Akai MPC4000 vs. Roland MV-8000

I jus posted up the 2500 forum yesterday that Beat-hoven won the King of the Beats usin a MV. He de-throned Jus Blaze and a long list of MPC users. I actually owned an MV8000 for about 4 months that I upgraded with 512 RAM and VGA-mouse(free). I bought an MPC2500 and had both for about two weeks. I traded the MV ultimately. Why? Somebody mentioned synthesis. For me, since I'm into more vintage RnB sound and hip-hop (not rap music), the problem with the MV was that everything sounded synthesized and not "sampled". The MV is beast at doing everything. Its got all of the bells and whistles and the OS system, at least to me, is beast. Its real stable and all of the features work well. They always comin out with new OSs and features to enhance it. Akai is like Honda. No we ain't addin no V8, we're fine just like we are. If you won't buy it somebody else will. I wish they would pay more attention to their core customers.

BUT.... the sound and the sequencer of the MV left me wanting. THe MPC sequencer to me is much tighter, although the Roland dude, Mike Acosta, swears you can set the resolution to match the MPC and get a comparable "swing". After using the 2500, to me, the MV can't give you the same swing as the MPC. Rza and Jermaine Dupree use the MV. I can now tell when I hear a song on the radio if it was made with a MV or a MPC. I loved my MV and might go back to pick up the one I traded as a xmas gift to myself. But I'm creatin on the MPC right now and I love it. Drums sound sampled and not synthesized. Remember the original 808 kick is a synthesized sound and not a sample. Also editing samples on MPC doesn't destroy the fidelity of the sound. On the MV it seemed like I always lost something in the sound when it was sampled.

I really think its the type of music you want to produce and what kind of sound you want. In my opinion, if you are into the stuff filled with synthesizer sounds, like the pop stuff and techno, the MV would be my choice. But if you want to use samples and sampled drum sounds, I think the MPC is the choice. SHiit, I'd love to have them both midi'ed together. Matter of fact, check this interview with Scott Storch and his engineer.

http://remixmag.com/artists/remix_captain_contagious/

Storch uses a 2000xl and a 3000 for beats and midis to other synths and softsynts for instruments. Pete Rock, Dre, Premier all swear by Akai. A MPC for sequencing beats and samples and the MV for sythesized sounds all midi'd would be a dope setup. But I can just use a softsynth, Fantom rack or Motif rack wit my MPC. The MV was meant to use with only a midi controller and get the power of drum machine sampling like the MPC together with the synthesis power of roland all wrapped up with computer-like sequencing and editing.

I know this is a long post but wanted to give a perspective from somebody whose used both, and loves both.

I jus posted up the 2500 forum yesterday that Beat-hoven won the King of the Beats usin a MV. He de-throned Jus Blaze and a long list of MPC users. I actually owned an MV8000 for about 4 months that I upgraded with 512 RAM and VGA-mouse(free). I bought an MPC2500 and had both for about two weeks. I traded the MV ultimately. Why? Somebody mentioned synthesis. For me, since I'm into more vintage RnB sound and hip-hop (not rap music), the problem with the MV was that everything sounded synthesized and not "sampled". The MV is beast at doing everything. Its got all of the bells and whistles and the OS system, at least to me, is beast. Its real stable and all of the features work well. They always comin out with new OSs and features to enhance it. Akai is like Honda. No we ain't addin no V8, we're fine just like we are. If you won't buy it somebody else will. I wish they would pay more attention to their core customers.

BUT.... the sound and the sequencer of the MV left me wanting. THe MPC sequencer to me is much tighter, although the Roland dude, Mike Acosta, swears you can set the resolution to match the MPC and get a comparable "swing". After using the 2500, to me, the MV can't give you the same swing as the MPC. Rza and Jermaine Dupree use the MV. I can now tell when I hear a song on the radio if it was made with a MV or a MPC. I loved my MV and might go back to pick up the one I traded as a xmas gift to myself. But I'm creatin on the MPC right now and I love it. Drums sound sampled and not synthesized. Remember the original 808 kick is a synthesized sound and not a sample. Also editing samples on MPC doesn't destroy the fidelity of the sound. On the MV it seemed like I always lost something in the sound when it was sampled.

I really think its the type of music you want to produce and what kind of sound you want. In my opinion, if you are into the stuff filled with synthesizer sounds, like the pop stuff and techno, the MV would be my choice. But if you want to use samples and sampled drum sounds, I think the MPC is the choice. SHiit, I'd love to have them both midi'ed together. Matter of fact, check this interview with Scott Storch and his engineer.

http://remixmag.com/artists/remix_captain_contagious/

Storch uses a 2000xl and a 3000 for beats and midis to other synths and softsynts for instruments. Pete Rock, Dre, Premier all swear by Akai. A MPC for sequencing beats and samples and the MV for sythesized sounds all midi'd would be a dope setup. But I can just use a softsynth, Fantom rack or Motif rack wit my MPC. The MV was meant to use with only a midi controller and get the power of drum machine sampling like the MPC together with the synthesis power of roland all wrapped up with computer-like sequencing and editing.

