MKS-80 Patch Manager & MPG-80 Emulator?

[Joe-Trojan]

Originally Posted by sleestack

why are mk-80 now going for 2 k without the programmer? Recession? What recession? Lol. Ridiculous. A few years ago when the economy was goo you could get one for 800.

I bought my rev4 a month ago for $1799AUD. I like the fact that these units have no know issues apart from the screen going dim. Regular maintenance is all that is required which means a very cheap cost of ownership.

I think a rack synth is always going to be less maintenance than a keyboard based synth, which has many more controls and places to get dust and things inside it, and is more likely to get knocked around over the course of 25 years.

[mattyc]

the cox electronics interpreter is not a bad solution either

[schmuck]

Originally Posted by Joe-Trojan

How did you go programming the studio connections for the MKS-80? How does it compare with programming a midi device panel?

I took the example patch from yamaha (I think a dx7 one) and tinkered around. I am no programmer whatsoever and there aren't that many parameters. For some synths I failed, for others I succeeded. trial & error.

[Xero]

i got my rev4+controller for a little over $2k so i don't think that's relatively true. I generally see rev4's alone go for around 1400 and MPG-80s go for around $800-1100. rev5's alone (no controller) tend to get $800-1100 as well and with a controller tend to go for around 2k. rev4's seem to have a $100-400 premium, i got a decent deal on mine though. and yeah, my screens dim. I'm tempted to either replace the backlight, or replace it with a VFD, but the latter sounds like it might be a bit too large of a project. I sorta want to see if there's any way to put an LED backlight in there. imo £1650 for a rev5 w/controller is a bit too much, that's like what a rev4 goes for right now. a rev5 +controller should be around $1700-2000 or around £1250-1350, that's what ive seen on ebay anyway.

[Joe-Trojan]

Originally Posted by schmuck

I took the example patch from yamaha (I think a dx7 one) and tinkered around. I am no programmer whatsoever and there aren't that many parameters. For some synths I failed, for others I succeeded. trial & error.

Ok good to know! After getting the PG-300 to work much much better I am going to try my hand at creating a Midi Device panel in Cubase first. Failing that I'll look into Studio Connections and get the appropriate software installed to work with.

[GiPe]

The mpg80 editor xml works fawless in my mac with cubase 5

Maybe im thinking to sold my rev5... 1100 euro i think is the good price it is in good condictions.
I'm tired from it..maybe an andromeda a6 is better for me.

[RobJB06]

I think the MKS80 sounds quite a bit nicer than the Andromeda.
Regarding price for MKS80 + MPG80, i had my 2nd pair for sale for ages, several months and kept knocking the price down eventually sold it for £1650. Mine was a Rev 5 with the programmer.
So i would say thats a good idea of what they are worth in the UK.
I saw another combo go recently for £1600 (BIN) recently, that one was a Rev4. No idea why people pay 3x the amount for the JP8.. rediculous! But im not going to open that can of worms again LOL

Originally Posted by GiPe

The mpg80 editor xml works fawless in my mac with cubase 5

Maybe im thinking to sold my rev5... 1100 euro i think is the good price it is in good condictions.
I'm tired from it..maybe an andromeda a6 is better for me.

[Nikolaus Riehm]

John Buckner wrote a MKS-80 patch manager, seems the only program dedicated to manage (not only to edit) patches of the MKS. Has anyone a copy of this freeware program and can upload/mail it?

TIA, Niko

[bizness80]

Originally Posted by Xero

i got my rev4+controller for a little over $2k so i don't think that's relatively true. I generally see rev4's alone go for around 1400 and MPG-80s go for around $800-1100. rev5's alone (no controller) tend to get $800-1100 as well and with a controller tend to go for around 2k. rev4's seem to have a $100-400 premium, i got a decent deal on mine though. and yeah, my screens dim. I'm tempted to either replace the backlight, or replace it with a VFD, but the latter sounds like it might be a bit too large of a project. I sorta want to see if there's any way to put an LED backlight in there. imo £1650 for a rev5 w/controller is a bit too much, that's like what a rev4 goes for right now. a rev5 +controller should be around $1700-2000 or around £1250-1350, that's what ive seen on ebay anyway.

