MPC X, MPC Live, MPC One & MPC Key 61 Forum: Support and discussion for the MPC X, MPC Live, MPC Live II, MPC One & MPC Key 61; Akai's current generation of standalone MPCs.
By CharlesRandolph Thu Aug 08, 2019 10:30 pm
mr_debauch wrote:i used to do a lot of field recording, and i would make my own convolution impulses from recordings done in places with crazy natural reverb to see how it could work on dry sounds... kind of fun, often it made it into songs more out of principle rather than necessity...

I always thought a music production beat making MPC style thing in a multi track recorder setting would be cool... but zoom sort of did that with a few of the R series recorders... never tried them, but the videos on the sampler and that really did not look fun at all. I mean these samplers always have a ton of analog outputs... but they never have an 8 input card to go with your 4 midi outputs so you can sequence external gear but have it all coming in to the same hardware to mix and record at the same time.


The weak point on MPC's have always been i/o. I want a MONSTER MPC! I can't stand creating on crampy little gear. It hurts my back and neck, just looking at people use MPC LIVE, 1000, 500, Even the 2000/2000XL were almost too small for my taste.

I'm a full grown man, I want full grown gear.
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By Monotremata Fri Aug 09, 2019 4:30 am
CharlesRandolph wrote:Personally, I like studio gear, that has some weight to it. They always feel like serious studio pieces. I'm not really into the, on the go production. I create where my speaker are, where I know the room, and where headphones are only for recording and A/B testing. :lol:

I have Akai Dps 24 as a back up mixer/recorder and the measurements are pretty close, minus the depth.

Width: 28 inches
Height: 7.5 inches
Depth: 23 incles
Weight: 40lbs

Image


lordradish wrote:Considering I have zero interest in DJ'ing, I'd buy a Live, instead.

Not the layout, but the size format. It wouldn't look anything like that. :lol:


What the hell is that underneath the display?? Some sort of ejectable drive for storage or??
By Cockdiesel Fri Aug 09, 2019 5:01 am
Looks like a secondary display screen, or are you talking about the arm rest?

Charles- the mpc x is basically that minus the in and outs and limited to only 8 audio tracks but unlimited drum and keygroup tracks. plaus a few synths 3 pieces of gear not much bigger than that one unit. and more than likely better effects.

using the software you get the track count and then some plus a q pac for more ins and outs you have WAY more than that offers even with tracking out into a board.
By CharlesRandolph Fri Aug 09, 2019 5:31 am
Cockdiesel wrote:Looks like a secondary display screen, or are you talking about the arm rest?

Charles- the mpc x is basically that minus the in and outs and limited to only 8 audio tracks but unlimited drum and keygroup tracks. plaus a few synths 3 pieces of gear not much bigger than that one unit. and more than likely better effects.

using the software you get the track count and then some plus a q pac for more ins and outs you have WAY more than that offers even with tracking out into a board.


The DPS has expansions slots on the back. Added two ADAT cards giving it a total of 24 tracks in and 24 tracks out. Also you have to consider this was being done in 2002, in a standalone recorder. Pair it with a MPC 4000 and it was heaven.

We're in 2019, the MPC X has 8 tracks recordings, 4 inputs and 8 outputs, no wordclock, adat, spdif, it works in controller mode but can't work in controller and standalone at the same time. :lol: How can this be, the flagship and the center piece of a studio?
By Cockdiesel Fri Aug 09, 2019 6:22 am
so youre telling me you can't create a sequence and press play to track out unless it has evry feature you could lust for?
to answer your post. a computer driven by a mpc with 24 outs wouldnt suffice? you're living in a day in a age that can run laps around that work flow. .
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By Monotremata Fri Aug 09, 2019 8:21 am
Cockdiesel wrote:so youre telling me you can't create a sequence and press play to track out unless it has evry feature you could lust for?
to answer your post. a computer driven by a mpc with 24 outs wouldnt suffice? you're living in a day in a age that can run laps around that work flow. .


