4000 users have you jumped ship with all the new toys?

The new Akais only don't go up to 96k.

I must admit I don't notice the sound difference between 96k and 48k yet in my MPC 4k. The samples at 48k sound great to my ears and I'm enjoying having 4 FX slots.

It def has a lot of presence and to my ears sounds more full than how I remember the MPC1000 sounded. The newer MPCs sound quite crisp and nice but perhaps less full. But def not a scientific observation.

Damn. As someone who has owned lots of gear, I REALLY miss my 4000 and missed out on multiple chances to get it again at a cheap price. I keep looking and feel like I can find one again.

I have jumped shipped and use a Live 2 as my main machine... While it is great and has some features that are amazing (manual chop is the best chopping tool i've used). I miss the 'sound' and 'feel' of the 4000. I am looking to get one again, but I honestly dont know how much I will actually use it, but I know it's a special piece of gear that has its place. I remember the 4000 having some killer swing and swing that could be applied in real time (not sure if another MPC can do this).

I feel like functionality and workflow wise, the Modern MPC's are definitely a step up and evolution of the MPC. But the 'sound' does kind of feel lackluster, I know it can be fixed in Post, but out of the box it just sounds so 'neutral'. I probably need more time to dig and master the modern MPC to get to the level I was at with the 4000, but I do miss that 4000 and wish I never sold it.

On that note, whoever here has the 4000, dont sell it, i'm looking back at gear I wish I never sold and am slowly trying to get them back. I got my Asr10 (will NEVER sell this), got an ASR X (extremely slept on), and am looking for a 4000 (feel like i'll find one eventually) and SP12 (will probably never get one again due to price). Even though i'm not yet there with the Live 2, I feel like this may also be a forever piece of gear because of the sheer power/portability it has. I've dreamed about being able to make beats in bed, on the plane, at the park, etc.

Moved to the mpc X and live a few years ago. Lovin it. But I also learned and grew a lot in my production along the way. 4K is powerful in it sound engine and keyboard sampler plus the icing on the cake it the multi which we can load up to 16 programs aka layers like any workstation. However the MPC X as a hybrid goes well with my workflow with software plugins. I still have my 4K in storage and may one day pull out of storage as it was ahead of its time.

Well modern MPCs can have 8 plugins and I am not a huge fan of most of them. Model D sounds pretty good, FM one can sound ok, Jura i didnt love, the Fabric ones sound good bth a decent multi sample program in the 4k prob gives you similar power to Fabric. Obviously there is the convenience of the plugins, and for that they are great.

If i was to get a modern MPC again it would be an X, but ill wait to see where Akai goes next. Happy to hang on and master the MPC workflow with the 4k.

For sound, also recommend the S2400. Actually for sound and workflow the S2400 is fantastic.

You think buying a “studio a” model with 8 outs and good condition for $1200 is a good deal right now?
Just considering because I’d like to have another in case for the future. Mine is a “plus” model I believe with cd drive and digital I/o. I bought it for $850 10 years ago and it’s starting to need repairs like buttons, tact switches, intermittent buzz/crackle with the volume knobs every once in awhile after years of using it. I’m sorta reluctant to spend the $1200 from being used to seeing them in good working order past couple years for around $700 or so but, I don’t wanna be kicking myself (like I am already)when I need to replace mine and they end up increasing in value again like a 3k either. Not sure if it’s worth it to fork the $1200 now or spend the money on a repair shop with the one I already own along the way.

How's the workload on the X compared to the 4k for midi note editing and arrangement. I've got really quick now copy and pasting sections in the list edit of the 4k, is the X as intuitive? I.e. can you easily select multiple events and move them and/or copy paste?

Know you can use grid edit but it was a bit cumbersome when I had the MPC One to do detailed edits. And using the touch screen to get to the copy functions also is less intuitive than having the window button. In fact I love that window button , the d pad and the oage up/down buttons on the 4k. That whole combo makes the 4k a breeze to navigate around the core functions.

I fear the 4k will die on me eventually tho it's mostly been working well. Annoyingly I can not transfer any wav sample to it unless the sample was recorded in the MPC. Tried everything. Likewise, occasionally I get unusable distortion in sampled sounds but seems to mostly happen in 24bit mode, and not every time. But besides these quirks it's easily the best MPC I've used. Looking back I found modern MPC OS to have features that distract you away from key workflow and I think i can see why new users see it a little illogical to work with.

robleighton22 wrote:I fear the 4k will die on me eventually tho it's mostly been working well.

You may consider a Z4 sampler as spare. The design is 100% identical (afaik) up to the point that you can even flip the OS between both machines.

Looking back I found modern MPC OS to have features that distract you away from key workflow and I think i can see why new users see it a little illogical to work with.

Same here and it also was the reason to get the 4K instead of the X.

Telefunky wrote:
Btw its fan is loud as a hoover and a full strategic misplace

I replaced mine with a silent fan in about 2004, because the original fan was noisy af.
Needed a hacksaw to get the old fan out though, cos one of its mounting screws had busted threads. And nearly electrocuted myself on the PSU caps when I was connecting the cable. Halcyon days!

Yes, the 4K‘s PSU is a dangerous beast... once almost touched it with my left elbow while fiddling with the display cable, right arm on the chassis, MPC powered.
(the cooler metal of the PSU isn‘t ground, but high voltage, usually way above 400V)

I‘d like to air shield the PSU section to reduce the fan even more and have 1 or 2 dedicated fans for circuit board area, similar to the ones Apple uses in MacMinis.
(haven‘t found any yet, but no hurry)
Pad response is (still) great after 2 years with a new pad sensor sheet.

Sold mine many years ago. Just found a gang load of unfinished beats made with 4K last night.

It’s always good to have a vintage on hand, just for fun and the limitations offered (good for creativity). Ideally a MPC60 or SP1200.