Blue or Black - Which are you having pad problems with?

The MPC1000 is exactly what i'm looking for in an MPC but I keep reading all this stuff about the pads failing. Then some improvement in the black model. Also, there's an online petition against Akai, but it only has 98 signitures.

I'm not trying to be a jerk, because I really want to buy one of these, but which model is causing you your problems?

If this is all about 98 people who have early Blue models, let us know. I would agree that you guys got shafted, but if this slightly different pad design and more glue fixes it, that's something I'd like to know.

Is there no problem for all of us potential buyers of new Black units. Is there anyone having problems with a black one?

Again, I'm not trying to be a jerk, but it's just not clear from the posts in this or other forums.

One month ago I was in the same situation you are. After reading all the pad problems and stuff wasnt sure what to do. I came across a very cheap completely expanded (memory, jjOS and hd included) mint black mpc1000 and decided to buy it.

I have to say the pads suck. They suck bad, and mine are in excellent shape. I can already feel some sensibility decrease in one or two. Also, it seems almost impossible to tap any complex drums rolls with precise velocity, though you can program those easily. I imagine once there is a pad solution available, I'll exchange them.

With all that said, I'd buy it again. Its a great little machine. I'd reccommend you to try it in a shop before you buy it.

I decided to use my Korg MicroX keyboard to bang out my beats instead of the rubber pads. I may pick up an MPD24 and use that as well.

I have the black one and bought it brand new. No pad problems yet, but I have had it for only a month and I am not hitting the pads hard either. I prefer the keyboard though. I suppose an Axiom would work great since it is keyboard and pads included...

The MPC sequencer and features are still very nice...

I recommend it...

Relative to the pads, the only difference between MPC 1000s is the care taken at the factory to assemble a poor, fragile design which has so far not been upgraded. Some break sooner than later.

I do not know why people keep thinking that the color is going to make any difference in this matter(?!), nor can I understand why they think there's some ambiguity on the group about this as every thread I have seen on this topic has basically concluded what I wrote in the first paragraph -- do they actually read the posts?

I still have a blue model from one of the first batches. The pads are poor quality compared to the other MPCs, but they have never given out or suffered a major loss of sensitivity.

Ive had my *blue* for 2 years...


NO PROBLEMS (yet.)

elektrik_muz your reply is helpful.

About the color: I've read a lot about the problem, but many don't say if it's blue or black. Akai reannounced it at NAMM when they changed to black as if it were a new product. Many new products are launched with a problem. Then they fix them and they're ok from then on. That's what I was trying to understand. Aparantly they have changed the design. I've read they removed a layer of silicon glue on the conductive material and started gluing the pads on with a lot more glue. Just tying to see if that worked or if it was an insignificant change.

I totally agree with the comment about it dependinng on who / when it was built. That can make a difference....

I talked to Akai sales and tech support today and the pad problem wasn't something they have had a big return problem with. Yea, they would lie, but that's what they told me. It seems like most people seem happy with the pads. I know a lot of people here talk about troubles, but this is the biggest selling MPC so it looks like there must be thousands of people not having problems.

Stinks for people with troubles and it will really stink if I decide to get one and it has problems.

thanks for the input.

Cybananna wrote:elektrik_muz your reply is helpful.

About the color: I've read a lot about the problem, but many don't say if it's blue or black. Akai reannounced it at NAMM when they changed to black as if it were a new product. Many new products are launched with a problem. Then they fix them and they're ok from then on. That's what I was trying to understand. Aparantly they have changed the design. I've read they removed a layer of silicon glue on the conductive material and started gluing the pads on with a lot more glue. Just tying to see if that worked or if it was an insignificant change.

The basic design has never changed, and there has never been an official statement from Akai that they changed anything but the paint job. The stories on the forum about changes in type, application and amount of glue used are mostly just hearsay, and even if you assume they are true it doesn't matter because even if the pad lasts a little longer, a device made for this purpose shouldn't be held together with glue to begin with as the parts will eventually separate and the pad will fail.

I knew the pads were cheap crud the first time I opened the box and laid my fingers on them -- but fortunately I mostly record from external midi so I got over the disappointment pretty quickly. Maybe that's one reason they've lasted so long as the wear is pretty light.

elektrik_muz wrote:The basic design has never changed, and there has never been an official statement from Akai that they changed anything but the paint job.

That seems to be more or less true. I talked to their repair people and was told that the design is not as good as the older mpc's. With daily / heavy use, they expect them to last a year or so. With moderate / normal use, they may last a year or so, or never fail. They did talk like failure is to be expected. It's not considered a defect, just something that wears out with use. They were pretty cool about talking to me so I respect that. They did tell me though, based on the number of sales of the unit has verses the number of returns for dead pads, that there are a lot of people not having problems, much more than those who are.

I guess if you know going into it that you may have to replace them every few years and are ok with that, it's no big deal. I'm not sure if I can deal with that though.

Yea, I agree, a machine at this price range should not require that type of change more than once or twice in it's life. That's with heavy use too.

i got the black one. it worked great for about two months, as long as i aimed for the center of the pad and hit with two fingers. now pads 14-16 work intermittently, this seemed to happen overnight, one day they were fine, then they weren't.
its kind of like the drawer to the cabinet by the kitchen on Sanford and Son. when Redd banged on the side of the cabinet and rapped the top just right, the drawer opened right up. if the pads quit working and i slap the side of the machine, then they come back on. i bought this thing specifically for doing live stuff, bc i figured it would be more reliable than going on stage with a pc. looks like im going to have to get Nym's custom pads to make this happen

what if you had a blue one and changed it to black? jk.
pad 1 is almost dead, pad 3 is the living dead now. i replaced pad 2 a while back and still bangs perfect, and pad 7 and 8 is slowly dyng.

a moment of silence... ...rest in pieces PAD 13, you will be missed.

(on my MPC 1K--BLUE)