Well Im still in software land so technically Ive got an MPC with 16 outputs right now haha. It just happens to be powered by MOTU! :smoker:

I always thought the I/O was fine except it needed more MIDI ports. You had to spend the big bucks and get the 3000 to get 4 outs, or give up the cool sampler part and grab an old ASQ-10 (they used to be sooooo cheap). I was amazed the 2500 had it because the 2000 sure didnt. For audio stuff, back then 8+ input audio interfaces were fairly new and kinda pricey so alot of home folks were still using consoles. I had a Mackie 1402 and later got my ungodly giant Behringer I still have, the MPC would've fit in fine as another instrument in the mix that just happened to also control the rest of the gear. Id probably still go the same route. Once I get a Live, its going to have to live the same way plugged into my MOTU with the rest of my gear. Its got some work to be done before it can be the heart of a studio though. The hardware is limited to 24 bit/44.1k in standalone. In controller mode it works with whatever the software is set to, not sure why it can't do it in standalone. I didnt know this til earlier tonight. Wonder how thats going to affect my sample library since its all 24bit/48k.
By CharlesRandolph Fri Aug 09, 2019 10:12 am
Cockdiesel wrote:so youre telling me you can't create a sequence and press play to track out unless it has evry feature you could lust for?.


It not about lusting, Akai could've done it on the MPC with one Ethernet port. They could've put an card options for more I/O. They could've given 2 ADAT out for more I/O. These things are basic for a professional audio device. There are $500 dollar audio interfaces that give, 18 direct inputs and outputs. So you're telling me, a $2300 dollar MPC can't do that in standalone?

The MPC X, has 10 direct outs, which makes it $220 dollars an output. If I have 20 tracks, there's no way I could send all 20 tracks out directly, unless I bought 2 MPC X's. So that $4600 for 8 in and 20 out. Which I'm already doing. :hmmm: If I just want to render out the stems or transfer via controller mode, why use an MPC. I'll get a controller, interface, and laptop and make everything inside the Software DAW. :nod:

Cockdiesel wrote:to answer your post. a computer driven by a mpc with 24 outs wouldn't suffice? you're living in a day in a age that can run laps around that work flow. .


That would not suffice, because I route sound from 2 MPC's directly into a console and recorded to a computer in one pass. I can also go direct into a daw, using a digital snake with Dante if I wanted to bypass the board.

So yeah 24 direct in with 24 direct out is still expensive to do. EDIT: Tascam Model 24 gives 22 out via USB only for 1000.
Last edited by CharlesRandolph on Fri Aug 09, 2019 11:00 am, edited 1 time in total.
By CharlesRandolph Fri Aug 09, 2019 10:50 am
Monotremata wrote:
Well Im still in software land so technically Ive got an MPC with 16 outputs right now haha. It just happens to be powered by MOTU! :smoker:

I always thought the I/O was fine except it needed more MIDI ports. You had to spend the big bucks and get the 3000 to get 4 outs, or give up the cool sampler part and grab an old ASQ-10 (they used to be sooooo cheap). I was amazed the 2500 had it because the 2000 sure didnt. For audio stuff, back then 8+ input audio interfaces were fairly new and kinda pricey so alot of home folks were still using consoles.

I had a Mackie 1402 and later got my ungodly giant Behringer I still have, the MPC would've fit in fine as another instrument in the mix that just happened to also control the rest of the gear. Id probably still go the same route. Once I get a Live, its going to have to live the same way plugged into my MOTU with the rest of my gear.

Its got some work to be done before it can be the heart of a studio though. The hardware is limited to 24 bit/44.1k in standalone. In controller mode it works with whatever the software is set to, not sure why it can't do it in standalone. I didnt know this til earlier tonight. Wonder how thats going to affect my sample library since its all 24bit/48k.


