By Coz
Fri Sep 13, 2013 2:58 am
This barely even warrants its own thread, but trying to have a rational discussion about it in the Ren forum is a pointless waste of time.
If anyone wants to chime in on what it has taken to keep their MPC going strong, or tales of woe, feel free to add to the thread. This is not a thread about comparing software features, or how X model cost 3 grand 25 years ago and Y model costs 700 quid today!
Either way, I wanted to reply to Hellfire properly without any 'distractions'.
A common problem with older MPCs (from what I've read - not personal experience) is the technology that went into the screens. So the 60 and 3k required the replacement of backlight foils, with the occasional more expensive component biting the dust. Hopefully someone can add to this because I've never been lucky enough to own one of those machines. Some people moan about the transport buttons being a weak point, but then you see them HAMMERING them in youtube vids so it's no surprise they break!
The XL seems to be the hardest MPC to maintain when it comes to the screen. There's no easy fixes and no spares knocking around other than from 'donor' machines. From forum chatter I've picked up over the years, there's been a few people who have suggested that some of the machine's processing power actually comes from the screen itself? I don't know if that is true, but irrespective of that, when I sold mine after nearly a decade of ownership the Play/Start button had worked its way loose, but everything else worked perfectly.
When I got my 2500 it was as good as brand new. There wasn't even a spec of dust on it. Within 18 months the coating was rubbing off the front, the tact switches were dying for fun and the pads were getting irregular in their response. The Jog wheel is also 100% part and parcel of the overall build quality of any machine, and the one on the 2500 is a total bona fide piece of shit! A huge comedown from the XL jog. If you work through the night on beats when the house is near silent (like I do), the 2500 jog is the equivalent of finger nails scraping on a chalk board. It's cheap and nasty.
I sold that and got the 4K. Night and day in feel and build. Obviously any piece of hardware can break and have shit go wrong, but the 4K feels like it's built to last. I'm guessing mine is around 8 years old at this point. I've got a spare screen for when this one inevitably goes up in smoke.
What can you say about the 1K? Well, for starters it barely even needs mentioning that the first batch was released with a faulty pad design that users had to foot the bill for to put right. By the time you factor in the 'new' pad design plus fat pads to get decent sensitivity, you're talking a lot of money for a supposedly 'cheap' MPC. Obviously they sorted out the issue with the black models, and it also goes without saying that having the ability to fix whatever machine you own will always be a bonus, but that's secondary to what I'm saying. IMO the quality control, general build quality and innovation took a dip in the Nukai era.
The jury is still out on the Ren. Prominent members such as yourself, IMMB and Es-k have all had to get replacement units within the first 12 months, amongst at least another 10 forum members that I can recall. Time will tell how well it stands up in the future...
If anyone wants to chime in on what it has taken to keep their MPC going strong, or tales of woe, feel free to add to the thread. This is not a thread about comparing software features, or how X model cost 3 grand 25 years ago and Y model costs 700 quid today!
Either way, I wanted to reply to Hellfire properly without any 'distractions'.
DJ Hellfire wrote:Coz wrote:Nukai have never been particularly great at making hardware anyway, so it's no loss that they are now in the software/controller business.
Not sure why people feel this way. "Real" Akai MPC's have problems just as much. I have an XL, which I got brand new. I've had issues with stiff buttons that have to be pressed hard as **** to work. The play button broke. The note variation slider potentiometer is **** up and jumps all over the place. And now the screen is all **** up with a bunch of dead pixels. It's even crashed and froze a few times. And I never abused it or dropped it or smoked around it. With the exception of the bad screen, all of these issues occured within the same time frame of ownership as how long I've had my 2500. So far, only issue I had with my 2500 (bought in 2008 brand new) is the pads issue, and the black coating mysteriously rubbing off the case. I honestly wouldn't say Nukai MPC's are that much worse than "Real" MPC's, going from my personal experience.
A common problem with older MPCs (from what I've read - not personal experience) is the technology that went into the screens. So the 60 and 3k required the replacement of backlight foils, with the occasional more expensive component biting the dust. Hopefully someone can add to this because I've never been lucky enough to own one of those machines. Some people moan about the transport buttons being a weak point, but then you see them HAMMERING them in youtube vids so it's no surprise they break!
The XL seems to be the hardest MPC to maintain when it comes to the screen. There's no easy fixes and no spares knocking around other than from 'donor' machines. From forum chatter I've picked up over the years, there's been a few people who have suggested that some of the machine's processing power actually comes from the screen itself? I don't know if that is true, but irrespective of that, when I sold mine after nearly a decade of ownership the Play/Start button had worked its way loose, but everything else worked perfectly.
When I got my 2500 it was as good as brand new. There wasn't even a spec of dust on it. Within 18 months the coating was rubbing off the front, the tact switches were dying for fun and the pads were getting irregular in their response. The Jog wheel is also 100% part and parcel of the overall build quality of any machine, and the one on the 2500 is a total bona fide piece of shit! A huge comedown from the XL jog. If you work through the night on beats when the house is near silent (like I do), the 2500 jog is the equivalent of finger nails scraping on a chalk board. It's cheap and nasty.
I sold that and got the 4K. Night and day in feel and build. Obviously any piece of hardware can break and have shit go wrong, but the 4K feels like it's built to last. I'm guessing mine is around 8 years old at this point. I've got a spare screen for when this one inevitably goes up in smoke.
What can you say about the 1K? Well, for starters it barely even needs mentioning that the first batch was released with a faulty pad design that users had to foot the bill for to put right. By the time you factor in the 'new' pad design plus fat pads to get decent sensitivity, you're talking a lot of money for a supposedly 'cheap' MPC. Obviously they sorted out the issue with the black models, and it also goes without saying that having the ability to fix whatever machine you own will always be a bonus, but that's secondary to what I'm saying. IMO the quality control, general build quality and innovation took a dip in the Nukai era.
The jury is still out on the Ren. Prominent members such as yourself, IMMB and Es-k have all had to get replacement units within the first 12 months, amongst at least another 10 forum members that I can recall. Time will tell how well it stands up in the future...
but the build doesnt look solid. Defo not a machine to go for many years
