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By Rymdis Mon Mar 10, 2014 4:41 pm
Hi!

I'm about to buy either an MPC Studio or a Renaissance. I will ONLY have it for sample playback. So my concern is all about the actual sound quality.

So, how different are these machines? Or are they close to each other?

I already have an S1000, S1100, S3200, S3000Xl, E-MU 6400 and an E-MU ESI4000. But what I really missing is the integration with my DAW!

And as I said, I'm only concerned about the sound of these two units! "Maybe" the Studio is sounding better, I really have no clue :)

So can you please please help me chose?

Many thanks in advance!


/R
User avatar
By SimonInAustralia Mon Mar 10, 2014 6:28 pm
The Studio is a USB-MIDI controller for MPC Software, and a 1 in/1 out MIDI interface.

It does not output sound, and therefore does not have any particular 'sound' to it.

The sound you get out depends on your computer audio interface, whatever that is.


The Renaissance has a built in computer USB-Audio interface.
Last edited by SimonInAustralia on Mon Mar 10, 2014 6:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
By Rymdis Mon Mar 10, 2014 7:18 pm
SimonInAustralia wrote:The Studio is a USB-MIDI controller for MPC Software, and a 1 in/1 out MIDI interface.

It does not output sound, and therefore does not have any particular 'sound' to it.

The sound you get out depends on your computer audio interface, whatever that is.


The Renaissance has a built in computer USB-Audio interface.


Thanks for the answer! So basically this studio-version is a "soft-sampler" then? But is it a GOOD one? :) I mean, every soft-sampler has it own "sound". For good and for bad. Battery and Kontakt, which I hate, sounds just awful. V-Sampler and BPM on the other hand sounds VERY good! So how does this Studio compare to the rest?

/R
Last edited by Rymdis on Mon Mar 10, 2014 7:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
By SimonInAustralia Mon Mar 10, 2014 7:20 pm
Both the Studio and Renaissance are USB-MIDI controllers for MPC Software.

MPC Software is software, it is a software sampler, no matter whether you use the Studio, Renaissance, or Element controllers to operate it.

Renaissance just has a built in computer USB audio interface and more MIDI I/O.
By Rymdis Mon Mar 10, 2014 7:49 pm
SimonInAustralia wrote:Both the Studio and Renaissance are USB-MIDI controllers for MPC Software.

MPC Software is software, it is a software sampler, no matter whether you use the Studio, Renaissance, or Element controllers to operate it.

Renaissance just has a built in computer USB audio interface and more MIDI I/O.


But you CAN use the DA converters from the Renaissance to be able to capture its "sound" :) And didn't the Renaissance have a "built-in" audio interface? Thus giving it a "sound" of its own? You even have options to make the Renaissance sound a bit like the MPC60 and so on...

And this with the MPC Software I don't get :( Will this sound exactly the same regarding what I use (Renaissance, Studio or Element)?? I understand that this is true if you ONLY use the USB connection, otherwise you've lost me :)

Thanks again for your time! I really appreciate it!


/R
User avatar
By SimonInAustralia Mon Mar 10, 2014 8:05 pm
The Renaissance will sound like MPC Software through the Renaissance audio interface, if you select the Renaissance audio interface as the audio output for MPC Software. If you choose a different audio interface as the audio output for MPC Software, it will sound like MPC software through that audio interface.

The Studio and Element will sound like MPC Software through whatever audio interface you select as the output for MPC Software.

The vintage mode sound on the Renaissance is just software plugins that run when you press the vintage mode buttons.
User avatar
By MPC-Tutor Mon Mar 10, 2014 8:13 pm
The 'sound' is dependant on the audio interface you use. So if you use an Edirol FA-66 audio interface to output the sound from the MPC Software, the Edirol will colour the sound in its own unique way.

If you have a Ren, you don't have to use its own built in audio interface, you could still output the sound through your computer's existing audio interface (you can choose which audio interface to use within the MPC Software preferences).

Hence you cannot compare the Studio vs Ren 'sound quality' - they both run the same MPC Software and they can both be set to use the exact same audio interface to output (and record) sound.
By Rymdis Tue Mar 11, 2014 6:47 am
I'm new to MPC's so please bare with me just a bit more :) And English is not my native language, so bare with me on this one too :)

I actually thought that the Renaissance would "behave" like an old sampler. With its own "sound" and so on...But if it uses the EXACT same software as the Studio does, than I might go along with the Studio-version.
And if i would use the OUTPUTS on the Renaissance, what will this give me? Will this not be like using an old sampler?
I have a Steinberg MR816X interface by the way.

When I have you on the line I have another question if I may? I have to decide rather quickly on an MPC2500. My question is if this will integrate with my DAW (Cubase) in ANY way. What I want is to be able to load samples to the MPC2500 from within Cubase.
I also want these to be saved along with the project. So when I open up the project again the samples should automatically be loaded into the MPC2500. Can this be done?

Thanks again for everybody's time here!

/R
By MaZe Wed Mar 12, 2014 3:29 pm
Rymdis wrote:I'm new to MPC's so please bare with me just a bit more :) And English is not my native language, so bare with me on this one too :)

I actually thought that the Renaissance would "behave" like an old sampler. With its own "sound" and so on...But if it uses the EXACT same software as the Studio does, than I might go along with the Studio-version.
And if i would use the OUTPUTS on the Renaissance, what will this give me? Will this not be like using an old sampler?
I have a Steinberg MR816X interface by the way.

When I have you on the line I have another question if I may? I have to decide rather quickly on an MPC2500. My question is if this will integrate with my DAW (Cubase) in ANY way. What I want is to be able to load samples to the MPC2500 from within Cubase.
I also want these to be saved along with the project. So when I open up the project again the samples should automatically be loaded into the MPC2500. Can this be done?

Thanks again for everybody's time here!

/R


There is no "sound" as in character to the MPC Renaissance. If you are looking to get it for it's "sound", don't. The MPC 2500 will interface with any DAW via midi. It will NOT work as you are requesting. If you are looking for something to interface directly and more seamlessly with a DAW and want an MPC, it has to be a Ren or a Studio. If you don't need the audio portion, get the Studio.