Share your knowledge on these two classic MPCs
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By Something Like That Fri Aug 12, 2005 3:52 pm
I think you can change the bit depth on the the 4000. I've heard about it before but of course I've never lain hands on one so that's just hearsay.

Anyway, LoFi don't you have a SP1200? You put the sample or your composition in the SP and then sample the SP with the XL and call it a day.
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By highlife Fri Aug 12, 2005 3:52 pm
that remix project is so LOOOONNNNNGGGG overdue!!!

http://www.lordfinesse.net/

just as an overall observation, i'm wondering what is the most popular MPC IYO?

60
1000
2000
3000
4000

i know a lot of newbies scooped up that 1000 cuz of price for a brand new unit, but how popular is it? is any big name even known to use one? i have only used the 60 and i love it. it seems like a very straight forward machine. i'd consider the 3000, and if everything finesse said is true about the 4000 i'd maybe even choose that instead.

i guess it's all in your style and how you want your beats to sound, whether you make that not-so-complex DITC BANGING HEAT, or prefuse73/exile COMPLEX-as-hell HEAT.

i think it's safe to say the 60/3000/s950 combo will be around forever.
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By Something Like That Fri Aug 12, 2005 3:57 pm
a lot of dudes use the 1000. I don't know about them rockin the thing but Jessiah and Vaskeen manage to get by quite well on theirs.

I used to have a 3000 and I like the 60 a bit more than the 3k.

By Altopiano Fri Aug 12, 2005 4:12 pm
lo-fi wrote:He says the 4000 lets you sample at any bit depth (well he says 'rate'...) from 8bit to 24bit. Is that true? In the manual it says you can only sample at 16bit or 24bit. Have they changed that in an update?


no - thats not true - meaning you r right! ... on the 4k you can only sample at 16 or 24 bits ... but ya can downsample to 12 or 8 afterwards ... and i hear ya - its takin time - imo its an unneeded extrastep - they should have kept the 12 bit option

what sux even more imo is that ya cant set khz settings when sampling on the 4k (its a global setting) ... its either 44,1khz, 48 or 96 on the 4k. whenever you wanna change that you gotta restart the 4k. ... critical question: where didi they leave the good old feature which lets you set variable khz sampling settings (i think s950 has that)? ... anyways ... you can resample afterwards to any khz setting too (down to 4khz i think) - but its again an extra step ...

anohter thing i dont agree with finesse is that the 4k is bugfree. ... at the current os (1.71) it is almost! ... but there are still some anoying ones in there ... one example - ya can currently sample at 96 khz but the 4k is rather unusable if ya operate it at 96 khz (global setting) coz it crashes whenever you do somethin basic as copyin a multi ... so lets better say you could operate it at 96 ...

not tryin to downplay the 4k - i m a proud owner myself and i love it ... but imo its still too early to call it a monster coz

1. currently there s still a few anoying bugs in there
2. lotsa potential left out (some sorta "halfimplemented" features that could be implemented way better with imo little effort)

so yeah its imo mos def an amazing machine but lets hope akai s gonna give us a bugfree os that finally transforms the porential monster in a real one ...
By L. Tombstone Fri Aug 12, 2005 4:15 pm
A lot of bells and whistles on the 4000 that make it more suitable for massive storage and what not. The one thing I can't front on is 24-bit/96K sample rate. This to date is the only MPC that does that. Makes me wonder if this rumored MPC2500 will have 24/96 as well but less features than the 4000 so it don't cost a fortune.

All in all you hear a lot of gossip about who's using the 4000 and all that, but I don't hear anybody boast about the sound quality like the 60's, 3000, or SP-1200. I say 3000 and a fat laptop with a DAW would be my 4000 if I had travelling needs like that. 8)

By macman Sun Aug 14, 2005 9:03 pm
I agree, My 3000 is the lick i tell you. I keep giving the 4K a shot but just can't get on with It. The only true feature i wish the 3000 is Audition.

I find the 4k gives you to many options when making a beat. The 3000 is just bang there it is now make that shit work!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think 3000 / Logic/Mac/ with the pgm maker and some shit hot outboard and your done.
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By Philly Stress Mon Aug 15, 2005 12:50 am
BassLINE wrote:Naw, none of those guys are really putting down blazin **** like they once did.



Are you Crazy???. Some new tracks by Large Pro Done on the 4000 that are str8 fire....... and Buckwild is better than he's ever been...... come into the new Milennia!! *Sheesh*
By Roopesh Mon Aug 15, 2005 2:32 am
I prefer the 4k anyday. The sequencer clock is super tight, and plays back with a certain precision, that my 2kxl can only dream of. I think the intel armstrong processor and 960 ppqn resolution play a massive role here. When i track my beats back in logic, things just fit the bar much better for me.

As for the whole sound thing...one think i like about the 4k is that it sounds so neutral...no colouration, etc. the filters i admit are very digital (no warmth) but the sound is clean / pleasant.

I would rather use a top end para EQ and Comp to change my drum sounds, which can be tailored to suit the mix with the right balance.
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By BRAVO Mon Aug 15, 2005 2:55 am
Roopesh wrote:I prefer the 4k anyday. The sequencer clock is super tight, and plays back with a certain precision, that my 2kxl can only dream of. I think the intel armstrong processor and 960 ppqn resolution play a massive role here. When i track my beats back in logic, things just fit the bar much better for me.

As for the whole sound thing...one think i like about the 4k is that it sounds so neutral...no colouration, etc. the filters i admit are very digital (no warmth) but the sound is clean / pleasant.

I would rather use a top end para EQ and Comp to change my drum sounds, which can be tailored to suit the mix with the right balance.


:roll: :shock: :shock: :roll:

'Precision'....LOL. Can u be more specific here....

I wount even bother to get into the whpole sound thing........
By Roopesh Mon Aug 15, 2005 3:10 am
BRAVO wrote:
Roopesh wrote:I prefer the 4k anyday. The sequencer clock is super tight, and plays back with a certain precision, that my 2kxl can only dream of. I think the intel armstrong processor and 960 ppqn resolution play a massive role here. When i track my beats back in logic, things just fit the bar much better for me.

As for the whole sound thing...one think i like about the 4k is that it sounds so neutral...no colouration, etc. the filters i admit are very digital (no warmth) but the sound is clean / pleasant.

I would rather use a top end para EQ and Comp to change my drum sounds, which can be tailored to suit the mix with the right balance.


:roll: :shock: :shock: :roll:

'Precision'....LOL. Can u be more specific here....

I wount even bother to get into the whpole sound thing........



its difficult to describe, ime aure some 4k users know what i mean, especially if you have compared it along side a mpc 2000/xl. there is a difference, but you need to hear it for yourself to be the finakl judge.

the mpc 2000/xl uses a different CPU than the 4k. I assume this also effects the sequencer playback feel. it might also be that the 4k software is alot different to the 2k too.

who knows...but to me the 4k has its own feel, and by using the word precision...i simply mean rock solid.
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By lpforsythe88 Mon Aug 15, 2005 5:29 am
highlife wrote:i know a lot of newbies scooped up that 1000 cuz of price for a brand new unit, but how popular is it? is any big name even known to use one? i have only used the 60 and i love it. it seems like a very straight forward machine. i'd consider the 3000, and if everything finesse said is true about the 4000 i'd maybe even choose that instead.


the trackboyz have one, mannie fresh has one, cool & dre got one...
but they all probably use it for out of town shit..even then they probably still don't use it.. i personally wouldn't use it though, i like my mpc2000, i think the 1000 looks like a toy, but i won't know til i try it