You had to buy the 8 out card for the 2000/2000XL. The 60. 3000. 4000. 2500, 5000, REN, X has 4 midi out. I won't lie I wanted more when I had lots of keyboards and sound racks. Would've never had to get a motu midi timepiece and later on a MOTU Midi Express XT. I may swap it for the iConnectivity mio10.

I use to get 16 in using an Behringer ADA8000 in to Digi 003. :lol: That Behringer ADA8000 is still a great addition, even if it's Behringer. :lol: I believe the MPC LIVE/X converts it to 32 bit 44.1. internaly. However, don't quote me on 44.1 part.
By Unreallystic Fri Aug 09, 2019 12:47 pm
So I have question/opinion - don't shoot me, its just something I have yet to wrap my head around - why is everyone so "worked up" about the volume of I/Os?

I have a fair amount of gear, all hooked up at once, so much so that I needed a second mixer (I have (2) MX-1s from Roland), and still have gear in a box that I just don't have space for or a means to connect. Not only is it a pain to configure everything but, frankly speaking if you have that much gear, you should have at some level a true mixer. I wouldn't expect a $2k sampler to come equipped with a large volume of I/Os to cover my setup. I'd expect a couple Ins and a couple Outs with a couple cabling formats like RCA/Stereo/Optical.

To me, once you extend past (2) devices, it's outside the realm of 'normal' - even for a $2k device (though I do feel its overpriced). If I have (4) or more devices, I would want a stand alone mixer, I don't get why everyone is coming off as though feeling slighted by how many I/Os there are on the X.
- Unreall
By CharlesRandolph Fri Aug 09, 2019 3:00 pm
Unreallystic wrote:So I have question/opinion - don't shoot me, its just something I have yet to wrap my head around - why is everyone so "worked up" about the volume of I/Os?

I have a fair amount of gear, all hooked up at once, so much so that I needed a second mixer (I have (2) MX-1s from Roland), and still have gear in a box that I just don't have space for or a means to connect. Not only is it a pain to configure everything but, frankly speaking if you have that much gear, you should have at some level a true mixer. I wouldn't expect a $2k sampler to come equipped with a large volume of I/Os to cover my setup. I'd expect a couple Ins and a couple Outs with a couple cabling formats like RCA/Stereo/Optical.

To me, once you extend past (2) devices, it's outside the realm of 'normal' - even for a $2k device (though I do feel its overpriced). If I have (4) or more devices, I would want a stand alone mixer, I don't get why everyone is coming off as though feeling slighted by how many I/Os there are on the X.
- Unreall


For me it's not about feeling slighted, it only about what I want, to have control over my sounds. Over the years, I reduced racks of gear and storage full of unused gear. Sample Sets and Effects Plug in's helped. I made the decision, that if it wasn't in use. it gets the boot. For the technology that is out and available, the MPC X still lacks in the I/O department.

My current I/O setup until everything is Dante.

1 channel for bass
1 channel for guitar
2 channels for Piano
4 channel for Turntables
16 channel for MPC (Patch into the board to computer or Digital Snake to computer via Dante)
8 channel for Vocal Chain
16 channel for Extra gear
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By Monotremata Fri Aug 09, 2019 4:17 pm
Mixers are fine and all, but for some its a space issue. 10 years ago, my band had its own rehearsal space/recording studio. Having all the gear in the world was not a problem then. I was also single, making bank and lived in a pretty rad Ventura condo with a master sized bedroom to accommodate the stuff that stayed home. Now everything of mine is literally an entire wall in our bedroom in a tiny ass 2 bedroom apartment in the hood (thank god she is understanding and supportive about it haha), and yeah I aint got no room for anything but maybe a Mackie 1604, and the one spot it would sit is where my modular synth is. Otherwise Id just be using my crappy old Behringer Eurodesk thats like 4 feet wide and 3 feet deep hah (60mm faders Behringer REALLY?). Im actually looking into new ones now anyways. One of my long term purchases is going to be a new interface since mine is an old firewire MOTU and well, any Mac I get to replace my Pro isn't going to have firewire anymore.. Looking into the Soundcraft MTK 22 and the Tascam 24 so far. 16 full mono channels, plus some stereo ones, all direct into the computer over USB, the mixes can be sent BACK to the mixers so you can actually mix the proper way by hand, etc! The Tascam is pretty rad it can even be a standalone 22 track recorder if you didnt want to bother with a DAW. Since Ive been looking at mixers anyways, figured might as well kill two birds with one stone heh.

