MPC Live and 2.0 Beta?

Every MPC I have ever purchased shipped with 'beta' software in all but name. Every '1.0' was swiftly followed by a 1.1 and then a 1.2 and finally a 1.3 that fixed the majority of obvious bugs - basically the first few months was always a 'public beta'. This situation is not unique to MPCs.

As AkaiproAu says, it's just semantics, ultimately the manufacturer gets to decide which version of the software is labelled 'beta' and which is 'stable', but in most cases there is never a 'stable' or 'finished' version of any software, and until it's out there in the wild it will never get the extensive, multi-environment testing required to make it better.

If you are not prepared to accept this, don't pre-order unreleased products, control your gear lust and sit back and wait a few months until most of the quirks are ironed out; you'll probably also find the price will drop by then as well.

I'm going to have to agree here. As someone who owns countless products that all have contained half baked OS upon release and all cost more then the MPC Live upon release. You would think this would be ironed out prior to release. But it just doesn't work like that.

Two that come to mind,

Dave Smith Instruments Tempest. (People literally started an online petition to update the software, still in Beta after 5 or so years) Still works and sounds amazing.

Elektron Octatrack - This thing was a crazy ride. I still wish they would revisit it or make a new one. (the begining OS was a nightmare, still has its quirks like any piece of hardware with dedicated software)


I know not everyone has gone to an audio school or have had the opportunity to be mentor. The first thing you get taught. Is you never update your system. Just don't do it. When your studio computer works. Leave it alone. If your on Mac OSX that means you don't do those updates. You turn off automatic update. My mentor's studio computer is a f*ckin Apple Pro from '08 and he refuses to get a newer one with "more speed", the one where it comes with the matching screen. He's running Pt 8 HD or something. It's ridiculous. Every time he turns it on I think its going to sh*t the bed. But everything works. We recorded at Koerner Hall in Toronto, 48 mic live show. No problems. If the computer breaks down. He goes on ebay and buys a new used one for like $500. The point is all the software he uses is tried, tested an true at this point. He knows he can go 48 tracks no problem. He knows his plug ins work. He doesn't look for new ones. He doesn't care.

The 2nd thing you learn with hardware or software. Especially if you pre order, in this day an age, you are going to be a beta tester if you like it or not.


Can't handle it. Wait.

If I could "like" a post, I would ^

MPC-Tutor wrote:If you are not prepared to accept this, don't pre-order unreleased products, control your gear lust and sit back and wait a few months until most of the quirks are ironed out; you'll probably also find the price will drop by then as well.

this....

back2future wrote:never update your system. Just don't do it

and this......which is why i'm still running 1.8

AkaiProAU wrote:

Gnome Tone wrote:Haven't they had close to two years to "flesh out" 2.0? Seems a bit unprofessional to release a product for a considerable amount of money and then ask the customers "what doesn't work?" I can see them asking customers what they'd LIKE to see added, but not expect them to be the test dummies for a so called finished product.

Beta testing should have been done a longtime ago, by as many people as it took to get it right, for paying customers.

Hoping these machines and software are badass because I want the X.

Semantics.

They could have just said it was the full release candidate and waited for bug feedback, to be addressed with a subsequent update - which invariably happens with all software (to varying degrees) throughout it's lifespan anyway.

And no, they haven't had two years to address 2.0 with the new MPC's, these MPC's weren't around 2-years ago - Touch wasn't even around 2-years ago. Correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't 2.0 taken just over a year, not two-years? A long time, granted, but perhaps the development and production of the new MPC's delayed the 2.0 release last year. Just playing devils advocate here.

Every company has a roadmap years ahead.

I agree with the idea of "beta" just being semantics--most software receives updates to work out the bugs, etc. However, my question is directed at how those who ordered Live/X. This is the first time that I remember Akai actually labelling the software "beta" when they are releasing new controllers to the public--why now? We can speculate for weeks, but there are people out there who paid good money trusting that they would receive their MPC Live (and eventually X) with software that is not labelled "beta". Perhaps everyone is okay with it.

They are doing public beta's because they are reading our threads. We wanted it so now we've got it. And as far as I can tell there is no lost in comparison to version 1.9.6. only gain. Yes they need to iron a few things out but 2.0 is definitely a upgrade from 1.9.6. (Not so big as they claim it to be but its definitely a update).

Oh man, my system is ancient. I'm on Windows XP using Cubase 2.0. Still using my trusty 8 in/out Firepod via FW. Rock Solid...
I agree, bugs always need to be ironed out, however the stuff advertised and featured should work out the box. You have to admit, the box for the live has a big sticker that says Bluetooth. Doesn't work yet...

Can you imagine buying a wireless set of headphones that says Bluetooth, then get them home and realize it doesn't work, "coming soon", so you have to use a chord, like the other 5 pair you own. Now imagine you paid $2200 for the headphones. Back they go.

Gnome Tone wrote:I agree, bugs always need to be ironed out, however the stuff advertised and featured should work out the box. You have to admit, the box for the live has a big sticker that says Bluetooth. Doesn't work yet...

Surely the whole point of using stickers is they can put them on the boxes after they update the software to make use of bluetooth?

Gnome Tone wrote:Oh man, my system is ancient. I'm on Windows XP using Cubase 2.0. Still using my trusty 8 in/out Firepod via FW. Rock Solid...
I agree, bugs always need to be ironed out, however the stuff advertised and featured should work out the box. You have to admit, the box for the live has a big sticker that says Bluetooth. Doesn't work yet...

Can you imagine buying a wireless set of headphones that says Bluetooth, then get them home and realize it doesn't work, "coming soon", so you have to use a chord, like the other 5 pair you own. Now imagine you paid $2200 for the headphones. Back they go.

I hope this tweet doesn't get deleted:

Another glass of piss served up by Pete. Drink up.

I might just stick with my looping pedals, keep it simple. I'm interested in a sampler mangler and a loop launcher for performing my parts in the studio on the fly, to capture a spontaneous arrangement. These MPCs don't seem realized.