Can't decide which MPC to choose? Read these resources or post your questions here.
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By granma Mon Nov 27, 2006 6:54 pm
My question is simple... Does the 2500 do something that the 4000 cannot do? Thanks everybody
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Ok

By granma Mon Nov 27, 2006 10:49 pm
Ok. Can you be more especific? What does the 2500 do that the 4000 cannot??? I want to buy a 2500 but i´ve hear so many horrible thinks about the Os (midi clock not working, for example) that I´m scared about it... I´m thinking about going for the 4000 instead (I´m upgrading my 2000xl)
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By granma Tue Nov 28, 2006 8:32 am
Please, do something for me :D
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By granma Tue Nov 28, 2006 11:33 pm
Cammon... I´ve been doing "search" and i couldnt find anything. I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF THE 2500 CAN DO SOMETHING THAT THE 4000 CANNOT AND WHAT.
Thanks and please write something
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By granma Wed Nov 29, 2006 8:42 am
Of course I´ve checked the comparation chart but I want to know if there´s something more... I´ve read a lot here but still have some doubts... I´m about to buy a new mpc and I´m having doubts about wich one to pick, the 2500 or the 4000... I´ve heard so many bad things about the 2500 Os (even the JJ has bugs) that I´m about to go for the 4000 but I want to be sure of my decission.... If anybody can help me from the experience I would be really happy :D
Please forum, dont ignore me anymore, I have feelings 8)
Peace

www.myspace.com/granmah

By barzin Fri Dec 01, 2006 7:36 am
Hey bro, some of these guys are MPC snobs. I dig it though, many people just asked silly questions without doing any research. I'll try to answer the best I can. I've been doing the same research because I've been thinking about the same thing.

Well the specs say a lot. That is the difference, The 400O doesn't sound warmer or more punchy. Though it looks like it has more meat, it's sounds the same at the same sample rate. From what everything that has told me and the many reviews and forums I've been reading, including music dealers I trust, they all say to go is the MPC 2500 because of bug issues with the 4000. I'm telling ya, I've been back and forth for a long time.

Yeah, it's only 800 more from a MPC 4000 but there are major issues, one of them being TIMING!!! That's a deal breaker. The 2500 is newer, better parts, sturdy and it's going to be supported... the 4Ks days are over. The new generation of the MPC are the 500, 1000 and 2500. Most people who love 4000 would love the 2500 just as much.

The 2500 is newer, so experienced 4000 users aren't gonna shell out $2000 to avoid bugs they've figured how to work around... PLUS everyone is waiting for the NEXT generation of the 4000, coming out in 2008 late 2007 from what I understand.

You don't get that big screen and you don't get 512 MB sample load memory , and it doesn't do 24bit recording. But it's really like buying an old Mercedes verses a brand new Acura TL. I hope you get that.

What did I decide to do? Right now I've got Ableton 6.0. But from nothing, the Ableton Solution is expensive. You need a good notebook, fire wire or USB 2.0 audio interface, Midi gear, if you have tons of outboard gear (like me) you'll need a M-Audio 8x8 midi matrix, another $200 for the Akai, pad controller. $2000 for the MPC 25000 is a bargain and it's portable and you don't need to trouble shoot it constantly. MPC 2500 just works, but if you WANT ULTIMATE POWER, ... The top of the line is a suped up Ableton Rig... otherwise get a 2500 and never look back.

I'm done with the 2500 vs. 400 debate, the 2500 wins hands. Now I'm on the Akai Sampler verse a better Ableton setup which will cost me more than a 4000.

Akai 4000 - Don't Buy used for more than $2000, it won't be worth much after the official word is out about the next generation.
Akai 2500 - $2000/$1500 used + $250 for hardrive (order from Nova Musik)
Ableton Live Solution: $3300 to $4100
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By granma Fri Dec 01, 2006 8:21 am
Finally someone answering what I questioned :D I did a lot of research here too and I couldnt find something that really satisfied me. Sometimes here in this forum it looks that everybody want to show how clever they are but they dont help a **** shyt
Well, first of all, I didnt know that the 4000 had so many bugs... I thought it mainly worked fine... It´s a pitty that Akai dont make a strong effor to have their customers happy with the bucks they spend... That make me wanna look away for a new mpc... :evil:
What you said about that "generation issue", yeah, the days of the 4000 are gone, here in Europe nobody have it in stock, I think akai dont make them anymore. But that doesnt mean that you can not make everything you dream wih it... The 2500 afraid me because of all the bugs that I consider that are very horrible, like the midi time clock thing for example. And the JJ OS has so many bugs too, like not writing into a cd from the HD, tap tempo not working... this issues are not really dramatic for me, but ****, if I spend bucks on something, I want the shyt to work properly!!! I´m thinking about waiting for the new 4500 that they must be put out next year I suppose... One thing that got me waiting or wanting for the 4000 is the 24 bits/96 Khz thing
The other possibility that you mentioned, Ableton, I dont really like it. I have live 5 with a midi keyboard, macbook, rme fireface interface and plenty of plugins and virtual instruments but i dont really like it to make music although I LOVE it to track, arrange, production tricks and finalize my mix. Live is I beast but I love the mpc to chop and sequence the root of my beat... there´s nothing like this (like dilla said). I dont like to look a computer to make music
I really appreciate your comments... For the moment I havent dediced anything... I will continue making beats on my 2000Xl which i know it straight...
Thanks

