MPC 2500 Recording Quality Question

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MPC 2500 Recording Quality Question

By kdtrey5 Tue Apr 17, 2012 5:04 pm
I make beats on the MPC 2500. The problem i have that i can't get my beats out of the MPC at the exact same quality i have them in the MP. When i got the MP i wanted to use the machine as a standalone unit to make beats from A-Z. So i tried recording my work using the MAIN OUT recording function, but when you record using this function the recorded sample quality decreases so bad - it's lower and it doesn't sound the same. The other thing is there is no FADE IN/OUT function on the MPC 2500. (I know JJ OS has it, but it's a bit pricey) Anyway after this failed, i tried another option - track my beats through Line 6 Tone Port UX1 in to the FL Studio using 2 mono 1/4 inch cables going from the MPC's STEREO OUT'S Right and Left into the Tone Port UX1 Line Ins 1 & 2 and then Tone Port UX1 connected to the laptop (Compaq Presario V6000) via USB. When i record my beats in to the FL Studio using this method the sound quality is not the same as if i play directly from the MPC. If you haven't heard the original song playing straight out of MPC you'd probably think it's ok., but if you compare the 2 you can feel the difference. So my question is: how to record beats at the same exact quality as you have them in the MPC? I was thinking about getting the Behringer FCA 202 F-Control Fire Wire Interface and i wonder am i going to get any better quality recording through this interface then with Line 6 Tone Port UX1. What plays the major part here: computer, cables any difference if it's through USB or Firewire? I was even thinking about getting a multitrack recorder cause i love hands on rather than software, but i want to be sure that this will allow me to get my beats out of the MPC at the same quality as if i play them directly from the MPC.

Peace
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Re: MPC 2500 Recording Quality Question

By Lampdog Tue Apr 17, 2012 5:50 pm
kdtrey5 wrote:i want to be sure that this will allow me to get my beats out of the MPC at the same quality as if i play them directly from the MPC.

Peace


The "quality" your hearing from the mpc playback I'm guessing is through the ad/da converters.

When you record MAIN OUT as wave and play it back on a computer or any other system you are not using the mpc ad/da converters so of course it will sound different.

Anytime you playback without using the mpc ad/da converters on the main outs it will sound different. Maybe inside fl you need to eq, compress, warm up with effects to get back to the sound you want.

Re: MPC 2500 Recording Quality Question

By brucker Wed Apr 18, 2012 6:11 am
what lamp said.

consider this,..

you listen to an mpc 2500 which costs over a grand.

you listen to a recording through an interface which costs a couple hundred and is aimed at the hobbyist.

is it any wonder you're hearing a difference?

if you have the cash, upgrade to a decent interface with good converters and preamps ( as you could use the preamps for more character if you wanted) and you'll have less mixing to do.
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Re: MPC 2500 Recording Quality Question

By Lampdog Wed Apr 18, 2012 5:02 pm
Me, I have a 4k with adat out going into my rme ufx. I have no problems/qualms w/ quality. I'm a happy camper. I do my mixing in Sony Vegas.

Re: MPC 2500 Recording Quality Question

By kdtrey5 Wed Apr 18, 2012 10:49 pm
Lampdog wrote:The "quality" your hearing from the mpc playback I'm guessing is through the ad/da converters.

When you record MAIN OUT as wave and play it back on a computer or any other system you are not using the mpc ad/da converters so of course it will sound different.


Lampdog, i have most of my beats made in the MP at Master Level -12dB. If i resample at that level, the recorded wav sample volume is much lower and it sounds different (I know this is explained on page 57 in the manual). Say if i make a beat at Master Level 0dB., then want to resample it, if you have Master Effect on the beat basically when you resample your whole beat distorts. If you resample with the Master Effect Off - some beats are Ok and some beats still distort. What i wanted is to make a complete beat with Master Effect on it like a complete beat that you ready to burn in to a cd, but the MP ain't doin' the job. So i think the only way is to get a good interface and track it in to the DAW. What do you think, will the multitrack recorder do the job? I am more in to the hardware and i was thinking about something like Yamaha AW1600.

Re: MPC 2500 Recording Quality Question

By kdtrey5 Wed Apr 18, 2012 11:01 pm
brucker wrote:what lamp said.

consider this,..

you listen to an mpc 2500 which costs over a grand.

you listen to a recording through an interface which costs a couple hundred and is aimed at the hobbyist.




I totally agree brucker

Lampdog wrote:is it any wonder you're hearing a difference?


Man if i record through Line 6 Tone Port UX1, it's like i said if you ain't heard the original you'd think it's ok, but when you listen directly from the MPC and then compare to what you've recorded in to DAW you can feel the difference: kicks, snares don't sound the same, difference in the samples as well.
Last edited by kdtrey5 on Sat Apr 21, 2012 12:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: MPC 2500 Recording Quality Question

By Lampdog Wed Apr 18, 2012 11:34 pm
I think it comes down to ad/da converters.

And sometimes we double up on ad/da +> ad/da coloring when tracking mpc's through interfaces.

Re: MPC 2500 Recording Quality Question

By kdtrey5 Wed Apr 18, 2012 11:58 pm
Lampdog wrote:I think it comes down to ad/da converters.

And sometimes we double up on ad/da +> ad/da coloring when tracking mpc's through interfaces.


When i got the MPC2500 i was hoping to use the machine as a standalone, don't get the software involved. I love the machine, but i wish it had more power in it so you could start and finish your song without having to export it to the computer where the converters come in to play.
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Re: MPC 2500 Recording Quality Question

By Lampdog Thu Apr 19, 2012 1:41 am
You actually can complete songs in the mpc.

