Do you have flash ROM?

IF so I got a couple questions:
1) Does the sounds/sequence load from ROM automatically when you power up the MPC?
2) or do you need to load just like it was on disk?
3) If you are using ROM do you not have to save your work? Can you be working on track and just turn off MPC without saving then turn it back on and you are right where you where when you powered down?

Thanx for replies, tring to figure if it is worth the $300?

Akai what's with the WHack 8mb for $300? Come on Akai memory is cheap so at least make it 32mb!

Does no one Have?

Doubt it, way too expensive. Get an internal cardreader instead (MPC2kxl only though not 2k classic)

Sorry for the late reply but just read this and thought I'd add input as very few people have this or realize what its for.

The files stored on the ROM are always stored there even when the mpc is turned off. They still need to be loaded to become active, but the loading is instant and does not take up RAM. Basically it just loads a pointer in memory to the file in ROM. Cool thing about this is that you can now technically have 40MB on your MPC this way (8ROM + 32 RAM).

Anything that you are working on that is new is always stored in RAM, so you need to physically store it to the ROM card for it to be saved (so you can't just power down without saving). Theres actually a chapter in the manual that explains this all.

$300 sounds way expensive for 8mb of storage, it is with todays standards. However, memory is only cheap when it is mass produced and this was a specific board for the mpc. It was created years ago back when this was actually a lot of storage (back in the s2000 days). Also, it is probably a much different technology than flash cards as it needs to be as fast as the system RAM. Flash cards are way slow, they are getting faster, but nowhere near as fast as RAM. This card used to go for almost twice that price a few years ago! I had it on my watch list on ebay forever, and when one came up, I copped it cheap (since there isn't really a market for it).

If you work with standard kits that you use a lot and can fit them in 8MB (not hard to do), it actually can be worth the price for you as you do not have to load up that same kit every time you power up anymore. Probably the most useful feature would be that lets say you are playing a set live and the power goes out, you don't have to sit there and load up for 5 minutes. I bought it with this in mind as it has always been a fear of mine. If you happen to be just barely going over the 32 meg point, it is the only way to expand your memory.