Post your views and questions about the Akai MPC2500
By ntalec Thu Nov 03, 2005 3:07 pm
With the typical selling price for the MPC2500 being right at $1995 why did/would you pick the MPC2500 over the MPC4000?

By aprim Thu Nov 03, 2005 4:00 pm
I wouldn't.
But some people dont need all the extras of a 4000.

The 4000 is the king of the line, you dont need anymore updates to own that machine and get serious work done.

The 2500 is less, but in my case the 4000 is in my main studio and the 2500 stays home to play with when I cant get away.

I use my 4000 for my main sample libary do most of my seqencing on it.
It also has a better sound then the 2500 but people may argue that.

2 XLR inputs is a bonus on the 4k plus the 24bit sampling for live stuff and vocals.
That machine will be a classic and thats a fact.

On the other hand the 2500 nice unit, with a cdrom option and harddrive it will be easy to store some good stuff on there and bang away. Quick and easy too.

the real question is should you go for a 1000 over the 2500. After OS 2 comes out for thr 1000 it will be lacking only a few features of the 25k minus the cdrom, tilt screen and big pads. But you can get it half the price.

Depends on you.
The price of the 2500 is high but look around you can get it for 1598.

By mrnymms Thu Nov 03, 2005 5:34 pm
aprim wrote:I wouldn't.
But some people dont need all the extras of a 4000.

The 4000 is the king of the line, you dont need anymore updates to own that machine and get serious work done.

The 2500 is less, but in my case the 4000 is in my main studio and the 2500 stays home to play with when I cant get away.

I use my 4000 for my main sample libary do most of my seqencing on it.
It also has a better sound then the 2500 but people may argue that.

2 XLR inputs is a bonus on the 4k plus the 24bit sampling for live stuff and vocals.
That machine will be a classic and thats a fact.

On the other hand the 2500 nice unit, with a cdrom option and harddrive it will be easy to store some good stuff on there and bang away. Quick and easy too.

the real question is should you go for a 1000 over the 2500. After OS 2 comes out for thr 1000 it will be lacking only a few features of the 25k minus the cdrom, tilt screen and big pads. But you can get it half the price.

Depends on you.
The price of the 2500 is high but look around you can get it for 1598.


I though about getting a 4000 but I heard the interface is more complex then lets say the 2000xl ,and I heard the os is buggt and unstable. This was a long time ago. I don't know if akai has a good os for it now. I want to sell my 2kXL. I was going to get a 2500 or a 4000. Does the 4000 have the patched phrase and chop shop though?

By aprim Thu Nov 03, 2005 5:49 pm
[/quote]

I though about getting a 4000 but I heard the interface is more complex then lets say the 2000xl ,and I heard the os is buggt and unstable. This was a long time ago. I don't know if akai has a good os for it now. I want to sell my 2kXL. I was going to get a 2500 or a 4000. Does the 4000 have the patched phrase and chop shop though?[/quote]

No Chop Shop or Patched phrase.

I dought you will see that in a OS upgrade either but you never know.
As far as buggy, no its fine. It was buggy way back when but now its perfect.
I dont think you even need the chop shop or patch phrase do to the fact that pc software can do this much better and easier.

But its your choice, I love both machines but if I had to choose1 it would be the 4k all the way.
Remeber that the 4k is a Z8 sampler. You do not get that in the 25k.
Also keep in mind that it is diffent then a 2000xl os layout.
The 2500 looks just like the 2000 just with some more options.

When I go into my studio I love using the 4k cause once you get into it, its very easy and powerful.
The machine is a monster!
Check them both out and see what fits you.
User avatar

By jahrome Thu Nov 03, 2005 6:52 pm
Why would I choose an MPC 2500 ($1600-$2000) over an MPC 4000?

Because I have owned the MPC 4000 (and would probably never buy another). For sampling/sequencing drums/phrase loops, the MPC 4000 is over kill. Its not as easy to get around on compared to all the other MPCs. Yes, the Z8 sampler is a nice function. But unless you are loading up multi-sample instruments, you may never use the full features of the 4000. If you have a several synths, you may never use the full features of the 4000. So what the MPC 4000 adds as features, I loose just as much on ease of use. Don't be misled by the word POWERFUL. You can get a Z4/Z8 series sampler and an MPC 2500 for the price of the MPC 4000 and have a just as powerful or more powerful set-up depending on your point of view.



