Nauts!
Anybody still in for vintage MPCs?
Had my hands on a lot of gear and vintage gear during the last years -
but have never touched an MPC.
What I would have missed - or on the pro-side of the old devices:
Anybody here giving a go to a MPC 2000 XL (why?)
or MPC 1000 / 2500 (ok - JJOS)?
or even a MPC 60 / MPC 60 II?
Cheers
flo
the MPC 3000 is the one i always hear people coming back to - that converter sound is genuinely special, there’s a warmth and a crunch that’s hard to explain but pretty immediately obvious when you hear it. people obsess over it for a reason.
for practical use though the 2000XL is probably the sweet spot - more tracks, individual outs, and they’re not insanely expensive yet. the 1000 with JJOS2XL is also a solid choice if you want something closer to modern workflow while keeping that MPC feel. JJOS turns it into a completely different beast.
the 60 is iconic but honestly more of a collector thing at this point - workflow is pretty rough by today’s standards. still, if you find one cheap and want to understand where the whole thing came from, it’s worth a session.
I have a 2000 XL. It’s the best. Pretty distinctive sound, nice pads, and a great sequencer with unique features.
+1 for an MPC 1000. i also love the 2000/2000XL, but i think that the 1K and 2500 are the best choice if you want some more modern features like USB transferring of files, hard drive storage, standard individual outs and effects (as opposed to the optional and expensive expansion cards for the 2K/2KXL) and CF card stuff alongside the really good sequencer and sound of an older MPC.
you can install SCSI2SD/ZuluSCSI drives for 2000s and 2KXLs as well if you really want that option.
Like the form factor of the 1000 a lot.
(But not sure, if it would add any benefits over my OT - ok - 2 additional outputs).
From all offers I spotted for the 2000XL, they were definitely not cheaper than the 1000. Pads seem to be much better on the 2000XL?
Cheers
I had an MPC2000 right as the 2000XL came out. I’ve also had an MPC1000, MPC500, and various Akai MPD/pad controllers
The 2000/2000XL pads are still the best pads I’ve found on any gear in over 25 years! By far. Sometimes I daydream about getting another 2000/2000XL and adding a card reader. I have no plans on being a live finger drummer though, so at the end of the day, it’s not worth it. (for me)
Also, JJOS for the 1000 is great!!
OT is way more powerful in every way I can think of though compared to either 2000/XL or 1000
MPC 1000/2500 w/JJOS for life. With the fat pads.
I’ve basically owned them all (except for the 60 and 2500) and I would never go back after having used the newest gen ones. So many limitations and trade offs.
I used an MPC 2kXL for awhile then a MPC1k
I have a couple other old 90s samplers still in the studio
They sound way better than anything out today
It amazing how easy things were to sound radio ready, besides the horrible sample management!
i’ve 2kXL & 2500 & One.
My fav is the 2kXL, imo the last gen of professional MPC, the FX expansion card is perhaps expensive but the effect and mixer section of the 2500 is a joke after the 2kXL with the expansions. The 2kXL was dedicated to be a drum sampler and is still the best ever, the only MPC i still put on the desk time to time, for the drums.
Don’t sleep on the 4000. It’s a beast.
(I just talk about what i know)
tell us more about the 4000 !
Fits the definition of a flagship machine imho - reminds me of the TR1000 in that respect, the engineers seemingly given cart blanche to add whatever feature they wanted without compromise.?!? It’s a very deep machine, 24/96k sampling, nice punchy sound, tight clock Fairs well in a modern studio environment as you can load samples from a USB stick. Install a Noctua fan and disconnect the internal drive and it will be dead silent. The OG fan is horrible.
Don’t… the pads on the xl and the live 3 are the best pads they have ever done and it is not even close. The xl is such an incredible experience I wouldn’t spend more then a grand on any other mpc, and would rather put it towards a xl, it is really in another class.
This guy makes me want to check out an old MPC:
He’s using a 2000 (I think)
Pure Groove stuff!
Crazy to think the 2000/2000XL are the vintage MPCs these days and not the 60 MK II
Sir this is a Wendy’s. Whats crazier is I hear younger kids at my local guitar center calling the 2500 « vintage « .
He was the reason for me to have a look at all.
Older than 20 years == vintage! 
Those Touch screen stuff just don’t work for me …
Martin Bell (vinyljunkie07) knocks out some very authentic deep house with his 2000XL, though he’d be the first to say getting a 2000XL doesn’t mean the tunes will fall out of it. Mind you, patterns I make on my 1000 with JJOS with the swing at 67 sound pretty good to me.
I’m sure I can do this with a live 3 and vinyl too. But it’s good to see artists in « deep concentration »