Akai MPC-2000XL

The MPC OS is very intuitive. The manual is an OK read. Editing samples is very straightforward.

This is why I reviewed the MPC here. The sequencer is ROCK SOLID. It blows the doors off my Cubase setup. Software sequencers are very timing-crippled. If you listen close, you will hear the slightest delay in looped MIDI drum tracks in soft sequencers like Cubase - particularly at the end of measures. That delay is unacceptable to me. That is why I bought an MPC. It's a GREAT scratch pad too. Love being able to flick it on and start dropping beats - unlike computer. The pads are excellent, the buttons for tapping, ect are just what the doctor ordered for those of us who are tired of interacting with our music with a damn mouse. I would have like to seen standard 8MB ROM or perhaps 64MB RAM capability.

The Akai sound is very recognizable. It hits VERY hard. It's PUNCHY and wide. It is also very difficult to emulate with a keyboard or a computer.

It's a workhorse. This is my third one (I buy and sell my gear a lot) and I've never had a problem.

Like most companies, Akai support is weak, though better since they moved AkaiPro to the US.

It's a bangin' drum machine. Lots of fun to compose beats with.

This is a neat toy, I bought it to replace my Akai S3000, since i mainly used it for drums I thought I should get a drum machine type sampler...Editing samples on here is simple as as a hardware sequencer can get. Although not as simple as mouse and keyboard in Peak, it's pretty self explanatory if you've used a hardware sampler before. The manual seems to cover a lot of topics, although I haven't really looked into it much, I figured most of the stuff out by myself. Overall, it's a simple machine if you've ever used akai products before. If you're a newbie at sampling, it'll take a while to get used to the program hierarchy and all that jazz...I give it a nine because I was a bit confused at first with the different editing/playback options.

I really dig these drum pads, I hope they don't wear out for a while. I have the basic model, so I can't really say much about the effects although I hear they're not all that. I usually record into protools or Logic and add most of my DSP there, since I tend to rely heavily on processing to make jacked up noises and whatnot. The sequencer is nice, hasn't crashed on me yet, can't say the same for Logic...I haven't sequenced much external gear with it yet, but what I have done has yielded positive results. I only wish there was a sort of bar editor like logic and cubase has (if there is and I haven't checked it out yet, my bad!), that would make editing sequences simpler. Right now I'm not really down with event lists, but it'll all take time. I think it's pretty lame that akai stocks the basic models with a simple 2 megs of ram, it doesn't go far at all these days, It would be better if they shipped them with at least 8 megs. The resampling and timestretch features are fun, but slow as fuck. Especially the resampling...and it doesn't sound all that hot compared to my S3000's resampling...it loses a lot of the high end which I have to bring back in with the resonant filters. On the other hand, the filter sounds warmer than on my other sampler. I didn't think I'd miss it, but I do...I wish there was an LFO or two on this machine to make effects...

As a sampler, you stock your own sounds. I'm using this for drums, noises and phrases. I love the pads though. bang bang bang...As far as the sampling quality, 16 bit 44.1...When I sample loops analog style out my sound card, into the mixer then auxed to the input, they tend to lose a little bit of low end if they're bass heavy, but that could be the mackie's fault.

Yeah, I'm definitely going to gig this machine in the future...right now I'm using the 3000 with a midi keyboard for gigs, but I'm soon gonna work it out so i can trigger all the sounds from this box, which will mean less shit to bring to gigs. I've heard that these machines crash, but haven't had a problem yet.

I've dealt with akai a couple times before, they were slow sending my stuff...I avoid calling them unless I have to.

Yeah, it's a bit overpriced but you can definitely get the most out of this machine with little effort. Fuck, if it were stolen or broke I'd sell a kidney and buy another one...As a sampler, it does pretty much everything I need it to do, I'm not multisampling flutists or scoring a hollywood movie so I don't need a bunch of useless ADSR envelopes or editing options. Like I said, I wish it came with more memory, so I didn't have to go through the trouble of finding compatible memory, opening it and installing. Working with its sequencer is so much easier than with Logic Audio, which constantly made me feel uncreative. With this little machine I just rock out on it to make patterns, chain them together and record it in protools for editing/DSP glitch fun!

THIS IS A REALLY EASY TO USE MACHINE .
NO INBUILT PRESETS .
THE PRESETS ON THE OFFERED MPC2000xl CD , Are GOOD , but don't suit my style (TECHNO ,TRANCE) .

THE MANUAL IS VERY VERY GOOD ;there is not much to be explained , and the things that have to be explained are very easy to understand l;-)

32 Polyphony if i' m not mistaking.
The inbuilt effect are quite slim .
I don't have the effects expansion so i can't comment on that .

The Pads are very Usefull for putting down a cool DRUM GROOVe ...
THE SEQUENCER IS GREAT , EASY TO USE and LOGICAL .

THe only flaw would be that your unaible to edit the CC PARAMTRES in a sequence (like the Rm1x does); maybe you can do it in STEP MODE (haven't used that mode so much yet) but i ' m nearly sure you can't ..

THE SOUNDS ARE AS GOOD , AS THE ONES YOU PUT IN .