www.myspace.com/granmah

By barzin Fri Dec 01, 2006 11:04 am
Maybe you can help me out... since you use both MPC and Ableton.

I have mostly outboard midi gear. I have 6 synths I use, Jomox Sunsyn, Andromeda A6, Jomox Xbase 999, Acces Virus TI, Poly Evolver, Mini Moog Rack. I mostly need a Seqeuencer to tie everthing together during live play... I use Cubase for recording, but it's no good for live. My DAW is very low end. Echo Gina 3G interface, 2 year old computer.

I like Ableton because of everything I can do with the Sequencer. I'm not really into "sampling", but it's a next step for me. I don't see anything an MPC can do that Ableton can't do better, except for the portability, and overall all cost to setup a decent DAW for actualy live play.

I really don't know. I guess I can buy an MPC, try it for a month and return it if I don't like it? Something is DRAWING me to the Akai even though I see Ableton as far more functional. Maybe because I'm a hardware junkie. I have to to make a decision soon, because I can't tie in all my expensive gear for live play without a decent sequencer.

If you don't mind, can tell me how easy/difficult it is to program sequences in steps. I realize in real time is about th same, but I create sequences in real time and then lots of hands on midi edits for both midi notes and midi paramaters (volume, plan, cuttoff, etc)

It's so easy with Ableton 6, is it a lot more difficult with a MPC. I realize MPC 2500 has a grid editor, but I'm just curious about what you think. It's either spending $3500K+ on a updated notebook DAW for an Ableton or an MPC 2500. I'm so torn.

Any comments would help...
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By granma Fri Dec 01, 2006 11:19 am
Well, for live use, i would go for live 6 in a macbook computer with a midi controller, no doubt. But I have to say I´ve never done live sets. Step edit in mpc is easy to use. And, yes, if you´re a hardware junkie, you will like mpcs, but if you dont use samples and just want it for the sequencer maybe there´s something better for you, and i think live is your better options. Furthermore, the mpcs have a lot of bugs on the operation systems, the new 2500 have midi clock problems, that´s what keep me away from buying one.
I hope this help
Cheers

www.myspace.com/granmah
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By Groove66 Fri Dec 01, 2006 11:46 pm
barzin wrote:Hey bro, some of these guys are MPC snobs. I dig it though, many people just asked silly questions without doing any research. I'll try to answer the best I can. I've been doing the same research because I've been thinking about the same thing.

Well the specs say a lot. That is the difference, The 400O doesn't sound warmer or more punchy. Who said it did? Though it looks like it has more meat, it's sounds the same at the same sample rate. From what everything that has told me :lol: :lol: :lol: and the many reviews and forums I've been reading :lol: :lol: :lol: , including music dealers I trust :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: , they all say to go is the MPC 2500 because of bug :shock: :shock: :shock: issues with the 4000. What bugs? You mean the dealers who are shifting the next thing, coz they can't get new 4ks in stock I'm telling ya, I've been back and forth for a long time :cry: .

Yeah, it's only 800 more from a MPC 4000 but there are major issues, one of them being TIMING!!! That's a deal breaker :evil: :evil: :evil: Why Lie and make things up. The 4000 has superlative timing, the 2500 or the 1000 doesnt touch it for precision, you must be f**kin kiddin me. I own a 2500 as well as a 4000, you cannot fool people, especially an mpc user like myself. Im an mpc fanatic. The 2500 is newer, better parts :lol: :lol: :lol: Really...i have swapped mine out 3 times, sturdy and it's going to be supported :lol: By who ... the 4Ks days are over Swallow your own words, things are going to get worse from now on, at least the 4k was a proper mpc developed by akai..not numark. The new generation of the MPC are the 500, 1000 and 2500. Most people who love 4000 would love the 2500 just as much :lol: :lol: :lol: . I would say its a compromise big time.