The sound quality was already raised in several threads..but I will add don't believe the hype that any MPC sounds significantly better than the other.

True..the MPC 2500 is very similar to the MPC 2000XL and the 1000. If you can get around on one of these, you will quickly master the features of the 2500.
User avatar

By StigmurdA Thu Nov 03, 2005 7:27 pm
my philosophy is i'd rather pay 2g's on possible overkill in the 4k than pay the same amount for something i'll have to upgrade later on down the line in the 2.5k


i'd rather have it and not need it ,than need it and not have it
User avatar

By jahrome Thu Nov 03, 2005 10:42 pm
StigmurdA wrote:
my philosophy is i'd rather pay 2g's on possible overkill in the 4k than pay the same amount for something i'll have to upgrade later on down the line in the 2.5k


i'd rather have it and not need it ,than need it and not have it


My point was that the 'overkill' makes the MPC 4000..very un-MPC like. Money is not an issue for me. Its the way these units operate. If they were the same price, I would still choose an MPC 2500 or 3000 over the MPC 4000..and I have.

Play on playaz :D

By prospect Thu Nov 03, 2005 11:28 pm
aprim wrote:
The price of the 2500 is high but look around you can get it for 1598.


Look around where? The cheapest quote I've gotten so far is $1750.
Help me out please :-)
User avatar

By jahrome Fri Nov 04, 2005 12:04 am
prospect wrote:
Look around where? The cheapest quote I've gotten so far is $1750.
Help me out please


Even $1750 is reasonable. eBay and Alto Music have reasonable prices.
User avatar

By taxman806 Fri Nov 04, 2005 1:13 am
Alto music has a more than reasonable price but you have to get on the list and make sure you are ready to make the transaction then and there when they call and let you know your unit is in or else they will sell it to the next person on the list. I didnt have my credit card info on me when they called so now I am back on the list... :evil: Call them and be ready when they call you!!
User avatar

By MPC-Tutor Sat Nov 05, 2005 9:26 am
There's definitely something to be said for simplicity - I remember a few years back buying an Emu 6400, and I hardly used it simply because I just did not have the patience to learn the damn operating system, especially when I had my XL sitting next to it and it could do 95% of the things I needed a sampler to do. The Emu got sold 5 months later after gathering an inch thick layer of dust.
User avatar

By cyrus Thu Nov 10, 2005 7:07 pm
I like the mpc2500.

I always felt the mpc2000xl could handle everything just fine, with exception to some updates to keep it current, such as getting rid of zip drives, adding usb, and adding more filters.................it looks like thats what they did with the 2500.

The mpc4000 (thats what I own) is a bigger jump from the 2000xl. I got sick of using zip disks and wanted a few more features so i got the mpc4000 about a year ago. (that was before they came out with the 2500) If i was in the same positioin, i think i would have opted for the 2500. I still like the simple interface of the 2000xl better than the mpc4000.........with that said, its not like im a newb on it either. I know that thing inside and out, but there is something about the workflow of the mpc2000xl that just works the best for me. I am now very familiar with the mpc4k, and it has a very good interface as well, but its not the same.

I like my mpc4k. ANd yes, it is the best feature wise, but sometimes those features arent neccesary and creative flow is more important.

If you dont actually need the features of the 4k, I say look at the workflow and interface of the two first............Becareful, I dont think the mpc2500 interface is the same as the mpc2000xl.................(it might be close, but not the same)
By INA Thu Nov 10, 2005 8:18 pm
If anyone of u are in europe, check
www.thomann.de


Although euro is expensive compared with $, that's the better price you'll fins all around europe.

JAHROME, anyway to buy your ebay unit without paying fees?
By SV1200 Fri Nov 11, 2005 2:13 pm
Can you sample live into a sequence when its playing with the 4K like the 2500 can? I think thats the best feature on the 2500 that I've heard. Great for just adding quick instrument or synths to beat... Wish I had one.

Peace
User avatar

By jahrome Fri Nov 11, 2005 2:23 pm
Yes, you can sample live into the MPC 2500 while the sequence is playing.