I know this is a long post but wanted to give a perspective from somebody whose used both, and loves both.

Will you stop posting these lies.....


Just Blaze was a celebrity judge..not part of the contest.

http://www.scion.com/kingofthebeats/

Dear MPC fam,

In an error, I stated that Just Blaze was in the King of Beats and was defeated when actually he was a judge. My bad y'all. One.

Jahrome, you and I will get a chance to bump later.

Prophacee, I look forward to it. But when we need info about the MV, we know where to find it

I'm still debating on which Akai to buy, but from what i can see, for using them as a pure sequencer for midi synths, it sems the 4K is built better for bringing together your outbourd midi hardware? Maybe I'm wrong??? After all, 4K has 4 midi outs.

I'm not sure about sampling, I'm not into it... I'm looking for something just for Sequencing a bunch of outboard midi modules. I'll use Nuendo for post production, but what about real time control in a live situation? Which is better (if you're not using samples, just as a sequencer)

Which works more like Ableton Live for outboard midi hardware? Anyone have any thoughts?

MPC 4000, MPC 3000, MPC 2500, and MPC 60 all have 4 MIDI outputs. The MPC 2500 is the best to use live.

I own the 4000 and MV. I like them both but the MV gets you up and going a lot faster. The MPC will feel better if you have prior mpc experience.

The timing issues with the MV arrise when the PPQN is set at too high in reslution. If you adjust the grid strength and PPQN there is no such timing problem. I've had the MV more than 2 years now and it plays back exactly what i put in it. It can be as loose or rigid as you set it up to be.

* Everyone can hit the start note spot on. Very few can play in perfect time with the the PPQN set at a high level and a moderate grid strength on the MV or any other sequencer.

Where did you have the PPQN set?

Setting learning curve aside and assuming anyone who can't learn such a machine, probably doesn't need it. You wouldn't by a mainframe to write a paper in MS-Word. Or else buy the one with better resale, learning curve depends on how much you know already + how smart you are.

So, that being said.. what is the criteria of BETTER.

Which does a better job in terms of Using External MIDI Gear?

Which does a better job in terms of recording MIDI?

Which does a better job in terms of MIDI Timing?

Which has better midi functionality, bottom which can do better midi tricks? Does the Roland have more midi tools? ARP? (i.e. midi plug-in type tools) pattern, storage, etc?

Which allows faster MIDI edits, deletes/copy/cut, fine tuning midi notes and beats. Both do it, but if two experts decide to edit the same MIDI Pattern who would finish faster?

Which has better real time control of internal and external grooves? Which is a better live performer?

Which is better in Post Production? Can you go from the Roland to CD? Probably not, probably not with the MPC either. Does it really matter? Wouldn't you run you pre-production through a much larger system like PT or Nuendo anyway?

Which is easier to capture Samples? Which records cleaner samples?
Which allows you to cut, splice, dice stretch, samples better? Which one keeps better pitch when the sample temp is changed?
Which allows you to layer more samples and assign better relationship between pad pressure and sample Layers?
Which has better inputs to capture effects (better meaning cleaner)

Which allows has better cleaner more realistic effects? Which allows more effects and better integration of effects?

Which can import samples better and use a wider variety of samples?
Which sounds better? Does that matter? Are you doing post production on your groove box? If so, perhaps it would mean a lot!

Which has more capacity? does it matter? Do you really need that much capacity?

This is something we can think about and discuss. Just saying one is better than other doesn't mean anything to anyone.

Whenstated "better" I didn't superior i refering too the confort level with the OS. Also , I agree with your point concerning overkill. However , this why i think so many are drawn to the 2500.

The 4000 would be so much more attractive IMO if they made features like SMPTE , wordclock, and extended MIDI optional. This would lower the cost a great degree.

* Also Akai should consider offering devlopment kits to those interested in enhancing the OS. Roland has consistantly offered superior support and upgrades than Akai. The MV is always growing in features and that's a huge plus.

Duplicate post

what good is a sequencer that cant sequence!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Could you clarify?

from what I've read in this thread, it seems that the MV has tons of options and all this dope shit but it cant sequence right, it doesnt have good timing. So what good is a sequencer that cant get the timing right? Kind of defeats the purpose of even having it.

The MV seq. is just fine. I actually like it better for my house stuff. The timing issues with the MV stem from the PPQN settings and grid strength. If the PPQN is to high, coupled with low grid strength the timing will indeed be off if your not recording complex patterns.

The MV has quite a few setting on the quantize page . Using "shuffle" type instead of "grid" will throw you beats off. This a settings issue not a sequencer fault in any way. I've got friend in texas that had ththe timing complaint and it was solved by making small adjustments.

I'm running V3.52 in the MV.