Final advice on purchase ...

Firstly, I would very much like to thank all of you for the recent advice you have given me on the 1000 and 2500 units ( Lampdog and a god few others ) - so very helpful.

However, having really looked at what my needs are for an MPC, it would appear that the cheapest end of the spectrum ( ie, the MPC500 ) would cover all my bases. As stated, I already own an MPD32 drum controller, which, sadly, just does not do what it is mean't to in terms of non-functioning features ( note repeat and tap tempo to name just two ... oh, and did I mention the impossibility of syncing the darn thing to Cubase in any workable way ?!! ). So, this unit is in the process of being sold or might just form part of a part-ex towards my intended MPC.

All I mainly want to do with my MPC is create drum beats ( not really that bothered about sampling records, etc, at this stage ). I have literally thousands of one hit wav samples on my PC already which I know I can load onto the MPC CF card which can then be assigned to any pad ( main thing I need ). So, the fact that the MPC500 doesn't have an internal hard disk possibilty again doesn't matter to me as it has a usb which enables me to dump and load my one hits samples from my PC in manageable chunks to and from the PC to MPC, right ? I understand that the 500 has the feel and swing of the original MPC range ( yeh, I know, I know ... this is sales speak, but still ... I have heard MPCs and I like the easy sound ).
I intend to basically record a drum pattern, say 2, 4, 6, 8 or however many bars ... then record the beat pattern into my Cubase, save the incoming pattern as a new audio file in Cubase and use the new audio file drum pattern in my Cubase songs .... and that really is about all I want to do with the MPC ... So, I think many of the features on the bigger units ( 1000, 2500 and 5000 ) would be serious overkill for my needs and not really justifiable on cost grounds.
One question, though, how should I connect up the 500 to my Cubase to get the audio and midi in to both the mdid and audio tracks in Cubase ? I use an M-Audio 2 in 2 out 2496 audio card in my computer. I also have an external mxer that I use in my setup ...
I also have been swayed by the possibility of acquiring an MPC500 for my MPD32 plus £80 ( about $150 ) cash in a swap deal with a local dealer in London ....

I'll throw you a bone dude I've seen your thread up for two days no replie , so i started to feel your pain .
Basiclly the trade is way worth it. But i had the 500 and I think to start on that model, is really hard to learn on ,
reasons being the screen is two small and some of the functions are like taking the long way around If you had experience with mpc's then this isnt a big deal ,you can compensait with skill. also 4 less pads . but if your just using it as a glorified drum machine you'll be fine. But if you get one theres lots of other ways to use a mpc so you'lll probally experiment( I would hope) And if you do you'll want some thing a little more user freindly/ powerful. I suggest the 1000 with the jjos.
Thats just my opinion.

Thanks, Defton, for the reply ( not a sound from the usual suspects ? ) ...

yeh, I hear you about the 1000 ... and , in truth, I'd love to go that route, but pennies are real tight right about now for me over here in the UK ... I don't have much money to play with and Xmas is almost upon us, and with two young daughters to cater for, I don't even wanna start to think about finance matters right now !

I will possibly start with the 500, although if one or two things work out for me over the coming couple of weeks, I might just stretch myself to the 1000, if poss. I do like the look of the 1000 very much.

Oddly, the 2500 pads look almost identical to those on my MPD32 ( worrying ?!! ) .... and I wouldn't want the bad memory of that unit's failings being brought up everytime I was to look at an MPC2500 ( however, don't get me wrong, I know the similarity between the two ends firmly at the asthetic point only ).

Once again, thanks for the reply and have a good Christmas, brotha.

^^^Honestly, forget about considering the 500 as an option. All it will do is tease you and make you wish you'd waited and had snatched up that 1k.

Like for instance, my first mpc was the 4k, but I've played around on my boy's 2kxl a few times before I committed myself to it. Although I didn't know about all of the features of the other mpc's, all I knew was that I wanted the one that offered the most at that time.

In other words, don't short yourself.

dabmeister wrote:^^^Honestly, forget about considering the 500 as an option. All it will do is tease you and make you wish you'd waited and had snatched up that 1 k


In other words, don't short yourself.

I agree whole heartedly.

Just for drums? Then get a XR20. Its half the price of a 500 and its easy to learn.

dude, the mpd is fine. it sounds like the problem is cubase, why don't you try another sequencer like reason?

Well, Diggin, my MPD32 certainly isn't fine - it has been a major headache, full stop !!

