MPC-2000xl/2000 vs. ASR-10

over the past month i've been saving for an mpc 2kxl...but i've noticed a disturbing trend of cats tellin me to cop an asr instead

i havent found a huge amount of information on the technical specs of the asr online, so can someone break down the differences of the asr and mpc to me fully?

i dont have a very extensive record collection yet, and i've been told the asr is a very nice sampler with synths too

used asr's (fully loaded with everything) generally run cheaper than bare bones mpc 2000's and 2000XLs on ebay...and i could use the extra money saved to expand my record collection

and how the hell would you lay down nice drums on a keyboard anyway?

wouldnt it be ideal to have an asr midi'd up to an mpc?

ok, the mpcs is a up 64 mb expandable 44,1 khz 16bit sampler with a superb built in sequencer. BUT its a drum sampler ment to play one shot samples and loops. you can map a sample but ist not as a good as a decent sampler. no fx except a resonant low pass filter. you can buy that shitty eb16 fx board though. 2 midi outs, 2 midi ins cool for triggering soundmodules, 2 out puts expandable up to 8, scsi, floppy.... sure i forgot something but im writing this straight from my dome.
ASR is up to 16mb expandablel 44,1 khz 16 bit sampler with a simple built in sequencer. you can resample down to 3khz (?) for grittiness. the sampler is very good and easy to use. bbut not as many voices as the mpc. but it has a very good built in fx. its actually a dp4. reverbs, filter, comp, modulation fx etc.. no built in scsi in the keyboard version. id get the rack cause you also get the 8 outs for free. ....
think thats it. for sound id get the asr for sequencing the mpc...
had both, kept the MPC, u can make it sound gooooood

ok, the Sampler in the ASR-10 is phat, if you want some reference sounds from out of it, think "enter the Wu-Tang and "Cuban Linx"

the sampler is easy to use, not as many voices, but is hardly notice for rap/hip-hop music.

the sequencer is terrible in the asr, just BAD. it will be annoying to use if you try to sequence with it.

the main thing here is: IT is impossible to find a repair shop to fix a damaged asr-10, all the parts MUST be ordered used or assembled by the tech, so even if you can find a place that is willing to repair it, it will cost you an arm and leg. I have heard stories from people who paid almost as much to fix the asr- as the 500 they paid for it.

this is key, asr-10's are getting old, around the time the engineers who made them designed them to begin to go out. ALof the asrs on ebay are models as such, starting to go out. If you get one make sure it has scsi and the other expansions since they are hard to find and expensivce for a piece of gear as old as the asr.

I use both.

To tell the truth, the accomodat each other perfectly. Combined with turntables, a couple of sound modules, a digital multi-tracker, and a external media drive, I have a home studio that my imagination can't begin to touch in several years.

I've used tha asr-10 keyboard with expanded memory and scsi for nearly two years in a noise band. If you buy this machine, you will buy it for the sampler. The asr can make rhythmic instruments from any sound that you put in it. I have made amazing samples with my own voice. If you have minimal experience sampling. The asr-10 will break you in. A bit of advice in purchasing, ask the seller for the "birthday". It should be located on the back on a little sticker. I'd try to find one 1996 or newer. They are getting scarce. If you search google, you can find some good forums and dowloads for the asr.

The mpc allows me some flexibility that the sequencer on the asr does not. User friendly is the only term. Not to mention that you can create samples on the asr and input them into the mpc, record a sequence, and output the seqeunce to the asr, run any one of 44khz effects (that are killer for a board that old), and modify the effects to get the sound you want.

My advice is to save up for both. Equipment is useful. If you're just starting out, buy the asr and a multi-tracker. If you've got some experience, get the mpc 2000xl.

I haven't read the posts above so if I say something everyone else has already said, sorry.

I had an ASR-10 before MPC. Before the ASR, I made beats on my computer for nearly 2 years. The ASR has a nice warm thick sound to it, but I prefer the MPC to ASR as far as functionability. I say the ASR-10 is a GREAT (Maybe the best) piece of accomodate an MPC, but as your only workstation, I'd definitely say get the MPC. The MPC2000XL allows you to use wav files, so transferring between Computer and MPC is no problem.. i use my computer to edit my drum sounds then pop them back into the MPC.

I would say the MPC is much easier to learn and use, much easier to chop and laydown samples.. everything goes much quicker. The ASR has a great sound and great effects though.

word dont get me wrong, i aint hatin on the asr, but just keep in mind if it breaks it WILL be a pain to fix. so basically once you get it, get a case and make sure the case never moves from your studio.

Dr.Foo wrote:word dont get me wrong, i aint hatin on the asr, but just keep in mind if it breaks it WILL be a pain to fix. so basically once you get it, get a case and make sure the case never moves from your studio.

i'm pretty sure i'm gonna get an MPC...

noone really swayed me too much towards the asr (mpc forum bias?) but i think the mpc will fit better into my setup, be easier to repair and modify, and there's not any downside i can think of towards it besides the ridiculous cost...

if your confused then just get a asr-X. you'll get pads and the emu songs.