Would it be possible for Akai to make 512MB RAM expansion?

Askia Shaheed wrote:Would it be possible for Akai to make 512MB RAM expansion for the current 5K? No. Do you need 512 MB in a live set? No. Why? Because musicians have been doing live sets with MPCs that have 32 MB of memory. But 512 MB is the magical number for today's live musicians? Well, you take a lap top and have gigs of sounds at your finger tips.

Well, I would like to add a little twist here: since OS 2 does promis import for various formats plus keygroup sample programs, more RAM would be usefull for certain sample programs, like bigger Grand Piano stuff, large Mellotron libraries and the like. But I also agree, that it is not really a *must*.
192 MB is sufficient for 90% of the needs, I'd say?

I agree with you SCD. With keygroup sample import, it would be nice to have more memory if it is possible to add with its current design. I normally use sound modules and software samplers/instruments with my MPC. For giggles, I tried loading up some of my libraries into the MPC 5000. After I saved them onboard the MPC, I would probably not want to do that again. Loading 192 MB of files is much faster than saving but it can still take up to 6 minutes. Why take over 12 minutes to load 512 MB of samples when you can have gigs of sounds at a fraction of that time using software instruments or instantly using sound modules?

Askia Shaheed wrote:I agree with you SCD. With keygroup sample import, it would be nice to have more memory if it is possible to add with its current design. I normally use sound modules and software samplers/instruments with my MPC. For giggles, I tried loading up some of my libraries into the MPC 5000. After I saved them onboard the MPC, I would probably not want to do that again. Loading 192 MB of files is much faster than saving but it can still take up to 6 minutes. Why take over 12 minutes to load 512 MB of samples when you can have gigs of sounds at a fraction of that time using software instruments or instantly using sound modules?

Of course loading and saving times are part of the fun (or not).

You ask for a reason: well, for people that hate to work with computers during the inspirational and creative process of composing etc. it would be nice.
Like me.

But again, I would consider it a bonus, not a key feature. And saving times should drop indeed...

scd wrote:

Askia Shaheed wrote:I agree with you SCD. With keygroup sample import, it would be nice to have more memory if it is possible to add with its current design. I normally use sound modules and software samplers/instruments with my MPC. For giggles, I tried loading up some of my libraries into the MPC 5000. After I saved them onboard the MPC, I would probably not want to do that again. Loading 192 MB of files is much faster than saving but it can still take up to 6 minutes. Why take over 12 minutes to load 512 MB of samples when you can have gigs of sounds at a fraction of that time using software instruments or instantly using sound modules?

Of course loading and saving times are part of the fun (or not).

You ask for a reason: well, for people that hate to work with computers during the inspirational and creative process of composing etc. it would be nice.
Like me.

But again, I would consider it a bonus, not a key feature. And saving times should drop indeed...

I feel you about using PCs. They are my secondary source of sounds. My Fantom G is what I use daily. Although it just received an OS update so that it will fully support 1 gig of samples, I don't use much more than its onboard sounds. On another note, I think it would be great if the next generation of MPCs have onboard sounds stored in ROM just like a sound module. This would be a truly amazing product.

Askia Shaheed wrote:On another note, I think it would be great if the next generation of MPCs have onboard sounds stored in ROM just like a sound module. This would be a truly amazing product.

With nowadays flash memory it should even be possible to have onboard flash ROM where you can install your prefered set of samples Now, THAT would be the day

Hey guys,

So The RAM-expansion would not affect the amount of memory reserved for the OS?
So no matter how high the RAM expansion is, it would not expand the memory reserved for os..? (just need to be clear)

The reason Im asking this, Ive heard that people sometimes run out of memory.. But I doubt that will happen in my case.. (If 192MB can hold about 20 minutes of samples??)

But to be honest, even If I dont do shit with the memory expansion, why the **** did they drop it from 4k:s 512 to 192mb?

Peace!

-Joidi

Askia Shaheed wrote:I agree with you SCD. With keygroup sample import, it would be nice to have more memory if it is possible to add with its current design.

That was my whole goddamn point all this time!!!
man **** you!!!

AWW_NAWW wrote:

Askia Shaheed wrote:I agree with you SCD. With keygroup sample import, it would be nice to have more memory if it is possible to add with its current design.

That was my whole goddamn point all this time!!!
man **** you!!!

