Just Blaze Rant on the 5000

4dahaterz wrote:
Also SCD, that quote was kinda jacked about calling this man a boy. Can we please maintain respect if anything on these forums.

That "boy" was definately not intended as an insult, more like a (bad?) joke. If taken wrongly: excusez moi.

justblaze wrote:

Askia Shaheed wrote:Tell Just Blaze to make sure that he is using the latest OS and that he doesn't have to load the synth patches one by one. You can actually load an entire folder of patches at once

But yeah...there are plenty of things I have found wrong with the MPC 5000 but that is what you get when you agree to buy a new MPC early in the game.

already addressed point 1..
and as far as point 2.. this is actually my point. it wasn't always like that.. ppl have come to EXPECT things like this..and that is for lack of a better phrase, NOT cool.

It wasn't always like this because the earlier models didn't really offer much besides basic sequencing, sampling, and editing. MPCs today can do dozens (Akai claims over a hundred) of things older models can't. Not cool? Perhaps. But adding so many additional functions without a broad range of beta testers, I have sadly come to expect these issues. Using the first operating systems of the MPC 2000, 2000XL, 4000, 2500, and 5000....I found bugs within the first 24-48 hours of using these machines. Head scratching bugs..bugs I couldn't understand how a beta tester actually missed them. I would gladly be on the beta testing team to help get the job done right.

Anyway...the MPC 5000 is what it is. I will be happy when the new OS is released. I am certainly happy that Just Blaze has made some noise and that Akai is paying attention. This can only make the MPC 5000 better. So with that said....get yourself a Roland Fantom G and go on a rant about how it is not the flagship because it doesn't have features the Fantom X does as well as simple things most workstations have. Maybe you can get Roland to take swift action

I dont think you people are completly understanding that by Just (being who he is) and puttin himself in the position of an person who just worked their ass off for a product that could make thier career and it not properly function and go on to point out that thats BS helped everyone out considerably.

Not only did Akai have to realize that not only was their premature releasing of the 5K; lets say, not the best idea, but Just being a person that Akai knows is someone that a majority of thier aduience looks up to and can make a bit of a difference in the overall outcome of their products success. So he did us a favor by letting them know they need to get there s*** together and pointed out a majority of the points that need to be highly attended to.

Let's face it .. The Akai of years gone by is not the same company that was making units like the 2000xl 4000 ect.. the newer MPC's are like they are from a different company which in fact they are .. I like alot of the older MPC's and really the newer ones but there is a difference in the products made up until 2002 ..... Computer production since say 2002 and now has really dominated the music world as it has always been about doing the most with your gear and with computers now MPC's besides for die hard users and technophobes are a very niche product.... So for $2500 you get an MPC that is better than the 2000xl or 2500 but not really the 4000.. Fair enough . The 4000 is a thousand dollars more ! But Remember this a fully blown 2000xl from a store 4 years ago would run you nearly 2300 alone so for 2500 MSRP the 5000 is not that bad of a deal ... Having said that any new machine, car ect is going to be problematic but in a year or so I could see owning one...

500 > 5000


Simplicity is heaven...

MPZ60 wrote:So for $2500 you get an MPC that is better than the 2000xl or 2500 but not really the 4000..

2500 > 5000

Right now... Maybe it will change in the future but with the JJOS behind the 2500 it will be hard for the 5000 to be better.

MPZ60 wrote:Let's face it .. The Akai of years gone by is not the same company that was making units like the 2000xl 4000 ect.. the newer MPC's are like they are from a different company which in fact they are .. I like alot of the older MPC's and really the newer ones but there is a difference in the products made up until 2002 ..... Computer production since say 2002 and now has really dominated the music world as it has always been about doing the most with your gear and with computers now MPC's besides for die hard users and technophobes are a very niche product.... So for $2500 you get an MPC that is better than the 2000xl or 2500 but not really the 4000.. Fair enough . The 4000 is a thousand dollars more ! But Remember this a fully blown 2000xl from a store 4 years ago would run you nearly 2300 alone so for 2500 MSRP the 5000 is not that bad of a deal ... Having said that any new machine, car ect is going to be problematic but in a year or so I could see owning one...

You know, I always think about this.... especially price wise... I paid $2100 for my MPC 2000XL SE Fully loaded Beige, back in 2001.... so the price isnt nonthing that im not use to... unless you look at it compared to today, which it should be a lot more advanced, cheaper and better quality. Real talk, the MPC 5000 should have like a Dual Processor, and killing a computer, being that its hardware.

