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.
By dryad-66 Tue Jul 04, 2023 11:18 am
I think ‘basic’ and ‘utilitarian’ is a better description.That extends to the whole of the 1000 at least Imo.the effects especially the master EQ and compressor,pitching,and even sequencing and build quality…the list goes on.not something I would like to go back to but certainly I appreciated for a while.I do find that things glued together better in these boxes //
At the end of the day it’s how you use them…..
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By MGoolas Tue Jul 04, 2023 11:37 am
I wouldn't call it basic. It has all the tools you need for some essential sound shaping and just enough i/o so you can use it with external equipment. It has some tools under it's sleeve to make it sound crunchier (pitch shift really brings the tasty artifacts out) and if you get jjos you get sequencing features that are better implemented than current gen mpcs. It's just that the sound is relatively faith to the source, much more than what some of people make it to be. You can find some sweet spots if you very slightly clip the sampler but it's a very hit and miss procedure. I will never sell my 1000
By B-Wise Tue Jul 04, 2023 11:39 am
MGoolas wrote:People saying the mpc 1000\2500 sounds "grimey, punchy, old school" etc is peak mpc clown world

Somebody else that's not drinking the MPC Kool-Aid. :smh: :lol:

My SP-505 at the Lofi sample rate (11.5khz) is grimy. I used the built-in Drum FX on the Force which is the same on the MPCs, to pretty much emulate that sound, but the cool thing is, I could've made it more dirty or less if I the artist wanted to. I'm not limited to the set sound of that some dudes I don't know made for the device.
Thank you Akai for giving us the creative freedom to be as sonically clean or dirty as we want to be.
By B-Wise Tue Jul 04, 2023 11:49 am
MGoolas wrote:I wouldn't call it basic. It has all the tools you need for some essential sound shaping and just enough i/o so you can use it with external equipment. It has some tools under it's sleeve to make it sound crunchier (pitch shift really brings the tasty artifacts out) and if you get jjos you get sequencing features that are better implemented than current gen mpcs. It's just that the sound is relatively faith to the source, much more than what some of people make it to be. You can find some sweet spots if you very slightly clip the sampler but it's a very hit and miss procedure. I will never sell my 1000


You can also use a little of the Bit Grunger, the LPF, & the Bit Convert to get dirty. But the sampler is clean & won't add any dirt as some are saying it will. It's a 16 bit 44.1khz sample rate sampler - which is CD quality. So are CDs grimy now?
By Sir Snaxalot Tue Jul 04, 2023 1:06 pm
40Beatz wrote:Using the Classics....forces you to Use Your Ears when makin Beats. In my opinion....thats why they sound better. Dot Matrix LCD Screens, Knobs and Buttons allows you to navigate differently, yet concentrating on the Sonics of the Machine. Less Internal bloat, Primitive Analog AD/DA convertors, with just the right amount of Distortion/Drive made (the Original)AKAI sound Hard Hittin and Dirty. Makin you More Creative.
Now....Its all about Visual Sonics. InMusic has taken the Creativity out of makin music. Beautiful Touch Screens, Clean Sound, Pre-Made Sounds, Chord Progressions, Boo-Koo Space, Companies Digging the Samples for you, etc.

In all honesty....I appreciate ALL Akai/InMusic Products tho. I believe they're doing an Excellent Job. Lets Make More Music Together!!!


I agree heavily with this. The most convenient isn't always the best; in many cases it's the exact opposite. There's some things that just can't be skipped. You've got to put in the work. We're at the point where humans are being superseded by their tools of choice.

