It’s not the same.
I’ve had an OT and an MPC. At least for me the main difference is in how you sequence/create your patterns. On the OT, while you can do crude realtime playing, you’re more likely to carefully step sequence and edit everything, applying p-locks to create variations. At least on the MPC2000 I have in my possession, it’s more like a “real” musician’s machine. Editing is cumbersome, it’s almost always faster to just re-record your pad banging, rather than try to edit the sequence. Which of course means that you have to be able to actually play in a rhythmically interesting way.
Neither is better per se, and require different skill- and mindsets.
The JJOS equipped MPC’s are probably different though, closer to the Elektron kind of workflow than classic MPC workflow.
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Buy a trumpet 
I’ve had a JJOS-equipped MPC1K for almost two years now. It has worked tremendously as a sequencer (both MIDI and trigger pulses from the 4 aux outputs) and an instrument (pads for both drums and an unorthodox way of writing melodies). I’d expected to be able to do a fair bit more deconstruction of samples, hoping to come out with something very different from what I’d initially record, and while there are some tricks (especially in JJOS 3), that side was generally disappointing.
I got hold of an Octatrack last week and the way it has freed me up is staggering. I don’t know if the designers just think the way I do in some way, but I actually find it very intuitive (more so than the MPC which took weeks to get comfortable with). The potential to work with sound on this thing reminds me of a modular. Looking forward to more exploration, but already working with sequencing, cutting up breaks, setting up chains of recorders to do different things to different bars of long, looping arpeggios coming through the inputs… Just amazing. Should have had one years ago.
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I’m selling my MPC 1000 JJO2XL and keep the OT !
I don’t use it, even closer on my stand. Much more fun with OT’s Midi Lfos, P-Locks, Arp…
I need randomness…and cash to buy an A4 !!! 
I think I’ll try MPC 500 later…
Sugamo’s post (and Barfunkel’s above it) are the key.
I’m a former owner of an MPC-60, ASQ-10, 3000, and beta tester for the 5000. Current owner of a pair of OTs.
If you mainly want to record sequences that you play into a machine and use samples in a mostly straightforward way, an MPC is likely the better choice.
If your primary goal is to sample and manipulate sound and generate new, unusual, striking textures and sequences, the OT is probably going to make you happier.
I don’t use the OT to sequence other gear (I don’t even know if I have the MIDI OUT jack connected anymore), but using a combination of the on-board internal sequencer and external control via MIDI CCs, you can bend and warp audio for days.
Yes you can use either tool for other things (there’s a long history of folks using MPCs in new and creative ways and similarly, some people have been able to make the OT the center of their MIDI studios), but I would decide what your primary needs are and pick the tool to cover that need first.
FWIW, I use a Cirklon for MIDI sequencing duties and that covers the real-time recording of an MPC (for me) while still allowing step-time sequencing. I also have a Notron around for those times when I just want to quickly create some MIDI craziness. The Cirklon is the master clock even if I’m not using it to sequence anything at the moment.
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CIrklon is another midi story ! 
Talking about sampling, I much prefer to make a beat with OT and a sample with drum kit slices. I can control the slices with the pads of my keyboard if I want to do finger drumming. 
This was a major issue for me as well. Until i realised OT is not made for live unquantized petformance really.
The timing focus of the OT is really “step sequencer oriented”, and very low res at that (16 notes for 4 bars or 64 notes for a single bar sequence).
Of course thete is micro timing but that isnt live performance but a tweak after the fact. So it dont qualify for live performance.
The live recording does not know what “note off” is, the second most important element in music (right after note on;)
The unquantized live recording is pretty worthless as, like you say, it does not play back what you played. And also you can tell by the pad design that they were not made for finger drumming but rather for data entry. Get used to tne world of 16 or 32 notes.
Its really not made for live playing of musical parts.
Thats would totally be MPC world. In MPC its all about live beat recording on top of all the quantization resolutions you want and limitless pattern lengths regardless of step resolution.
Its such a different beast.
I bought both devices. Each for his strentgths.
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You can try to set the pattern tempo multiplier to x2 increase stepsequencer resolution.
Not behind my octatrack at the moment but I think it will help.
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You will still be limited to 64 appearances per cycle since you might increase resolution but lose length… Not a real gain, unless 2 or 1 bar is enough to tell a story…
You can easily chain patterns by holding multiple pattern-buttons. I always use 4 patterns or more to tell a story. Pattern lenght is not an issue for me.
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Count how many actions that involves vs. hitting rec+play on the MPC.
At least 20 times more tedious if not more.
You can save this setup as a template, together with the copy function, it will be almost as quick as the mpc.
But youre right its not ideal. Octatrack needs some preparation.
I got an Mpc live myself, and it lifted a lot of work from my octatrack, and adds poly keygroup sampling and stuff. Touchscreen wave editing is really great!
But it also still has a lot of limitations. It really made me appreciate my octatrack as an instrument, because it can do things the Mpc can’t.
Exactly brother. Different horses for different courses…
The OT is great for loading pre produced stuff and screwing around with it, where MPC is King for producing the actual track. Why choose one or the other, right?
Should love to hear how the OT excels for you where the MPC cant .
For one, the midi implematation on the mpc sucks, it got better with updates though, but no autochannel, midi soft thru etc. octatrack still remains my midi hub for my synths.
Octatrack got stepsequencer controlled audiotracks, versus free running audiotracks on mpc. Mpc got the drumsequencer for that, but its still a bit different.
P locks versus automation editing. With the addition of trig conditions!
Crossfader is awesome on the octatrack, to mangle the audio really fast.
The mpc feels more like a DAW in a box, while the octatrack is more of a live playable instrument. I would not do a liveset with my mpc, it would feel like cheating
Mpc is great to fill the gaps of the octatrack and it functions as a soundcard/powered usb hub for my ipad. Love them both.
agree on many things except the “live playable instrument”-
to me OT is what i consider a live processor, while the mpc allows finger drumming, and keyboard playing for polyphonic samples- to me THAT is an instrument.
Please elaborate on the MIDI implementations per your post.
From the world of DJing the OT is like an instrument, but from the world of playing music the MPC is more of an instrument…
I suppose its a thing of perspective at the end. Where one comes from and what is his expectations…
Youre absolutely right, I guess having the octatrack for so many years it has become an instrument for me.
The best thing about these machines for me is not having to stare at a laptop anymore to make music.
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About the midi, I got a pretty complex midi setup and it doesnt work out the way I want to. Its gonna be a long story 
In short, I wanted to use the mpc’s 2 midi ins to act as a merger and route the midi data like a thru port to my octatrack and Rytm.
That didnt work because it doesnt have a midi thru fucktion, and all incoming midi is rerouted by the selected midi track only.
Why not just play what you want and sample it? In fact I’m kind of wondering why you don’t just buy an MPC?
Edit: my bad didn’t finish your comment, stop sweating that the OT isn’t an MPC if you’ve got one anyway, just use either where appropriate
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