Teknokeyz wrote:I dont think you people are completly understanding that by Just (being who he is) and puttin himself in the position of an person who just worked their ass off for a product that could make thier career and it not properly function and go on to point out that thats BS helped everyone out considerably.

Not only did Akai have to realize that not only was their premature releasing of the 5K; lets say, not the best idea, but Just being a person that Akai knows is someone that a majority of thier aduience looks up to and can make a bit of a difference in the overall outcome of their products success. So he did us a favor by letting them know they need to get there s*** together and pointed out a majority of the points that need to be highly attended to.

The release of the 5k was not premature.

Just isn't speeding up things or having Akai pay more attention to the 5k.

As said, a bugfix update is around the corner, and Akai worked continuously on that update, taking notice of reported things here and from other places.

I don't think Just's post does have any influence on that.

scd wrote:The release of the 5k was not premature.

Just isn't speeding up things or having Akai pay more attention to the 5k.

As said, a bugfix update is around the corner, and Akai worked continuously on that update, taking notice of reported things here and from other places.

I don't think Just's post does have any influence on that.

How do you know all this? Source please!

scd wrote:
I don't think Just's post does have any influence on that.

Perhaps , but his post does influence something else - perception and buying decisions. Like it or not that post is spreading fast and carries major weight with far too many to be ignored. Akai/Numark should remember the rule about bad news traveling faster if they hope to save this machine.

SCD- As a beta tester there is obligation to defend Akai, but the complaints by early adopters on this board (and other) show that the initial release was a failure because of issues that most buyers feel should have been worked out before release. There is no getting around that.

moyphee wrote:

scd wrote:
I don't think Just's post does have any influence on that.

Perhaps , but his post does influence something else - perception and buying decisions. Like it or not that post is spreading fast and carries major weight with far too many to be ignored. Akai/Numark should remember the rule about bad news traveling faster if they hope to save this machine.

SCD- As a beta tester there is obligation to defend Akai, but the complaints by early adopters on this board (and other) show that the initial release was a failure because of issues that most buyers feel should have been worked out before release. There is no getting around that.

You put the hammer on the nail by saying that Just's post influences perception and buying decisions. That's why I think he has a responsability towards Akai as well, being famous. His initial post wasn't showing that too much to my opinion, but his later replies did put things more in balance.

In general it's the balance of what is said (AND how it is said by some) about the 5k and Akai that I am against on this forum. I really do not know any musical instruments forum that is SO negative as this one is every now and then (and I join a few...).

Can you tell me the issues why the release of the 5k was a failure?
On top of that: the ones you are going to mention only saw the daylight *after* the 5k came out.
Now, you can immediately say: so, the 5k was poorly tested. Well, the 5k was NOT poorly tested.
That bugs come to light doesn't mean a machine is poorly tested.

Again and again and again: nowadays you simply can not expect a bugfree machine like the 5k. Like someone else mentioned: there are literaly hundreds of possibilities that can be used in tens of thousands of combinations. Just give that a thought. You will need way to many people testing or you will need too much time for testing. That is commercially just impossible. At the moment of release the buglist was nearly empty. And there were more than enough hours, days, weeks, months spend on testing.
By the way, Akai is not the only company I test for. I find them much more professional compared to some others I have seen passing by.

I still stand for the opinion that the 5k is not less stable than any other machine of this complicated kind, I even dare to say it is quite above average.
That does not take away the fact that bugs have popped up (even some stupid ones we as betatesters should make ourselves accountable for, but most of them are just undiscovered bugs during testing. Still that is not the same as bad betatesting, see above) and some workflow ideas can be improved. I never denied that and never will, nor does Akai.
But one should also give Akai the opportunity to correct those things. And they are doing that. Very soon.

I can understand why no one from Akai is representing the company here on these forums (though they read the forums). Maybe they should try again but that's not my decision. I also read to many times that people do not feel helped too good when they contact them directly. Something else they could/should improve maybe.

Well, I spend too much time in this thread. I'll go back to testing that much awaited update and just hope that both parties (akai and users here) will go stand beside each other rather than standing against each other (this doesn't read like real good English but I guess you get the point )
I mean, we will all profit from a good MPC won't we? So better help each other rather than fight each other. Do I sound like a preacher here?

Boele

I'm glad Just stood up and said something..hate or love it. I currently have owned the 2kxl, 3000 and the 4000, and after the shit that went down with the 4k I was a whole lot more hesitant about purchasing the 5k, and as it stands now it looks like I won't be purchasing unless akai gets their head out of their ass. I think what bothers me about the new "Nukai" is that they basically shitted on the old users of the mpc4000 by deciding to no longer support it in anyway whatsoever and their lack of customer support i.e. just being plain rude or not responding to emails..that's their fault and no one else..Scd if you want people to stand by Akai hand in hand, akai better think about taking this whole thing a lot more seriously instead of just trying to make money and their long time supporters will keep supporting them..simple as that! Thank you Just Blaze for standing up for the little guy! Too bad that wasn't done for the 4K!

