MPC REN vs Machine 1.8

inflict3 wrote:ive learned just from being on the phone with akai/numark not to trust them..

I agree 100%.

jpeg wrote:i aint used reason since like version 3 but i could neva get into it but i do like it i prolly need to sit and spend time with it but the way i do beats is so simple i dont need many of the advanced feature u lot use.

and i need the hands on aspect to really connect with the beat and program the drums

ive been using reason since it first dropped in like 2000.. its def a beast, and in version 6.5 they are gonna add something called rack extensions, which is basically 3 parties making plugins for the reason rack.... game over!

JAH wrote:

jpeg wrote:in waht respect is maschine software behind reason 6

Really? I can think of numerous ways. They only advantages Maschine has over Reason is its dedicated integrated controller and support for 3rd party VST effects. Reason is a beast. I wish Akai adds some way to integrate Reason with the MPC Ren.

This has been done with Maschine. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm_8nozru8g

remember when the beat thang was announced the specs of that ****?? it blew everything away, but from what ive heard since its dropped is it sucks, it starts bogging down once you get over 6 tracks going together, my point is that you dont really know how anything is till u officially try it, in my mind maschine comes in for the win cause they did it first and their **** works. yea, maschine doesnt support multicore right now and that is ****, and their sequencer is lame and their software is lightyears behind reason6 but its still out there and works good for the most part.. sometimes the specs can be great, but the **** can still be wack and ive learned just from being on the phone with akai/numark not to trust them..[/quote]

When the Beat Thang hardware first came out it did suck.I tried one out and returned it a couple of days later because it was too buggy. However, after reading and seeing demos. of it with updated firmware, I decided to give it a 2nd chance. I'm glad I did. Since I bought it about a month ago there have been about 5 firmware updates that have fixed bugs and provided new features such as multitrack wav export. I have even discovered features that weren't even advertised such as the ability to use 64Gb SD cards which I bough for less than $50US:) While it is not a true all-in-one studio centerpiece/DAW, it is a versatile,portable,standalone beatmaking tool that is fun to use and getting better everyday.

JAH wrote:

jpeg wrote:in waht respect is maschine software behind reason 6

They only advantages Maschine has over Reason is its dedicated integrated controller and support for 3rd party VST effects.

and now that is not going to be a factor with Panorama and rack extensions

JAH wrote:I wish Akai adds some way to integrate Reason with the MPC Ren.

reason will be "integrated" when akai release a REN os update to include rewire then you would be able to use a reason track like you can in pro tools, logic, ect.

coolderb wrote:

JAH wrote:

jpeg wrote:in waht respect is maschine software behind reason 6

Really? I can think of numerous ways. They only advantages Maschine has over Reason is its dedicated integrated controller and support for 3rd party VST effects. Reason is a beast. I wish Akai adds some way to integrate Reason with the MPC Ren.

This has been done with Maschine. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm_8nozru8g

I've seen that. It's close but still far away from being a dedicated controller on the level of Maschine and the Ren's hardware integration. A key feature that is missing is the ability to use the hardware to sample and assign to pads. The video doesn't show this capability.

coolderb wrote:remember when the beat thang was announced the specs of that ****?? it blew everything away...

Yes. I personally thought it was a joke as I can't take a product that look like a Transformer seriously. It looks like in can transform into a clock radio or Hotwheel car.

In all honesty...MPCs have never had "amazing" specs. But the culmination of features combined with a simple to use interface have made them the go to product for my needs.

[

coolderb wrote:remember when the beat thang was announced the specs of that ****?? it blew everything away...

Yes. I personally thought it was a joke as I can't take a product that look like a Transformer seriously. It looks like in can transform into a clock radio or Hotwheel car.

