gotta remember that both machines were made in Japan and the 4000 was the original Akai's last product before handing it over to Numark. The newer models were made in Malaysia and China.

Id love to think my 4000 was made in Japan but mine says made in china on it.......

is yours an older one or a new one... I always thought it was during the 4000 and 2000xl timeline that akai switched hands.. hence the blue xl etc, the blue 4k, the blue mpd16... as well as the newer akai professional logo design.