MPC500,2K,or 1K?!

Next week is go time, i will be owning my 1st MPC. However,i am not sure which model i need or should get. I am a Jazz, hiphop, alternative, and instrumental musician. i intend to sample through vinyl as well as my ipod, and even dub some cassette tapes. as far as prices go,i need something NOT too harsh on my wallet. the max i am looking to spend is $400,no more than that. i just need a model that is efficient and gets the job done. right now i am watching both a 2K,2KXL, and 1K on ebay for about that price and under, now i am just not sure which one to choose. any advice or help would be MUCH appreciated!

PS- i also wanted to know what would be a good inexpensive turntable to sample from? just needs to hook up to my MPC, play records, and thats it. nothing fancy or expensive,thanks

should i consider purchasing some tutorial DVDs and or PDF files as well for a good jump start?

The PDF's they sell here are great, definitely worth the $ if you're already thinking something like that is how you want to learn faster.

I might go for the 1000 of those 3. It's has USB, takes more memory (32MB on the older machines is the max, 128MB on the 1000).

2000 and XL you have to worry about the LCD dying and currently there is no way to buy a replacement, the last Akai OEM ones sold over 3.5 years ago and where going for up to $350. I just bought another XL for $400 rather than fix my LCD.

The 2000 and XL are great machines, sound a little better and thicker than the 1000. The FX are more limited on those too. The LCD aside they are a bit better made than the 1000 as far as durability and parts.

The 1000 has a third party OS called JJ OS available in multiple version you can buy that adds many features and workflow enhancements.

The blue 1000's had problems with the pads and they made replacement sets that went back to the older designs after it became a serious issue. If the 1000 you buy is a blue that hasn't been upgraded with the 2nd pad revision, you would be looking at another $178USD to fix them.

If you are looking at a black 1000 with the newer pads or a blue with newer pads, $400 is good price, but usually a $350-$400 1000 does not have the newer pads.

i hear ya but i cant find any black ones on ebay that dont look totally destroyed lol

anonymousproducer wrote:i hear ya but i cant find any black ones on ebay that dont look totally destroyed lol

I figured. If the blue one is in good shape you may be OK with version 1 pads, just wanted to warn that eventually they will die one by one as they are 16 separate potentials for mechanical failure due to the design.

As long as you know what you're getting into as far as potential future issues or repairs used MPC's are usually a safe bet. I've never bought one new always used.

is it easy to replace the pad sensors yourself? and would a 1000 fit in a quick lok stand?: http://www.xbstore.com/i/4/Quiklok-QL-4 ... p24959.jpg

anonymousproducer wrote:is it easy to replace the pad sensors yourself? and would a 1000 fit in a quick lok stand?: http://www.xbstore.com/i/4/Quiklok-QL-4 ... p24959.jpg

Well the first ones they had in the blue units had people coming up with their own fixes, crazy DIY electrical type solutions. But after the 2nd revision was released most everyone just got rid of the whole original pad set and installed the new kit.

The 2nd revision has the sensor sheet the mounting it rests on and a uniform 16 pad sheet like any other MPC. (Until these newer hybrid units that are out, but all old hardware MPC's except the blue 1000 had the single rubber sheet/sensor sheet underlay design)

The new padfix kit is dead easy to install, just a ton of screws to take apart the MPC, unscrew the old pad mount section, plug in a ribbon cable that's it. It's the $180 and the fact that sell out a lot at the places that sell it sometimes that concerns people mostly.

I think you'd have to work out something with a board and some kind of spacers on the edges of the QL-400. It says the minimum width on those is 14.5" and the 1000 is about 12.5" wide. maybe some heavier foam strip you could cut might work. I use mine for bigger stuff, I have 16 channel mixer in it now.

Understood. What about a cheap/effective turntable?

Some of these newer USB ones are alright if all you need is to sample to the computer, most have some analog outs that I believe have the phono pre amp need addressed internally so you don't need a mixer or something else with a phono amp.

I haven't mixed records in year I just keep an old Technics 1200 here and have a few things that have phono pre amps.

I was talking to friend about his USB Numark, that one was $400 so maybe it's sturdier than some USB ones because they are cheaper than a lot of times. He got direct drive for his $400 which if possible you wanna get over a belt drive one.

I cannot shelf out $400 for a mixer lol will have to stick to USB for now

Mixer or turntable