Is it just me or does STEMS SUCK in Standalone?

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Is it just me or does STEMS SUCK in Standalone?

By TXDelta1010 Thu Jul 18, 2024 5:02 pm
I'm not here to just bash Akai, I get it, but I dont think they should have ever released this out until it was more refined. It seems like the youtubers they love are very careful with their words when releasing these videos, but it is what is, the program is just not that good in standalone. IMO it sucks, and needs to be greatly improved. The desktop version I get it has more processing power, etc., but Ive ran multiple short samples, and it does a terrible job on all of them.

What advice or ideas you would think they could do to improve this across the current akai hardware? I think the only part it does a ok job is removing some vocal, but I digress.

Would love to hear your thoughts/opinions.
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Re: Is it just me or does STEMS SUCK in Standalone?

By MPC-Tutor Thu Jul 18, 2024 5:22 pm
Ultimately they are using a 'lite' version of the algorithm so it's always going to be worse quality compared to the MPC Software version. The algorithm is made by a third party, I'm not sure there's much, if anything, that can be done to improve the results, not unless they upgrade the CPU & RAM in the next generation of hardware so they can use the main algorithm. Maybe in the future someone will develop a netter algorithm for weak CPUs.

This was all very predictable though, I guess back in Feb they were still thinking that they could somehow come up with some magical solution.

My advice, if quality is paramount, is to use your computer, and if possible/desired use better software beyond the MPC. There's plenty of options out there, most come with the ability to tweak the results.

It's still fun to use in standalone and I'm sure people are finding uses for it, but yeah, some of those youtubers :lol: I mean, surely most of the people watching those channels by now already know these influencers are just shilling for freebies and affiliate clicks so will say anything to keep the manufacturers happy. But they keep watching anyway, even the live steams of some guy chatting utter shit for 6 hours.

Re: Is it just me or does STEMS SUCK in Standalone?

By 40Beatz Thu Jul 18, 2024 5:43 pm
TXDelta1010 wrote:I'm not here to just bash Akai, I get it, but I dont think they should have ever released this out until it was more refined. It seems like the youtubers they love are very careful with their words when releasing these videos, but it is what is, the program is just not that good in standalone. IMO it sucks, and needs to be greatly improved. The desktop version I get it has more processing power, etc., but Ive ran multiple short samples, and it does a terrible job on all of them.

What advice or ideas you would think they could do to improve this across the current akai hardware? I think the only part it does a ok job is removing some vocal, but I digress.

Would love to hear your thoughts/opinions.


Ummm Yes you are Bashing Them :lol: :lol: :lol:

The Current(old) Hardware has Limitations, So quality is affected. You may get a lil bit more quality in Controller mode tho. Only Solution is to....Get better at EQing/Compression and Adding Reverb to sweeten up your Stems. Or go Full Controller mode with either Akai's Stem Separation or Other DAW Stem Separating Software.

Akai already knew it was gonna be shitty results..BUT...We Cried and Moaned, demanding Akai add it to Standalone. Now that its here, we Still Cryin and Moaning that its NOT Good Enough.

Unfortunately we're gon have to use our Creativity and make the Separations sound good in a Mix manually. This New Generation wants these "Magic Button" features right out the Box. Music Made For Them :smh:

Re: Is it just me or does STEMS SUCK in Standalone?

By TXDelta1010 Thu Jul 18, 2024 7:41 pm
Yes, I wish Akai would step their game up. I hope they actually read the forums, and I'm not trying to complain, but I'm not trying to settle with this subpar product either. Having owed the 1000 (with JJOS, ren, studio, and live 2, I like how far akai has come, but just seems like we were youtube hyped for a subpar software).


I bought the almost all of the music plugins (flex beat, jura, mpc instrument collection, mini d, and stems), and I'm not super impressed. I would think inmusic buying moog would really step their game up with these plugins competing with Native Instruments (they sound ok, but not $767.98 good). I can get Komplete Ultimate, Roland Cloud, or Korg Collections for that price, and they all have decades of refined sounds.

Re: Is it just me or does STEMS SUCK in Standalone?

By mpc_fan_2022 Thu Jul 18, 2024 8:03 pm
HouseWithoutMouse wrote:Inmusic buys plugins from third parties, so I wonder if it would be possible for them to buy bug fixes from a third party developer as well... Zplane MIDI Note-Off would rock!


