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 Stainless Tue May 20, 2025 3:02 am
Hi all,
I bought a used MPC X to play around with and for my daughter, who is studying audio engineering.
Firmware 3.4.3
Control Surface v0.50

When I am trying to load a new sample into a fresh new project, the loaded sample is much quieter when I play the pad than it is when I browse it.
If I put it in sample edit and play it in Trim Mode, it is perfect, but when I switch it to Pad, it is quiet.
Happens also when I click Full Level.
There are NO EFFECTS on this sample.
Volume, velocity, gain, attack levels are all how they should be.
Pad velocity sensitivity settings are correct.
The pads in the demo projects sound great, but all drums that I add myself (even paid, high quality ones) are all too quiet when I load them.
I also tried Normalizing all samples but it didn’t help.

Appreciate all the help I can get.
Even the ones who tell me to “Normalize the sample”, “use Full Level”, “delete the effects”etc. :lol:
An answer is an answer , and that’s more than I’d get in other communities, but all in all, the answer that don’t suggest things I’ve already mentioned/done are what I’m looking most forward to.

Thanks for reading?
By Elijah Tue May 20, 2025 6:12 am
Try placing the same sample on an Audio Track.

  • If it still sounds quiet, the issue might be in the Master (or Bus, if you're using one) section.

  • If it plays at normal volume, the problem is likely specific to the Drum Program.
By DellAtreides Tue May 20, 2025 1:47 pm
Are you using the same output when auditioning and pad playback?

Are you auditioning the sample in stereo, but playing back in mono? (ie phase cancellation issues?

Same thing happens on headphones as it does on speakers?

Have you tried "reset preferences"? - seems to fix some weird things in V3.X
By 40Beatz Tue May 20, 2025 1:56 pm
That's bcz the "Previews" are NOT recorded flat. They are recorded with a lil bit of EQ to sound good when Previewing. After you load the actual flat sample, you may have tweak it with Volume, EQ or whatever