This is reinforcing my perception that if I pay more than $2500 for a rev 4 with MPG I'm getting taken for a ride.

Just saw a near mint Rev 5 + MPG go for $1800 so $2500 sounds about right for the Rev 4.

Then again I saw that a Rev 4 set went for $3100(!!!???!!!!???) a few weeks ago. There must have been some psychology/bidding hysteria going on there....either that or Madonna used it to get herself off back in '85.

[bizness80]

BTW I'm in the market for a Rev 4 + MPG if anyone wants to sell one PM me.

[Xero]

Originally Posted by bizness80

This is reinforcing my perception that if I pay more than $2500 for a rev 4 with MPG I'm getting taken for a ride.

Just saw a near mint Rev 5 + MPG go for $1800 so $2500 sounds about right for the Rev 4.

Then again I saw that a Rev 4 set went for $3100(!!!???!!!!???) a few weeks ago. There must have been some psychology/bidding hysteria going on there....either that or Madonna used it to get herself off back in '85.

i paid bout 2100 + shipping for my rev4 w/mpg-80 but i bought it from a gearslutz member...and i wouldn't automatically expect to get one that cheaply unless you're either very patient or lucky...I had been watching a few on ebay and doing some google / craigslist searches when I found the gearslutz post almost by accident.

if you buy it on ebay, then expect to pay $100-200 more at least, just cause people want to cover the ebay/paypal fees. The prices are slowly rising on these, not as fast as the jupiter 8, but still rising regardless, so you could very well end up spending $2500+...you definitely will pay a premium for a rev3 / 4

[bizness80]

Originally Posted by Xero

i paid bout 2100 + shipping for my rev4 w/mpg-80 but i bought it from a gearslutz member...and i wouldn't automatically expect to get one that cheaply unless you're either very patient or lucky...I had been watching a few on ebay and doing some google / craigslist searches when I found the gearslutz post almost by accident.

if you buy it on ebay, then expect to pay $100-200 more at least, just cause people want to cover the ebay/paypal fees. The prices are slowly rising on these, not as fast as the jupiter 8, but still rising regardless, so you could very well end up spending $2500+...you definitely will pay a premium for a rev3 / 4

I'm hoping to get lucky as for some reason synth sales are really hit and miss on ebay right now(lots of desirable gear in good condition gear not selling, MKS80's included) I just need to find a seller who is less patient than I am

Anyway, now that I have my mind (mostly) made up, what is a good MIDI controller to use with the MKS80? I'm mainly concerned with having a quality keyboard action and good build quality. And of course, using it with the Jupiter, the built in arpeggiator will be crucial - are most arps similar or do the ease of use and funcitonaly differ a lot between different midrange-highend models?

And before anyone suggests it I dont want to use a DAW (Logic 9 in my case), I'm hoping my buddy will handle most of the DAW duties (I hate using computers for music and may end up going all hardware someday unless APC40/Ableton Live kind of combos become the standard)

I'm looking at the MPK61 and A800Pro so far...any other suggestions for a MIDI controller with good keys and arpeggiator?

[Xero]

Originally Posted by bizness80

I'm hoping to get lucky as for some reason synth sales are really hit and miss on ebay right now(lots of desirable gear in good condition gear not selling, MKS80's included) I just need to find a seller who is less patient than I am

Anyway, now that I have my mind (mostly) made up, what is a good MIDI controller to use with the MKS80? I'm mainly concerned with having a quality keyboard action and good build quality. And of course, using it with the Jupiter, the built in arpeggiator will be crucial - are most arps similar or do the ease of use and funcitonaly differ a lot between different midrange-highend models?

And before anyone suggests it I dont want to use a DAW (Logic 9 in my case), I'm hoping my buddy will handle most of the DAW duties (I hate using computers for music and may end up going all hardware someday unless APC40/Ableton Live kind of combos become the standard)

I'm looking at the MPK61 and A800Pro so far...any other suggestions for a MIDI controller with good keys and arpeggiator?

the akai ones are probably what would be my choice, although in the end i opted to buy a used xv-88 which is a synth in and of itself but makes an excellent master keyboard as well and has aftertouch...and only cost me about the same as the mpk-88 would have...and it's got an arpeggio in it :P but i wanted 88 keys...

