The next Gen model is way better.
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Unfortunately it doesn’t, when connected to a PC.
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I had incorrectly thought that multitrack audio would be possible to a computer (per my deleted post above), because multitrack USB audio works fine when the MPC is connected to the Tascam Studio 16. But the Studio 16 is actually a different usage case since it’s a recording device and also an audio interface—the MPC can “see” it, presumably because the S16 is an interface.
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It depends if it acts as host or device.
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Went from MPC 1000 to Elektron Rtym to MPC Live to various things in between to MPC One to Push 3 SA to MPC 4000 to now a Digitone 2. Ah Gas eh.
But in reflection love MPCs and would totally go back there. I have an S2400 as well and dont think i can part with it otherwise would have kept my MPC One. The 4k was the best MPC i used and the only reasons i got rid of it was that it was starting to glitch on me a little, and didnt have the cash or confidence to fix and improve it. Also my wife kept complaining about how much space it took up. But what a professional piece of kit that thing is! It also taught me the MPC way of doing things prob best, and its workflow is pretty much perfect. Particularly as a midi sequencer but also really high end audio concerters.
Push 3 SA i hated! It was a buggy mess and didnt sync with my hardware. The UI is not great and the buttons are the worst design. As an Ableton conttoller its good, but as a standalone system it was my least favourite.
But i think the MPC One is prob what i would recommend to ppl. Has the right amount of physical buttons which make a difference- i found the Live workflow fiddly but the One was very intuitive. If only the One has the battery.
I love the Digitone 2 atm and the S2400. I do miss the MPC sampling workflow. But what i love about DN2 and S2400 are they both switch on in seconds whereas MPCs seem to take ages. My ideal hardware update would by an MPC One format with a battery, and better processor to load quicker, and buttons more alligned to the new OS. Bit sad they got rid of programs - it seemed like some unpopular choices were made with OS3, and its not been a smooth release. So i think ppl have lost a little faith in the direction of MPCs. Some features look great for sure. Dn2 is my centrepiece for now and has a really rapid workflow for setting up external gear and working with it in tangent with its internal sound’s.
Not sure its great time to get a new MPC but id def recommend the second hand market. Keep seeing some very cheap Ones and evens Xs.
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I was GASsing for MPC yesterday but then turned my DN2 + synths on and can’t say that I really miss any functionality, except the ability to sample vocals or use drum oneshots with hardware. Monitoring 16 tracks in DAW lets me add effects in real-time and I can edit there in timeline with mouse all I want, after recording the performance. I also have a way to switch sequencing from DAW on if I feel like I want to create more complex arrangement with ease. Again, every track multitracked.
I also really love how deep the connection is with the sequencer and synths in DN2 (plus they sound great and are fun to program) and it also works great for controlling other synths (I have 5 additional synths hooked up).
I’ve heard you can disassemble it and replace the system microSD with a faster one (cloning the image) to speed it up.
What i like about DN2 is that invites using other hardware to free up voices. So i actually have 8 tracks to my S2400, 3 external synths, and then 5 DN2 tracks. If i need extra tracks i can use S2400 for sequencing recorded samples or one shots.
Its challenged my gas, as there is little that cant be done with this setup.
I did use MPC One via software from my DAW with 16 tracks and thst was great. But guess it was less intuitive as i had to switch to software mode and reload the track. With my DN2 i just have aggregate soundcard setup with my audio interface, and all my audio is just recorded without any funny business. I dont even bother with the overbridge software. Its been amazingly flawless.
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With the plugin version (still on 2.x for the moment, hoping the v3 will be available soon) I believe you have far more than 16 tracks available to multitrack and sequence from the mpc? You can also use your current vst instrument and effects from within the mpc like that… same goes for sequencing hardware… it’s pretty neat!
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The battery and the built-in monitor are gamechangers to me.
Real time timestretching-warping is also great.
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Yeah, it’s mad how you can extend the I/O with soundcard for internal use. I think I wouldn’t be that happy owning both DN2 and the MPC because the use case for me would be so similar and I don’t want to sell the Digitone 
Maybe some time in the future!
Idk about the DN2 but I’m on the OG DT and it’s great together with the MPC 
I would imagine the DN being a synth it’s an even better match!
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Lots of mentions of DN2 which I haven’t tried. Would you use them together or is it just for comparison with MPC?
Yes. It’s a bizarrely insular, hyper-defensive community. Even the master thread here compares poorly to most other threads focused on an individual machine.
DN2 x MPC Live 2 is seriously a match made in heaven. When I don’t feel like playing pads, I sequence MPC with DN2 which is cool because there’s a myriad of trig sorcery possible with Elektron that I wouldn’t think up manually. Other times, DN2 is creating loops, melodies, chord harmonies, drums, leads, pads, etc that I resample and layer on MPC. The combo also works really well the other way with MPC controlling DN2.
Possibilities are endless. Highly recommended and ultra fun.
Sidebar: this is the buggiest forum ever. Luckily, it has the best content/people online discussing music.
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Routinely using DIGITAKT 1, MPC One and Reaper or Live , all nicely synced via MIDI.
My dream setup, if I’ll ever have have enough space again, would be MPC multiple outs into a big mixing board (using a class complaint audio card as multi outs expansion for the MPC), but I’m pretty happy with how everything works right now.
DYOR on that built in sound card when the day comes. The ones I’ve checked have serious limitations but I have stayed in the lower price ranges.
Although DN2 is probably still my favorite HW synth to create expressive patches for my Aerophone wind controller, MPC Live 2 is threatening to usurp it for the title.
OPX-4 is a grossly underrated FM synth with a caveman simple interface, sample layer and mod matrix making MPC Live 2 an amazing partner for those who play and create patches for wind instruments/controllers.
I have a dtk across from my xse and I feel like the digitone has a different vibe to the opx-4 synth on mpc… they complement each other well, I was worried they would overlap but I love having them both.
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I feel that what makes Digitone unique is the tight integration with the sequencer. Love using it as a groovebox. I had Opsix earlier and sound-wise it ran circles around the FM Tone machine. Managing sequencer automation on it was painful though but the mod matrix and FX were great. Wavetone VA is also very bare bones compared to my Cobalt8 VA, for example. FM Drum is great and I’ve nothing to substitute it with. It all boils down to that sequencer implementation and how it feels like an instrument with brains rather than just a synth. Multi-timbrality and layering sounds are great of course and let you escape the not-so-tweakable as just a synth loophole.
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