MPC4000 ADAT vs Analog output

If your ADAT sounds better than your 8-out it more than likely telling that the point you are sending the signal to has lesser quality inputs than the I/O on the 4k.
The digital inputs are retaining the sound the 4k is producing while the analog inputs are not.
One of the advantages that ADAT I/O presented to the world was the ability to get a better quality signal into a device without having to build the unit with more costly I/O.
There are lots of interfaces, recorders, mixers etc that basically cheat that way.
The reason the digital sounds louder is because you loss the ability to disturb the signal with improper gain staging.

The effects spread and signal panning on the 8-outs should would fall under the same criteria.

If you have a factory card you will see that it's labelled 1/L, 2/R, 3/L, 4/R, 5/L, 6/R, 7/L, and 8/R.
So you basically set your your output for each of the outs to one of the pairs (1/2, 3/4, 5/6, 7/8) and pan the signal within the pair.
I use effects like the Phasers and Rotary in the individual outs on the 4k all the time as well as panning drums that way.

The difference you are perceiving is really centered around the variables being removed from the equation that cause sound deviation.
Makes it easier for most setups to retain the sound you have created when transferring.

It can really simplify your process to use the ADAT or SPDIF card instead of tracking analog.

Me personally I still prefer using the analog outs and getting what I am after prior to tracking.
When I don't want to work that way I find it easier to just work with Maschine and plug-ins already inside the computer.

can agree on the digital adat out hot signal
strange to say, but i'm under the impression that the L/R outs sound more compressed

anyway, if i send a bd to adat1, then i can pan it on the console L or R
boy, those efx really shine on the digital outs (except the verbs )

tiger001 wrote:i'm under the impression that the L/R outs sound more compressed

I've never used the 4k so I'm guessing here, but is there a master compressor effect that could be switched on?
On other new MPC's (1000 & 2500) the inbuilt FX are only active on the stereo outputs so it could just be that you actually are compressing the sound via an effect in the 4k before it hits the stereo outputs.

Back on topic; I'm planning on grabbing a 4k soon and have been considering the ADAT output for connecting it to my apogee ensemble. I've also got a decent analog mixer so I could happily go with the analog outs too.

Does the ADAT card really only let you record 2 channels of audio at once via the ADAT input? I was under the impression the 4k had some kind of 8-channel multitrack recording feature over ADAT.

No master effects whatsoever on the 4k and the 4k is not a multitrack recorder it's a stereo sampler.

Also the effects on the 4k can be routing to any output.

Lampdog wrote:Can't remember what thread but we went through this a while back, Adat sample in, l/r (spdif) only, no 8 channel sampling. Adat out can be either spdif or 8chls.

this is almost right. adat in can be sp/dif or adat. If adat then only channels one and two

Lampdog wrote:Can't remember what thread but we went through this a while back, Adat sample in, l/r (spdif) only, no 8 channel sampling. Adat out can be either spdif or 8chls.

Ok, Thanks for the info.

Next question;

Although I can only record 2 channels of ADAT inputs at once, can I select which two of the eight ADAT channels are used?

I have a selection of synths, mics and other sound sources hooked up to the inputs on my ensemble, Can I choose which of these sources the ADAT input on the 4k receives via a menu or option on the MPC or would I need to manually swap the input cables over at the ensemble?

Cool, Thanks for clearing that up.

Sorry for the double post and reviving a dead thread, But you can actually select any pair (1/2, 3/4, 5/6, 7/8) of ADAT channels for the sample input.

Recently discovered that feature on my 4k and thought the info could come in handy for someone else...