Exchange tips and tricks for the Akai MPC4000
By Spivkurl Wed Nov 21, 2018 9:12 pm
Just a quick question for anyone who may have learned the hard way.

When replacing the coin battery in the MPC4K, is changing from a CR2025 to CR2032 going to cause problems?

While replacing my fan, I slid out the battery and saw that it was CR2025. I assumed it would be 2032. I know that in a synthesizer, such as my Yamaha YS200, I downgraded from CR2032 to CR2025 just because I had one on hand. The main difference is that the 2025 only kept the patch memory for a year or so.

Is it possible that the 2032 battery would work fine in the 4K, and even last much longer?

Thanks!
By Spivkurl Thu Nov 22, 2018 4:56 am
Well, I know I should have waited longer, but I'm adventurous by nature so I went ahead and swapped out the battery.

The CR2032 fit the battery holder without much effort. The time seems to be kept and all, so we'll see. I'm hoping it is as I suspected, and the battery will last longer without any difference otherwise.

Tried to replace the busted CD drive that was in the unit when I got it, but I think my replacement was bad as well. I could not get analog or digital audio, even though they were recognized in the record mode. Just no sound on either one. Tried the jumpers and all, but no combination worked. So I went with the next best thing which I had laying around, a 120 GB seagate barracuda to compliment the current 80 GB of the same type. It hadn't been well cared for, but after a format it seems to read and write at least as well as the other drive. Maybe I'll look into a card reader and an SSD sometime.

With the new fan, the 4K is quieter, especially when you do a "no spin" on the master drive.
By Spivkurl Sat Nov 24, 2018 2:45 am
Spent another afternoon replacing more than twenty tactile switches with higher quality parts. Focused on the more commonly used buttons, a few of which were a bit intermittent in their function. Cleaned everything up pretty well, and the 4K is even better than when I got it!

BTW, a somewhat related question - Does anyone know if any button on a USB qwerty keyboard functions as the "Window" button? I grabbed myself a roll up keyboard, since I had some good experiences using a regular one with the MPC. It seems strange that so many functions would be represented, yet not one as commonly used as the window button.

Today, since I was on a roll, I refurbished my old behringer MX1604a mixer. It started having a horrible DC hum, and then while it sat there unused for years, my kitty chewed through the power cord in three places (it wasn't plugged in!). Made the power cord better than new, and then popped open the mixer itself. Looked over all the electrolytic capacitors, and located the filter cap which was bulging. Replaced it with the same value/voltage, and now it sounds good as new.

Sorry, just feeling good about myself after all the work. :smoker: Thinking about advertising on craigslist or at the pawn shops for repair work. I've been building, modding, and repairing instruments for over 15 years now, so I guess I'm getting qualified.
By jpers Mon Nov 26, 2018 11:31 am
Spivkurl wrote:Just a quick question for anyone who may have learned the hard way.

When replacing the coin battery in the MPC4K, is changing from a CR2025 to CR2032 going to cause problems?

While replacing my fan, I slid out the battery and saw that it was CR2025. I assumed it would be 2032. I know that in a synthesizer, such as my Yamaha YS200, I downgraded from CR2032 to CR2025 just because I had one on hand. The main difference is that the 2025 only kept the patch memory for a year or so.

Is it possible that the 2032 battery would work fine in the 4K, and even last much longer?

Thanks!

The only diference is the size !!!!
By Spivkurl Tue Nov 27, 2018 4:07 am
jpers wrote:The only diference is the size !!!!


... and the mAh, if I'm not mistaken.

I know with the Yamaha YS-200, a CR2032 should last several years. When I placed a brand new, brand name CR2025 in there, it began losing it's patches within approximately 10 months.

Haven't had any problems with the 2032 in the MPC though, and the fit was fine as well.
By Spivkurl Wed Nov 28, 2018 4:34 pm
Not the "windows" key. I was referring to the key on the 4K labelled "window," which opens the various dialogs, such as where you rename items, as well as new/copy etc.

I have found the qwerty keys to use almost all of the other functions, but not this one. So I often need to go between the MPC panel and qwerty keyboard in order to do many of the common functions.