'MPC XL' - the next flagship MPC model?

Support and discussion for all of Akai’s modern standalone MPCs including the MPC X / X SE, MPC Live 1, 2 & 3, MPC One / One+, MPC Key 37/61.
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Re: 'MPC XL' - the next flagship MPC model?

By kja Sat Jul 09, 2022 12:36 pm
LivePsy wrote:
kja wrote:Saving and loading seems more logical to me then my 1000 ever was..


The 1000/2500 had the simplest and most logical load and save modes possible :lol:

I remember there was even more options for saving a project on my 1000, like you could save sequences, samples, both, or entire project.. this one (live 2 retro) has just two options for saving everything in a project, you either save, or you save as, which to me makes more sense and is way easier.. if you want to save specific things you can farther down the folder tree.. that is the way it should be, not different options to do the same thing.
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This is good imo.

By Lampdog Sat Jul 09, 2022 5:04 pm
And on mpc x shift+save simply saves project back to where you got it from if previously loaded, if fresh project you get save menu as pictured.


Image
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Re: 'MPC XL' - the next flagship MPC model?

By kja Sun Jul 10, 2022 11:36 am
Rocksitter wrote:I love the 4000 and 2000XL for saving i could save anything I wanted just a sequence yes one program sure now with the X it seems worse has far has saving things go.

On the save menu, if you go to save as, you see a whole tree of everything your saving on the left, so you can save anything you want individually if you want. Just pick out the program or sample you want to save.

Even on the main saving screen posted above there is options for a single sample or a program!! How is this any different?
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Re: 'MPC XL' - the next flagship MPC model?

By Monotremata Sun Jul 10, 2022 3:09 pm
kja wrote:
Rocksitter wrote:I love the 4000 and 2000XL for saving i could save anything I wanted just a sequence yes one program sure now with the X it seems worse has far has saving things go.

On the save menu, if you go to save as, you see a whole tree of everything your saving on the left, so you can save anything you want individually if you want. Just pick out the program or sample you want to save.

Even on the main saving screen posted above there is options for a single sample or a program!! How is this any different?


There's also individual options on the pencil menus on the Main screen as well. Click the pencil icons in the various sections and you get the options to save sequences, save programs, bounce to new samples, etc.. It is kinda convoluted but after a few years using it, it will commit to memory on its own hehe.

Re: 'MPC XL' - the next flagship MPC model?

By LivePsy Sun Jul 10, 2022 11:21 pm
Maschine is refreshing and fun for skippig the tracks layer and going straight from pads to main out, and then you want to do something and the MPC track layer makes sense. Its worth the complexity. The missing feature in the new MPCs is song length audio tracks in standalone. The MPC5000 did it and its the one thing which would make the hardware a real DAW.

hyena wrote:maybe the save program\sample is still a bit messy, but the loading part is logical and straight forward, i don't really like those new fancy browsing modes (Sounds), pretty happy with the good old tree structure of the browser.

i think the general layout is great on these new mpc's, i get why someone can be a little frustrated if this is his\her first mpc, but really it boils down to understanding how the mpc architecture is, once you get it you see its all logical and most of all is the most versatile hardware music production tool ever... you can write music in many different ways while most of the grooveboxes rely on step sequencers which are cool for something but very limiting for a lot of musical styles. what i love in mpc's is 1)you can write a song in a single sequence or spred it out on multiple seqs and arrange them in song mode then convert to a single sequence for last touches 2)the ability to address a single program from multiple midi tracks, allowing for very cool tricks, from bouncing between different patterns of the same instrument via track mutes to stacking and layering different notations for the same instrument on top of one another....

Re: 'MPC XL' - the next flagship MPC model?

By sinik Mon Jul 11, 2022 10:15 am
i could see akai doing an mk2 version of the x, with the new style of buttons and the same processor as the newly released mpc key. only thing im wondering is where they could place the touch-strip, maybe horizontal like on the maschine.

by the way: the mpc x sells now for 1500.– in switzerland. almost 700.– cheaper than on it's release.
(mpc key sells for 1900.–.)

i'm wondering about the big price drop on the x.
i don't even think the x sells that bad, i see a lot of folks owning one.
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Re: 'MPC XL' - the next flagship MPC model?

