Should I choose OT or MPC Live?

4 mono outs ? Effects on mixer ?
Would you use Ot’s Fx for other gear, resampling ?
In a way, you have 16 mono tracks in Ot.
Plus plock samples, lfos on slice…
If you’re approach is quite minimal, Ot can be very efficient and inspiring.

I would add to the pros list:

MPCLive:
*8 stereo tracks (like :elot:) PLUS 64 voices of sampler. This kind of makes it an :elot: with a rather large sample based drum machine built right alongside it.
*battery power (not a lot, but it is in there)

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I’d say it’s too early to say which one would work for you. If it takes a year or two for the new MPCs to mature, going with the OT might be a lot more attractive right now… We need to wait for the first units to ship to know

If you are into industrial aesthetic techno, the step sequencer nature of the OT might be highly desirable for you… But some people do not gel with it’s sound, so you’d need some demo time to form your own opinion.

Neither of these boxes are near an impulse buy price point, so choose wisely. The resale value of the OT though, quite steady. Heard many times that people buying one second hand didn’t lose much if they had to let it go…

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I’d say octa for heavily effected, glitching and slowly evolving loop based music but mpc for anything you might normally want a fully fledged daw with nice drum patches.

If you want long phrases the mpc is the way to go, my 1000 allows 999 bars x 64 tracks per pattern, I think the live will have this capability and more. Also the mpc stereos can velocity layer 4 samples per pad which is very cool for making layered velocity sensitive and and “alive” sounding banks of sounds.

Go MPC X if you have the $

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That MPC X is huge!
As enticing as the 16x q-link knobs with displays are, I have a rule against buying gear that I can’t carry onto an airplane cabin.

In overview it’s written you can load Ableton clips in Mpc Live…

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Copy midi files from your DAW to MPC live - that alone … recording into Octatrack is cumbersome. I really wished there was a possibility to import midi files. Still the Octatrack is cool, i would not let go of it.

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I thought OT has scales too - they’re attached to the ARP but the ARP doesn’t need to be on for the scale to work. Minimal scales though (Maj / Min).

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I have the money. I don’t have the space.

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I really can’t see why it’s even a question.

If you want to arrange and sequence, the MPC will be a better buy in the long run.

But…

If you want to mangle the hell out of samples, the OT is the better tool.

Neither one will be better than a computer. You could spend less in software and do far more.

Anyhow, look at it as arrangement vs. sound design, the MPC being better for the former and the OT better for the latter, and make your choice.

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I don’t agree. Both are much better than a computer taking into account the interface aspects. I’m sure you can make better music with an interface that suits better your needs. In my case, an external sequencer / sampler.

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I have to disagree too but it’s not Arguments VS Arguments… it’s more a matter of person and human nature. To me i feel better what i make musically when i have the feeling to shape the music like “a potter works his terracotta” or “a traditional animator with his modeling clay”… I feel less with a mouse… it’s not really organic. it’s of course super nice you can do everything… but i don’t feel the materials taking shape between my HANDS…

Feeling is very close to Taste so : subjective

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The feature that makes me choose either the OT or the MPC 2500 when composing is the PPQ (pulse per quarter note) for each of the machines being one note per 1/16 (weather they are micro timed or not. OT can´t midi record chords) on the OT compared to the MPCs 96 ppq (for the MPC 2500).

Forgive me mpc heads for talking out my a** right now seeing how the new mpc’s aren’t even here yet. Somehow I feel like the mpc will be like a nice minivan. Safe and dependable for the family. Gets you were you need to go, automatic transmission. The OT however is like some James Bond spy car. Harder to handle, manual transmission, but turns tight corners and passes others when the drivers good. You don’t even know it but every once in awhile you get activation codes from headquarters that open secret spy gadgets you didn’t even know you had. There’s water over there, well you’re spy car is amphibious and can cross it, but the controls are difficult so that only you, the spy, knows how and a regular person can’t control it. Wait a minute, how is my car flying, better consult headquarters!
That being said, I’m sure the mpc will be a great piece of kit, but you’re asking on Elektronauts so:
OT! OT! OT! OT!

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I’m really hoping Akai gets the MPC Live right. I was just thinking the other night how it could potentially replace the OT and Rytm in my setup.

I would likely keep the OT though, for the occasion when I do want to use its sound mangling abilities, but I currently mainly use it to capture loops from other gear and it’s not very efficient for that purpose.

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Sometimes all you need is a minivan.

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Oh, for sure. A lot of folks would hate to have to deal with driving a spy car and all its quirks, just to get to town…

What are the differences in specs?

If the OT is a spy car then the new MPC is going to be a tank! I think Roland is making the minivans.

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