Akai MPC 5000 review

The only formats it won`t read or the S1000 and S3000 series. Which is a shame cuz most Akai older series sampling CDs are in these series.

I could never understand why Akai wouldn't support their own S1000 format especially given that it's the industry standard of dedicates sample CD-ROMs. I can't think of major sampler that doesn't recognize it. Maybe they will wake up on this one. It's not a terribly complex format so it could be added.

The manual said it will read 3000, 2000, & 2000xl formats! My bad! Nothingabout 4000. Who cares if it read 500, 1000, & 2500 formats? I admit the 5000 does sound better than the 1000 & 2500. But, still feels like the 2500!

bomb beats wrote:The manual said it will read 3000, 2000, & 2000xl formats! My bad! Nothingabout 4000. Who cares if it read 500, 1000, & 2500 formats? I admit the 5000 does sound better than the 1000 & 2500. But, still feels like the 2500!

I am not sure what you mean by it feels like an MPC 2500. My MPC 2500s pads are more responsive than the 5000. But the sequencer of the MPC 5000 feels really tight. When I turn off quantize and record, I still get great results. It doesn't feel like the MPC 2500 or 4000 in this regard although the 50000s sequencer boasts similar specs to that of the 4000.

If you have your 2500 still could you test the main output of the 5000 vs the 2500 by loading the same samples unprocessed? Is there a noticeable improvement?

On the sample edit I thought that the Q links automatically adjust the start and end points in trim. Could you try that and see how it fares against the JJ chopping when using Q link?

b-righteous wrote:If you have your 2500 still could you test the main output of the 5000 vs the 2500 by loading the same samples unprocessed? Is there a noticeable improvement?

On the sample edit I thought that the Q links automatically adjust the start and end points in trim. Could you try that and see how it fares against the JJ chopping when using Q link?

I tested a sample (recorded in the MPC 2500) on both machines. When I played it back in the MPC 5000, it sounds as if there was a boost to the low end. The opposite happened when I load an MPC 5000 factory sample (kick drum) into the MPC 2500. The MPC 2500 boosted the highend.

Two issues I came across doing this test. One, is that you should attempt to load an MPC 5000 specific program into the MPC 2500. The MPC 2500 will crash everytime.

Also, while playing the MPC 2500 sample in the MPC 5000...when I trigger the sample (using the same pad set to MONO)...infrequently, the sample sounded as if it went out of phase.

bomb beats wrote:The manual said it will read 3000, 2000, & 2000xl formats! My bad! Nothingabout 4000. Who cares if it read 500, 1000, & 2500 formats? I admit the 5000 does sound better than the 1000 & 2500. But, still feels like the 2500!

Read again it states 4000 drum programs also. Page 180 it is plain to see.

Never go by what some salesman say always get the facts.

I tested a sample (recorded in the MPC 2500) on both machines. When I played it back in the MPC 5000, it sounds as if there was a boost to the low end. The opposite happened when I load an MPC 5000 factory sample (kick drum) into the MPC 2500. The MPC 2500 boosted the highend.

Two issues I came across doing this test. One, is that you should attempt to load an MPC 5000 specific program into the MPC 2500. The MPC 2500 will crash everytime.

Also, while playing the MPC 2500 sample in the MPC 5000...when I trigger the sample (using the same pad set to MONO)...infrequently, the sample sounded as if it went out of phase.

This is interesting. Thank you for testing this. Could you also try loading some same raw .wav files and assign in each sampler to see if you get the same sonic results? This would bypass the program conversion as a variable.

just left the GC

the AD/DA converters sound totally different in an A&B comparison with the 2500 and the 5000.
the 5000 had a warmer deeper tone than the 2500... but it could have just been the samples.
the VA synth, on 1st impression, sounds like it is the 'truth'.

Sounds promising but the only way to make sure it is not the samples or FX is to load the same dry samples and audition through the same monitoring chain without the program conversion. The Main out should be used instead of the headphone to make sure we are not comparing headphone outputs. It would be best to load loops or full songs to get a picture of the whole frequency range.

It would also be good to test the drum layering with the same kicks and snares to see if it has more headroom before aliasing artifacts.

Blue Haze wrote:

bomb beats wrote:The manual said it will read 3000, 2000, & 2000xl formats! My bad! Nothingabout 4000. Who cares if it read 500, 1000, & 2500 formats? I admit the 5000 does sound better than the 1000 & 2500. But, still feels like the 2500!

Read again it states 4000 drum programs also. Page 180 it is plain to see.

Never go by what some salesman say always get the facts.

Yeah... Unfortunately, they spend more time trying to sale equipment than making music, most of the time, you know more then the salesman about specific equipment then he knows... If you took the names of the MPC's 500, 1000, 2500, and 5000 most probably couldnt tell you which one was which

I just got back from Guitar Center. I went to buy the CD drive. While at the store, I tested their display model. Again, the MPC 5000s pads didn't seem as sensitive/responsive as the MPC 2500 (yes, I went into the pad velocity menu). However, the display models pads seem better than the one I have.

I plan on installing the drive now and do some more testing of my unit.

Askia Shaheed wrote:While at the store, I tested their display model. Again, the MPC 5000s pads didn't seem as sensitive/responsive as the MPC 2500 (yes, I went into the pad velocity menu). However, the display models pads seem better than the one I have. .

I don't know what to tell you fam. I've been making tracks with velocity sensitive hits and they all register on every take. From soft taps to full level taps. I'm coming from a 2000xl so I can't speak for the sensitivity of a 2500. Thanks for testing out your unit for these cats. What a resource for non-5000 owners.

HoaxOne wrote:

Askia Shaheed wrote:While at the store, I tested their display model. Again, the MPC 5000s pads didn't seem as sensitive/responsive as the MPC 2500 (yes, I went into the pad velocity menu). However, the display models pads seem better than the one I have. .

I don't know what to tell you fam. I've been making tracks with velocity sensitive hits and they all register on every take. From soft taps to full level taps. I'm coming from a 2000xl so I can't speak for the sensitivity of a 2500. Thanks for testing out your unit for these cats. What a resource for non-5000 owners.

Thanks for Rubbing it in(for us non 5000 owners).... Im coming from a 2000XL(bought back in 2001) myself, so i know im going to enjoy everybit of my pre order mpc-5000 when it gets here, including the bugs that it will have, just as long as it doesnt freeze up on me.... Ill just have to keep saving every few minutes until the bugs get worked out

4dahaterz wrote:Thanks for Rubbing it in(for us non 5000 owners).... Im coming from a 2000XL(bought back in 2001) myself, so i know im going to enjoy everybit of my pre order mpc-5000 when it gets here, including the bugs that it will have, just as long as it doesnt freeze up on me.... Ill just have to keep saving every few minutes until the bugs get worked out

LOL. Since you're coming from a 2000XL, you're gonna love the **** out of this unit. Although I hear from my crew that the 2500 has most of the same core features (minus synth, 8-track hd recording, 960 ppq, great sounding effects w/ more busses, way more Qlinks w/midi & some other technical stuff). Back to Askia's review...

All I am waiting on is some feature to be implemented into the 2500 as they did with the 1000 when the 2500 was released.

It may or may not happen.

Multi-timbrality is my wish for the 2500.