Support and chat about Akai's range of MIDI controllers, including the MPD. MPK and LPD
By Stratosquare Sat Dec 22, 2012 3:44 am
Hey guys, I invite you to read the thread at viewtopic.php?f=18&t=161816 before this. Okay, once that's been covered.. I need to know which to pick. The Maschine is gone everywhere. All the ebay offers suck and are bids so it's no chance for me. So I said forget it go ahead and get the MPD32. Then she said, now wait a minute.. A music store near me has a catalog (list no pictures) of stuff they have and it said Maschine Mikro but didn't say MK1 or MK2. I told her if it has a picture of all orange pads that's the MK1 and if it's colorful pads that's MK2. In my case, I want the MK1. The MK2 is more expensive so if that's the one forget it. I told her to surprise me on which to get. I told her, if they have it there.. Get it. If not, go ahead and order the MPD32. But.. Man. The Mikro has the Maschine software which is like a DAW itself.. AND Komplete Elements 8 AND Massive.. Except I own a DAW (Fl Studio, not to mention plenty of samples) and I have Massive.. but my friend shared it. So it's not official. It's a really hard choice that I need to be made soon. Because she's going there tomorrow and I'd be sad if she gets it and oops I wanted the MPD. I really like the Maschine devices because it has the glowing and step sequencer. But the reason I'd prefer an actual Maschine or MPD rather than the Mikro is because all of the knobs. I'm not a genius with the MPD but it's got all of those switches and knobs, and that I love. As for the maschine it has 8 knobs and 8 buttons at the top; and the pitch, tempo, and swing knob which are SUPER useful for live shows or recording. Is the MPD capable of programming those? On Mikro you can change all of that but it doesn't have the knobs it has the oh so wonderful NAV knob and 2 buttons. Instead of two screens, 8 knobs, and 8 buttons. All of the videos over the MPD32 are super freaking old too. So.. Feedback is greatly appreciated. Thanks! Oh, and if you're wondering a question about this make sure you've read the thread I posted. That could help a lot. If that didn't answer it, ask! :-D
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By sirparksalot Sat Dec 22, 2012 3:54 am
I'm gonna be nice, but get ready to get your **** ripped by others. The first thread you made was asking to be spoon-fed information enough....but two threads asking people what gear YOU need to make YOUR music on? Especially after all of the information you were given in the last thread..... :hmmm: With the information compiled in the last thread, and the time you have had to research what gear does what, you should have come up with a conclusion of some sorts, especially on a topic as wide covered as Maschine vs. Everything else.

Now, with that being said, just like I stated a couple times in the LAST thread......Maschine if you can afford it.
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By MeSoHordey Sat Dec 22, 2012 4:05 am
Wow. Now WE have to do homework to answer your questions?

Get the **** MPD32 and go make some beats kid.
Last edited by MeSoHordey on Sun Dec 23, 2012 2:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
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By Metatron72 Sat Dec 22, 2012 10:44 pm
Stratosquare wrote:I'm so **** stupid.. -_-


Why? Did you go for one or the other and regret the choice?

If you're still debating I'll offer up my opinions having both a Maschine MK1 and and MPD 32.

The MPD 32 has a total of 72 assignable MIDI controls. 8 fader, 8 knobs and 8 buttons and 3 banks to toggle between to arrive at 72 separate controls. 30 individual presets can be saved to the MPD itself and changing the MIDI CC assignments on the controls is dead easy and can be done right from the face of the unit. It's a handy thing to have if you use a lot of plugins and are willing to take the time to map them. (In FL you would likely leave the assignments as is on the MPD and use FL's controller linking. Then save the mapped FL file as a template. You can I believe make the assignments permanent in FL but it's more work and I forget how at the moment).

The pads on MPD's are mounted way too low and you have to leave them on full level (MIDI full velocity) to even use one. It's against how every MPC is except for the MPC1000 and it's horrid original pads and the replacement ones that still didn't quite get there. There are Fat Pads for the MPD/MPC/MPK's that are around $40 and solve the whole issue. But you have the cost and it' s a little bit of a pain to open up the MPD. (cheap PCB, super chintzy board clips and a molex type connector that you have to wiggle out first to separate the top of the unit from the bottom base.)

