MPC60-vs-MPC1000

Hollow Earth · Post by **Hollow Earth** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 11:35 am

I've a couple of bits of vintage analogue gear, a space echo and jupiter.

I was looking into buying a sampler/sequencer to augment my tiny set-up.

Is there any particular advantage in going with an old MPC60 over a new MPC1000?

Common-sense seems to suggest that this is one area of my studio that might as well be new technology.

hageir · Post by **hageir** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 1:33 pm

the 60 has 12-bit sampling (crunchy)
the 1000 has 16-bit (not so crunchy, very clean)

the 1000 has a better/larger sequencer, 100,000 notes vs. 60,000
250 patterns vs. 99
and with that crazy japanese 3rd party os, it's a supposed power-horse (I didn't try it)

plus, you get CF card storage = bunch of sample time (Gigabytes of memory)
vs.
the 60 has a floppy (+ scsi?) = moving parts, risk of being damaged + limitied sampling time (Megabyte(s) of memory)

ps. you can get the 1000 for cheap = $400-$600

Hollow Earth · Post by **Hollow Earth** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 2:09 pm

hageir wrote:the 60 has 12-bit sampling (crunchy)
the 1000 has 16-bit (not so crunchy, very clean)

the 1000 has a better/larger sequencer, 100,000 notes vs. 60,000
250 patterns vs. 99
and with that crazy japanese 3rd party os, it's a supposed power-horse (I didn't try it)

plus, you get CF card storage = bunch of sample time (Gigabytes of memory)
vs.
the 60 has a floppy (+ scsi?) = moving parts, risk of being damaged + limitied sampling time (Megabyte(s) of memory)

ps. you can get the 1000 for cheap = $400-$600

thanks hageir.

adsr · Post by **adsr** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 3:32 pm

i have only had my MPC2000 for about a year and a half, but i have been thinking of trading up to the 1000 as well. i LOVE the MPC and now that it has become such a huge part of my setup, i cant let it go, but a 1000 would integrate more with my mac and PC. the floppy drive and SCSI are just not cutting it in 2007.

JSRockit · Post by **JSRockit** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 3:51 pm

The only reason to use an MPC60 these days is for the lo-fi sound, the feel of the pads...or if you want to use only vintage gear. Outside of that, the MPC1000 is the clear winner.

Xab · Post by **Xab** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 5:24 pm

JSRockit wrote:The only reason to use an MPC60 these days is for the lo-fi sound, the feel of the pads...or if you want to use only vintage gear. Outside of that, the MPC1000 is the clear winner.

Well, in my case, I would appreciate such unit and its integrated sequencer to become the center of my studio and I would clearly miss the 4 MIDI outs and 64 channels of the MPC-60. For this very reason, I would go for the 60.

Xavier

hageir · Post by **hageir** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 5:46 pm

JSRockit wrote:The only reason to use an MPC60 these days is for the lo-fi sound, the feel of the pads...or if you want to use only vintage gear. Outside of that, the MPC1000 is the clear winner.

2nd this one

JSRockit · Post by **JSRockit** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 5:53 pm

Xab wrote:
JSRockit wrote:The only reason to use an MPC60 these days is for the lo-fi sound, the feel of the pads...or if you want to use only vintage gear. Outside of that, the MPC1000 is the clear winner.
Well, in my case, I would appreciate such unit and its integrated sequencer to become the center of my studio and I would clearly miss the 4 MIDI outs and 64 channels of the MPC-60. For this very reason, I would go for the 60.

Xavier

4 midi outs...I understand. Then your modern equivilent could be the MPC2500 or 4000.

rivas3 · Post by **rivas3** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 6:10 pm

JSRockit wrote:
Xab wrote:
JSRockit wrote:The only reason to use an MPC60 these days is for the lo-fi sound, the feel of the pads...or if you want to use only vintage gear. Outside of that, the MPC1000 is the clear winner.
Well, in my case, I would appreciate such unit and its integrated sequencer to become the center of my studio and I would clearly miss the 4 MIDI outs and 64 channels of the MPC-60. For this very reason, I would go for the 60.

Xavier
4 midi outs...I understand. Then your modern equivilent could be the MPC2500 or 4000.

or you could use a midi thru box such as the kenton thru-5 with the mpc 1000.
http://www.analoguehaven.com/kenton/thru5/

Xab · Post by **Xab** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 8:48 pm

rivas3 wrote:
JSRockit wrote:
Xab wrote: Well, in my case, I would appreciate such unit and its integrated sequencer to become the center of my studio and I would clearly miss the 4 MIDI outs and 64 channels of the MPC-60. For this very reason, I would go for the 60.

Xavier
4 midi outs...I understand. Then your modern equivilent could be the MPC2500 or 4000.
or you could use a midi thru box such as the kenton thru-5 with the mpc 1000.
http://www.analoguehaven.com/kenton/thru5/

Yes and no. If that is only midi outs that you need, the thru box is ok, but it does not add distinct midi channels.
I agree with JSRockit, what would fit the bill in this case is either the 2500 or the 4000.
However (and that is pure speculation), I fear that the newest units would not retain tight timing as their elder counterparts since the trend with hardware now is 'do more with less' and especially a lot of things happening at a given time would maybe mean CPU overload and loss of timing. Older units had less to do (though with less powerful CPUs) and costs were less chased after so no fear to have the necessary things done hardware.
My two (silly) cents.
Xavier

zobomix · Post by **zobomix** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 8:30 am

If you go for the mpc 1000, you'll have to face the infamous pad problem at some point. Akai poorly engineered the pads. Although, there seem to be a fix for it http://excommence.com/thepadfix/faq.htm

Why not a Roland mv-8800? It only has 2 midi outs, though. Also, pricey but it has loads of FX and you can hook it up to an external monitor if you feel the need.

Peace.

Hollow Earth · Post by **Hollow Earth** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 9:13 am

zobomix wrote:If you go for the mpc 1000, you'll have to face the infamous pad problem at some point. Akai poorly engineered the pads. Although, there seem to be a fix for it http://excommence.com/thepadfix/faq.htm

Why not a Roland mv-8800? It only has 2 midi outs, though. Also, pricey but it has loads of FX and you can hook it up to an external monitor if you feel the need.

Peace.

oh ok. that looks interesting. you can record onto it as well i see. does, for instance, the space-echo on board compare at all with the original re-201?

Hollow Earth · Post by **Hollow Earth** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 10:04 am

zobomix wrote:Also, pricey

yes. yikes.

Post by **Cruel Hoax** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 12:33 pm

MPC1000 has USB. (Good) MPC1000 syncs wrongly to tape (as does the MPC2500.) (Bad.)

MPC60 has Voodoo Yummy Feel Swing (Damn Good). It also syncs flawlessly. You will need to sample, using your own bad self. (erm, bad? what a world, what a world!)

-Hoax

JSRockit · Post by **JSRockit** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 1:22 pm

Xab wrote: However (and that is pure speculation), I fear that the newest units would not retain tight timing as their elder counterparts since the trend with hardware now is 'do more with less' and especially a lot of things happening at a given time would maybe mean CPU overload and loss of timing. Older units had less to do (though with less powerful CPUs) and costs were less chased after so no fear to have the necessary things done hardware.

I have heard people who have used both complain about this...so you could be right.