Charles - if you get one of those Mios let us know how it goes! Im still using my ancient Emagic AMT8 but I really am curious about those. Especially since I can connect all my USB midi crap to it too. Ive heard some horror stories about configuring it and the MIDIQuest guy said they couldn't reliably get them to work with MIDIQuest (but he's kinda not too bright heh). They have em sitting right in the front when you walk into the Sam Ash down here and they keep tempting me haha.
By Unreallystic Fri Aug 09, 2019 5:38 pm
I can understand "wanting" it for a specific purpose like that (Monotremata), but through out the forum, it seems less like something that would be cool, and more of a complaint, that it doesn't have even more I/Os, as if Akai missed the boat or something. I mean (CharlesRandolph) - that's a lot of gear, way too much gear to expect something that isn't a mixer to handle, the MPC is a sampler with extended functionality, I mean keeping it a buck, I couldn't hold all that with my 2 main mixers, how can the MPC be asked to accommodate that?

It just feels like energy misplaced to want so much I/O on the MPC. Mic, Stereo Line 1, and Stereo Line 2 should be all that its designed for IMO, the hardware will choke, the price will climb, the form factor would bloat, there would be increasing places for things to go wrong which would lead to a longer development cycle. It just sounds like you should have a mixer with send out for the MPC to record with, and depending on setup, a second send for monitoring purposes. It's like me wanting them to cram the MPC Live into the MPK249, but way more intense.
- Unreall
By CharlesRandolph Fri Aug 09, 2019 6:34 pm
Unreallystic wrote:I can understand "wanting" it for a specific purpose like that (Monotremata), but through out the forum, it seems less like something that would be cool, and more of a complaint, that it doesn't have even more I/Os, as if Akai missed the boat or something. I mean (CharlesRandolph) - that's a lot of gear, way too much gear to expect something that isn't a mixer to handle, the MPC is a sampler with extended functionality, I mean keeping it a buck, I couldn't hold all that with my 2 main mixers, how can the MPC be asked to accommodate that?


I wasn't expecting the MPC to patch all that. If I have a 16 Tracks song on the MPC. It would be nice to track all those to a Software DAW in one pass, using one machine, in real time, no Rendering, no comping instruments.
Why have 128 tracks but only 8 Direct outs. :lol: It's the little things. It can't access a network computer but it connect to splice and do ableton link, COME ON! Who even uses that.


Unreallystic wrote:It just feels like energy misplaced to want so much I/O on the MPC. Mic, Stereo Line 1, and Stereo Line 2 should be all that its designed for IMO, the hardware will choke, the price will climb, the form factor would bloat, there would be increasing places for things to go wrong which would lead to a longer development cycle. It just sounds like you should have a mixer with send out for the MPC to record with, and depending on setup, a second send for monitoring purposes. It's like me wanting them to cram the MPC Live into the MPK249, but way more intense.
- Unreall


As of now, the MPC is a better controller/interface/sound module, then a sampler and sequencer, recorder. :lol: The MPC X is like an All In One Printer. It's has a ok scanner, ok printer, ok fax, and ok copier functions.

The MPC X, is a ok controller, ok interface, ok sound module, ok sampler, and ok sequencer. I'm curious to know, how many MPC X user, actually use the CV out in their daily production setup.