Akai MPC-2000

It's pretty straight forawrd like all the pre mpc 1000 mpc's. Easy to just sit down and make a basic beat before reading the manual.

Features are a little lack luster,but are enough to make a hot track. Chopping up samples on it takes some time to master so it's not so tedious of a process.

The sounds you sample in come out good. It's no mpc 3000,but it's the next best thing. No static. Clean signal. It sounds punchy and crystal.

It's alright. I've had it crash from time to time. It's like any peice of music equipment,it needs to be maintained. It makes a nice rattle when striking pads 13,14,and 9.

The akai support is about as frendly as a swift kick to the sack. Also about as quick as the poney express.

I enjoy it most of the time. As these machines are getting older things tend to burn out and need serviced. It's a gem when you figgured out how to chop and do other various features to make the features work for you. The 2 pad mutes takes some working around when making sample based beats,but it's a great mpc.

Latest OS v1.72 installed. Manual is OK, can be a little confusing.

Of course there is a learning curve with most electronic equipment as feature packed as the 'MPC2000 Classic' as it's now days referred to.

32 Voice Polyphony, which is good enough.

The FX board is a vey good option if you want to keep your FX setting inside the MPC but if you're happy using external FX processors theb thats also fine providing you have the 8 output board installed (it's a must).

The pads really are AWESOME it's a superb idea and they work very well.

Trust me people the sequencer is OUT OF THIS WORLD timing wise, it's sooo tight it's unbelieveable. If you're making hiphop you'll love this machine, it's a great place to start and to finish ;)

I'm not going to comment to the sounds as this unit is a drum/groove sampler. The better quality samples you use the better they will sound.

OK...

Now the more technical aspect of the MPC2000 sound engine...

This thing sounds pure analog, warm & punchy!
The same drum hit on your PC/MAC will sound thin, weak and dead!

The convertors on this machine are SICK! :P

It'll give you that classic analogue hiphop/hardware sound that you can not replice no matter what soundcard or plugins you use.

Yes, Solid as a rock :)

Yes you can use it without back up...

well akai don't stock parts for this machine so you have to go via an approved dealer or parts supplier so it depens on how that company/person is.

I've never had problems with these people but bare in mind that the MPC2000 is old so look for a good one, test it thoroughally when u buy.

If it was lost or stolen I would look for another cause it's a classic and it super value for money these days. All the great hiphop/dance producers have made hits with this machine and many are still doing it today.

I like the whole idea of the mpc2000 but I do think that the OS is slightly out-dated, but nothing to stop you making a banger ;)

I have a mpc2000xl, have had a mpc3000 in the past all are top machines but this one i'm attached to.

I do wish it had the capabilites to edit samples on board (more sample edit functions). I also wish it had the capability to read folders on zip and use more than one program at a time like the mpc2000xl does.

It helps you create a totally different groove and feel compared to using only pc's and keyboards.


BOTTOM LINE:

IF YOU LOVE HARDWARE & OLD ANALOG SOUND YOU WILL LOVE THIS!

1.72 Is the version Im using. The presets are horrible what do you expect. The MPC is really cool because it doesn't put you in a box. The MPC will do whateva you ask it too. All function are pretty easy and the more you're willin to work on your skill the better the machine is. I like others have had it for sometime and my display is rapidly fading. The only real problem is the external drive set-up. There's no USB (except on the 1000) and the scsi cable is parrallel. So Im having alot of trouble finding an external drive that will work. Yes I would buy again easy to use and a great sound. Plus nothing beats the ease of the sequencer. If anyone knows of an external drive that works please email me at emmit630@yahoo.com

Some have effects I really dont care for them I use effects thru the board

You're better off making your own samples or you could end up very disappointed. All kinds its a sampler. Effects kinda suck. Good output sound. Velocity and aftertouch right on

Yes very much so. Yes Id use it anywhere.

Akai is not really a good company to deal with however. Repairs are slow.

I AM CURENTLY USING 1.0
THE PRESET SOUNDS ARE O.K. BUT YOU SHOULD NEVER BUY A SAMPLER OF ANY KIND FOR THE PRESETS IT WOULD BE BORING IF THE SOUNDS WERE PERFECT.
EDITING PATCHES ISN'T HARD ON AN MPC 2000 BUT IT'S NOT THAT COMPLEX THOUGH I HAVE A KURZWEIL2500 AND I PROGRAM MY SOUNDS THERE YOU CAN'T DO REAL MANGLING ON AN MPC 2000 THE 4000 SOUNDS FULL OF PROMISE THOUGH
THE MANUAL FOR THE MACHINE IS FINE BUT I NEVER COMPLAIN ABOUT MANUALS IIF YOU LOOK IN THE RIGHT PLACES IN THE MANUAL YOU WILL FIND WHAT YOU
NEED IT'S A FAIR BOOK.

