Digitakt v MPC Live: real buyers survey (UK£)

The Lounge General Discussion
#334

Long time MPC1K user, been waiting for a new standalone unit for ages but I was hoping more for an enhanced MPC1K, with better FX and built in sidechain, shorter loading time for big livesets, improved workflow. Didn’t need the colour touch screen or the DAW-like interface. That’s why I never really got into the Live when it came out, haven’t tried it however.

On the other hand I totally slept on the DT when it came out. Randomly watched a few videos on the MPC forums (out of all places), fell in love ordered one and haven’t stopped using it since. The learning curve is awesome and addictive. Kind of like the OP-1 in a way.

The DT is the kind of MPC I was waiting for. Improved effects and workflow, one stop machine, compact, can take it around with a small external battery, big sound, proper hardware feel, live performance oriented etc. Paired with a preamped turntable and a pile of bargain bin LPs and I’m in heaven for an unlimited amount of hours.

So yes, my vote goes for the DT!

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#335

As an owner of both, I’d say it has more to do with what you are trying to achieve. Digitakt seems geared to live situations, and the live more studio applications.

Long time mpc user, and the live is pretty much what I’ve wanted in an mpc for a decade. Great studio tool for composing whole tracks, you can do it all on the live but it’s easier to mix and master with exporting to a daw. The effects are kind of basic on the hardware. Some are real good on the delays, the software effects are way better imo.

The digitakt however isn’t so much of a studio tool to me. It’s a cool box an a lot of fun, but it lacks a lot outside of programming and easy sampling. Its got its own sound which is both good and bad. I’d say it’s just a groovebox that’s setup to be a “vintage” sampler. People rave about the effects, which are basic at best imo, and the sound but unless you are trapped in elektron world both are so-so at best.

Want to have fun and jam on one box digitakt.

If you’re heavy into productions then definitly a live.

This may change up some with overbridge, as if you use ableton the digitakt might be a better companion. If you just work with hardware though hands down the live.

#336

I am constantly using touchscreens for phone/ipad so I dont mind at all either. I dont find the live to be a whole lot like an ipad touchscreen, I think the way it zooms on piano roll to be the biggest difference, im sure it just takes a bit of getting used to. I dont love that I have to use a specific tool to zoom rather than just staying on the pencil. I would have much prefered one refined tool that could zoom, draw and double tap to erase. I doubt it will ever happen though. im trying to stop wishing for more from machines

#337

Tip I read on GS - try messing with the qlinks to zoom around in piano roll mode. You can also adjust loop braces and grid quantization with the qlinks.

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#338

Pencil tool draws, selects, and erases notes - just a matter of how you tap the note :slight_smile:

You’ll get used to the flow. Took me a minute

I just played with a Maschine Mk3 and was poking at the screen assuming it was a touch screen. But it isn’t. Not bummed but bummed.

Touch screens are the future. It’s happening. I’m happy about that.

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#339

Thank you for pointing this out.

#341

@tsutek @djadonis206 woooah thankyou! That makes me very happy

#342

so far MPC Live wipes the floor with Digitakt. of course theyre 2 different animals. Digitakt will catch up with an update or 2 but Live is just in a league above Digitakt. its just got different tools. its my feeling that MPC Live is the superior machine. its less fiddly which lends its self to writing music if you ask me. this of course depends on your connection with the machine. i was surprised by the MPC when i finally used it. the latest firmware includes WIFI and BT MIDI options for your BT controller. to me its a no brainer. the MPC Live sounds amazing. with 24 bit output and likely a 32 bit mix buss how can you lose? it has todays sound. Digitakt sounds like a 16 bit sampler with nice FX. i hope Digitakt catches up soon, but even when it stops crashing all over under light MIDI use, it will be a lesser machine with a few special things (that arent completely necessary) that the akai doesnt have.

a skilled user may be able to get more from a Digitakt track than you would normally expect your MPC to do, but then again you can record the MIDI output of your Ekektron gear to the MPC if its important to you. of course the new MPC has a step sequencer now! just what i always wanted in an MPC…

so in my opinion, the MPC is more worth the dosh at the moment. the new OS makes it work very well.

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#343

Meh… new MPCs = DAW in a box. No thank you

#344

its not really tho. its very hands on. you say its a DAW? that just means you can tailor your sound that much more from 1 machine. traveling light is an advantage when composing music if you ask me.

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#345

I still haven’t ruled out an MPC Live, but right now I’m enjoying my Digitakt. My main reason for originally wanting an MPC Live was to use it as a multitrack for recording guitar and bass. Anyone using the Live much with instruments? How is that working out for you?

People often say it’s a DAW in a box, but I don’t actually see this much in videos. To me that would be excellent as I have always preferred multitrack recorders to computers.

