Just got the mfc 42-any opinions?

What up y'all.
I've been so busy working with rappers who have been spitting beats that I made a while back that I'm not really up on the mfc 42.
I mean , I been making beats for a minute as most of y'all know , but I aint an expert by any means and I certainly dont know midi like I should.
To tell y'all the truth , I dont even really know everything about zoning and multisampling , etc.
I just load up sounds from my records or whatever into my mpc 2000xl and grab a snare , kick , whatever and get busy.
My beats are pretty nice though.
Here's the situation...I came up on an old friend who happens to work in a music store and to make the story a little shorter , I got the mfc 42 , brand new , in the box , for $200.
I know it's an analog filter and I've read some stuff about it but when I tried to see what folks here thought about it , there wasnt much info.
Here's what I want to know.....
Can I use it to filter out a voice?
I tried yesterday but when I get the voice out , the other sounds seem kinda muffled. What would I use to get the rest of the sounds back to what they should be? A maximer? Is there a way to do what I wanna do?
I hooked it up to my planet phatt and I love what it did to my sounds coming out of there. The reason why I'm asking is , if it turns out that the majority of heads say that this thing aint really all that nice , then I'd probably return this because I know where I can get an ASR 10 for what I paid for the mfc plus $350. I know thos eare two different machines but those are my choices.
So , any comments regarding the mfc 42 and how you personally use it and what I should be learning on it are greatly appreciated.
Thanks homies.

The MFC42 comes up for discussion at least once a month. Some people love it. Others like myself see it as a waste. So there won't be any misunderstanding, I own it! It was fun to play with for a while a couple years ago. Sounds can be changed much better and easier in software now. I rarely turn on my unit any more.

As for filtering out vocals, you have the wrong idea. The MFC42 isn't made for that. It's for changing the sound, not filtering out parts. You might be able to filter some parts, but you should think of the unit as something to modify the sound rather than to remove entire parts.

If you like the filtering, then keep the MFC42. You are very lucky to have found it for that low price. I have yet to see any online store offer it that low, and generally those stores have the best prices.

Well then what would you suggest I use for removing parts?
Keep in mind that I probably need it in the form of hardware seeing as though many times I have to record stuff far away from home.
Also , you seem it imply that the mfc has BEEN around for years...
I thought it was fairly new.
When did it first come out?
Thanks.
As far as changing sounds..man the more I put my records thru this thing the more I'm starting to wonder why I spent that $200 bucks.
Not saying it sucks , I mean , I only got it on Wednesday and I really dont know much about it. It just doesnt have that " straight out the box-c'mon let's make some hot sh1t factor that the mpc had or even some of the effects racks I've used. Damn...maybe I just need some time with it..
Either that or maybe the lack of excitement about it on this board should have told me that this thing aint exactly a "must have".
Oh well. It sure does look pretty though.
And , it matches my MPC 2000xl and my DPS 12.
At least it's got that.
But damn , for $200 I coulda painted my G-3 to match that stuff and I'd still have money left.
I wonder if that ASR is still there....................

The MFC42 is new in the sense that it has been out for over 2 years. It's a failure. I'm surprised AKAI isn't going to drop it. They decided to change the color and keep trying to sell it. This filter isn't a must have no matter what website you visit. The MPC2000XL with the MFC42 was more expensive a couple years ago, so there has not been much interest in it. By the time the price dropped to about $400 for the filter and mounting bracket there were many other things that could do the job better than the MFC42. Yeah, I know it looks totally cool attached to the MPC2000XL. Too bad that it's mainly a great ornament.

Few sounds can be filtered from vinyl and most can't. A big mistake that newcomers make is they expect to grab tons of sounds freely off records and filter anything they want. Don't feel bad because the same topics come up regularly. Some people collect tens of thousands of records trying to develop a collection. It is easier to buy samples and change their sound instead of spending thousands of hours (and plenty of money) listening to old vinyl and hoping to filter a horn or vocal.

Thanks a lot for the info.
After writing that stuff I went a little deeper into the mfc...
I am NOT impressed.
However , I must admit , it sure does LOOK nice..
I dont know..maybe I will keep it , that is , unless I find something out there that I can exchange it for without spending any more money.

As far as buying samples..I just cant bring myself to do that.
I'm a digger by nature. I mean , I'm a dj. It's in my blood.
I wouldnt feel right buying sounds from someone else.
It might sound corny to you or someone else but I find a certain satisfaction in digging through tons of records and then finding a gem that no one else has. If that means I have to work a little harder to get the sounds that I want , well , that's just hiphop son. I been making beats for a minute so I aint discouraged. Dont misunderstand what I wrote earlier , I aint a newjack by any means. I just dont know EVERYTHING about the mpc or midi but when when it comes to making a fat beat , I know the requirements. I cant fuk with artificial shlt like paying someone else to dig for me. No beef with those that do that. I just cant do it.
It's cool though. I learned something outta this ordeal.
Thanks again for your info homie.

Ok then...

What is there that can do a better job than the MFC 42 in Hardware....??

I would really like to know????

and do they have 3 channels...

you're sleepin'.

The Sleeper must awaken!

"It's a failure."

I would disagree. The MFC offers little for what most people that hang around here would like in a outboard processing unit. There are other type of musicians that revel the MFC.

the midi control and mpc integration are unrivaled.

Please explain!!!

mpc3000 wrote:"It's a failure."

I would disagree. The MFC offers little for what most people that hang around here would like in a outboard processing unit. There are other type of musicians that revel the MFC.

I just don't get it....This is just a filter right!! What would people that hang out on this forum expect from a filter? Is there anything better? Im saving up for one of these pupies and if it 'aint worth a pinch of $# Then I will hold back....Generally I respect the opinion of people on these forums and as I haven't seen one of these in practise and none of the stores arround me have one to try without ordering one with deposit, I am going on what you guys say....

Please tell me why its so bad

"What would people that hang out on this forum expect from a filter?"

Though that is not what I said, but I will try to clarify. Most people on this forum do not extensively use filtering. So most around here do not find great joy in an dedicated filter unit. The MFC, FilterFactory, and the like are usually only good for drawing yawns around here.

You can hang out in other places and find that people really enjoy the MFC (like me).

Someone mentioned that there is better than the MFC, even in software. I am still waiting for an answer myself.

Thanks Mr MPC3000 for your candid reply...!!!

Your right I have noticed most people arround 'ere are Hip Hoppers...so I suppose they don't have need for a filter...

Im a bit of a Drum & Bass and Breaks freak and need to add some extra wack, growl, puch, sweeps, wobbles to my tunes, so I suppose the MFC is right up my alley... I cannot really see anything better out there for this kind of thing....

As far as better in software...my favorite has to be anything from OHMFORCE....they are just wicked for mangeling stuff....but seeing as though I don't have a Midi Controller interface with knobs for controlling it....and don't have the patience with a mouse and that I wan't to stay in the Hardware realm for live reasons....Im gonna save my precious bucks for a MFC 42 just so I can hammer those knobs...

PS: I think it would be wicked on a Vocal crank up the resonance and filter the sucker to heaven and back

If your a dedicated producer though and have spent big on Software Based Production Realm may not be the thing eh....

THEN WHY DID YOU GET A MPC THEN YOU DOOFUSS!!!!!!