The place to share knowledge about upgrades, mods, customisations and all other cool DIY projects for MPCs and other music equipment.
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By Lampdog Mon Jan 04, 2021 4:55 pm
I like it!

I spy, a clean & neat crib in the background. Dust/Dirt wont be an issue for you!

Good shit.
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By saltmcgault Mon Jan 04, 2021 5:09 pm
Them skins are looking pretty neat! I will say you did a better job of installing that screen protector. Mines looking like the air max bubble edition.
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By Elpimpo Mon Jan 04, 2021 9:56 pm
saltmcgault wrote:Them skins are looking pretty neat! I will say you did a better job of installing that screen protector. Mines looking like the air max bubble edition.


Lol @ air max bubble

Thats actually the plastic that came on it from the factory I just cut the notch.

Im leaving that on there till I find a glass screen protector. there's literally none on amazon.
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By Sense-A Wed Feb 03, 2021 9:44 pm
You could probably get a screen protector for a tablet and cut it to size.

It looks nice.

Can the headphone outs be used as standalone outputs? Or do they just mirror the master out?

Why no word clock or SPDIF on newer MPCs? No one still clocks? Why has Adat been abandoned? Sending 8 outputs through optical adat seemed like the future. Not sure why it didn't catch on.
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By NearTao Wed Feb 03, 2021 10:39 pm
I always assumed it was the apes who didn't realize that the optical cables need to be handled more carefully than the 1/4" cables might've been part of the problem. Plus... who knew dust could mess up your beats?

Seriously though... the promise of ADAT and other smaller tech delivered, but apparently not to the right people :/
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By Sense-A Fri Feb 05, 2021 4:48 pm
Valid points. ADAT is old tech. No place in a futuristic MPC-X.

Have you tried tracking out to your DAW via USB (without the 1/4" outs) ? How many tracks can you track at one time via USB? Also, could you combine USB and the analog 1/4" outs to track a very large number of tracks?

How do the internal FX in the MPC-X sound? High quality?

What sample rates does it allow you to sample at? The typical 44.1khz? Any other options?

I did not notice until now that the front vinyl pad comes stock. Is it vinyl or bonded leather? Does it feel durable?

I cling on to my MPC 4000, but I must say....the MPC-X looks impressive. The CV ins and outs, the large number of midi DINS, the stock 6 analog outs. It's definitely no toy. I haven't even looked up and researched all the possibilities of integrating with a DAW/software environment.

Is the screen a touch screen?
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By Lampdog Fri Feb 05, 2021 7:19 pm
How do the internal FX in the MPC-X sound? High quality?
Top of medium range imo.

I cling on to my MPC 4000, but I must say....the MPC-X looks impressive.
I felt like this for a LONG time. Tried a friends Live for a week.
And that is what pushed me off the fence. X is lacking some features 4k has.
X’s modern features somewhat make up for that lack imo.
Making beats is “fun” again.


Is the screen a touch screen?
You mean you haven’t seen any review videos?
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By Sense-A Sat Feb 06, 2021 2:13 pm
Akai seems to have never had top notch effects in their machines. Nothing like the KDFX in a Kurzweil K2600.

Also, in the old Roland MV8800 vs MPC 4000 debates, the Roland MV8800 had the better effects.

Not that big of a deal since we have lots of plug-ins and outboard FX to use. But with the modern MPC-X, I was expecting it to have the capacity and computing power to handle some better FX algorithms or even have a dedicated FX board inside.

I watched a few MPC-X videos but am trying not to lust for it too much. It does indeed have touch screen, but one can use it without having to touch the screen too often.

I'm curious what features the MPC 4000 has that the MPC-X lacks.

The rotary knobs, LCD screens showing the scribble display for each knob, the CV ins and outs, the large number of midi ins and outs, the built in 6 extra outputs all make the MPC-X appealing.

The MPC-4000 required you to piece meal expansions for the extra 8 outputs and the SPDIF in and out. Trying to find an MPC-4000 with all the expansions puts you over $1,000 and once you're over a G you might as well start looking at the MPC-X as an option.

I took a broken MPC-4000, took it apart, restored it, customized it. So it has some sentimental value. I brought it back to life from the grave. When I bought it it looked like someone threw up on it, then took a sh!t on it, busted off the knobs, busted the screen, then put it up for sale. I needed a hazmat suit to open the thing up and clean it. My MPC 4000 was abused. I restored it to all its glory.
By CharlesRandolph Sat Feb 06, 2021 2:45 pm
Most of the effects inside the these MPC work well. The weak link is the reverb. Perhaps it had a convulsions reverb and with the ability to import custom IR then it would be nice. However Convolutional Reverb would bring theses MPC to their knees.

Quality results are possible if the person, knows how to manipulate the parameters. These effects are on par with any guitar pedal effect for sure. What is your definition of a quality effect?
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By NearTao Sat Feb 06, 2021 3:03 pm
With the addition of the Air FX, the effects on the MPC line are far more useful, and I'd agree with Lampdog, above middle of the road. It would be nice to see some additional effects, to put it more in line with what Korg/Roland offer for example, but I suspect somebody who is dedicated can get quite close. We'd need to see Akai taking a more active role in using their FX chains in the MPC expansions... you can get a few nuggets of wisdom out of what I have seen them produce, but it seems like most of their sample packs tend to show the talent is outside the MPC when they are putting drum kits and key groups together. Nothing wrong with it, but just makes the box feel more like a standard sampler rather than something that is truly inspiring on its own.

@Charles A good IR implementation would certainly consume a lot of CPU on current MPCs... on the other hand that's why we resample :D
By CharlesRandolph Sat Feb 06, 2021 3:27 pm
NearTao wrote:@Charles A good IR implementation would certainly consume a lot of CPU on current MPCs... on the other hand that's why we resample :D


That's for sure, my guess is maybe two instances. :nod: Beside the algorithm, I find what makes a quality effects is how many parameters can be tweaked.