MPC REN- No Nuts?

Does anyone else think that the Ren does not bump like it should?

I take the exact same same kick drum sound, play it through the exact same chain (every step of the way), and the kick bumps way more when it's coming straight from iTunes vs coming out of a sequence in the Ren.

The Ren seems to kind of quiet and muffle lower end sounds. I know this is a general post- I could go into more detail specifically about what the Ren does to my sounds vs my other MPCs (2000XL, 2500, 4000, and 5000), but I just want to see if anyone else agrees with me that the MPC software takes the bump out of a lot of low-end sounds.

Anyone else?

Do you have any custom eq settings in iTunes?

No

Once I put it in MPC60 vintage mode it seems to bump beautifully, particularly on drums and bass.

If I use the MPC3000 mode I hear virtually no difference whatsoever from having no vintage mode active.

Nubian Mindz wrote:Once I put it in MPC60 vintage mode it seems to bump beautifully, particularly on drums and bass.

If I use the MPC3000 mode I hear virtually no difference whatsoever from having no vintage mode active.

True. I find the MPC 3000 mode has a transparent slightly bumpy sheen to it. But the MPC 60 mode produces the most knock indeed. Use it wisely ofcourse lol

I always feel - when MPC3000 mode is activated - like the higher spectrum of the sound is more stressed than in normal mode, while MPC60 fattens the sound up in the lower areas.

Yeah I'm noticing MPC60 mode adds a little bit of bump. Anyone know offhand if tracks keep the audio "color" that's added to them from vintage mode when you export them? Or only while playing in the MPC software? Thanks.

funkycoldmedina wrote:Yeah I'm noticing MPC60 mode adds a little bit of bump. Anyone know offhand if tracks keep the audio "color" that's added to them from vintage mode when you export them? Or only while playing in the MPC software? Thanks.

Yes

tonemelle wrote:I find the MPC 3000 mode has a transparent slightly bumpy sheen to it. But the MPC 60 mode produces the most knock indeed. Use it wisely ofcourse lol

From what I can tell the MPC 60 mode adds 3 db of volume and the MPC 3000 mode doesn't. I Think the tone of each mode is more important than the volume because when you mix you'll have to adjust the volume to the proper volume anyway.

funkycoldmedina wrote:Does anyone else think that the Ren does not bump like it should?

I take the exact same same kick drum sound, play it through the exact same chain (every step of the way), and the kick bumps way more when it's coming straight from iTunes vs coming out of a sequence in the Ren.

The Ren seems to kind of quiet and muffle lower end sounds. I know this is a general post- I could go into more detail specifically about what the Ren does to my sounds vs my other MPCs (2000XL, 2500, 4000, and 5000), but I just want to see if anyone else agrees with me that the MPC software takes the bump out of a lot of low-end sounds.

Anyone else?

YES YES 1000 times YES!

i've been saying this from day one...

on the software side, it sucks the lo end, lo-mid harmonics, and for lack of a better term "life" out of your sounds, and then the hardware just blasts that sound back out loud without adding anything back to it..

as an example look at every producer that switched over to the ren: danja from 4k to ren, sean c and lv from 4k to ren, etc. etc.and their stuff instantly got flat, to the point that its hard to believe its the same people making the tracks..

the software has some kind of unflattering compressor in it that cannot be turned off.. take a drum sound from the ren and place it for example in xfer nerve (the hardest bumping somftware drum machine ive ever heard) and see the difference...

and then the ren hardware has a hot/loud output, but its a loud dry/flat sound.. just doesn't have that bump to it..

i wish the software and or ren hardware sounded better.. i would buy INSTANTLY and never look back... it would be a dream to layer drums on the software, sequence them, and either track the ren through hardware or export stems.. but as of now it is not possible

i kept the mp studio just for the software and really only use it to map things out sometimes, and then i go to logic/asr10 and redo everything from scratch.

btw i have mpc ,3k,2kxl,4k, & the above mentioned asr-10; and have had numerous 60s,2500s, and a 5k...and for those wondering i am not looking for an old-time "dusty" sound..I look for a clean modern bump with the proper frequencies and harmonics

megagavelli wrote:as an example look at every producer that switched over to the ren: danja from 4k to ren, sean c and lv from 4k to ren, etc. etc.and their stuff instantly got flat, to the point that its hard to believe its the same people making the tracks..

