Educate me on different MPC's?

[Psyre]

I'm sort of leaning towards the 2000/2000xl but not quite sure. I'm drawn to a more standalone unit, not something closer to a mere midi controller.

[repoman]

Don't know much, I had a MPC1000. Sounds were pretty awesome in it, they had a ton of punch to them. Felt like I was screwing around with a computer running DOS when using it, cumbersome and tedious. Replaced with a Maschine (midi controller/software thingy) that was super super easy to use and powerful without being overwhelming but annoying in its own ways (constant software bugs, reinstallations that took ages, constant registration issues).

[crochambeau]

I own a 2000xl, and I've always found it to be a fairly intuitive breeze to use. I've never used any of the more modern units (I hear complaints regarding them being cumbersome more often than not it seems), so I don't know if the interface has been kludged in the more recent stuff, or if I am coming from a background of truly stubborn old drum machines and simply no longer notice.

[lordgalvar]

Tried the mpc1000 and was instantly angry/frustrated with it. I got a Yamaha su700 instead and like it much better. Still don't use it much though. (I put it in a box and kind of forgot about it now...remodeling haha).

Rustywire knows a ton of MPC stuff. I think he preferred the 2000 and older units (mpc60?).

ST got rid of his mpc1000 quick too for the same reasons I did...it was just annoying and not fun.

[aholidayatthesea]

I have an mpc1000. I really like it. I got it used, when some of the midi mpc units were coming out and I didn't want to have to use a laptop.

My friend got a maschine and I was jealous at first but then it started bugging out.

The mpc1000 can do a lot, especially with the JJOS. It really comes alive when paired with a KP3 too. My biggest beef with it is that it's tedious to navigate everything with directional arrows and a wheel. Yesterday I saw that they have an MPC touch now, but it's probably not a standalone unit.

Unfortunately, I don't know much about the 2000 level.

[Dr. Sherman Sticks M.D.]

if u want more modern, 1000 w/ jj is by far the way to go. everything is much faster than even the 2000's and there are many more sound shaping options.

XL over 2000 classic. i'm pretty sure you need a boot disk everytime for the classic.

2000 is a nice in median between the older units (60/3000) and the more modern ones (1000, 2500, 5000) and i think the price is pretty low on them in comparison to ~10 years ago.

get a 60/3000 if u want the sound and nostalgia.

also don't sleep on the lil 500 if u can get by w/ 12 pads and don't care about the slicing features. its the only mpc that is battery powered too.

all in all, theres a lot you can say about each model. they are all a lil different, have a different sound & vibe & workflow.

[Dr. Sherman Sticks M.D.]

Tried the mpc1000 and was instantly angry/frustrated with it. I got a Yamaha su700 instead and like it much better. Still don't use it much though. (I put it in a box and kind of forgot about it now...remodeling haha).

Rustywire knows a ton of MPC stuff. I think he preferred the 2000 and older units (mpc60?).

ST got rid of his mpc1000 quick too for the same reasons I did...it was just annoying and not fun.

cats sleep on the SU700. even the smaller models too!

[Inconuucl]

ipad+controller>mpc.

[Aquietcabin1978]

I use a 500 b/c I got one stupid cheap ( like just under $100 ) . I don't miss the slicer feature, it is easy to do with the extract function. The pads and RAM needed to be upgraded but that is cheap fix from MPCstuff or Ebay. I would probably pop for a 1000 if a food deal came up.

[rustywire]

if u want more modern, 1000 w/ jj is by far the way to go. everything is much faster than even the 2000's and there are many more sound shaping options.

XL over 2000 classic. i'm pretty sure you need a boot disk everytime for the classic.

2000 is a nice in median between the older units (60/3000) and the more modern ones (1000, 2500, 5000) and i think the price is pretty low on them in comparison to ~10 years ago.

get a 60/3000 if u want the sound and nostalgia.

also don't sleep on the lil 500 if u can get by w/ 12 pads and don't care about the slicing features. its the only mpc that is battery powered too.

all in all, theres a lot you can say about each model. they are all a lil different, have a different sound & vibe & workflow.

This is a solid reply.

As for the 60/3000... 60 has THE SOUND for drums & golden era hiphop, acid house & jungle in general. 3000 is more hifi but still can get close to the 60's vibe with sample-rate reduction. They both have the best overall build quality [Linn is a legend] best converters & rock solid timing, even with midi thru [might need to tweak buffer in the menu]

Last year I left my 60mk1 running for 2 months straight. No lag right up til the end. It was still largely cool to the touch, even over the heatsink & vents.
FWIW I use voltage regulator & had UPS otherwise I wouldn't advise adopting such a practice.
Anyway...

If I were to rank MPC models in terms of personal fav:
60 [mk1 or 2]
3000
2000xl
2000
4000
Renaissance
5000
2500
500
1000

But they're all good for something and can function as a very capable electronic cornerstone.

[Psyre]

Thanks, definitely some of the info I was hoping for. I'd say 2000xl is top contender still, I'd certainly prefer a 60/3000 but the 2000xl's are like less than half the price, far more realistic for me. I'd certainly like a more retro sound.

[crochambeau]

If you want the old 12 bit sound you can add an old outboard rack sampler and trigger it via MIDI, though that's eating space. The S-900 takes 3U of deep rack and weighs like 30 pounds, but sonically it's enjoyable.

XL over 2000 classic. i'm pretty sure you need a boot disk everytime for the classic.

I'd forgotten about that. I spent a summer with a MPC 2000 in '99 and it did indeed require manual load of the OS every time you turned it on. Only thing I missed was the two piece scroll wheel.

[rustywire]

2000XL + S900 is an outstanding combination, probably best bang for the buck if you want a setup capable of coloring everything (900) but also able to pull off neutral red book audio cd standard (2kxl).
I went the 60+950 route a few years apart, when prices were a bit lower...but also it was fortunate timing and both have fairly dim backlit displays...but they're readable and with a small desktop lamp it's a nonissue. Bargains can be had if you score one that *needs some tlc but fully functional!* and/or get lucky.
Part of me regrets not saving for an sp1200 when they were still under $2k in 2012. IDK wtf happened (probably Kanye tweeting a pic of one he used on Life of Pablo) but now they're 4500-6000
For those kind of monies I'd rather buy another mpc60 and s950 plus a real Pultec EQP 1a3 (filter chip shmilter chip!) ...and still have enough leftover for a weekend getaway

[popvulture]

I'll chime in just to add to what others have hinted at: don't my a Maschine. They suck. Clunky, not intuitive, bad software (improved in revisions but still sucky), and most importantly/lamely: requires a computer.

If you're considering the controller route, maybe just get something like a Beatstep Pro. Sure it's simpler than a Machine, but it's much more fun and easy to use, is cheaper, and can control hardware.

All that said, you should still get an MPC

[Psyre]

What sort of controller would you recommend for a S900 or the like?