The 2500 is newer, so experienced 4000 users aren't gonna shell out $2000 to avoid bugs they've figured how to work around... PLUS everyone is waiting for the NEXT generation of the 4000, coming out in 2008 late 2007 from what I understand. Im not waiting, newer mpcs are starting to look like toys (look at the 500...looks like a little tynes toy for a 3yr old), and i dont think Numark give a damn about support to be honest.

You don't get that big screen and you don't get 512 MB sample load memory , and it doesn't do 24bit recording. :lol: :lol: :lol: But it's really like buying an old Mercedes verses a brand new Acura TL. I hope you get that. No comments

What did I decide to do? Right now I've got Ableton 6.0. But from nothing, the Ableton Solution is expensive. You need a good notebook, fire wire or USB 2.0 audio interface, Midi gear, if you have tons of outboard gear (like me) you'll need a M-Audio 8x8 midi matrix, another $200 for the Akai, pad controller. $2000 for the MPC 25000 new model??? is a bargain and it's portable and you don't need to trouble shoot it constantly. MPC 2500 just works :shock: What about the mssing files, pads triggering sounds of other pads, the cheap data wheel that varies from model to model, etc , but if you WANT ULTIMATE POWER, ... The top of the line is a suped up Ableton Rig... otherwise get a 2500 and never look back.

I'm done with the 2500 vs. 400 debate, the 2500 wins hands :lol: :lol: :lol: . Now I'm on the Akai Sampler verse a better Ableton setup which will cost me more than a 4000.

Akai 4000 - Don't Buy used for more than $2000, it won't be worth much after the official word is out about the next generation.
Akai 2500 - $2000/$1500 used + $250 for hardrive (order from Nova Musik)
Ableton Live Solution: $3300 to $4100

By barzin Sat Dec 02, 2006 1:53 am
Okay man so the MPC 2500 has problems too. This guy just said the clock on the 4000 is solid. That makes sense, since most pro's are using the 4000. Like I said, it's really confusing to figure out which one to buy. Everyone has a strong opinion about it. But I've seen Grooves comments before he seems to be in the "know". I'm going to look into the 4000 again.

There is this pretty high-end hardware Sequencer called the Octopus for $3300 sold at Analogue Haven that might be a better choice for me anyway, I'm looking into that. It's just a massive step sequencer, no sampling.
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By Groove66 Sat Dec 02, 2006 2:34 am
barzin wrote:Okay man so the MPC 2500 has problems too. This guy just said the clock on the 4000 is solid. That makes sense, since most pro's are using the 4000. Like I said, it's really confusing to figure out which one to buy. Everyone has a strong opinion about it. But I've seen Grooves comments before he seems to be in the "know". I'm going to look into the 4000 again.

There is this pretty high-end hardware Sequencer called the Octopus for $3300 sold at Analogue Haven that might be a better choice for me anyway, I'm looking into that. It's just a massive step sequencer, no sampling.



First of all, please dont mind my style of writing when i replied to the last post. Take no offence.

Its just that many sales reps and online reviewers have very little clue about the 4000, chances are they have never seen one. Some may have used it for day and then give bad reviews...partly down to user error.

The thing with sales guys, the moment they get a fresh new time mpc buyer asking questions like, 'is the 2500 any good for making beats?' they reply,

'beats...hell yeah...its dope man, and it pi**es all over the 4000. Man that thing had poor timing, we got like 3 returns in the last month or so, you dont wanna buy that one. The 2500 is where its at, you can make the fattest beats on it'.

I hope you get my drift.

But to all respects, it does come down to budget and needs. The 2500 has potential to be fine product. I own one, after a few swaps due to pad problems. My 3rd unit has perfromed 99% well, apart from the pads sometimes triggering other samples. But its dependable if you dont freak it out. Its not like my 4000 in terms of timing, it has its own feel, which isnt bad BTW. The 4000 has a different clock, an Intel CPU chip, as well as 10 times improved resolution (960ppqn) like software apps such as Logic, which puts it in its own class as a stand alone hardware peice.

For me, the 2500 is a good drum machine, a nice phrase sampler, and a good sketch pad for building ideas. I do use a full DAW for songwriting, which also handles all my midi needs, as well as audio.

Anyways, I see you have a healthy collection of VA and analogue synths there. I tried the Ploy Evolver out, liked it but its only 4 voices. How are you finding the Andromeda and the Virus Ti. Im looking to get either.

Which of the A6 or Ti would you say is more versatile, reliable etc?

Does the Ti have ability to create string sounds like the A6, thick and phasy like?

cheers. :wink:
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By granma Sat Dec 02, 2006 8:02 am
So, if you have a 4000... can you tell something more about it? problems? bugs? do you recommend it? I´m plannig to cop one and I dont want to spend 2000 euros in something that is not really worthy.
Cheers :D