Working in R&D has taught me many things; I have arrived to the conclusion that there has to be a divine balance struck between the tool complimenting the human's inborn potential vs usurping it. I don't blame manufacturers completely on this, they're just offering one side of the equation (albeit a coercive one), but ultimately it's on the user to determine how to strike that balance. I personally don't strive for convenience, but rather elegance.
By dryad-66 Tue Jul 04, 2023 2:28 pm
MGoolas wrote:I wouldn't call it basic. It has all the tools you need for some essential sound shaping and just enough i/o so you can use it with external equipment. It has some tools under it's sleeve to make it sound crunchier (pitch shift really brings the tasty artifacts out) and if you get jjos you get sequencing features that are better implemented than current gen mpcs. It's just that the sound is relatively faith to the source, much more than what some of people make it to be. You can find some sweet spots if you very slightly clip the sampler but it's a very hit and miss procedure. I will never sell my 1000

I dunno man,coming from the 4000,asr X ectectect it felt pretty basic.But sure with JJOS opens it right up.I used to try them all out in the shop and with the preset samples they cam with it was like wtf :hmmm: but then later after actually diving in I was quite surprised that yeah can be very clean and even sometimes on certain drum samples was pretty damn transparent.but would get interesting once I started mashing sounds together and pushing the limits.gave some personality and dare I say attitude.but yeah def hit and miss.sometime would just sound all mushed out/undefined.the Roland MV 8000 I got here atm from the same time is the complete opposite.Def CD/hifi quality sound.
Last edited by dryad-66 on Tue Jul 04, 2023 2:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
By dryad-66 Tue Jul 04, 2023 2:39 pm
B-Wise wrote:
MGoolas wrote:I wouldn't call it basic. It has all the tools you need for some essential sound shaping and just enough i/o so you can use it with external equipment. It has some tools under it's sleeve to make it sound crunchier (pitch shift really brings the tasty artifacts out) and if you get jjos you get sequencing features that are better implemented than current gen mpcs. It's just that the sound is relatively faith to the source, much more than what some of people make it to be. You can find some sweet spots if you very slightly clip the sampler but it's a very hit and miss procedure. I will never sell my 1000


You can also use a little of the Bit Grunger, the LPF, & the Bit Convert to get dirty. But the sampler is clean & won't add any dirt as some are saying it will. It's a 16 bit 44.1khz sample rate sampler - which is CD quality. So are CDs grimy now?

On a good day maybe near cd quality but certainly not like my cd collection coming out my hifi.Just because 16 bits……a lot of people back in the day were complaining about the sound.some were quite happy.same with the new models today.but that was 2003 tech.and certainly not hi end hifi.but pretty faithful reproduction.i usually try and get everything mixed in the machine and then pump it out the stereo output in one go so that’s probably why I got the sound I did.Pretty raw……. :shock:
By B-Wise Tue Jul 04, 2023 4:05 pm
dryad-66 wrote:On a good day maybe near cd quality but certainly not like my cd collection coming out my hifi.Just because 16 bits……a lot of people back in the day were complaining about the sound.some were quite happy.same with the new models today.but that was 2003 tech.and certainly not hi end hifi.but pretty faithful reproduction.i usually try and get everything mixed in the machine and then pump it out the stereo output in one go so that’s probably why I got the sound I did.Pretty raw……. :shock:

I shouldn't have to mention this, but the CDs you were playing most likely mix & mastered by pros. Every MPC since the 3k has been CD quality or to be specific "pre-mix/mastered" CD quality, meaning what you sampled was very close to what you put in, considering your record levels were proper.
By dryad-66 Tue Jul 04, 2023 4:52 pm
Yeah i gather that’s what you meant,pre mixed cd quality.I’m sure a good studio could bring the quality up to cd level of course.

Btw-I picked up a huge huge Yamaha EX5 keyboard yesterday and just now did a test sample on the MPC live 2 and the EX…..no FX added.sampling Public enemy-James Brown…result-the EX has a smoother sound/more like CD quality mastered sound and big round bass….even more so than the source.Live ain’t too bad either but it’s pretty obvious.The EX is top of the range machine tho.sounds amazing….hmm

Edit-def fuller and smoother but the Live seems to have a tad more mid range…..(?) and is dryer…..typical Akai then imo.(just added some bass with 2 band peq….) still sticking with the Live tho atm,
By B-Wise Tue Jul 04, 2023 5:40 pm
dryad-66 wrote:Yeah i gather that’s what you meant,pre mixed cd quality.I’m sure a good studio could bring the quality up to cd level of course.

