Bought a 500? Then sold it? Why?

I know there's a few of you, probably not gonna catch em all as this is the 500 forum, but I'm about to scoop one and wanted some views before I do, cheers

cuz I didnt need a 500 dollar paper weight....

fa real though, it was coo, pads are a lil stiff imo and the sub menus are a pain in the ass but its a capable machine....

only reason to get a 500 instead of a 2kxl is the portability imo...

The following quote is obviously from another thread.

Upright wrote:Since you have the 4000 already and you just want something for portable reasons, then I say go for it yo!!!1 Plus you can load everything up to the 4000 that you work out in the 500....Just be fair warned, I bought the 500 thinking it was gonna get a ton of use and in the end I sold it because I don't really make tracks away from the lab. It did come in handy in a few situations( i.e waiting all night for the launch of the Wii, at a friends houses...etc) but it was more of a novelty item than anything. I don't travel much so for me the mpc 500 was something I got real excited about at first but it really wasn't something I could justify having. This unit is more for(A) someone that spends long periods of time away from the lab but still wants to work on tracks or (B) someone who wants to use the mpc in the lab but can't afford the larger mpc's. Don't get me wrong the little 500 is nice ,but you coming from the 4000 may find the work flow a little fustrating and at times limiting.

Upright, I'd have to disagree with that, having both the MPC4000 and MPC500 myself. I've been using the 500 a lot more lately and have found ways to do things that I would normally do on the 4000. One example being crazy effect type sounds from the Qlink slider. It's actually much easier to set up on the 500. No mixer? I've got around that too.. I just mix by making velocity adjustments to whole tracks. Since none of my sounds have multiple velocity layers, I can do this and it's a good way of locking all the levels in place. Meaning if I'm using the same sound for two different songs, each can have their own levels without needing to re-adjust the individual sound's level for each song.

I also much prefer the step edit on the MPC500, as it's like the old MPC60/3000 step edit. Makes editing so much simpler. In the MPC4000 I'm forced to use the graphic editors (which I don't like much), simply because it's step edit is too confusing. Say if you're at 4:02:72, instead of just displaying whatever events occur at that position, it will display every event in a big list from 1:01:01 right up until the end of the sequence.

As for features, all I really miss in this thing are a filter envelope, highpass filter, and the ability to trigger sample recording from a midi note. I don't need auto chopping, grid edit features and any of the stuff the JJ operating systems have. I do all chopping on the computer, then just dump the sounds accross.

Lastly, the MPC500 is quiet. The MPC4000 has a hard drive and a big fan. It's not that bad, but you can hear it. Computers too, they're noisy. If you're working with an MPC500, switch everything else off and enjoy the silence!

Avene wrote:Upright, I'd have to disagree with that, having both the MPC4000 and MPC500 myself. I've been using the 500 a lot more lately and have found ways to do things that I would normally do on the 4000. One example being crazy effect type sounds from the Qlink slider. It's actually much easier to set up on the 500. No mixer? I've got around that too.. I just mix by making velocity adjustments to whole tracks. Since none of my sounds have multiple velocity layers, I can do this and it's a good way of locking all the levels in place. Meaning if I'm using the same sound for two different songs, each can have their own levels without needing to re-adjust the individual sound's level for each song.

I also much prefer the step edit on the MPC500, as it's like the old MPC60/3000 step edit. Makes editing so much simpler. In the MPC4000 I'm forced to use the graphic editors (which I don't like much), simply because it's step edit is too confusing. Say if you're at 4:02:72, instead of just displaying whatever events occur at that position, it will display every event in a big list from 1:01:01 right up until the end of the sequence.

As for features, all I really miss in this thing are a filter envelope, lowpass filter, and the ability to trigger sample recording from a midi note. I don't need auto chopping, grid edit features and any of the stuff the JJ operating systems have. I do all chopping on the computer, then just dump the sounds accross.

Lastly, the MPC500 is quiet. The MPC4000 has a hard drive and a big fan. It's not that bad, but you can hear it. Computers too, they're noisy. If you're working with an MPC500, switch everything else off and enjoy the silence!

that was ultra-helpful, props!

I also much prefer the step edit on the MPC500, as it's like the old MPC60/3000 step edit.

