Here's a review by MPC_Producer, he seems very knowledgeable.
MPC_Producer
Senior Member
Joined: 24 Aug 2003
Posts: 250
MV-8000 Review: Part 1
Part 1: Controls and Documentation
Upon opening the MV-8000 box the first item I saw was an amber flyer informing me to call the Roland SuperStore for a free Quickstart video. I did this immediately. The accompanying materials are very complete and thorough. The MV-8000 comes with the following items:
Quick Start manual
Owner's Manual (434 pages)
LA Riot Sampler CD
MV-8000 Song Template CD
Errata sheets (2)
"About the pre-installed patches" (4 stapled pages)
"Functionality added in version 1.10" (10 stapled pages)
Q&A sheet (4 stapled pages)
File System Overview diagram sheet
Mixer Block diagram sheet
MV-8000 Structure Overview diagram sheet
The production studio arrived cold off the UPS truck. While I was waiting for it to warm up to room temperature I was astonished at what I saw in the documentation. The diagrams are helpful to learn the system and signal flow. It was instantly clear to me that the machine functionality has gone beyond what is available on the MPC4000. This was not a quick, overnight project by Roland but one that must have taken a couple years. The MV-8000 offers improved functionality over the MPC series.
For example, I glanced at a page of the manual that covered quantizing. By interacting with a window the user is able to set the following parameters:
1. Quantize Type (Grid, Shuffle, Template)
2. Strength (0 - 100)
3. Resolution (Grid, Shuffle)
4. Rate (0% - 100%)
5. Template (71 templates available)
6. Template Velocity (0 - 100)
7. Note Range (C1 - G9, upper and lower limits)
I powered on the MV-8000 while monitoring my chronograph watch. It took 1 minute and 14 seconds to boot the machine and autoload the factory demo project. I feel the display could be slightly brighter with more contrast, though this might be because I am used to the MPC4000. Roland probably conserved the brightness to prolong the display life. I plan to add the forthcoming VGA/mouse accessory port when it is available. The black & white high contrast display of the MPC4000 is easier to read than the amber & black (with shading) display of the MV-8000. However, the Roland display packs more information into it than the AKAI display. The GUI on the MPC4000 looks like Mac OS 9 or earlier. A year ago I asked AKAI technical support if the MPC4000 is running a derivative of Mac OS. The representative was evasive when he answered my question. The MV-8000 GUI has an Microsoft Windows style appearance.
As I worked through the Quick Start manual I played the factory demo song. It is a Hip Hop genre song very well done with 15 tracks. Afterward I played the pads. They have an excellent feel to them, requiring slightly less effort to trigger a sample than on the MPC4000. The pads can be configured for a Hard, Medium, or Light triggering. I was unable to produce any double triggering, a problem on the MPC4000. I found it easy to play a quick roll by alternating finger taps, something I often have difficulty with on the MPC4000.
Two useful controls on the left side of the machine are the Roll and Hold buttons. The Roll button is equivalent to the Note Repeat key on the MPCs. The Hold button has no equivalent on the MPC4000 but it is included on the Fantom-S. On the MPC a sample may be designated as Loop, No Loop, or One Shot. The pad responds according to the setting. The MV-8000 goes one step further. By pressing the Hold button the user can make the entire sample length play without having to edit the sample parameter to One Shot, a very convenient feature. The command buttons on the MV-8000 light up solid when active to assist the user in understanding which mode is active. They also flash during data entry. This serves as a helpful indicator to remind the user which button to press next when executing a series of operations.
One feature I always thought was lacking on the MPC4000 is the thin cursor keys. Roland separated the cursor keys and the dial. The sliced quarter circle cursor keys are nice and wide, easy to operate. All parts of the MV-8000 have a very solid feel to them. And the sound? Absolutely superb! The drums and hi hats sound clear and crisp. Instrument tones sound dynamic and vibrant. I have been occasionally using my MPC2000XL to get crisp drum and hi hat sounds. This will never have to be done again.
My initial sessions left me greatly impressed with the MV, which might as well stand for “More Value”. This magnificent instrument is better than I had hoped for when I read the brochure and website description. I predict that 6 -12 months from now, only after many other musicians and producers have acquired the machine, it will be recognized as a major hit. It has the attention to detail that MPC4000 users would enjoy and the next level features that MPC2000/XL owners would get excited over. At this stage I am wondering if Korg or Yamaha will release an equivalent product.
In the next week’s post I will cover other basic issues such as exterior connections, file formats, and possibly sampling. Until then I strongly encourage you to keep an open mind when evaluating this instrument. This will not be easy to do for some people because they will rely on specs or a quick store demo rather than an extended user experience. If you are impatiently curious, then order the MV-8000 and decide for yourself.