Btw-I picked up a huge huge Yamaha EX5 keyboard yesterday and just now did a test sample on the MPC live 2 and the EX…..no FX added.result-the EX has a smoother sound/more like CD quality mastered sound and big round bass….even more so than the source.Live ain’t too bad either but it’s pretty obvious.The EX is top of the range machine tho.sounds amazing….hmm

You don't seem to get that 16bit/44.1k is CD quality & doesn't have to be brung up to it. The mixing/masterring is bonus sound processes that done beyond that to give the track a more pro sound. Your confusing CD quality with Radio ready or whatever you want to call it. Look up why 16bit/44.1k is CD quality.

Which device can play that sample the loudest without distorting? The headroom of 24 bit ain't no joke, if you know how to use it. Run this test:
Normalize the samples & put the main vol knob to max. Then on both devices turn up the vol levels everywhere you can. I don't know the EX, but on the MPC you have the mixer/program, pad, layer...etc. Then start turning the main vol knob to max & see which one can get louder & closer to max w/o breaking up.
By fooddude Tue Jul 04, 2023 6:17 pm
This thread got derailed pretty quick and became 2.5 pages (and counting) of the inevitable and commonly argued "classic vs modern mpc" debate, lol.
By B-Wise Tue Jul 04, 2023 6:45 pm
fooddude wrote:This thread got derailed pretty quick and became 2.5 pages (and counting) of the inevitable and commonly argued "classic vs modern mpc" debate, lol.

That's happens here, but we also did help you decide to pick the 2400 & MPC One. So this thread served its purpose for you & you don't need to return to it after that, so join in or leave & let us have our fun :lol:
By fooddude Tue Jul 04, 2023 7:02 pm
I just thot of something…
(Really started this thread more because of the S2400's shortcomings in midi-sequencer capabilities... not really its' sound vs modern mpcs... since it's obvious the S2400 sounds best, ha).

Brad recently announced the Caladan synth. A super interesting 8-part multitimbral hybrid/analog/digital synth with 8x expansion slots for diff voicecards.
Also has 8 outs! (perhaps like having multiple classic analog synths in one box, depending on its’ max polyphony). Sounds beast.

It’s also stated that it is designed to be used alongside the S2400.

Looking at the pics, it def doesn’t have pads… so, unless it has an internal sequencer of its’ own as well, I assume that it is designed to be sequenced from/by the S2400… and, in turn, should be played with an ext-keyboard-controller hooked up to the S2400. Such an amazing synth will always be wanted to be played with a proper keyboard controller.

With that said… I’d think this kinda crazy synth, will undoubtedly want/need to be played with proper ext midi controls/recording/automation - pitch, mod wheel, other CCs, not muting/offing long notes/chords upon each loop!, etc.

…with that said x2, I am thinking the S2400’s midi-sequencer (using an ext midi kybd controller) will/should be improved upon soon, correct?

It’d be a shame if you can’t even use/record mod & pitch wheel, other CCs or params, non-muting long-notes, smooth automation (non stepped), etc. to control that amazing Caladan from/by the S2400's sequencer.
By fooddude Tue Jul 04, 2023 7:04 pm
B-Wise wrote:
fooddude wrote:This thread got derailed pretty quick and became 2.5 pages (and counting) of the inevitable and commonly argued "classic vs modern mpc" debate, lol.

That's happens here, but we also did help you decide to pick the 2400 & MPC One. So this thread served its purpose for you & you don't need to return to it after that, so join in or leave & let us have our fun :lol:


Haha, true. But... until the S2400 becomes a decent midi-sequencer, let's try to stick w/ that topic ;D
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By Lampdog Tue Jul 04, 2023 7:29 pm
B-Wise wrote:So this thread served its purpose for you & you don't need to return to it after that, so join in or leave & let us have our fun :lol:

He’s Op. HIS thread.

fooddude wrote:let's try to stick w/ that topic ;D