mpc5000 is it really that bad

[babar141]

Hey sup people, is the mpc 5000 really that bad? is everyone here who owns one experiance all these bugs and crashes? well anyway im gonna try one out on saterday...

[e-smile-z]

nope it is just haterisim mixed with adopted opinions...i m using the 5000 now for a few month with no problems...

[bobsandifer]

I dont own one but I have worked with several producers that used them. I never heard a single one of them complain and there was not a second of downtime due to using one.

Would I buy one based on those experiences? Yup. I just dont have the 2 grand to spend on a drum machine

[PhonoquO]

that machine is crap. if you're going to play with blownout toys like that, you might as well buy a nice computer and be done with it.

[The MPCist]

The MPC5000 is gonna get discontinued really soon. The 'new' flagship model is/will be the MPC2500.

Just a heads up for those who are thinking of getting one....


And don't ask me how I know, I won't say, but when it comes to MPCs, I know.

[Mr.Amokk]

Originally Posted by The MPCist

And don't ask me how I know, I won't say, but when it comes to MPCs, I know.

Hm...maybe thats because you are the MPCist...

[JaeOne3345]

Originally Posted by PhonoquO

that machine is crap. if you're going to play with blownout toys like that, you might as well buy a nice computer and be done with it.

explain yourself

[wreckingstuff]

Originally Posted by The MPCist

The MPC5000 is gonna get discontinued really soon. The 'new' flagship model is/will be the MPC2500.

Just a heads up for those who are thinking of getting one....


And don't ask me how I know, I won't say, but when it comes to MPCs, I know.

Do you think you could substantiate that a little, I'm genuinely interested in buying a 5k. Is discontinuation due to perceived problems with the design or because users didn't want/need the extra features and were not prepared to pay for them?

Do you know if the 2500 will remain same spec, or, if it is to be the top of the line model, will a new version appear?

What will discontinuation mean for users? The 2k/3k are still going strong no?

[wreckingstuff]

Originally Posted by The MPCist

The MPC5000 is gonna get discontinued really soon. The 'new' flagship model is/will be the MPC2500.

Just a heads up for those who are thinking of getting one....


And don't ask me how I know, I won't say, but when it comes to MPCs, I know.

And if you were going to buy an mpc right now from the currently available brand new range, which would you get and why?

Same question to JaeOne too...

It may be relevant to the advice you give if I say I'm not a midi novice, I use akai s series racks, and at some point I will want to integrate with Logic, what I'm looking for in an MPC is to be able to operate out of one box when I go out to work with other people (Not a laptop/interface/harddrive/cables/controller rigmarole) and I think I will benefit from being away from the computer screen, to stop 'looking at music' if that makes sense...

[PhonoquO]

Originally Posted by JaeOne3345

explain yourself

what can i say. it's a waste of money in my opinion for the features. not to mention it's full of bugs. when i tried one in a music shop, the thing crashed while the salesman was trying to showcase some of it's good features. really the 2500 would have all i could possibly need from a sampling drummachine, although i'd prefer a 3000 or 2000.

and that's my opinion. i've got a line on an sp-1200 for $ 450, i hope i can pick it up!
less is more.

[babar141]

the thing is with these old mpc like 3000 they could break down and then you wont be able to repair it cuz the parts aint avialble now! so thats why im looking to get a newer mpc like 5000.
the 5000 first os does have lots if bugs but i think with the lastest os they are fixed or gonna get fixed...other then that i wornder if the 5000 does have that magic goove like the 3000..

[tvent]

If I had to buy out of the current product offerings, the 5000 would be my choice.
Just the extra connectivity would be worth it, and besides, the savings between that and the 2500 isn't THAT much.

One thing I don't like about it, is that the 8 analog outs and the 8 optical outs are married together (I thought we would be able to send 16, well actually 20 if you count 8 analog, 2 analog stereo, 8 optical, plus 2 spidif all out at the same time) and I couldn't find any way to easily send a specific track out to a specific output (it's real easy on my 3k and 60) - you had to assign the individual sounds to the individual outs on the 5k - is this normal for newer mpcs?. Not sure if this is changed in an OS upgrade or not, but it was cumbersome.