License prices might not be the same for hardware and software. Otherwise they could simply have given the choice between the simple algorithm and the complex one, a trade off between time and quality.

But like the other guy said, it is what it is...
Last edited by mpc_fan_2022 on Thu Jul 18, 2024 8:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Re: Is it just me or does STEMS SUCK in Standalone?

By TXDelta1010 Thu Jul 18, 2024 8:25 pm
You are correct. I'm just ranting to hope a Andy Mac or someone will pay attention. We dont want cash grabs (timbaland special edition, ring the alarm plugin, etc.), we want something that will move the community forward. I guess patience is key here.
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Re: Is it just me or does STEMS SUCK in Standalone?

By Lampdog Fri Jul 19, 2024 3:01 am
jaymack wrote:they sound like 180-300 kbps mp3 files. very unpleasant, unlike a legit 12bit sound.


RandomVibration wrote:Sounds more or less as I expected. If it were easy and good, it could’ve came out sooner.

If it doesn’t meet your satisfaction, don’t buy it.

I’m with this line of thought.
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Re: Is it just me or does STEMS SUCK in Standalone?

By kja Fri Jul 19, 2024 2:55 pm
TXDelta1010 wrote:Yes, I wish Akai would step their game up. I hope they actually read the forums, and I'm not trying to complain, but I'm not trying to settle with this subpar product either. Having owed the 1000 (with JJOS, ren, studio, and live 2, I like how far akai has come, but just seems like we were youtube hyped for a subpar software).


I bought the almost all of the music plugins (flex beat, jura, mpc instrument collection, mini d, and stems), and I'm not super impressed. I would think inmusic buying moog would really step their game up with these plugins competing with Native Instruments (they sound ok, but not $767.98 good). I can get Komplete Ultimate, Roland Cloud, or Korg Collections for that price, and they all have decades of refined sounds.

They have decades of refined sounds= experience making them. So you are not impressed a sampler company could not make the equal in five years or so? I actually feel the opposite, I'm impressed a sampler company could make plug ins that are actually pretty good in such short time. Software programmers at moog do not work for akai or have lunch and share notes.. they are different platforms, maybe in the future we will see products that have elements of code from both but you can't just throw a animoog in a mpc like that.
Do machine plus or fantom have stem separation standalone that is better? Nah...
They are doing as good as they can, I'm sure they wish they could give a better product too.

Re: Is it just me or does STEMS SUCK in Standalone?

By 40Beatz Fri Jul 19, 2024 3:36 pm
RandomVibration wrote:If it doesn’t meet your satisfaction, don’t buy it.


Problem Solved!!!

They're Not Forcing Us To Use It. They 1st Promised it in Standalone then quickly realized the Standalone Hardware (2016) will struggle with the Quality Sonics of Current Stem Separation Technology (2023+). Akai just has to put a Pause on packing this Old Hardware with New Sh*t. Concentrate on a New Hardware Situation. But I understand Economics as well. Bleed it Until the Well Runs Dry $$$$$$$ :fku: :lol: :lol:
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Re: Is it just me or does STEMS SUCK in Standalone?

By Monotremata Fri Jul 19, 2024 3:41 pm
kja wrote:They have decades of refined sounds= experience making them. So you are not impressed a sampler company could not make the equal in five years or so? I actually feel the opposite, I'm impressed a sampler company could make plug ins that are actually pretty good in such short time. Software programmers at moog do not work for akai or have lunch and share notes.. they are different platforms, maybe in the future we will see products that have elements of code from both but you can't just throw a animoog in a mpc like that.
Do machine plus or fantom have stem separation standalone that is better? Nah...
They are doing as good as they can, I'm sure they wish they could give a better product too.


Umm these plugins weren't thrown together in a weekend and pushed out to the MPC. AIR is not Akai either, but guess who owns AIR and Akai (and Moog), InMusic. Guess where those plugins in the MPC are coming from.. AIR. All it takes is someone in a suit to say 'Hey go do this for the MPC' and it can be done.

They're taking existing code and porting it to Linux. Its probably very minimal work to do it, the hard part is trying to optimize then so they don't take down the crappy CPU inside the MPC. With the exception of the stuff that's come out in the last couple of years, and the obvious Akai stuff, almost the entire suite of plugins that came with the MPC was AIR's FX Collection.

AIR finally just released a new version of their old as hell FX Collection a couple days ago. I didnt bother looking, but I guarantee its still the same software suite thats in the MPC, just like the original FX Collection was.
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