By MPC-Tutor Mon Jul 11, 2022 10:50 am
The X's price has been dropping steadily, although it's not a sudden change. 5 years ago is around around £1800 in the UK, and it's been losing around £100 a year since then. We're now at around £1300.

i could see akai doing an mk2 version of the x, with the new style of buttons and the same processor as the newly released mpc key.


I believe the processor on the MPC Key is identical to the one used on all the other MPCs. Only the RAM has changed, from 2GB to 4GB. I suspect this is what they'll use with the MPC XL, but you never really know with Akai they always have a surprise tucked away.

But I think it's clear that before they release another MPC they really need to get on top of all the bugs and half finished features, I'm definitely seeing a higher than useful number of people reverting firmware version. Perhaps too much focus was put on the MPC Key and the new plugins, not enough shoring up the rest of the firmware.

Re: 'MPC XL' - the next flagship MPC model?

By sinik Mon Jul 11, 2022 12:01 pm
well, definetly a good time to get the mpc x now. it's a very attractive price for what you get.

about the bugs: as pete told at this development conference video you shared, i think it's very difficult to have a functional and bug free OS for like 5 different products. all the layouts are different and i kind of wish, there would be only one mpc, so they only have to be focused on one single machine. but yeah, they way these new small mpcs are selling is crazy.

i think the button layout on the mpc x could be improved and this nonsense double functionality of the f-keys is kind of annoying. otherwise, im still very happy with it. i don't know if the front panel instrument inputs are really necessary. never saw anybody using those tbh....

what would you change for an mk2 update?
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Re: 'MPC XL' - the next flagship MPC model?

By MPC-Tutor Mon Jul 11, 2022 12:29 pm
sinik wrote:what would you change for an mk2 update?


Well I've given up hoping for anything too radical, but given the omissions from the MPC Key I suspect it will be mostly more of the same as Mk 1 (16 qlinks, big screen full size pads, best I/O), but now with 4GB ram. I would love to see zonal pads or at least some additional expressive enhancements to the pad tech, I know Pete mentioned MPE and the issues implementing it, you have to assume support for that will come eventually, but perhaps only for external controllers?

But regarding my concerns about fixing up the bugs, it's really about the big stuff . Take USB audio support, there was a big song and dance about it, and it turns out only 2 or 3 interfaces actually work properly with it, everything else is getting pops and crackles. It's been a year - is this being worked on, or is that it?

And a personal bug bear, when will they implement a way to bulk import third party plugin presets? Clearly the MPC is being marketed more and more as a preset machine, but currently has no way to import more presets, despite having built-in synth plugins for several years now.

I could go on :) Ultimately I would much prefer they hang tight on new development until they tidy up all these head scratchers. :hmmm:
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Re: 'MPC XL' - the next flagship MPC model?

By Lampdog Mon Jul 11, 2022 1:06 pm
MPC-Tutor wrote: I know Pete mentioned MPE and the issues implementing it, you have to assume support for that will come eventually, but perhaps only for external controllers?

I use mpe on ios magellan 2 alot. Love it.

Re: 'MPC XL' - the next flagship MPC model?

By renegadebliss Tue Jul 12, 2022 3:51 am
sinik wrote:about the bugs: as pete told at this development conference video you shared, i think it's very difficult to have a functional and bug free OS for like 5 different products. all the layouts are different and i kind of wish, there would be only one mpc, so they only have to be focused on one single machine. but yeah, they way these new small mpcs are selling is crazy.

A public beta would find it.... look how quick the bug reports came in here as soon as it was released.

Re: 'MPC XL' - the next flagship MPC model?

By SakisX Tue Jul 12, 2022 12:23 pm
There is a possibility that the 2G ram SoC is out of stock and now Akai is buying the 4G model
If so , maybe we'll see "plus" models soon, but "XL" without updated cpu doesn't justify the name
PS. More RAM is useless IMO for the platform without proper disk streaming . The loading time will be doubled on heavy projects
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