FWIW, I do own both a 60 and a 3k, and I've spent a lot of time wining and dining them BOTH this year. They are starting to get expensive to own. I've just given up on floppies and zips, and now the card readers (even the cheap ones) are getting costly. I need backlights now. It just never seems to end - I guess it's like an old car or house that you love.

I do think Akai could have made it better, with maybe an optical input (or multiple analog inputs) that would allow 8-track analog recording to disk, more RAM capacity, and a USB port like the 4k has that allows you to copy/load to/from usb thumb drives, but out of the current lineup it is by far the best thing they have going. They did add keygroups, so that is something... something my 3k doesn't have. As for the sound, we had a hard time deciphering sound quality between the 5k, 2.5k, 3k, and the 60 (you'd be amazed how clean the 60's sound, given their "gritty" reputation on forums.) We sent the same samples into the SP-1200 though and it just fell apart (had to do some MAJOR pitch shifting to fit all the samples into 10 secs, so it REALLY wasn't an apples/apples comparison.) Groove wise? I can't say for certain. All we used when we had them all together were chopped up loops, no drum programming with swing. Anywho, if you want something new with a warranty, go grab a 5k.
If you don't care about new/warranty, then there seems to be some deals to be had on 2.5k's and 3k's alike. If you want a 60, get one with the upgrades already done - they are getting hard to come by too.

[TonyBelmont]

The 5000 is a great machine from my limited experience with it.

[e-smile-z]

make up your mind go to a store and test it...if you ever had an mpc you know how to use it it's easy...make sure there is os 2 on it....the 5000 are used cheap to get..

[DQA123]

i wouldn't buy it. i lost tons of songs because of crashing. even with the updated software. no hating here - just first hand experience.

i have the 4K now and like it a lot but i still miss the feel and layout of the 5K. i might buy the 5K again down the line after they get their shit together. maybe in a year or so.

[The MPCist]

Originally Posted by wreckingstuff

Do you think you could substantiate that a little, I'm genuinely interested in buying a 5k. Is discontinuation due to perceived problems with the design or because users didn't want/need the extra features and were not prepared to pay for them?

Do you know if the 2500 will remain same spec, or, if it is to be the top of the line model, will a new version appear?

What will discontinuation mean for users? The 2k/3k are still going strong no?

I don't know why the top Akai brass decided this.... Doesn't make any sense to me but that's the word direct from Japan.

I'd still get the 5K, it's usable now and got some things going for it over the 2500 such as 2X sized display, etc.

I'm getting one.... Just because I'm a sucker for MPCs I suppose....

[The MPCist]

Originally Posted by Mr.Amokk

Hm...maybe thats because you are the MPCist...

Yeah but I wish I could change my GS name!

[rhodesp04]

I've used it (including this past weekend at GC in LA where I put on a lil' show for some of the workers lol).

IMO there's nothing wrong with it, I just think it's not worth the money. I think it lists at like $2k...

I tell you what I did, although it may not help many people because they may not live in a city with a competent Akai Tech, I bought a broken 4000 for relatively cheap off of Ebay, got it fixed by Bruce Forat (forat.com) then had extra money for other things (I had roughly a 2k budget at the time)

[wreckingstuff]

Originally Posted by The MPCist

I don't know why the top Akai brass decided this.... Doesn't make any sense to me but that's the word direct from Japan.

I'd still get the 5K, it's usable now and got some things going for it over the 2500 such as 2X sized display, etc.

I'm getting one.... Just because I'm a sucker for MPCs I suppose....

Thanks dude. Would you happen to know if 5k units shipped after OS2 release have OS2 ready installed? And if so, can these be identified by serial / batch number? What I want to avoid is getting an older (possibly) buggy machine if possible.

Also, and this is totally an off topic side issue. If started your MPC journey using a model for which there is a JJ OS available, would you need to learn the Akai OS in order to appreciate the benefits of JJ? What I mean is if you started off with JJ do you think you would find it annoying and awkward if you didn't have knowledge of the greater annoyance / awkward factor of Akai OS? I'm wondering if someone could save time and stress by starting off with JJ.