WELL THE POLYPHONY IS 32-VOICES AND THAT'S FINE BUT YOU CAN'T REALLY CHANGE THE SOUND IN AN MPC-2000 IT'S STRICTLY DRUMS AND IT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE WARMTH. I OPTED FOR NO EFFECTS.YOU CAN ADD THE OUTPUTS, AND YOU CAN ADD EFFECTS BUT I DON'T CARE FOR ON BOARD EFFECTS ALL THAT MUCH ANYWAY, I ADDED MORE MEMORY, ALL STANDARD MIDI CAPABILITIES ARE HERE IT'S COOL I HAVEN'T FOUND A WAY TO HAVE BOTH A AND B SYNCED AT THE SAME TIME THIS CAN BE ANNOYING! THE ON BOARD SEQUENCER IS THE BEST PART ABOUT AN MPC BUT I NOTICED BUGS A FAR A MY SEQUENCER WAS CONCERNED IF YOU QUANITIZE ON IT THE FIRST NOTE IS NOT MOVED I FOUND A WORK AROUND BY NEVER REALLY SETTING MY MPC TO PLAY FROM THE FIRST NOTE STRICLY YOU CAN SET A BEAT THAT COMES IN BUT WILL ONLY PLAY WHEN YOU PRESS PLAY BUT LOOPING ANOTHER SECTION OF THE SONG AND THAT'S A COOL FUNCTION BUG OR NO BUG. THE SEQUENCER IS EASY ENOUGH MY ONLY PROBLEM HAS BEEN TP GET THAT REALLY TIGHT SEQUENCE I HAVE HAD TO USE THE WORK AROUND METHOD WHICH SLOWS ME DOWN A BIT BECAUSE WHEN ADD A SEQUENCE TO IT SELF YOU HAVE TO CUT IT SO THAT THE UNWANTED PARTS DON'T BECOME PART OF THE LOOP THIS CAN BE TERIBLE BUT OVER COME!

I'M NOT THE TYPE OF PRODUCER TO TELL YOU YOU CAN'T GET A GOOD DRUM SOUND OUT OF AN MPC-2000 CAUSE YOU CAN IT'S A MATTER OF KNOWING HOW TO USE CERTAIN TRICKS TO GET THE RIGHT FEEL, CAUSE SOME SAY IT SOUNDS FLAT OR DIGITAL, IT'S NOT A KURZWEIL BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT IT SHOULD BE COMPARED TO IT WILL GIVE YOU SO PRETTY TIGHT DRUMS, BUT THAT'S IT INTERNALY,YOU CAN CUSTOMIZE HOW MUCH RESPOSIVENESS YOU WANT I PRETTY MUCH WANT A SOLID HARD HITTING SOUND WITH LITTLE OR NO VELOCITY CHANGES AT ALL BUT YOU CAN CONTROL THIS FOR SOUNDS INTERNALY AND FOR SEQUENCING IT'S FINE IN THAT RESPECT, YOU CAN'T COMPLAIN, ONE PROBLEM I HAVE HAD IS THIS AND THIS IS THE NORM WHEN YOU USE MOD WHEELS YOU CAN MAKE THE SEQUENCER LOSE TIME, I PURPOSELY DON'T USE MUCH MOD WHEEL FOR THE WAY IT CAN INVITE BAD TIMING TO MY SOUND WHICH I HATE!

I HAVE HAD NO REAL PROBLEMS WITH THE MPC, AS FAR AS RELIABILITY
IS COCERNED I TURN IT ON IT WORKS, I HAVE FOUND THAT IF I DO CERTAIN THINGS I CAN ALMOST COUNT ON IT FAILING BUT I DON'T DO THOSE THINGS ANYMORE CAN'T REALLY REMEMBER WHAT I DID THAT MADE IT CRASH BUT I FOLLOWED THE EXACT FORMULA AGAIN AND IT CRASH AGAIN I DECIDED WELL DON'T DO THAT! I WOULD USE IT ON A GIG NO QUESTION WITHOUT A BACKUP BUT IF YOUR DOING A GOOD PAYING GIG I WOULD HAVE A BACKUP FOR GODS TRACKS THAT PERSONAL THOUGH I WON'T FELL YOU FOR THE MOST PART!

