I first tried version 1.8.2 of mpc software on os x yosemite on a macbook pro retina mid 2014, with a 2,6 GHz intel core i5 that has 8 gb 1600 Mhz DDR3 and ssd. RENAISSANCE started the random clicking and popping, also introducing increasing latency. When turned off and back on, the problem would dissapear for a short time- from 5 to 15 minutes, maybe, but sometimes it would reappear even sooner. this had no correlation to how loaded the project was, how many programs, sounds, or plugins were used.
of course it has been doing the same even without the mpc software on, when using it simply as a soundcard. i always used the latest drivers firmware and software.
Then i gave up on the mac (!) and tried it on a laptop I bought for using with renaissance solely, cheaper but with a faster processor- A lenovo laptop running windows 10 Pro 64 bit, with 4 GB ram, intel core i7-5500U CPU, @ 2.40 Ghz. The problems were the same, extremely annoying, destroying any chance at working or actually using the mpc. plus. I don t get why using it with the included soundcard is even a question. yes, that s why I bought the Renaissance, it has a included soundcard, and I expect it to work. I don t it to be as solid feeling as a 2000 xl, but could it work a little? i will accept latency, though it is very annoying, but not that horrible distortion and having to turn it off and on every 4 minutes. I don t get why more than ten years ago a machine could be produced that u could actually use to play in real time and record, with only 32 Mb RAM, and god knows what processor, and now this renaissance is causing problmes to so many people. After all, they re advertising it as the ultimate production solution, not as something that might work under certain conditions. or at leastm, they should specify. this works for sure if you haave THIS exact configuration from THIS manufacturer, this is all we tested and can guarantee for. But instead I pay 900 euro and then wait a month for a response from tech support, which doesn't come at all, ever!
OK. I thought well, who has time to test for windows 10 ( the guys might be too busy getting money for the new touch, before they even got renaissance working), maybe I should try on a hp laptop with 3 Gb RAM, 32 bit Windows 7, dual core processor ( although, mpc element in combination with Native Instruments Komplete 6 sound card had no problem on any of these configurations.) well, the problem was less present, but still appearing. maybe in 20 minutes. Still not acceptable.
Also I spent lot of time tuning the windows on both computers for use with music applications, trying to eliminate any issue that could be an excuse for the sound card's aberrant behavior. ( all in the time I should have been happily using my mpc on my projects, to enhance my workflow and what not, all beautiful illusions, shattered faster than you could say false advertising or no way this is a real hardware emulation of mpc 60's sound- not to mention this completely destroyed one of my live shows.)
Of course I could have been using it and testing it also on my trustworthy HP XW 8400 workstation, but well, XP is not supported anymore- when I first started saving money to buy it, it was. But then the universe made akai move on and advance its software until it still can only be used on certain os versions, never you mind the minimum requirements, which were met.
And yes, I tried without any other usb devices, and aftr turning off the wireless connection, etc.
I finally decided to send it back to thomann, after a year of useless suffering. I'm really curious what they could do to help me. Maybe the hardware was faulty, maybe they ll send me another one that will work! Maybe they could give me back the countless hours I spent trying to solve a problem that i received after paying akai for this famed renaissance product? or the money i spent to buy new computers? or money to buy a different sound card so i can finally have a fully functioning mpc system?(see how naive I am, and how I still hope, and how much I love the mpc, I just can t give up on it yet. \stupid! or maybe they'll send me a touch as they curiously stopped selling the mpc renaissance. and maybe that really works and people are not tricked into buying another snake oil type imitation of a real mpc!)
I also hate how the mpc software sees my favorite vst, emulator x3 on windows 7, but not on win 10, and not with software versions 1.9.1 or 1.9.2. (yes, I tried all versions, even older ones. and yes i tried the 64 bt fix for emulator x3 where it was necesary, I j-bridged, etc.also i had to request a reset of the number of installs ( which luckily, was granted), before even getting it to work- that s ironic. this is their preoccupation, on how many computers I can use my paid for hardware controller, not if it really works.)
I don t think it's reasonable for a product that has been on the market for more than three years to really have to ask this kind of questions- have you been using the latest software update. Really? after three years of selling it, only the latest software update might solve it's problems?
Also i did not use the mpc on usb 3 ports, having had read the tutorial here long before buying the renaissance, in order to prevent any problems ( for which, and for all the tutorials ,mpc and tips and tricks, i am very grateful, by the way ).
