Thinking about selling my AR mk2... what to get instead?

Elektron Gear
21

I’m not here to argue but don’t think there would be much menu diving using just the sequencer capability. MPC is not without diving. I think you are in the right track with MPC, it’s just you have the AR why not try some of those features before offloading it? The MPC option is a good way to go though if you have experienced it and are comfortable with it.

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22

If you really love the workflow of the MPC Live Mki, then sell the AR and get the Live Mkii. I would be tempted to hold off on instantly spending the extra 400 bucks tho. Use the MPC extensively first, then decide later on down the line if you’re missing something from your setup. Also, be sure to absolutely (methodically, surgically even) sample the hell out of the AR. Get everything possible from the analog engines, then you can always throw those sounds into MPC Live projects :slight_smile:

Edit: If you later on miss the Elektron sequencer for some of your beat making, 400 dollars would easily cover a Model:Samples, and that’s the easiest, almost knob-per function Elektron there is!

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23

the sound of the mpc is inferior to the AR. i have both. i’d also really miss probability trigs and the electron sequencer in general.

i’m thinking about selling the MPC

24

For your use I would say SP-16 is a solid choice (love mine), however I would definitely be tempted by that TR-8S v2 update.

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25

The MPC platform (Live I / Live II / X / One) has a lot of potential and features. There is also time scretching (two algorithms available on stand-alone nowadays), CV, good FX, and more visual feedback due to the large screen. The last software update (2.8.x) gives you loads of midi functionality, even with USB.

But I think there are also two really big cons. The software bugs and Akai support.

I’ve used my MPC Live and after that the MPC One pretty much on a daily base and there was almost not a single session something weird happened (small and big things) I couldn’t explain or frustrated me (like losing all changes you’ve done the past hour). The user interface feels not polished and finished and can be buggy sometimes. Yes, you can make (great) music on it but I always had the feeling that something could happen I didn’t want to happen. Not really good in a live performance situation.

And their is no support at the moment: They put there support forum offline, many people have to wait for their repairs for months and most of the time you don’t get through the phone or you do not get any response from support tickets. Also not something to look forward to.

I’ve sold my Live and One and I’m now working with a Digitakt/Digitone combination, and while it’s not comparable at all with the MPC platform (which is more DAW like), the platform feels much more stable and mature. The elektron sequencer is very different and reminds me of old trackers, but it is sooo powerful and versatile at the same time.

So leaving rock solid Ableton and your Elektron device for an MPC: It would not be my choice.

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26

Could you describe a few … I’m working stand-alone on 2.8 for quite some time now and there was nothing to complain about it. No crashes, no strange behaviour, but maybe that I only scratch on the surface and the bugs need more digging :wink:

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27

Ill trade you my OT MK II for the AR. MPC is so last millenia.

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28

Small ones are:

  • Sometimes the Q-link values are not updated to the current value of automation
  • Loop points of sequences suddenly change. Pressing stop and play again will play it correctly
  • Undo is undoing 5 steps instead of just one
  • Sample chopping and assignment completely messes things up
  • Autosampler settings LOOK correct but are completely different when sounds are recorded

And some of the big ones are:

  • A complete freeze and/or crash
  • Q-link overlay stays visible and the touch screen can’t be used anymore
  • Track mutes and solo settings completely screw up
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29

Sorry to say but the mpc is actually way way more menu diving. My band is in the process of migrating our set from my octatrack to my bandmates mpc live. Compared to my octa and rytm it’s so clunky. It’s something you setup full songs on and generally just hit play on.

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30

Thanks for your information … :+1:

I seem to have done similar things on my MPC X, but never had those issues. I will keep my eyes open … :face_with_monocle:

The only weird situation I had, which made me scratching my head for some time, was when things went more and more strange and unexpected … it took a while until I recognised that I had forgotten to switch off the “overdub” mode. The machine had recorded many of my little tweaks and twists … I just had messed up the beat myself … :wink:

BTW I work in stand-alone mode only.

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31

I was in same situation but sold digitone instead. Got moog M32 and bunch of others eurorack modules, never looked back

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32

…+1 for a mpc one…that’s the first real mpc again in years…all basic routines are with dedicated buttons to push and go along straight forward…menu diving and touch touch touch is finally no must anymore again…

and as much i love the elektron way of creating sonic uniqueness…the mpc workflow was and always will be my essential gamechanger…

the rytm is the only swedish device i never touched, since the heat can give anything an analog flavour touch…

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