[bizness80]

What other controller keyboards have a good arpeggiator? The MPKs seem like great units but they are so f-ing huge! Almost defeats the purpose getting a rack synth if I have to lug that monster around with me.

Anything that has a good arpeggiator without a monster control surface like the MPK-61's?

[Xero]

Originally Posted by bizness80

What other controller keyboards have a good arpeggiator? The MPKs seem like great units but they are so f-ing huge! Almost defeats the purpose getting a rack synth if I have to lug that monster around with me.

Anything that has a good arpeggiator without a monster control surface like the MPK-61's?

you could look into some of those casio privias or whatever, they are pretty small and lightweight but have good action, but i dont know off hand if they have arpeggios

[Disease Factory]

Originally Posted by subsonix

Cubase SX Device Panels - C.Y.KONG.com thumbsup

This guy has made some great Cubase panels for all sorts of devices. I wish Steinborg would get him onboard to help them finish off the device panel implemention as it's more useful than most of the half arsed stuff they keep adding. That company makes no sense to me these days, lol.

(it tried resizing this but it kept defaulting to this size, sorry dudes!)

I cannot get this xml to load in cubase 5, im running windows 7 64


help.

[schmuck]

I have it working on cubase 5.5 (XP 32). So it seems it is at least not a cubase 5 issue. What do you mean by "cannot get it to load" - error message or will it not show up afterwards? Did you setup other panels like this one?

[schmuck]

Oh, and I am glad for you that the synth works again (saw the pics in the other thread...arrrgh)

[Disease Factory]

I load it into the mixer device, then it wont open or let me select a midi port. :(

[schmuck]

Originally Posted by Disease Factory

I load it into the mixer device, then it wont open or let me select a midi port. :(

Strange. Maybe the xml is corrupt or incomplete. I would try downloading it again & maybe try another synth model for reference.

[Disease Factory]

I got the imks80 ipad editor, all is well now works great too ipad owns.

[synthdood]

Originally Posted by Disease Factory

I load it into the mixer device, then it wont open or let me select a midi port. :(

I had the same issue but can be easily fixed: Open up the xml file in notepad (or any other text editor) and search for

<string name="Port Name" value=

The value is probably empty. Type in the name of your midi port device (Mine is UM-880 MIDI 4) and save the file. It should now load in Cubase. Probably still gives a missing midi port warning but you can now select the proper port.

[thermos]

Anyone have any good options for mac other than the Rekon software? I'm using my BCR2000, but it will only edit tone parameters, and not patch.

[DesolationBlvd]

Sorry to bump this one up.

I need either a (free) patch librarian or the parameters for a few of the presets:

15 Glock Pax
32 Resonant Bend
37 Clangorous
43 Strings
54 Blap Trumpet
56 Strings/Brass
57 Log Drums
83 Elec. Guitar

Those were the presets in the demo on YouTube that sold me.

I can't find John Buckner's patch librarian, and the one from mk2software.com (archived version) didn't work on either of my computers.

Simply reloading the factory patches isn't an option any more - I've already spent a while making my own patches (especially a recreation of the DX7 "Bass 1"), so I would need a patch librarian to back them up anyway.

[Don Solaris]

Originally Posted by DesolationBlvd

Simply reloading the factory patches isn't an option any more

How come?

Midi works both directions. Save your patches, load presets, write parameters, load your patches.

[DesolationBlvd]

Originally Posted by Don Solaris

How come?

Midi works both directions. Save your patches, load presets, write parameters, load your patches.

...Okay, I didn't think of that one at first. I assume the writing down of the parameters would be on the MKS-80, since it's after loading them in.

Here's hoping my cheapo USB-to-MIDI cable doesn't garble the SysEx this time like it did when I loaded the presets into my D-5 when it came time to sell.