Exchange tips and tricks for the Akai MPC4000

By lacasanostrarecords.com Fri Mar 05, 2004 2:01 pm
I had switched from my MPC 60 with 3.10 software which is a 3000 minus the 16 bit sampling and additional memory. I cannot begin to tell you How Happy I am to have moved to the 4000. This thing smokes the 3000, 60, 2000 and anything else out there. The Screen, Editing, Sequencing (pretty much the same) SAMPLER is Incredible compared to anything on the market except Giga, Halion or Sampletank which have their drawbacks as well. The FX are decent nothing groundbreaking but nice to have...Qknobs, sliders, Filters and Mixer is tight, Phono input is great an never have to worry bout a good level. I have created some of the illest multilayered sample libraries..mostly drumkits from my 60, sp1200(which i sold not long after getting this) and Sample CD/Records. ......My Suggestion right now with 1.51OS and the next OS coming soon with Audition to Disk is GO BUY IT AND SELL THE 3000. I know its a classic but those Days are coming to a close. No ONe really cares and you're only shooting yourself in the foot by not having a phenominal unit like this......Way Underrated only because it took a good while for the OS to ripen where it was pleasant to use......But actually it took the 3000's OS 4 years to ripen so this unit is still a sophmore........I love it and couldnt live without it...My Motif is Great but doesnt provide the simplicity this does.....and the sampler is whack compared to this one!!

By upscaps Fri Mar 05, 2004 8:43 pm
I've had my MPC3000 since 96 and it never had o/s problems. I came in w/ o/s 3.10 & the only difference between 3.10 & the current 3.11 is that scsi drives zips/hd load faster. The mpc3000 was such a big jump in features from the mpc 60II that you cannot say the "only difference between an mpc60 & the 3000 was..." cause that is far from the truth. You really had to have used the MPC3000 to comment. Honestly if the 3000 was able to access a larger HD than it does, I would never think about getting the 4000, but that internal 80G HD is so convenient. But not at the price of not being able to load my sequences & programs. I hear folks w 2000's have problems loading files into 4000's so i know the 3000 will have problems until akai develops an o/s that will take care of that.

By lacasanostrarecords.com Sat Mar 06, 2004 12:33 am
upscaps wrote:I've had my MPC3000 since 96 and it never had o/s problems. I came in w/ o/s 3.10 & the only difference between 3.10 & the current 3.11 is that scsi drives zips/hd load faster. The mpc3000 was such a big jump in features from the mpc 60II that you cannot say the "only difference between an mpc60 & the 3000 was..." cause that is far from the truth. You really had to have used the MPC3000 to comment. Honestly if the 3000 was able to access a larger HD than it does, I would never think about getting the 4000, but that internal 80G HD is so convenient. But not at the price of not being able to load my sequences & programs. I hear folks w 2000's have problems loading files into 4000's so i know the 3000 will have problems until akai develops an o/s that will take care of that.
That is nonsense Bro the 3000 is a nice unit but only difference between your 3k and my 60 was mine only had 1.5mb of Ram fully expanded and 12 bit sampling...other than that you couldn't tell with my Roger Lin 3.10 upgrade in it...Big Difference too with my SCSI Board installed...mine loaded from Jaz drive and had 3000 files stored on it from my Boy Seth...BTW I had a 2000xl too and I load my CD-Rom into my 4000 from the 2k with no issues at all......The 4000 Smokes every other MPC ever created by a mile!!.....I used the 3000 almost every day since back in NYC I worked in a studio that had 2 of them!!! so I thinks me knows what me sayin there Sponge BOB!! LOL

By SnapCrackle Sat Mar 06, 2004 3:24 am
I have owned and used all the MPC's and even the Linn 9000, and the 4000 is my favorite. It is by far the most flexible MPC, you can integrate it into computer studios easily with impressive results that let you take your music to a higher place, technologicaly speaking. That said, I like the sound of my MPC 60 the best but I can't do nearly as much with the machine. 20 seconds mono :( kinda sucks. Bottom line if you can sell your 3 and get a 4 do it. I wouldn't have said this 2 months ago, but since they dropped the new OS I fully back the 4k like no other. good luck on your quest for beats

By upscaps Sat Mar 06, 2004 6:28 am
quote] I used the 3000 almost every day since back in NYC I worked in a studio that had 2 of them!!! so I thinks me knows what me sayin there Sponge BOB!! LOL[/quote]

It's just not use for me. it's live. I've do have a few past, current , & hopefully future major label credits. I asked cats like Rodney Jerkins. he was the first person i'd ever seen with a 4000. he got one straight from Japan. He used it on a few projects and then switched back to the 3000. he travels w/ both, among other things, but the 3000 is the base, set up in the lounge. I mean I could just get a 4k & keep my 3k and that is probably going to be the happy medium. I will say. I got offers upwards of $1800 for my 3k. I can get a maxed out 4K for a few hundred $ more. The drop invalue of almost 40% in such a short time is a reason I was worried about the 4k. Also being that it was an upgrade of the 2k which I disliked very much.

By lacasanostrarecords.com Sun Mar 07, 2004 12:26 am
Well for one it dropped in Value because there are so many cheap alternatives now days but...nothing comes close....Most people got pissed when the 4k first came out because the OS was terrible but now the OS is maturing and will continue to do so....let us not forget this unit was released in the middle of a recession that Akai Pro was hit hard by!! They like most other large corps are now thawing out and gaining financial ground which can turn into new products and ongoing development of existing powerhouses like the 4k....my view is that sure you can go software and most folks will say who needs an MPC but on the REAL.....Hardware is always best and hands on is a Muphugga!! I Love IT...but don't take my word 4 it!!