#346

you can tailor your sound on an MPC Live? Really? Have i missed something since i sent it back? :wink:

Lets recap what it offers for Sounddesign: You have an LFO on the MPC Live with fixed Destinations! Four … fixed … Destinations ^^ Not nearly enough for proper Sounddesign! In addition to that this LFO is always retriggered! WHAT??? Yes, always retriggered! This should be an option only and not the only way to use it ^^ Have you ever tried working with Single Cycle Waveforms on that MPC Live? Its a pain in the ass as its simply not working! The MPC doesnt allow you to selectively deactivate its Pitchshifting/Timestretching on a per Program Basis. And on my MPC Live the Option in the Global Settings to select the Algorithm (or deactivate it) was simply not there ^^ The manual was lying! And if you set it up in spite of that (i.e. setting Play Mode to “Note on” and then activating the Loop on one page while having to adjust the Sample Start/End on another page) you never got it in tune. So, no way to use this for proper Sounddesign either. And im not even counting Hardware Bugs that i encountered all the Time (like Hum on the Main Out when dialing on the QLink Knobs).

I would say. If you use Samples the way they are you can live with what it has on offer. But once you want to REALLY make something new out of these Samples, the Digitakt beats the MPC Live in no time! Thats for sure.

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#347

i have not been plagued by your ills my friend. have you ever used an mpc 2000? how about an mpc 2500? this baby is totally capable compared. of course you need to know how to use a DAW and of course i will end up sampling my hardware stuff with it, im not expecting it to do fancy sound design. btw Digitakt doesnt have all that much in the way of sound design. you can layer samples in the MPC and even offset them! one filter per of course but if youre in need of more per patch, you can link pads. and theres what, 8 banks of pads?

dont get me wrong, im glad i have both Digitakt and MPC Live, and they both do shit the other doesnt. but this MPC is way more advanced than any other MPC in history if you ask me. i hope i dont end up back here complaining about it later on, but i sure dont have any complaints at the moment. im even thinking about springing for the MPCX.

btw anybody wana buy a fully pimped MPC 1k or a 2.5k? 128MB, latest JJOS2XL/JJOSXL, custom blue screen, black out case and buttons/knobs/sliders, black pads, fully maxed SSD and SD totaling 196GB… beautiful machines! make me an offer.

#348

Used one, have you? To call it a ”DAW in a box” is hyperbolic BS. Maybe you can call it that if we call Cubase 1.0 on an Atari ST a DAW…

Its still an MPC just like all the hardware MPCs. And a rather good MPC at that IMO. It wont be a good sample mangler box. But its bitchin’ for actually writing tunes/arranging.

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#349

Please dude… If you must know, I have used it yes, and returned it after a week. I currently own an MPC 60 MK1 and have previously owned a few iterations; the 3000, 2500 w/JJOS and a 5000 (twice).

Don’t get me wrong, the new iterations are by far significantly more powerful and infinitely more flexible offering massive improvements (if improvements in your mind = features) over the old ones. Too much choice, touch screens, a thousand menus and another ipad screen may be inspiring for you, they are not for me.

Either way, that doesnt change the fact that it is, without a shadow of doubt, the closest experience a user of almost any instrument has, to running a DAW within a fancy controller. This is not necessarily a bad thing of course and if it works for you, then fantastic.

My interaction with it was muted - it is no way near as fun as the older ones (for me)… I found there was too much going on and I was frustrated using a screen with responsiveness that doesn’t come close to my iphone…

It’s a huge step in a completely different direction - perhaps an evolution, perhaps not… calling it hyperbolic BS and not seeing it as the closest thing to a DAW in a box is mind boggling to me. :astonished:

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#350

Fair enough. If you like the old MPCs better, thats cool. But my opinion still stands - A DAW it is not. More like an MPC1000 with JJOS4. All of the classic MPC paradigms/architechtures are there.

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#351

Hmm… to me digitakt is an instrument that can also be used for total song composition to a degree while mpc live is a composition machine that can be used as an instrument. If you want an instrument get a digitakt if you want something to compose songs on hit play and walk away get mpc. Personally I got digitakt.

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#352

I use DAWs since 1999. I started with DAWs, actually. And i work with Ableton Live pretty much every day!

I still had issues with the MPC Live, its obvious limitations and its cluttered Menu driven Workflow. This says a lot about its “capabilities” :wink: But i keep my mouth shut now. Otherwise this will get salty pretty quickly again.

#353

I sent my live back cause my ipad can do everything it does and in excess in various areas, I do think the live is cool though. I see a lot of people moan about the menu diving but I dont know how anyone expects the features should be organised :thinking: I think it’s just easier to notice how many menus there are because its got a nice big colour touch screen. Still though I adore my 1ks shitty retro looking green calculator screen

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#354

That kind of ate at me too - and I dont ever use my iPad for music haha.

The Live is pretty much the device I would have loved to have had when I was in my teens or 5 years ago. In other words, when I had hours more time to devote to music. What I mean is that it is a truly fantastic bit of equipment and a blast to use but when I do have time for music I am almost always sitting at my laptop. That doesnt mean there isnt a place for the Live but I’d rather have a device that can do things software still struggles with with ease hence why I now own neither a DT or Live and have an OT2.

What I will say though is that the Live is hands down the easiest sampling device I have ever owned. Things are an absolute skoosh with it. I’m getting quite quick on my OT again though. There may well be a Live 2 down the line that offers some of the “live” and crazy modulation of the OT but until then I’m happy with what I’ve got.

I’m an absolute tosser when it comes to buying and selling shit so who knows what will happen with me really haha.

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