I like this one too, I don't know the MPC60/3000 but compared to the Yamaha RM1x/RS7000 the MPC500 step edit is nice because it doesn't show all the events in a long list, instead you step trough it like on a grid (which is set by the timing correct value) while shift+step moves you from one event to the next.

The MPC500 being fanless is another plus, I hate equipment with fan's. My Yamaha A5000 sampler has one but I had it modified to run at a lower speed, but it still makes some noise (as does the built in harddrive).

Snerg

PS: I didn't sell my MPC500 and I won't either.

Avene wrote: No mixer? I've got around that too.. I just mix by making velocity adjustments to whole tracks. Since none of my sounds have multiple velocity layers, I can do this and it's a good way of locking all the levels in place. Meaning if I'm using the same sound for two different songs, each can have their own levels without needing to re-adjust the individual sound's level for each song.

Since when does the 500 allow you to adjust the velocity for the entire track? I know this is possible per pad but I didn't think this was possible per track.

Avene wrote:I also much prefer the step edit on the MPC500

Compared to the 2500's step editor the 500's is a nightmare IMO.


I respect your opinion Avenue, but may I ask you where are you getting all this use out of your 500?? If it's in the studio right next to Your 4000 I gotta ask. What's the point?? I mean do you travel much or are you constantly away from the 4000?


How long have you had the 500?


I didn't see the need to have 2 mpc's. Now that I look back on it,it was a waste of money. I thought It was going to be a wonderful investment but it ended up just sitting mostly due to the fact that after a person(myself) gets use to the workflow on the 2500 the 500 is a very limited and less user friendly machine. The 500 would be great with a JJOS adding some desperately needed features, but like said before as is the 500 is ok as a "my first mpc" or for the producer "constantly" on the go. If you don't fall into 1 of these 2 categories IMO your wasting your money.

Im always on the go and I love my 500. Havent been on any of the bigger machines. It is "my first mpc" and I use it everyday at work. Even at home I use it in the office and around the house when I get a chance. I almost returned it or was going to sell it but decided to keep it. I think if i do get another mpc like a 2500 I would still keep my 500.

Just my two cents (pence in real money) the 500 is fairly pointless with another MPC. 1000 and 2500 are easily portable enough to lug around, but if you have a limited budget for only one sampler, the 500 is, and will remain the best hardware sampler, new, for the money. I challenge anyone to tell the difference between comparable tracks on a 500 and 1000/2500. Sure there are limitations, but I only use a 500 and would never consider selling it!

Milkybarkid wrote:1000 and 2500 are easily portable enough to lug around,

I also agree that they might be easily portable but, Just having to plug in everywhere you go might be a problem. It just depends on where your at all the time or where you plan on using your mpc. I use my 500 almost anywhere I can. I dont like to be corded into the wall. There are times when I want a friend to hear something and I can walk over there. Just depends on the persons needs and usage type. I hardly use the AC adapter anyways. I still carry it with me, but I also carry my 15min battery charger.
Those are my pennies.

dj_idea wrote:

Milkybarkid wrote:1000 and 2500 are easily portable enough to lug around,

I also agree that they might be easily portable but, Just having to plug in everywhere you go might be a problem. It just depends on where your at all the time or where you plan on using your mpc. I use my 500 almost anywhere I can. I dont like to be corded into the wall. There are times when I want a friend to hear something and I can walk over there. Just depends on the persons needs and usage type. I hardly use the AC adapter anyways. I still carry it with me, but I also carry my 15min battery charger.
Those are my pennies.

Word....


I just got my 500 last night. I rarely have more than an hour a night at home in front of a computer. Now I can take my 500 anywhere and nerd out.

I'm going camping the next two weekends, no power anywhere close. This should be nice to have up there.

I'm going camping the next two weekends, no power anywhere close. This should be nice to have up there.

Better bring a huge pack of batteries homie. If you get good batteries, the 500 can go for about 4.5 to 5 hours.

Congrats on your purchase! And welcome to the FAM.

I got me a big ass Costco pack. I'm gettin the 15 minute charger next week.

15 minute charger, 6 AA's (perfect) 2 AAA's for $30.00

dj_idea wrote:Im always on the go and I love my 500. Havent been on any of the bigger machines. It is "my first mpc" and I use it everyday at work. Even at home I use it in the office and around the house when I get a chance. I almost returned it or was going to sell it but decided to keep it. I think if i do get another mpc like a 2500 I would still keep my 500.

POWER TO THE 500'S!