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By the_P.L.O Mon Dec 22, 2008 12:01 pm
Hi

I just scored an MPC cheap off ebay, with a faulty jog wheel. That's actually fine for me - i'm happy using logic/battery/etc - the reason i grabbed it was because the MPD-16 pads ALL suck IMO. They just aren't the same - too hard. And the price of an MPD-32 or even the Korg PadKontrol is more than i paid for the 2KXL. I just bought it to use it mainly as a midi controller - for the pads. I actually don't really sample any more, other than drums.

Anyway, even though i know the 2000XL is pretty transparent sounding, i was wondering if it had a 'record mode', so i could play vinyl/stuff through it and straight through my MPC's AD/DA and then into my DAW? I'd like to just leave the MPC on in between my deck and sound card, all the time. It would be really cool to be able to just use the MPC like that, even if it doesn't really colour the sound that much anyway, nice to have the option and see for myself. I think the old 950's had this, my friend used to use it like that.

I tried to search but it kept pulling up a database error. I'm asking because i haven't received it yet so i can't try it out for myself.

Thanks guys
By the_P.L.O Mon Dec 22, 2008 12:35 pm
Hey, just another quick beginner question. If i'm using the MPC as a controller, how many banks can you have? Does it just go from C1, and then you can bank to get the next 16 notes, and so forth? Are there 4 banks available if you use it as a controller?

Also, does the 16 levels function work? I'm thinking if the MPD-16 can do it when connected via MIDI, the MPC should be able to when being used as a controller...

Thanks
By _Stilo_ Mon Dec 22, 2008 8:38 pm
Wow...you haven't even opened the manual once yet, have you?

It's a sampler...of course you can "record" anything into it and play it back. Although, it seems pretty pointless to me to use it like that just to "color" your sound. Anyway. If you want to record from vinyl, make sure you have DJ mixer or phono preamp between the turntable and MPC.

For the rest, read the manual!
By the_P.L.O Mon Dec 22, 2008 11:01 pm
Hi, thanks for your reply

1) No, i haven't checked the manual. I haven't received the MPC yet, as i wrote in my original post, so i can't check the manual that comes with it yet.

2) I understand that its a sampler, and can record audio. I don't want to record audio and then play it back. What i'm asking is, does it output the input when in record mode? That way the audio is passing through the units ADC and DAC, on the way to the computer. Then, the MPC can just sit there in record mode in front of the computer.

I understand that i need a phono preamp, thanks.

I am/was excited and just wanted to know some answers as i was thinking about how to fit the MPC into my setup.

I think you misunderstood. Thanks for your help, though.
User avatar
By dabmeister Mon Dec 22, 2008 11:20 pm
If you're going to use the mpc to just run audio through it, it can be set just for that. You'd have to set it up as if you were going to sample.

There's a monitoring mode that you could use if you're just running audio through it.

And here's a link to the manual, straight from Akai's website...Akai MPC 2000XL Reference Manual

So there shouldn't be any excuses to not having it, especially beforehand.
User avatar
By dabmeister Mon Dec 22, 2008 11:26 pm
Now as far as using it as a controller, its functionality wouldn't be the same as a dedicated controller such as the MPD or any others.

It can be used as such, but it would be very limited in what it can do.
User avatar
By dabmeister Tue Dec 23, 2008 12:13 am
Akai MPC 2000XL wrote:
• Monitor:
When L/R is selected, the sound from the input is sent to the stereo mix outputs. When
OFF is selected, it is not sent. If you are sampling with a microphone in the same room as
the speakers, select OFF to avoid audio feedback. Otherwise, select L/R to hear the
sound in the stereo mix.


I noticed this as well on my 4k, and my guess is that it's a standard feature amongst all the mpc's. But I'm like you Stilo, it's pretty useless to use it for coloring. But I see everybody has a purpose for what they'd want to use it for too.

To the P.L.O., if you're looking for color, your best bet to find it would be crayola (just joking). Anyway, you could check out an inexpensive pre to run the mpc through before it gets to daw. Depending on what you get, it could really fatten up your drums or signal.