Reviews and questions about the entry-level MPC500

ByErgg Mon Aug 06, 2007 7:17 pm
My email didn't go through. Their mail server seems to block .name domains, I emailed them before telling them, but they still haven't fixed it.


You could register a free gmail acount, or hotmail or...

I wish someone else would make something like the MPC...


Korg and Roland make 'grooveboxes' like the Elektribes and MC909, I have a Yamaha RM1x and RS7000 which are great... but aren't made anymore.

Snerg
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By Dj Proces Tue Aug 07, 2007 8:28 pm
Snerg, which OS version do you use on the rm1x?
And how is the sequencer compared to the mpc's?

One of the reasons why I ask is this
I maked a sequence on the mpc 500 that contains about 8 tracks, then I tried to delete a track, but then the mpc said INSUFFICIENT MEMORY and does not delete the track. :evil:
when I wanted to record a other track within the sequence and mute the previous one the mpc freezed . I tried it about 5 times now and the same problems stay !

ByErgg Wed Aug 08, 2007 12:18 pm
Snerg, which OS version do you use on the rm1x?
And how is the sequencer compared to the mpc's?


I don't use the last O.S. Yamaha released for the RM1x since I need to update a ROM chip to upgrade, and I would need to pay for that.

They use phrase wich are used on tracks in patterns (or sections like Yamaha calls them), rather then record directly to tracks. It doesn't have a sampler but plays rom sounds (which arent super), it has a very nice clock shift function on the sequencer, it doesn't have a real delay effect (only midi delay).

All in all, RM1x is the best hardware sequencer I used so far. I can't understand why Yamaha isn't producing them anymore. I also own a Yamaha RS7000, which is a beefed up RM1x with a intergrated sampler.

Snerg

ByErgg Fri Aug 10, 2007 11:05 am
UPS just picked up my MPC, now we wait...

Snerg
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By amen x-man Sat Aug 11, 2007 12:25 pm
RM1x have cheap samples inside but is probably the best hardware sequencer ever made, Electribe SX is a great machine,you have all under your hands - no menus - limiting for something (the keybord parts are monophonic and you have only 9 drum parts) but with this one i make a good beat in five minutes!!! very vey funny

These are the information regarding my MPC500:
O.S Version : 1.13
New/used : Ex-demo
Owned since : June 2007
Memory amount : 128MB
CF card(s) : Akai 128MB CF

These are the problems I have encountered:
Corrupted CF card after saving : Yes
Strange flanging sound : Yes
Metronome when auditioning samples : Yes
Crashed when connected with USB and starting play: Yes
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By lovesign Sat Aug 11, 2007 1:52 pm
amen x-man wrote:RM1x have cheap samples inside

Not really samples, per se. All sounds are generated by Yamaha's AWM2 S+S engine, which uses tiny attack samples and the rest is synthesis.

amen x-man wrote:but is probably the best hardware sequencer ever made


Agreed :) Alongside it's brother, the QY700, probably the best hardware sequencers outside of the MPC range.

ByErgg Sat Aug 11, 2007 10:02 pm
Crashed when connected with USB and starting play: Yes


I haven't encountered this one before, because I've sent my unit for repairs I can't test it either.

Enyone can confirm this?

Thanx for the input!

Snerg[/quote]

By earwolf Sat Aug 11, 2007 10:23 pm
snerg wrote:
Crashed when connected with USB and starting play: Yes


I haven't encountered this one before, because I've sent my unit for repairs I can't test it either.

Enyone can confirm this?

Thanx for the input!

Snerg
[/quote]

be interesting to see if akai can 'fix' your unit, given that these seem to be OS issues!

ByErgg Sun Aug 12, 2007 10:50 pm
earwolf wrote:be interesting to see if akai can 'fix' your unit, given that these seem to be OS issues!


Exactly, we'll see what happens.

I think I'm having O.S. issues too, but I find it hard to believe Akai would selling such a piece of crap! So I kinda hope we all have defective units ;)

Snerg
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By Antonym Mon Aug 13, 2007 3:15 pm
I find it hard to believe Akai would selling such a piece of ****!


why?? they've done it before, 3 times total since 2005

ByErgg Tue Aug 14, 2007 7:56 am
Like I said before: If you wanna help...

@Antonym

Please post your specs like in my first post and specify which bugs you encountered.

Snerg
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By Antonym Tue Aug 14, 2007 3:27 pm
nah i don't have a 500. i used to have a 1000 with the same problems, but they were solved by code.

i'm just here to offer support and to make sure folks know that the same problems they're facing in their 500 is part of a larger issue in akai's code that they recycled for 3 different machines. i'm with you guys all the way and i laud your organized efforts to report these serious bugs.

By enapa Wed Aug 15, 2007 7:52 am
I pretty much have had all the buggs, i can se if i have the projects left that got CPU.yadayada...:ERROR...

And i also have had the other buggs....

And, some other things i anoying myself with, when i load multiple samples from a folder, i dont want it to step to the fist, why not go to the next file, would makr it faster loading and much easier to get some work done.

And also, i want to have the oportunity to copy allsetting from a pad to another, i just hade to have to go thru all pads and adjusting volumes and filter-settings, just copy a pad with sampleassign and all parameters, and the re-pitch and changesamples would make it a more fun machine....

And also, a way to change the same settings on all pads in a program, just holding q-ling-button or shift and edit... so i can make music not just sitting and editing parameters....


Do someone know if JJ.os ever will come to mpc500, i think that is the way...

AKAI dont seem to have musicians programmed the mpc500-os, feels like someone just cut-out some parts from mpc1k-os and sent them to store.

ByErgg Wed Aug 15, 2007 9:08 am
enapa wrote:... And also, a way to change the same settings on all pads in a program, just holding q-ling-button or shift and edit... so i can make music not just sitting and editing parameters....


My thoughts exactly, copying pad settings would be very usefull!

Snerg

By earwolf Wed Aug 15, 2007 4:15 pm
enapa wrote:Do someone know if JJ.os ever will come to mpc500


yes, someone knows. That someone is JJ and he stated that only the 1000 and 2500 will receive JJ OS.

enapa wrote:AKAI dont seem to have musicians programmed the mpc500-os, feels like someone just cut-out some parts from mpc1k-os and sent them to store.


Well quite! The modern Akai is a very different beast from the one that let Roger Linn provide the OS. Since then it has been diminishing returns in some ways, admittedly raw power has increased and led to some nifty functionality, but increasingly there has been less thought given to a 'musician-friendly workflow'. Coupled with the general decline in build quality, some very critical and painful low-level bugs, glacial rate of official OS updates plus a total stonewall as regards customer service and feedback and its clear that things aint what they used to be...