The simple reason I do not move across to another sequencer is that I have written well over five hundred songs - all on Cubase. I am Cubase indoctrinated, having started out on it as Cubase VST, then on to SX1, 2 and 3. although I have resisted the move to Cubase 4, thus far .... Cubase is a very logical and intuitive package for me to use and I get my ideas down very quickly and easily with it ... then I can get a more detialed song together as I go more indepth with the program. The only aspect of it I don't like, has been with having previosuly used the keyboard to tap in my drum beats. Then, with the purchase of the MPD32, I thought I would achieve that MPC style groove and feel with the unit, but the exact opposite has occured. Just check the net for the many out there that are having real syncing issues with their MPD32's - you'll be rather shocked ! Just wished I'd put the £240 ( $500 ) I spent on the unit towards an MPC instead.

As regards the suggestions that I get an Xr20 ... no good !! I use many of my own drum wavs in my songs and I wouldn;t wish to change this fact. besides, with over 10,000 single hits on my hard drive, the XR20 won't compete nor cover what I need ...

Thanks for the input everybody .... I think the MPC1000 will be it. No, infact, there is no longer any 'think' about it - the 1000 it will be !

be sure to buy used!!

Yeah, I'm feeling ya on the Steinberg stuff mr. itm. Like you, I started on VST-24 3.7 and moved up to the SX versions too. It's hard to do away with something that you really don't have a legit reason on getting rid of it in the first place...'yah mean?

HERE IS AN ADVICE
500 IS A JOKE
IF AM WERE YOU I WOULDN'T BUY NEITHER 2500 OR 5000 I WOULD GO WITH 4000 BECAUSE ITS MORE COMPLETE.FOR EXAMPLE,WITH MPC'S I HAVE I USE FEW SOUND MODULES THAT GIVES MY DRUMS AND MY SYNTHS BETTER FEEL.AS A FIRST MPC I WOULD GO WITH ONE THAT HAS LESS BUGS,LESS SHT TO WORRY ABOUT.SO YOU CAN JUST LAY DOWN YOUR IDEAS AND GET TO WORK,I JUST THINK MPC 5000 WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU RIGHT NOW.THE ONLY IMORTANT THING HERE IS TO GO WITH YOU GUT FEELING.LISTING TO PEOPLE ON FORUM YOU JUST GONNA GET CONFUSED.WHAT EVER YOU DECIDE TO BUY TEST IT WATCH FEW VIDEOS AND DECIDE FOR YOUR SELF.MACHINE IS GOING TO DO ONLY SO MUCH REST IS UP TO YOU WHAT KIND MUSIC YOU PRODUCE.REMEMBER THIS, BUYING MPC IT'S LIKE CHOOSING BETWEEN XP AND VISTA,VISTA HAS MORE BUGS BECAUSE IT'S NEW AND XP HAS BEEN AROUND FOR SO LONG,AND IT HAS BEEN APPROVED MUCH MORE THEN WHEN FIRST CAME OUT,OR XBOX 360 FOR EXAMPLE WHEN JUST CAME OUT WAS SHTY BUT OVERTIME THEY FIXED PROBLEMS.

GOOD LUCK DOG

the guy already made it clear he doesnt have money to burn. why are you bringing up the most expensive mpc's?

Been researching and am in a similar-ish position. Given my research and seeing what people can do with the MPC 1000, I say go with that. I am searching for them on ebay and various craigslist sites, and just lost an ebay auction where a loaded MPC1000 traded for $572. The new MPC1000s are now 850 at guitarcenter.com. I think prices are moving in your direction...

Hi everbody ....

Listen, no need for any more posts here, as I recently bought my unit : A lovely used black MPC1000 ( it is only six months old, with just slight cosmetic damage to one of the end plastic panels - a new replacement one will shortly be winging it's way from MPCStuff in the States to me here in Ol Blighty .... so, my baby will be looking back in tip top very shortly !

Would like to thank all of you that contributed - it was persuasive indeed. I almost hit the 'Bid' button on Ebay for a MPC500 in the last few seconds, but fortunately it didn't happen. And, as they say, there is a reason for everything and my reason was revealed to me almost immediately afterwards, as I met my seller through SOS Forums ( A Christian guy, as things ran, who couldn't use the unit in the way that he wanted in his 'live' church performing group ). I was also extremely fortunate in that he also included a 128meg Akai Sound set CF Card and an unopened Akai 128 meg Ram upgrade stick ( which is now in the unit )

Now, the only thing to do in the New Year, apart from mastering the units numerous functions, is to possibly get the HD Kit and install the hard disk.

I feel like the cat that got the cream ......

.... and, QEvans2000, I actually got my unit for £300, whih at today's exchange is about $400 US - not bad at all.