I wouldn't say that thats just the ren, it may have other factors, ie(different monitor speakers... different soundcard interface etc hardware upgrades)

megagavelli wrote:it would be a dream to layer drums on the software, sequence them, and either track the ren through hardware or export stems.. but as of now it is not possible

This can be done with the right hardware(interface)... You can get the mpc studio, and then all you need is a interface with multiple outputs.. with them summing through your other hardware(analog mixer , separate channel strips, summing box etc,) and returning to your interface inputs...
Mpc software Supports multi outs from each pad or pgm... So your interface needs to be able to route the software outs as well...

There's also stem exporting per program, or per track...(per track needs a song to seq convert)

I reset all gain stages for each pad, so that dynamic range isn't compressed, clipping or running hot anywhere... I've then saved it as a template so it just opens up everytime...
At the end when i'm about to bounce, i use ozone, or just the internal master limiter to squeeze the loudness back out.... Get it loud punchy and hard...

Just gotta figure out how it works, then make it work how you want it to....

@megagavelli:

Thanks! I thought I was crazy for thinking this because no one has spoken up about it. I've figured out how to get things back to a "normal" level/frequency using EQ once the tracks are transferred to my DAW, but I shouldn't have to work so hard on this just to get the sounds back to normal! Seriously the MPC Software just murders my kick drums. Not only do they not bump-they lose a lot of high end and get all dull and muffled!

Anyone think there's any way this could change down the line?...This is a real problem, folks. I'm not on here to boast, but just to give you some perspective about the power of my ear's perception- I have been doing beats for over 15 years, I've produced, co-produced, or engineered multiple grammy-award-winning hip hop records. As well as many legendary, well-respected underground classic records.

I only say this because I KNOW what my sounds should sound like. And a lot of them suddenly sound like crap in the MPC Software!!! I wish so badly that this wasn't the case!!!

I have a producer friend/associate who bought an MPC3000 and very soon after sold his MPC Ren.

His reason was this:

The Ren does not sound like an MPC. The 3000 just sounds beautiful straight out the box, load your sounds in and get working and instantly it hits, bumps and sounds like an MPC whereas the Ren sounds soft in comparison and definitely does not sound like an MPC.

I'm not quoting him directly there but that's the essence of what he said. I dismissed him at the time but I might look into this. I do have an MPC 500 on hand and I can tell you that sounds great straight up raw without fiddling too much with any settings.

I'll have to do a side by side comparison and see what the results are.

funkycoldmedina wrote:@megagavelli:

Seriously the MPC Software just murders my kick drums. Not only do they not bump-they lose a lot of high end and get all dull and muffled!

Anyone think there's any way this could change down the line?...This is a real problem, folks.
I only say this because I KNOW what my sounds should sound like. And a lot of them suddenly sound like **** in the MPC Software!!! I wish so badly that this wasn't the case!!!

Really not sure they can change the sound of the software with the current hardware limitations but maybe someone with a higher technical knowledge than myself can offer their opinion?

Incidentally, how does your drums sound if you bypass the Ren audio interface and go through another audio interface?

Not saying I'm an expert on audio software, but I'd assume that the MPC Software itself will do nothing to the incoming or outgoing 'sound' unless you actively choose to apply an effect or sample process to it. By the time the software receives the incoming audio, it's just 0s and 1s. The software should remain 'neutral' - I don't think Akai are claiming that the MPC Software is inherently doing anything mystical to create a unique sound.

Beyond that everything is dependant on the rest of your audio chain. I don't think the interface on the Ren is anything special, I think it's okay but you get what you pay for. It's not surprising that audio in and out of an MPC3000 sounds significantly better than that going in and out of a controller containing what is probably the equivalent of a £120 audio interface inside it.

It's a trade off and you have to be realistic. Most people wanting a Ren want the features and power but are probably not happy to pay an extra £700 to get a high end interface inside. Those that do can just buy and use a separate pro interface and be done with it.