I DEALT WITH AKAI THEY WERE COOL! NO REAL PROBLEMS I CAN SAY BUT AS FAR AS THE MPC-2000 NOT RUNNING AS EXPECTED IT HAS NEVER DONE THAT TO THE POINT I NEEDED TO CALL AKAI, I CALLED TO COMPARE THE 2000 AND THE 3000.

IF SOMEONE STOLE MY MPC-2000 I'M SCREWED PRETTY BAD RIGHT NOW IT'S MY SEQUENCER PERIOD I DON'T USE ANYTHING ELSE TO SEQUENCE AND I HAVE HAD IT FOR FIVE YEARS NOW! I HAVEN'T MADE THAT PLUNGE TO COMPUTER BASED SEQUENCING AND I DON'T KNOW IF I WILL ANY TIME SOON I'M GOING TO GET MY HANDS ON AN MPC-4000 GOD WILLING AND THAT WILL BE IT FOR ANOTHER 4 TO 5 YEARS IT DOES WHAT I EXPECT AND WANT, WITH A FEW MINOR WORKABLE PROBLEMS HERE AND THERE BUT NOTHINGS PERFECT, AS FAR AS COMPARING THE MPC'S TO ANYTHING ELSE NO,! I HAVE NEVER THOUGHT TO HAVE ANYTHING DIFFERENT ITS THE STANDARD IN HIP-HOP LIKE MICROSOFT IS TO COMPUTERS YOU BUY OTHER HARDWARE SEQUENCERS TO BE DIFFERENT BUT NOT SMART, THIS IS AS GOOD AS IT GET'S IN HARDWARE YOU MIGHT WANT TO GET A COMPUTER IF YOU CAN STAND THEM!, BUT THIS IS THE HIP-HOP PRODUCTION STANDARD!

im using version 1.72 with out manuaul u r lost manual u will have to read a couple of times

32 voice very responsive on the key action no built in efx expasion
32mb midi 2 sets of in and out on board sequencer 64 tracks

being a sampler all music is possible reacts well

reliable yes

never called them

i wouldnt buy it again if it were stolen because i got from a pawnshop
i use to work at i have an old roland w 30 but im trying to see if
which one is best to work with see the mpc is just a sampler with a drum machine put in one so its mostly good for just sampling drum sounds and percussion and also very good phrase sampler if u like jacking for beats but please e mail me at MEHDO@AOL.COM to let me know if anyone knows about the w30 and the mpc which is better because they both are samplers.

I bought the MPC 2000 in '97 because I'd played with the MPC 60 and 3000 in some of the studios I used to work for. The 2000 is pretty much the same conceptually, although the sampling engine is a totally different one. I bought it mainly because it works very well for HipHop and R&B jams. It's pads are designed to make you play and think about rhythms differently then you would on a keyboard workstation, which can be a welcome change if you tire occassionally of playing drumparts on a keyboard or program them in your software-sequencer. I use Cubase for most things, but if i need to crank out a big HipHop anthem in a split second, the MPC makes my day. many have said this before, and i will say it again: the MPC concept is still unbeatable when it comes to MIDI-timing. I don't know why and I cannot back this up with actual figures, but use your ears and you will agree. On the downside, it's groove is quite characteristic and might not suit every type of music you want to make. But all in all it is still a very desirable box for those who want to move the crowd. By the way, I've owned mine for four years and the display is now deteriorating more rapidly all the time. going to need to replace it soon, which will run me about $200.

see above.

The stock sound library is bull. But hey, it is a sampler, so sample.

apart from the display as mentioned ( again) above, no problems.

The Akai people in the Netherlands are never going to be my friends.

I wouldn't buy it again, unless I had money to burn. There really isn't any good reason to buy hardware samplers anymore. The only reasons you want an MPC is the pads and the groove, as mentioned above.

V 1.72. A few rather weak preset sound disks, this baby's made to sample anyway. Editing is a breeze if your familiar with basic sequencing i.e. any modern drum machine (hardware sequencer). The manual is obviously not written by an American or speaker of English as first language. I paid someone $40 an hour a few times to figure out how to save properly.

32 voice polyphony, more than I ever use. Effects Expansion is separate but very cool. If your in to hip hop you'll love tweaking these effects(and when you hear a record using mpc effedts you'll know it!) Upgrade memory to 32 mb is a must, call akai for proper chip. 8 out expansion is good for recording. 32 midi channels, plenty. The sequencer and the intuitive pads makes this machine. I don't care how many people i hear raving about software sequencers, there is absolutely nothing like punching these pads, second to none!!

