New MPC 500 vs Used MPC 1000?

Which one should I get the both cost the same but one is used should I just suck it up and ignore the fact that its used? or is the 500 just as good? Sorry if this is a stupid question, im a bit of a noob! haha

Buy the 1000, it is many times more versatile than the 500. If the price is the same it's a no brainer really. (Full blown smaller MPC vs. a cut down portable one) The 1000 also has an aftermarket OS you can purchase which even has a free version.

http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/~mpc1000/

Larger LCD with more info, 16 pads rather than 12, the list goes on and all you really lose is battery powered operation.

Avoid a red and blue 1000 if the pads/sensors have not been upgraded. (Grab a corner pad and try to wiggle it back and forth. Look for the other pads to move slightly as well. If they do it's upgrades because the upgraded pads are are a uniform sheet of rubber).

I've bought 5 MPC's used and had no issues, although you should at least be ready to open the case (not difficult) to do maintenance, replace a broken button or just blow it out with an air can.

Read up on them here there's tons of info on either machine.

Definitely agree the 1000 is the way to go! It is a true mpc just smaller. What I mean bye that is it has the same workflow. You could jump to a larger one and have 0 transition issues. Not saying it would be hard to switch from the 500.

It's just a bit more of a real machine in my eyes along with all the other benefits stated above. Not saying the 500 is not a good unit for what it is I had one for a while it's cool did tracks on it. For me on when on the go there are apps on my phone with similar functionality and I don't need to worry about extra baggage or batteries. Just my opinion.

Metatron72 wrote:Read up on them here there's tons of info on either machine.

+ Infinity.

The only way to figure it out is to decide what you want from an MPC and then see which of the two will fulfil that for you.

Having owned both I'd very generally say:

500- the fact it can run off batteries is mega, but the screen size really limited my workflow. In fact it annoyed me so much that I upgraded pretty quickly to the 1000.

1000- for my needs the best all-rounder in the Nukai series, portable but unfortunately lacks the battery power. However, I owend mine from new and all I've ever done is replace parts due to the shoddy build quality. Learn to solder and you'll love this machine.

MPC1000 used > MPC500 new.

Don't let the idea of something being 'used' put you off, it's the condition that really matters. Most of the desirable samplers are not available new anyway, so it's a 'used' unit or no unit. I only buy used gear and I love it...

get the 1k!

I had the same question a year and a half ago and plumped for the 500. Although it was a good introduction to beat making - the 1000 was the machine I DEFINITELY should have copped.

There's just a lot more features and possibilities with the 1000.

dude don't get a 500 they're annoying as hell IMO. the 1000 is dope. the 500 requires insane, ludicrous menu-diving with the tiny little screen and they're selling for 300 or so, it's a 200 dollar machine at most. if you wanna spend 300 get a maschine mikro, if you want a mpc spring for a 1000 at 500-700. i started with a 500 and used it for like a year, quit mpcs entirely for like 2 years after that because it's a pain, got a 1000 and it's great. there's really just much better choices for 300 bucks, i'd get a roland sp over a 500 easily, or a eps-16 or a whole variety at that price over the 500. the 1000 really, truly is worth the extra money.

If the 1000 was truly portable then I would have got that, if you use mine like I use mine then you have no choice but to get a faaahunned, if you dont need true portability then get the 1000, the 500 is by no means a bad machine but things like the screen will fart in your dinner

Never touched a 500 , but I will tell you that 1k is NO joke.
A very surprisingly serious machine ,in what I still feel
Would fit into a laptop bag.

As you can see the TeeVee's chart, there is not much difference except that the 500 has 16 more tracks than the 1000, but the 1000 has 6 more outputs than the 500. Same sequencer though. Depends on what you want. Look at that **** chart TeeVee put up and do your own guess work my brown tooth friend.

If you got a nice set-up with synths, DAWs, and racks then the 1000 is it, but if you just wanna connect a turntable or iPod and make boom to the bip beats, then the 500 is it.

If you get the 1000 you'll be hounded to buy JJ which is another $200, do you really need JJ? Use the 1000 as is and over time if you feel the system is half baked, then try JJ free and make that decision of dropping more money for workflow that can be found on an MV.

Topic is 6 months old, OP is a one-post-wonder who posted it and disappeared - hasn't visited since October last year. Gonna lock this.