Maschine regular or Mikro as you know gives you an excellent piece of software that works equally well as a standalone app or as a plugin. I can see how you'd prefer a full size MK1 as you mentioned the benefit of the knobs. Also with a full size Maschine unit you can assign more than 72 MIDI controls when the Maschine hardware is in controller mode. (You could also on the Mikros but that would be a lot of toggling to access the controls).
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By MeSoHordey Sun Dec 23, 2012 2:15 am
MPD32 + Geist = beatmaking heaven.

(yes I upgraded mine).
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By Metatron72 Sun Dec 23, 2012 2:36 am
MeSoHordey wrote:MPD32 + Geist = beatmaking heaven.

(yes I upgraded mine).


Indeed, I might get back into that combo. Geist is really solid. I even bought all the expansions when they were half off and have yet to dig in those. Tremor is the shit too.
By acronym Wed Jan 09, 2013 12:27 am
Got a mikro for cheap, being using it as a controller since the pads are super nice to play with. Shame I can't link it up to my ipad with bm2. Would have been a deadly coombo.
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By OpinDraconis Tue Feb 05, 2013 4:54 pm
I prefer MPD over Maschine, problem is, Maschine comes with software.. and the hardware is pretty much dedicated with that.
Using it as a midi control for Ableton (or w/e) feels okay, but its not made for that.
I hate using Maschine software as standalone because of the layout, its annoying to make a full beat with it.. you get high latency pretty fast (using laptop.. Ableton runs with no problems with lots of effects on my samples)

My opinion.
By coolderb Tue Feb 05, 2013 7:43 pm
acronym wrote:Got a mikro for cheap, being using it as a controller since the pads are super nice to play with. Shame I can't link it up to my ipad with bm2. Would have been a deadly coombo.


That would have indeed been a nice combo! The next option would have been the perpetually delayed MPC Fly, but according to the NAMM reports they decided to go with the new Ipad 4-only Lightning connector.The Ipad 1, Ipad 2 and Ipad 3 users are SOL:)

Just out of curiosity, have you tried using a powered USB hub to power the Mikro while connected to the Ipad? I'm currently using an MPC 500 with my Ipad and it works great, but I'm also looking for an even more portable pad solution.

Quneo is another option but it also requires an additional external power supply and y-cable.
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By OpinDraconis Tue Feb 05, 2013 9:45 pm
emptysea wrote:
OpinDraconis wrote:its annoying to make a full beat with it.. you get high latency pretty fast (using laptop.. Ableton runs with no problems with lots of effects on my samples)

Don't listen to this guy.


Sure, its my experience, I got the Maschine laying here, why should I advertise negative? :lol:
As a plugin VST it gives lots of latency shocks in a laptop, stand alone it works fine.
Especially when using lots of effects on your samples.. I don't like to rock my samples dry.
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By Metatron72 Wed Feb 06, 2013 12:24 am
OpinDraconis wrote:
emptysea wrote:
OpinDraconis wrote:its annoying to make a full beat with it.. you get high latency pretty fast (using laptop.. Ableton runs with no problems with lots of effects on my samples)

Don't listen to this guy.


Sure, its my experience, I got the Maschine laying here, why should I advertise negative? :lol:
As a plugin VST it gives lots of latency shocks in a laptop, stand alone it works fine.
Especially when using lots of effects on your samples.. I don't like to rock my samples dry.


Check your setup, Maschine should run the same standalone or as a plugin as far as CPU/RAM and latency. If you had Machine in a session with other things hosted by a DAW you can't put the blame for the entire session's latency on only Maschine. Every plugin hosted is using the same latency settings determined by the host.

That said the guy you are responding to has one agenda and one agenda only, sell Maschine. Myself I'm just pointing out that what you said shouldn't be the case or that you are blaming the wrong part of the chain.