In all honesty...MPCs have never had "amazing" specs. But the culmination of features combined with a simple to use interface have made them the go to product for my needs.[/quote]

The looks may not appeal to everyone,but I could care less what it looks like. The functionality, ease of use, work flow and yes the "fun" factor are what I look for. Not to mention active support from the developer in terms of updates. I do find it a bit ironic that an entire cottage industry has been created for folks who want to add more "bling" to their generic/bland drum machine/samplers. Lol

coolderb wrote:The looks may not appeal to everyone,but I could care less what it looks like. The functionality, ease of use, work flow and yes the "fun" factor are what I look for. Not to mention active support from the developer in terms of updates. I do find it a bit ironic that an entire cottage industry has been created for folks who want to add more "bling" to their generic/bland drum machine/samplers. Lol

Well...the looks is just one aspect. Silly name, being sold at Best Buy, not being readily available in Japan, a new upstart company with nothing else on their resume, long delayed release...unadvertised plugin shipped before hardware, no reviews, etc, etc. I will never in my life even consider buying a Beat Thang. I would buy an ASR-X, Roland Groovebox, Alesis Drum Maschine, etc before buying a Beat Thang.

JAH wrote:

coolderb wrote:The looks may not appeal to everyone,but I could care less what it looks like. The functionality, ease of use, work flow and yes the "fun" factor are what I look for. Not to mention active support from the developer in terms of updates. I do find it a bit ironic that an entire cottage industry has been created for folks who want to add more "bling" to their generic/bland drum machine/samplers. Lol

Well...the looks is just one aspect. Silly name, being sold at Best Buy, not being readily available in Japan, a new upstart company with nothing else on their resume, long delayed release...unadvertised plugin shipped before hardware, no reviews, etc, etc. I will never in my life even consider buying a Beat Thang. I would buy an ASR-X, Roland Groovebox, Alesis Drum Maschine, etc before buying a Beat Thang.

Silly Name: Rename it. I have named mine, Beat TRONic. lol
Best Buy: They also sell Akai MPCs and Maschine: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Akai+Profes ... cp=1&lp=15

Plugin: The plugin is pretty nice now, acts as a VST and editor.

Resume: They do in fact have a few other products under their belt: http://www.bketech.com/about/

I'm happy to see a small, upstart make their mark against the all odds and make the giants think twice about taking our business for granted again. Competetion is good. I'm also happy to see minority enteprenuers succeed in this technical arena.

Peace

I joke about the Beat Thang but wish them nothing but the best. If they want to capture a portion of this market...they should listen to forum feedback. They should listen to what MPC, MV, and Maschine users like about their chosen products..starting with the hardware.

JAH wrote:I joke about the Beat Thang but wish them nothing but the best. If they want to capture a portion of this market...they should listen to forum feedback. They should listen to what MPC, MV, and Maschine users like about their chosen products..starting with the hardware.

I agree! From what I have observed it seems that they are doing that. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

It really is mind boggling when you look at the vast array of tools we have at our disposal these days compared to just a couple of short decades ago. I was watching Beat Street the other day. When they showed the scene in which they were visiting the school and trying to create music on that floppy disk-based CRT system (I think it was a Fairlight) it made me smile. Today we can do all of that and more on our phones!

Beat Kangz mistake is mentioning Akai MPCs when they are marketing their drum maschines. They are giving Akai free advertisement. And to come out claiming your product is better than the 'industry standard', you best better deliver. Their entire marketing scheme is based upon 'Akai' taking users for granted and not delivering the tools you need. But in reality...there are plenty of happy MPC users making hitz everyday.

In the end, Beat Kangz won't be successful unless they can get pro music gear retailers to stock their products.

I'm patiently waiting for Maschine 2.0 to start a debate over the 2 . The Ren is gonna come out strong but w/ NI's more experienced software development team I believe when they drop 2.0 it's gonna be banana's . Probably why it's taking so fcking long and they probably want to get their hands on a Ren and dissect it before making a power move to cover all angles .

But . . . NI could lose steam w/ the "jack of all trades, master of none" theory w/ so many products while Akai is going hard on their software for the new MPC's and that's it . Time will tell .

W. Steele wrote:while Akai is going hard on their software for the new MP controllers

this company is so whack they even need third party programmers to make their faulty products reliable (on the software side).