You are tripping. I never meant that having more memory wouldn't be nice. I said:

The 5K was built to a certain specification just like any other MPC. The 5K has as much chance of getting a 512 MB chip to work as the MPC 2500/1000 has at getting a 256 MB chip to work...or the MPC 4000 getting a 1 GB chip to work properly.

I was only pointing out that it may not be possible. This is the latest in a string of RAM threads that are in the forums. I am still a firm believer in using sound modules with MPCs because I don't really want to load a bunch of keyboard multi-sampless when I can have them at my finger tips.

So since you are using an MPC 4000 with 512 MB, why don't you load up a bunch of files until your have no more memory left. Then save these files to the hard drive in its own folder. Time this process. Restart your MPC 4000 and reload the folder you just created. Time this process. Then report back with the results. I would like to know how fast the MPC 4000 can do these tasks. I already wrote about the performance of the 5K. Now let's see how good you are with math. If it takes 5 to 6 minutes to load 192 MB of samples (MPC 5K), how long would it take to load 512 MB of samples? Once you get the answer to that equation, you will start to see what I mean.

yeah you are right, load all those samples on an outboard machine instead.

Loading 192 MB of files is much faster than saving but it can still take up to 6 minutes.

Why the heck is it taking that long to load 192 MB of samples on the 5k? I thought that this is more current technology and with USB2.0 compatibility that this would be much faster. My Motif XS that was released prior to the 5k can load that in less than 30 seconds. This is very disappointing news. May as well stick with the older models.

WOW!

Exaggerated a bit. Motif XS took 1 min 40 secs to load 256 MB but still.

b-righteous wrote:Exaggerated a bit. Motif XS took 1 min 40 secs to load 256 MB but still.

It's not just MPCs that are slow. Try loading samples in the V-synth. Or even worse (though that is an oldy) in my Emulator sampler...

But one wonders why computers are so much faster. Probably has something to do with how RAM is attached to the motherboard on PCs which might be differ from RAM in samplers? I just don't know.

Samplers are made from proprietary motherboards and chips and can't quite be expected to keep pace with a PC.

My disbelief comes from the fact that modern samplers like the M3 and XS along with the Fantom G, have substantially faster loading times compared to the old. This is after taking into account that they are using really cheap hardware that is expected to be behind a modern PC. Why is the so-called flagship 5k still that far behind in the dark ages of slow loading samplers? No wonder they only allow for 192 MB. Numark is probably saving about $20.00 per unit out of the whole deal.

Oh wait, they can sell you that proprietary RAM upgrade for about a 1000% markup. If the ram was anything remotely current then users would find out what ram it takes and bypass the markup.

This probably also explains why it's so slow still because a faster board and memory system would not host the rare RAM modules. That would not allow them to make profits selling a rare type of RAM. Greedy!

the ram is the same man.. it just has a different form factor. Akai didn't make the ram, they hired a company to make a ram chip with a special connector.

they are ram chips installed on a different chip board that is mounted differently, that's all... and most likely yes, it is so they could charge 24 times the price roughly.



Back in the day when the xl came out or better yet... the 60, how much was the ram upgrade... never mind that. How much was it to buy the type of ram possible to install in the 60? I have no idea, but my guess is about 500 bucks.

Askia Shaheed wrote:

AWW_NAWW wrote:

Askia Shaheed wrote:I agree with you SCD. With keygroup sample import, it would be nice to have more memory if it is possible to add with its current design.

That was my whole goddamn point all this time!!!
man **** you!!!

You are tripping. I never meant that having more memory wouldn't be nice. I said:

The 5K was built to a certain specification just like any other MPC. The 5K has as much chance of getting a 512 MB chip to work as the MPC 2500/1000 has at getting a 256 MB chip to work...or the MPC 4000 getting a 1 GB chip to work properly.

I was only pointing out that it may not be possible. This is the latest in a string of RAM threads that are in the forums. I am still a firm believer in using sound modules with MPCs because I don't really want to load a bunch of keyboard multi-sampless when I can have them at my finger tips.

So since you are using an MPC 4000 with 512 MB, why don't you load up a bunch of files until your have no more memory left. Then save these files to the hard drive in its own folder. Time this process. Restart your MPC 4000 and reload the folder you just created. Time this process. Then report back with the results. I would like to know how fast the MPC 4000 can do these tasks. I already wrote about the performance of the 5K. Now let's see how good you are with math. If it takes 5 to 6 minutes to load 192 MB of samples (MPC 5K), how long would it take to load 512 MB of samples? Once you get the answer to that equation, you will start to see what I mean.

509MB = 9min 37sec