Afterwards take it a recording program for dynamics/pre-master/master and done.

While your creating the song you NEVER have to touch the computer if you don't want.
Add vocals using a multi-tracking program though.
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Re: MPC 2500 Recording Quality Question

By MPCWeapon1 Sun Apr 22, 2012 6:48 pm
kdtrey5 wrote:I make beats on the MPC 2500. The problem i have that i can't get my beats out of the MPC at the exact same quality i have them in the MP. When i got the MP i wanted to use the machine as a standalone unit to make beats from A-Z. So i tried recording my work using the MAIN OUT recording function, but when you record using this function the recorded sample quality decreases so bad - it's lower and it doesn't sound the same. The other thing is there is no FADE IN/OUT function on the MPC 2500. (I know JJ OS has it, but it's a bit pricey) Anyway after this failed, i tried another option - track my beats through Line 6 Tone Port UX1 in to the FL Studio using 2 mono 1/4 inch cables going from the MPC's STEREO OUT'S Right and Left into the Tone Port UX1 Line Ins 1 & 2 and then Tone Port UX1 connected to the laptop (Compaq Presario V6000) via USB. When i record my beats in to the FL Studio using this method the sound quality is not the same as if i play directly from the MPC. If you haven't heard the original song playing straight out of MPC you'd probably think it's ok., but if you compare the 2 you can feel the difference. So my question is: how to record beats at the same exact quality as you have them in the MPC? I was thinking about getting the Behringer FCA 202 F-Control Fire Wire Interface and i wonder am i going to get any better quality recording through this interface then with Line 6 Tone Port UX1. What plays the major part here: computer, cables any difference if it's through USB or Firewire? I was even thinking about getting a multitrack recorder cause i love hands on rather than software, but i want to be sure that this will allow me to get my beats out of the MPC at the same quality as if i play them directly from the MPC.

Peace



I used to hate to do all that corrective mixing in PT to get my MPC 2500 sound back. That's why I went to the 4K.

Try using the S/PDIF out it may get you better results.

get a true S/PDIF cable though.

Re: MPC 2500 Recording Quality Question

By kdtrey5 Wed Apr 25, 2012 2:01 pm
MPCWeapon1 wrote:
I used to hate to do all that corrective mixing in PT to get my MPC 2500 sound back. That's why I went to the 4K.

Try using the S/PDIF out it may get you better results.

get a true S/PDIF cable though.


So is it possible to make complete beats on the 4K? What about 5K? I know Roland MV 8800 can be used as a standalone...

What about S/PDIF? So say you connect the cable to MPC's S/PDIF digital OUT to track your beats, but you must have some type of digital recorder or somth to plug the other end in to :) Now if you track via Digital i would think it would affect the quality as well wouldn't it?
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Re: MPC 2500 Recording Quality Question

By MPCWeapon1 Sat Apr 28, 2012 10:48 pm
kdtrey5 wrote:
MPCWeapon1 wrote:
I used to hate to do all that corrective mixing in PT to get my MPC 2500 sound back. That's why I went to the 4K.

Try using the S/PDIF out it may get you better results.

get a true S/PDIF cable though.


So is it possible to make complete beats on the 4K? What about 5K? I know Roland MV 8800 can be used as a standalone...

What about S/PDIF? So say you connect the cable to MPC's S/PDIF digital OUT to track your beats, but you must have some type of digital recorder or somth to plug the other end in to :) Now if you track via Digital i would think it would affect the quality as well wouldn't it?


Yeah you need a interface with a digital input.
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Re: MPC 2500 Recording Quality Question

By Lampdog Sat Apr 28, 2012 11:39 pm
So is it possible to make complete beats on the 4K? What about 5K? I know Roland MV 8800 can be used as a standalone...
Sigh..
You can make complete instrumental beats on all 3 mpc's u mentioned. maybe vocals too depending on ram. No, not the animal.

What about S/PDIF?
Read up on it and you tell me.

So say you connect the cable to MPC's S/PDIF digital OUT to track your beats, but you must have some type of digital recorder
A pc can also be a digital recorder (Use a software daw, at the moment I use Reaper as do many others).

Now if you track via Digital i would think it would affect the quality as well wouldn't it?
Quality means many things to many different people and I'm sick of the word for today. Digital doesn't go through mpc ad/da converters.

Re: MPC 2500 Recording Quality Question

By kdtrey5 Sun Apr 29, 2012 12:56 am
Lampdog wrote:
A pc can also be a digital recorder (Use a software daw, at the moment I use Reaper as do many others).

The problem is i have a laptop so there is no DIGITAL IN in the laptop. I have FL Studio so that's my DAW.


Lampdog wrote:Digital doesn't go through mpc ad/da converters.

That's good to know Lamp. Thanks.
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Re: MPC 2500 Recording Quality Question

By MPCWeapon1 Sun Apr 29, 2012 1:44 am
kdtrey5 wrote:
Lampdog wrote:
A pc can also be a digital recorder (Use a software daw, at the moment I use Reaper as do many others).

The problem is i have a laptop so there is no DIGITAL IN in the laptop. I have FL Studio so that's my DAW.


Lampdog wrote:Digital doesn't go through mpc ad/da converters.

That's good to know Lamp. Thanks.


Yeah,.i think in your case you have a interface with crappy converters. That's why I recommend S/PDIF. You need a digital dump to bypass the A/D conversion.
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