That's why I think he has a responsability towards Akai as well, being famous...

Blaze owes Akai nothing. His responsibility rest only with being honest to those who value his opinion.

To be honest Akai/Numark has taken the MPC for granted in far too many ways. The hostile environment (in or outside of this forum) is of their own making.

Not comparing products - Roland jumped in the market with the 8000 and have reps in every forum with decent population. They were there to engage customer, help with problems, and to dispel myths and misinformation. This has been done since day one! Now couple this with the supplemental documentation, online videos, and quality customer support. There is no reason other than money and complacency for Akai not to bring the same thing to such a loyal customer base as the MPC users.

Akai can still engage and their customer base here and elsewhere, but to think that nobody is going to hold them accountable for their absentee customer support is absurd. Here's is how I would approach it.

* Admit that they have not given the best support and they are making changes.
** Permanently position a rep here to engage the customers.
*** Have online tutorials to show how a machine functions with a given task.
**** Dedicate personnel to support the MPC line.
***** Start a live MPC chat with reps and mods to actively create a dialogue with customers.

Akai has to be willing to take these or similar steps to repair the current rep. If not they should consider the reality of the MPC base possibly spending their money elsewhere.

I'm not bashing or shouting. The fact is that the opinions and perceptions of beta testers will always be different than of those that have to spend their hard earned money for a machine. That's just real life.

moyphee wrote:
Blaze owes Akai nothing. His responsibility rest only with being honest to those who value his opinion.

To be honest Akai/Numark has taken the MPC for granted in far too many ways. The hostile environment (in or outside of this forum) is of their own making.

Not comparing products - Roland jumped in the market with the 8000 and have reps in every forum with decent population. They were there to engage customer, help with problems, and to dispel myths and misinformation. This has been done since day one! Now couple this with the supplemental documentation, online videos, and quality customer support. There is no reason other than money and complacency for Akai not to bring the same thing to such a loyal customer base as the MPC users.

Akai can still engage and their customer base here and elsewhere, but to think that nobody is going to hold them accountable for their absentee customer support is absurd. Here's is how I would approach it.

* Admit that they have not given the best support and they are making changes.
** Permanently position a rep here to engage the customers.
*** Have online tutorials to show how a machine functions with a given task.
**** Dedicate personnel to support the MPC line.
***** Start a live MPC chat with reps and mods to actively create a dialogue with customers.

Akai has to be willing to take these or similar steps to repair the current rep. If not they should consider the reality of the MPC base possibly spending their money elsewhere.

I'm not bashing or shouting. The fact is that the opinions and perceptions of beta testers will always be different than of those that have to spend their hard earned money for a machine. That's just real life.

chuuch

moyphee wrote:

That's why I think he has a responsability towards Akai as well, being famous...

Blaze owes Akai nothing. His responsibility rest only with being honest to those who value his opinion.

To be honest Akai/Numark has taken the MPC for granted in far too many ways. The hostile environment (in or outside of this forum) is of their own making.

Not comparing products - Roland jumped in the market with the 8000 and have reps in every forum with decent population. They were there to engage customer, help with problems, and to dispel myths and misinformation. This has been done since day one! Now couple this with the supplemental documentation, online videos, and quality customer support. There is no reason other than money and complacency for Akai not to bring the same thing to such a loyal customer base as the MPC users.

Akai can still engage and their customer base here and elsewhere, but to think that nobody is going to hold them accountable for their absentee customer support is absurd. Here's is how I would approach it.

* Admit that they have not given the best support and they are making changes.
** Permanently position a rep here to engage the customers.
*** Have online tutorials to show how a machine functions with a given task.
**** Dedicate personnel to support the MPC line.
***** Start a live MPC chat with reps and mods to actively create a dialogue with customers.

Akai has to be willing to take these or similar steps to repair the current rep. If not they should consider the reality of the MPC base possibly spending their money elsewhere.

I'm not bashing or shouting. The fact is that the opinions and perceptions of beta testers will always be different than of those that have to spend their hard earned money for a machine. That's just real life.

yeah, i agree....

and if companies like Melodyne can include online tutorials about there product, why cant Akai, All the money we spend on their equipment, and you get more help from the Forums that isnt even owned by them, or supported. But I guess thats like when you go to the Music Store, and you know more about their products then their own representatives that are trying to sell you the product.