[wreckingstuff]

Originally Posted by rhodesp04

I've used it (including this past weekend at GC in LA where I put on a lil' show for some of the workers lol).

IMO there's nothing wrong with it, I just think it's not worth the money. I think it lists at like $2k...

I tell you what I did, although it may not help many people because they may not live in a city with a competent Akai Tech, I bought a broken 4000 for relatively cheap off of Ebay, got it fixed by Bruce Forat (forat.com) then had extra money for other things (I had roughly a 2k budget at the time)

The reason I'm looking at a current model is that my good wife is getting me this a midwinter festival gift, and I wouldn't like to expose her to the potential minefield of purchasing pre owned audio gear. Also, I like new, and I like warrantees, and (this doesn't apply to 4k, but a lot of people champion the 3k) if i never see another zip drive, floppy disk, or scsi CD-rom I will be a happier man.

Thanks for your input though, for somebody in a different purchasing situation, this might be a great way to do it.

It is really difficult to get objective information / advice on the subject of newer mpcs, even here, and on the mpc forum.

Cheers

[rhodesp04]

Originally Posted by wreckingstuff

The reason I'm looking at a current model is that my good wife is getting me this a midwinter festival gift, and I wouldn't like to expose her to the potential minefield of purchasing pre owned audio gear. Also, I like new, and I like warrantees, and (this doesn't apply to 4k, but a lot of people champion the 3k) if i never see another zip drive, floppy disk, or scsi CD-rom I will be a happier man.

Thanks for your input though, for somebody in a different purchasing situation, this might be a great way to do it.

It is really difficult to get objective information / advice on the subject of newer mpcs, even here, and on the mpc forum.

Cheers

it just depends on your needs. if you're just trying to get away from things like disks and you don't care about 24-bit (only in the 4000 and 5000) then just get a 1000. I had a 2000xl but hated disks and not enough memory so i got a 1000 and loved it because of the USB i could just drag and drop sounds from the computer, but when i heard the difference between the 16-bit to 24-bit i had to get it...

[Djenigma505]

I've tinkered with the 5000 at GC and I hate it, mostly cause I want it but can't afford it. I rock the 4000 and love it, I say if you got the cash to throw down on the 5000, do it! I went from the 2000 to the 1000 to the 4000 and haven't been dissapointed in any akai products what-so-ever.

On a related note:
Has anyone/Does anyone have/had an mpk49/88. Would they be a good addition to logic? Or would I be better off saving the $$$ and getting an m-audio controller?

[wreckingstuff]

Originally Posted by Djenigma505

I've tinkered with the 5000 at GC and I hate it, mostly cause I want it but can't afford it. I rock the 4000 and love it, I say if you got the cash to throw down on the 5000, do it! I went from the 2000 to the 1000 to the 4000 and haven't been dissapointed in any akai products what-so-ever.

On a related note:
Has anyone/Does anyone have/had an mpk49/88. Would they be a good addition to logic? Or would I be better off saving the $$$ and getting an m-audio controller?

Thanks for the MPC advice dude.

Ime the Akai controllers are not great with Logic. They are not on the Logic control surfaces list (At least not in 8, dunno about 9) so you don't get full preset functionality like you do using them with say Ableton. You can set them up manually, but it's a bit labourious. There are quite a few useful videos on youtube that take you through step by step. The Mackie/Logic control and the Euphonix MC series offer the best integration with Logic that I have seen for myself, but they ain't cheap.

[tvent]

I may be in the minority, but I think the feel of the M-audio controllers is just awful. The keys just don't feel like a real instrument. They feel like a cheap toy. YMMV.

The Akai MPK's definitely feel better, but at their cost you have almost bought a synth with sounds that you could use without logic if you choose to turn the computer off.

[mike dean]

you'll be glad you did

[fooloof]

I got the 3K and have never wanted another model. It is very reliable and I recently upgraded it, so now it works with a zip drive. It has 4 midi outs and 2 midi ins.