Some qualitiy questions

Hi, this is my first topic/post. I'd like to ask some questions, which are probably no rtfm ones. Would be glad if someone answers them, because I think they are really not that obvious.

1) Do you "normalize" your samples so that they all got the same level? Is that a common practice, or is it better just to adjust them manually on the program screen? I ended up creating some programs on my PC using MPC Maid, just to realize that the volume of each sample did not fit at all.

2) I read all the topics concerning the MPC 500's pad sensitivity. I'd like to know if the pad's stiffness somehow changes after some usage. So do they mature?

3) And finally, do you think they will ever be an OS update for the MPC? I know, most MPc 500 users probably felt the same, but I am really angry about Akai. Why don't they just fix even the major bugs? I cannot imagine this to take so much afford. The MPC is still one of their latest products, but well... they somehow do not care at all.

Welcome amigo.

1) I normalise each sample and if it doesn't increase the background noise irreparably I leave it normalised. I it does, I just sample at the highest possible volume. Every sound is different and will have different noise depending on your recording device.

2) no they won't. You can buy new pads from MPCstuff.com or get some material and do it yourself (check eBay and google). Or man up and take the pain?

3) don't know. I have no bugs with my 500 and have owned it 1 year.

These are not rtfm questions

I reported a couple of minor bugs to Akai about 5 months ago:
* Can't select a track with the pads like you can with the sequences. The manual states you can so, it's a bug.
* Tracks are never (unused). The manual states that this is the default state of a track so, it's a bug.

I did get a response and they agreed that these are bugs and said they were reporting it to the akai pro team. I haven't heard anything since. I personally don't expect them to release an update to address these issues. They are minor and I can work around them BUT it would be great if the device worked as it is documented.

I still won't give up my 500 though...

Riggs wrote:it would be great if the device worked as it is documented.

welcome to nukaiville.

if you want bugfixes and a state-of-the-art os you have to go the jjos route (you´ll need a 1000 or 2500 though).

mastasteez wrote:Welcome amigo.

2) no they won't. You can buy new pads from MPCstuff.com or get some material and do it yourself (check eBay and google). Or man up and take the pain?

Thanks for the fast and helpful responses. I read someone claiming the 500's pads to be as good as any other MPC pad when it comes to sensitivity. The only thing which blocks this potential is the software, setting a threshold value which is too high.

As I really depend on the 500 as a portable device, I would like to upgrade my pads. I do a lot of finger drumming, and it is actually not impossible for me, but for example I barely can use my thumb or small finger to trigger a note. On full level. The "normal" setting, allowing pressure dependend velocity, is unusuable. It is possible to trigger a sample, but it is clearly not possible to control its velocity.

Do you mean these? Do they siginifcantly increase the sensitivity and is the building in process easy? Would be glad if someone who already did this gave some advice.

Sensitivity can be increased within the 500, I think it's under mode>other.

They're the pads I was on about, I'd cop them if the postage didn't make them so expensive (I'm in the UK!), as I've heard a lot of good things about them.

I don't think it's the software as I used toilet tissue folded over (removed the top case and cut to measure) and this improved the sensitivity enough to use my little finger. The problem is there's like a 1.5mm gap between the pad and the sensor I think the fat pads lay flush on the sensor and are just a softer material.

Good luck though which ever route you choose.

@ the dude who reported bugs, what bugs have you encountered?

mastasteez wrote:Sensitivity can be increased within the 500, I think it's under mode>other.

They're the pads I was on about, I'd cop them if the postage didn't make them so expensive (I'm in the UK!), as I've heard a lot of good things about them.

I don't think it's the software as I used toilet tissue folded over (removed the top case and cut to measure) and this improved the sensitivity enough to use my little finger. The problem is there's like a 1.5mm gap between the pad and the sensor I think the fat pads lay flush on the sensor and are just a softer material.

Good luck though which ever route you choose.

@ the dude who reported bugs, what bugs have you encountered?

Hm ok. Shipping outside US is about 20 bucks, which is actually very cheap. Where I live shipping costs about 10$ inside the same country. Or do you live on an abandoned island, where only once a month a plane can land?

There seems to be barely any complains about the thick pads, and a video showed someone exchanging the pads of a MPD, which looked very easy. I bet someone is here who already has built the new pads in, maybe he could help me out.

No I live mainland UK but I'm not prepared to drop £40 for new pads when I'd resolved the sensitivity issue.

Check this thread man, they're talking bout the MPC pads.

http://mpc-forums.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=142855&hilit=fat+pads

mastasteez wrote:No I live mainland UK but I'm not prepared to drop £40 for new pads when I'd resolved the sensitivity issue.

Check this thread man, they're talking bout the MPC pads.

http://mpc-forums.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=142855&hilit=fat+pads

You sound a bit upset, I did not want to offense you. My english is just not that good, and sometimes the wrong emotions are being transported
So you are ok with the stock pads, and 40 pounds are to much? If one is not into that finger drumming thing, I think the stock ones are ok. But for me, it is worth the money (if it actually improves the situation)
From the vids I saw and the topic you gave me, I think they are worth it.