Is it worth buying an MPC X SE?

Hi all,


With all the negative feedback I've been reading I'm reluctant to pull the trigger on an MPC X SE.
The unit would be the center piece in my home studio, controlling 3 outboard synths. I would write entire songs on the X SE, basses and guitars recorded directly into the MPC, arranging, processing, etc...

Can you experienced users steer me a little? Or these bugs being fixed by Akai? There seem to be quite a few of them and some scary ones as well.

Thanks for any advice!

Bright Midnight wrote:Hi all,


With all the negative feedback I've been reading I'm reluctant to pull the trigger on an MPC X SE.
The unit would be the center piece in my home studio, controlling 3 outboard synths. I would write entire songs on the X SE, basses and guitars recorded directly into the MPC, arranging, processing, etc...

Can you experienced users steer me a little? Or these bugs being fixed by Akai? There seem to be quite a few of them and some scary ones as well.

Thanks for any advice!

Why not pick up a MPC Key 61? It's an amazing MPC and a lot of people feel it's the best one ever made. The touchstrip is a game changer for note repeats and effects. It has 4GB of RAM like the X SE and despite what people say about the keybed, it's definitely useable. It's cheaper as well so you can spend the difference on vinyl records, NI plugins, etc. Consider it...

Bright Midnight wrote:Hi all,


With all the negative feedback I've been reading I'm reluctant to pull the trigger on an MPC X SE.
The unit would be the center piece in my home studio, controlling 3 outboard synths. I would write entire songs on the X SE, basses and guitars recorded directly into the MPC, arranging, processing, etc...

Can you experienced users steer me a little? Or these bugs being fixed by Akai? There seem to be quite a few of them and some scary ones as well.

Thanks for any advice!

I am using a "regular" MPC X for a minimal setup.

I am using IT with an external MIDI interface (so that each device can have their own port, easier to manage) and a Yamaha AW2400 with four small keyboards (KORG opsix, modwave, wavestate, multi/poly), a Kurzweil PC2R (16 part MT), an Access Virus TI (16 part MT), and a Novation SuperNova 2 (8 part MT). I also drive some voice machines (TC Helicon VoiceLive X, VoiceOne and a couple of ancient vocoders) and a guitar multi effect (BOSS GT-10) with it.

I use the MPC X primarily as a sequencer and a drum/rhythm machine since I cannot play all instruments at once. Few problems with bugs, and relatively clean setup.

I used to have a 9.5 feet walnut music desk (built by a carpenter), but it has been retired (as have I) and I made myself an aluminum extrusion (20mm European) minimal desk as a hobby project because I cannot stop making stuff. It has been a very uplifting experience, and also significant change. It also made me go back to basics which I think was the best thing I have done in a long time. Enriching for me.

Does it work? Absolutely! With the new v3 stuff it has been made into a great setup. I like it a lot.

Are there minor issues here and there? Of course, but the MPC X certainly isn't the only one with those.

Elektrobolt wrote:

Bright Midnight wrote:Hi all,


With all the negative feedback I've been reading I'm reluctant to pull the trigger on an MPC X SE.
The unit would be the center piece in my home studio, controlling 3 outboard synths. I would write entire songs on the X SE, basses and guitars recorded directly into the MPC, arranging, processing, etc...

Can you experienced users steer me a little? Or these bugs being fixed by Akai? There seem to be quite a few of them and some scary ones as well.

Thanks for any advice!

I am using a "regular" MPC X for a minimal setup.

I am using IT with an external MIDI interface (so that each device can have their own port, easier to manage) and a Yamaha AW2400 with four small keyboards (KORG opsix, modwave, wavestate, multi/poly), a Kurzweil PC2R (16 part MT), an Access Virus TI (16 part MT), and a Novation SuperNova 2 (8 part MT). I also drive some voice machines (TC Helicon VoiceLive X, VoiceOne and a couple of ancient vocoders) and a guitar multi effect (BOSS GT-10) with it.

I use the MPC X primarily as a sequencer and a drum/rhythm machine since I cannot play all instruments at once. Few problems with bugs, and relatively clean setup.

I used to have a 9.5 feet walnut music desk (built by a carpenter), but it has been retired (as have I) and I made myself an aluminum extrusion (20mm European) minimal desk as a hobby project because I cannot stop making stuff. It has been a very uplifting experience, and also significant change. It also made me go back to basics which I think was the best thing I have done in a long time. Enriching for me.

Does it work? Absolutely! With the new v3 stuff it has been made into a great setup. I like it a lot.

Are there minor issues here and there? Of course, but the MPC X certainly isn't the only one with those.

Sounds like your setup resembles what mine would look like. My setup would be the MPC having a REV2, 3rd Wave and TEO5 as slaves, but only midi clock and program changes would be sent to the synths.
It would however have to serve as the main writing hub, everything from snippets to full length tracks.

Can anyone comment on arranging on the MPC X (SE)? I hear there isn't really a window with an overview?

DJ_GodsOwn wrote:

Bright Midnight wrote:Hi all,


With all the negative feedback I've been reading I'm reluctant to pull the trigger on an MPC X SE.
The unit would be the center piece in my home studio, controlling 3 outboard synths. I would write entire songs on the X SE, basses and guitars recorded directly into the MPC, arranging, processing, etc...

Can you experienced users steer me a little? Or these bugs being fixed by Akai? There seem to be quite a few of them and some scary ones as well.

Thanks for any advice!

Why not pick up a MPC Key 61? It's an amazing MPC and a lot of people feel it's the best one ever made. The touchstrip is a game changer for note repeats and effects. It has 4GB of RAM like the X SE and despite what people say about the keybed, it's definitely useable. It's cheaper as well so you can spend the difference on vinyl records, NI plugins, etc. Consider it...

Good advice, I'll check it out! But doesn't it have the exact same software with issues?

ofc it will have the same issues

Bright Midnight wrote:Sounds like your setup resembles what mine would look like. My setup would be the MPC having a REV2, 3rd Wave and TEO5 as slaves, but only midi clock and program changes would be sent to the synths.
It would however have to serve as the main writing hub, everything from snippets to full length tracks.

Can anyone comment on arranging on the MPC X (SE)? I hear there isn't really a window with an overview?

My reference is from the 80's is Pro12 to Cubase/Nuendo, so quite a long time with quite amazing 'visuals' of A/V.

I have to say that in the last say 15-20 years, during which time I became musically lazy, and I think somewhat anti-computer because of all the hassle with updates, upgrades and version matching, etc., on all fronts. (This actually feels sort of surreal, because I programmed professionally for almost 40 years.)

However, I am fairly convinced that the MPC X, even with the flaws, has revived the younger lost music maker spirit in me. Especially with the v3 update and the more linear direction, but that is of course just a preference that works for me. The MPC X with v3 has (for ME) become awesome! Love it. If they will just iron out some of the MIDI stuff, time signatures, and some of the irritating things, it will be nearly perfect for me.

Arranging works, and even though it has awesome graphics, it's often not intuitive or even used, and one has to think more like in the 80's and 90's, i.e. less graphical and more numbers (bars, beats and clicks thinking). Hard to explain, if the listener doesn't have the same background, but hopefully I provided some helpful input!

MPC is better as a module in your array rather than the master in the array imho. The mpc X is just the most expensive version of a system that's broken. Do you wanna spend $699 on broken by design or $1999? I am still a firm believer that the cheapest unit is the way to go and if you dont own anything at all yet, look into the akai force its the experience that the mpc cant provide.