Just the looks - which MPC is the most beautiful

Hey, I'm curious about what you think is the most beautiful MPC (and also which one is the ugliest)

It's just about the looks, no matter if an MPC has much better features, is more reliable, has better usability or whatever, please just answer based on how beautiful you think the MPC model is e.g. if you like the looks of the tilted screen, then that's okay, but don't post an MPC with tilted screen just because you think it's more comfortable to work with it

My personal opinion: I think I like the MPC2000 the most, because it looks oldschool and has a very clean looking surface, also I think the old jogwheel looks cooler. The machine could be a bit thinner (like the 2000XL) but in general, I think it's really the most beautiful one. I had one, but switched to an 2000XL because of the feature improvements.

What I also really dig is the MPC2500 but with wooden side panels (see here viewtopic.php?f=21&t=121994&start=30). If I should ever upgrade from my 2000XL to a 2500, I'd definitely do that mod! It looks so good that I wonder why that is not the standard design from Akai

The one MPC that I think is the ugliest, is the MPC4000. I know many people say it's one of the best MPCs ever made, and I am willing to believe that - but looks-wise, I really don't like all those colors (on the original white version), that power button, the huge palm-rest, and the overall shape and size of that machine.

Another one that I don't like is the blue MPC1000 with those red side panels.

So how about you?

ZeHa wrote:Hey, I'm curious about what you think is the most beautiful MPC (and also which one is the ugliest)

most beautiful: MPC60ii. Looks to me very kraftwerk computerworld. I bet it feels cool to use a machine like this.
ugliest: 2000XL SE2(orange one). I want this thing so bad! I'm trying to buy the wierd dinosaur egg pads at least.

ZeHa wrote: the old [MPC2000] jogwheel looks cooler.

+1. works nicer too since it does 2 different data entries. Possibly the best jog wheel of all MPCs?

You were saying...?

@ Coz:
I have to admit this is the sexiest MPC4000 I have ever seen 10 times better than the white or blue one
I actually wonder how people get the button labeling back on when they do custom paint jobs like this.

@ Harmoncj:
Yeah I also like Kraftwerk-style devices. That's why I bought Faderfox-DJ-Controllers almost instantly when I first heard about them. I was always unpleased with those typical DJ-Controllers that look like two mini-turntables...

About the 2000's jog wheel: I have to admit I expected a different data entry behavior before I first touched one. I thought the outer ring was designed to be able to "scroll" through the values with varying speed. I was a bit disappointed when I learned that it's just there to select the digit

ZeHa wrote:I actually wonder how people get the button labeling back on when they do custom paint jobs like this.

viewtopic.php?f=41&t=164586

I think the original mpc60 is my favourite.. but I do like the original 3000 and original 2000 as well.

the ugliest.. tough to say... probably the original 1000, or the ren.. the 1000 cause that blue and red looked like some spiderman thing or superman... I usually dont like the look of those at all, but some of the custom ones do look fantastic. The ren because I dont like a 4x4 grid of knobs like that... I also dont like how what numark calls mpc3000 buttons now have gaps between each button. I dont know.. im just not a fan of how it looks... I dont like the way the jog wheel looks either.


60ii does have that vintage futuristic look.. haha

Yes the Ren is ugly with that knob grid but what do you mean with the mpc3000 butons and the gaps between each button? Didn't get that...

Just noticed I have a huge typo in "Renaissance" in my poll but I fear that if I edit that, the votings might be reset so I leave it

ZeHa wrote:Yes the Ren is ugly with that knob grid but what do you mean with the mpc3000 butons and the gaps between each button? Didn't get that...

ah I meant the transport buttons.. one of the things the akai guys said was that they brought back the mpc 3000 buttons.. (ie: the 60/3000 transport buttons) however.. maybe they are the same internally.. but visually they are not the same... on the ren there is a gap/space between each button... but on the 60/3000 the buttons dont have that. know what I mean?

Ah okay yes I know what you mean but apparently it's only gap-less on the 60, not on the 3000 (which is why I did not understand because I was just comparing with the 3000 )

mr_debauch wrote:The ugliest.. tough to say... probably the original 1000, or the ren.. the 1000 cause that blue and red looked like some spiderman thing or superman...

I always think of Optiums Prime from transformers whenever I see the blue and red version

Tough choice to name what MPC is the most beautiful but I've always liked the look of the MPC2500 SE, so I'm going to go with that.

The most ugliest MPC I'm going for the MPC1000 Optiums Prime paint job

3000LE and that blackout 4000 fo sho...

ZeHa wrote:Ah okay yes I know what you mean but apparently it's only gap-less on the 60, not on the 3000 (which is why I did not understand because I was just comparing with the 3000 )

ah yeah true.. but it would have been nice to have the gapless ones instead.. those are slick. Although having writing printed on the buttons sucked cause it wears off after a while.

I would say the MPC60 from '88 and the MPC3000LE are the best looking machines without mods. The ugliest would be the red and blue MPC1000, the MPC2000XL SE with the salami pads and finally the MPC500.

Only one vote allowed, so MPC3000LE it is for me.



Also, as a left-hander, I prefered the pads to be on the left (MPC60/3000) and ergonically having a tilt screen above the pads (MPC3000/4000/5000/2500) works best for me. So the MPC3000 is the ideal layout for me all things considered. A masterpiece of design from Roger.

I voted for the black MPC-3000 limited version (there is something special about that model, it represents its heyday of the original Akai Professional). I love the design of MPC-60 mark II also, it looks like a stylish calculator in 80s', but it looks really futuristic, but now it is future-retro now, it aged nicely, I think.

MPC-2000XL is not bad, but definitely not the sexiest MPCs as far as I'm concerned.
MPC-2000 classic looks too utilitarian and it looks like giant brick. Although XL is in the same category, I think that XL looks better than 2000 classic.

Least unattractive looking MPC to me is MPC 2000XL SE orange version! What was Akai thinking?

JVC wrote:
Least unattractive looking MPC to me is MPC 2000XL SE orange version! What was Akai thinking?

Throw in some black pads and it looks aiight.



I had one of these, looked quite cool chromed out from the factory.