Reviews and questions about the entry-level MPC500
By bedouin Tue Sep 30, 2008 6:52 pm
Menco wrote: Then they should release a more computer like of groovebox which can integrate easily with Daw's and comps (software and hardware), so that would make importing and recording midi/audio tracks a piece of cake. maybe a firewire multi out, option to add a screen or mouse, plus more buttons to make it more of a daw controller at the same time.


It's already there and it's called the MV-8800. If I were in the budget and had to choose between a 5000 or an MV I'd be all over the 8800 while I cozy up next to the fireplace with its manual.

The future of the machine-based sampler/drum machine is one that brings all the features of software and hardware together, plus more. Akai has already lost that battle and Roland needs to convince the guys who grew up with Reason and Fruity Loops that they need dedicated hardware.

There were always be a market for a base bones machine though like the MPC.
User avatar
By Menco Tue Sep 30, 2008 7:02 pm
bedouin wrote:It's already there and it's called the MV-8800. If I were in the budget and had to choose between a 5000 or an MV I'd be all over the 8800 while I cozy up next to the fireplace with its manual.

The future of the machine-based sampler/drum machine is one that brings all the features of software and hardware together, plus more. Akai has already lost that battle and Roland needs to convince the guys who grew up with Reason and Fruity Loops that they need dedicated hardware.

There were always be a market for a base bones machine though like the MPC.


I was talking about Akai, and yeah, because akai didn't do that but Roland did, they lost the battle. And they will loose more of them if they don't come up with some new.
User avatar
By mr_debauch Tue Sep 30, 2008 8:53 pm
guyb wrote:But you cant take an mv8800 on a plane...


you might not be able to use it on a plane, but who cares. since when does making beats while on transportation constitute a good production machine?
User avatar
By mr_debauch Tue Sep 30, 2008 9:55 pm
poundaproblem wrote:why do people think that becuase the 500 can run off batteries its grounds for such praise :lol: That machine is wak imho sorry.



exactly, and anyways everyone has been having problems with the batteries not being able to hold in properly so when you tap the pads they reset the machine. talk about garbage designing.

I like MPC's a lot, and akai's rack samplers are awesome also. I just hate the cutting corners they do with crap quality hardware, and crap software coding. You are paying for the name, not for the superior quality.
User avatar
By elevated Tue Sep 30, 2008 10:19 pm
In all fairness, that battery popping out problem is true, and an absurd oversight in the design of the 500!

I cut out a piece of packing foam and have it between the batteries and the battery cover, to prevent this problem.
User avatar
By mr_debauch Wed Oct 01, 2008 5:32 am
phono wrote:both of you are chatting breeze



what? are you unhappy because we're talking down to the mpc you bought?
By guyb Wed Oct 01, 2008 8:17 am
Well I don't know about calling it a piece of shit. I mean it is cheap and to be honest sometimes it **** up, but generally does what it says on the tin. Sure it may not be cutting edge tech any more, but at the end of the day the 500 is marketed as a cheap, portable beat machine, not a workstation. There are many features I would like to see added to it, but that doesnt mean I am not very happy with my purchase.

The things that the MPC does best i.e sampling, playable pads, sequencing etc it does well, its just that its not great for chopping. Whilst I would love some crazy chopping program on it, I don't lose any sleep over it, because I have a PC for that, and to be honest it wipes the floor with the MPC1000 chop shop. (And it will be even better when I finish BeatButcherMPC...)

Personally its people who bought a 5000 who got diddled. Over £1500 for a sampling engine you can pick up 2nd hand for £250 with a crappy virtual synth and a few pads which you could get on the MPD24 or something much cheaper. And the people who buy them clearly already own decent music rigs for chopping. That my friend is whack!

Oh and being able to use it on a plane will make it be considered a good production machine as soon as some producer says in HHC he has one for when on tour etc and everyone takes that as some sort of gospel of production. Give the kids who are buying MPC500s as their first machines time to propagate into the scene...
By woozee Wed Oct 01, 2008 9:05 am
For me the 500 have no future. I pass from 1000 to 500 and back to 1000.
At the beginning i thought, wha t a great machine , little, can use with battery, almost the same feature as the others mpc.
But then i start to realize....batteries? why not recharchable batteries like laptops, these thing will make me spend a lot of money if i want to use it as a portable machine. Lcd so little, do you really think that akai couldn't do a lcd bigger, more clear, with graphics, very poor chop feature( can't believe these!!), also not considering put a usb 2.0, also considering that may be the 500 was really the ocasion to do a machine that could work with a pc in a good way. For me akai missed the occasion. The futre is the dimension of a 500 but with much more features then actual mpc. I think we will have to wait a couple of years to see something compact and with a features that corespond to nowdays technology. With the 500 they retreate instead of looking forward.
For me the mpc 1000 and 2500 are good machine but because they are machine that came out 5-6 years ago. Akai wake up!!!!!
User avatar
By poundaproblem Wed Oct 01, 2008 12:38 pm
phono wrote:both of you are chatting breeze



Don't get sour homie. If you like the 500 that's fine but it's wak to me and will never be a classic. It has the least pads, least outs , a stop watch sized screen and fisher price build quality. But it works on batteries so that justifies it? I personally don't think so. Plus let's be real here...how many people "upgrade" to a 500? Exactly.
User avatar
By POSTAL Wed Oct 01, 2008 2:06 pm
It will have to take one of us to do a Donuts type instrumental album, for the 500 to be a cult classic.
User avatar
By phono Wed Oct 01, 2008 2:59 pm
mr_debauch wrote:
phono wrote:both of you are chatting breeze



what? are you unhappy because we're talking down to the mpc you bought?


not really, i've a full studio here of other gear, i find the 500 makes a great live tool, if you dont like it thats fine but i cant see why you need to post in this "500" forum, you get me?

poundaproblem wrote:
Don't get sour homie. If you like the 500 that's fine but it's wak to me and will never be a classic. It has the least pads, least outs , a stop watch sized screen and fisher price build quality. But it works on batteries so that justifies it? I personally don't think so. Plus let's be real here...how many people "upgrade" to a 500? Exactly.


im not sour at all dude and obviously i dont think the 500 is a classic, but i beg to differ on the "fisher price" quality. Again i dont know why you post in here also.