No onboard instruments, its all on you! Sequencer is great for hip hop, jungle, you can really create anything you want on this baby! Velocity and aftertouch are great. My only complaint is... when you sample say a bass guitar, and you want to tune the pads so you can play a scale, sometimes the sequencer doesn't pick up the bass notes on every beat, almost like it wont record the entire performance, not to big a of a deal though

I love this machine, never had it crash!!

Good custmer support! Can be hard to contact ive heard, but i've never had a problem.

If your thinking about producing hip hop and don't mind finding sounds or buying a rack like a trinity or proteus, this is your machine, actually nothing really even comes close, maybe an sp 1200 but its expensive and has very little memory, if your a purist i suppose............the MPC is the absolute best, hands down!!!!!

the manual is dry- and it took me a couple days to get the concepts of program, notes, etc. down. but this is my first sampler- so one would expect so much. the interface is very intuitive though- and you'll find the mpc 2000 to make great sense and be very flexible once you get it down. STICK WITH IT! presets? I got it used and it came with OK sounds. I would recommend surfing the net for sounds if you can. (I did a whole cd using drum sounds I downloaded and they're pretty good).

BE AWARE- the stock mpc 2000 does not have effects- it's got good expressive capabilities though. if you get the 8 out option you can use outboard gear to tweak indivdual voices (or you can just buy the effects upgrade you cheapskate). Also, if you expand the ram to 32 megs- you'll have enough room for a few tight kits and lots of synth/guitar/vocal hits. the midi programming is outstanding. and the sequencer is VERY in depth- meaning with time and pracice it's possible to created organic and complex beats like in R&B or good pop music. if you just want to sequence 4/4 house or dance there's other stuff out there (roland 808, 909, or the yamaha loop factory to name a few).

expressiveness in a sampler is like asking how meaty tofu is. and yet, the mpc 2000 is so complex it truly excells as an expressive tool in both studio and live settings. even the midi is involved. you can create a loop and turn voices and midi tracks on and off (great for live jamming)- or you can sequence out an entire song and use it as some sort of freakish karaoke machine. with some time spent in understanding how and why it works the way it works the mpc2000 becomes more then a computer- it becomes a musical instrument- no less an instrument then a guitar or piano.

I'd gig with it- and it's never failed me.

akai is OK. at least they post os upgrades to fix old mistakes. they ought to offer better samples to download- those canned samples they charge an arm and a leg for aren't impressive to say the least.

I LOVE this drum machine. I wish there was a little more live tweaking capability but there's many ways around this. the sequencer is amazing. the mpc2000 is expensive- remember that. there's other gear out there. that said- for *creating* expressive beats and compositions with feel and depth I haven't seen anything better out there.

I am using software version 1.50, and the preset soundz are fine, not the best though. Patch editing is good and the manual is excellent.

The MPC2000 sequencer is a good one, I use the
MPC2000 sequencer as my main sequencer. I think
the MPC2000 best feature is the sequencer. I
could never get any samples that were inspiring
enough to make a good track, so I use the MPC2000
sequencer to drive my MC505 as a sound module. The
sequencer has definately given birth to hip hop
as we know it today, it feels like no other sequencer
can.

Sounds can sound excellent on this machine, but for piano
chords I would rather play them myself rather than use samples,
that is more creative and expressive. If one does not connect a keyboard
to the Mpc2000 it is hard to play chords on the pads, but the pads are excellent
for laying down percursions.

it's reliable to me!! I find myself often depending on it to do what it
is designed to do without flaw.

Never been in touch with them.

Hey, if you don't like this box them you just haven't put enough
time into it. If you know what this box can do you will never want
to go anywhere else for a sequencer, it tight(Step, edit,song, realtime erase,copy, paste.....).

This is actually a review for the XL model. I D/L the latest OS (1.11) from akai's website. Everything is laid out in a simple manner. I was able to kick out a beat in 5 minutes w/out the manual. Just remember to hit "open window" on every field and you will find all the little things.

32 polyphony for a 64 track seq. isn't bad. 300,000 note seq capacity, time-stretch, re-sample, note variation slide, velocity sensitive....for more go to akaipro. Not much for efx, unless you buy the board; other expansions- smpte, 8 outs + digital i/o. What I really like about this machine is the real time and step record, time correct, and sample editing.

this thing is great for all style's because you put the sounds in it.

Yup, she's crashed and froze on me. 98% of the time she is fine. Just remember to save your stuff at appropriate times.

Free OS update's!!!!!! too bad the new os's are created (mostly) to fix bugs rather than add features.

Great machine, great control. Basically you get this empty palet to paint your pictures. Bring your own paint and colors and arrange, seq anything you can come up with.

If it were lost or stolen, I would buy it again.