You can use this thing for every kind of music (except classical music) , most people say it's mostly suited for RAP (and all the other kind of HIP HOP Shit) , but for Techno/trance it works well as well ...

IT'S QUITE RELIABLE .
I WOULD USE IT LIVE , WITH NO WORRRRRRIES/..

I THINK THE CUSTOMER SUPPORT IS QUITE BAD , as i' ve head ..
But never had to to ask for questions , so i woulnd't no for sure ...

IT IT WERE LOST , I WOULD BUY IT AGAIN ( NEVER WOULD I THINK OF ANY OTHER HARDWARE SEQUENCER ) .
IF YOU WANT A HARDWARE SEQUENCER ,BUY THIS , OR ELSE GO FOR SOFT SEQUENCING ( Don't even think of the Rs7000 ; if you really like the Rs7000 i'd advise you to buy the Rm1x (look at my article on the RS7000).

Logical user interface ( version 1.14 and IMHO much better than the so-called "MPC KILLER" Yamaha RS-7000 O.S. which I did'nt find all that logical ), may take a bit of time for the "newbie", but I've used MPC's before so it did'nt bother me at all! I've been a fan of MPC's from way back and I found that the excellent reputation the range has is more than evident here.

Great....32 voice poly and good ( if slow ) timestretch quality. The sequencer is solid and has an amazing feel....very tight, beats the feel of a software sequencer for me. It's a total solution, because mine has an internal IOOMb Zip drive and the output board as well, so it's all I need to make tracks on and take with me anywhere!

The effects board is great ( some people may find it a little tame by the kind of effects found in something like the Roland SP808EX, but it's still very useable ) and the swing feature can really make a difference to the feel ( which is why MPC's are used so much for HipHop and R'n'B, when the beat is everything! ).

Well....the first MPC2000XL I recived from the store went back after only one week because there was a fault with the display. I was'nt able to get another standard one ( because they had sold out ), but I did manage to get one of the "SE" graphic models and that came with the effects board for only #20.00 more than a standard, so I was more than pleased! This one has performed without a problem and has'nt let me down yet.

I do have a major problem with Akai ( UK ). When I bought the machine, none of the options ( except the effects board ) came fitted, so I had to do it myself. I expanded the memory to 32Mb, fitted the output board and then came the Zip drive....oh dear! This was an official Akai Zip kit for the MPC, but it came with no fitting instructions - I worked them all out but one, a small plastic jumper which neede to be fitted to two of the six pins on the rear of the Zip drive. I called Akai and they said that they would not tell me because it would void the 12-month repair plan ( I was also told in rather an insulting way that Zip kits were not sold to the public to fit, which was rather odd as I was holding one in my hand ! ). After a long call, I had recived no answer - they would'nt even tell the music store I bought the MPC from !!!! I posted the question on a few websites ( and also called a friend at another music store ) and at last, got the answer I was looking for....what a performance !

I love my MPC and I hope Akai will soon release the MPC4000 ( because I would love to see an MPC that used the new Z96 chip, what power that would have! ). It's a very creative machine and I enjoy using it more that sat at a PC, it's portable and can still hold it's own next to newer machines - which is why the MPC range has stood the test of time - it's not about having a machine that will be cut in price and discontinued before you open the box, it's about having a mchine that will make you more creative and develop your skills ;-)

akai mpc 2000xl
drum kits sound great with some twitching of the notches
the manual is great and it is quite easy to understand

not sure on the poly question. MPC is our main sequencer and keyboard is the slave.
the effects are good for a rough mix or to get a basic idea but we perfer effects proccessors during mix down.
the sequencer is the easiest to use

The sounds are realistic but it depends on the listener.
It is used in my studio for hiphop,house, drum n bass

It is the brain of our recording system it is so usefull i have two and not for back up but to use simultaneously.

Buy it again in a heart beat.
Been playing with electronic equipment for about 5 years, and I a few Korg Keyboards, Roland drum machine, Roland Sampler, computer and recording programs turntables and crates and crates full of records.

This machine is very user friendly. All of the functions are explained very clearly in the user manual, but you dont have to read it from cover to cover to get started. I am using OS 1.14, but when I bought it it had 1.12. It was very easy to upgrade from the internet.

This machine is perfect for the type of music I produce (Hip-hop). Everyone compliments the drum sounds that come off my MPC2000xl. The sequencer is incredible and its easy to edit your tracks. Song arraignments are also easy to complete. I like the ability to save samples as wavs and being able to further edit them on my computer. To me the sampler is the only weak part of this machine. It can be expanded to hold a few minutes worth of sounds, but editing the samples is slow for me. Also the basic machine comes with very little memory so its mandatory to buy more ram (Good thing its dirt cheap now). Another note about the sampler is that you can not sample and automaticly lay it across the drum pads. That is my bigeest complaint about the sampler. I have the effects board in my MPC2000xl, it is ok, nothing mind blowing. Maybe I have not utilized the effects expansion to its fullest but in my opinion it should just be a standard part of this machine.
The effects on my old ASR 10 are better to me! You can replace the internal disk drive to a ZIP drive (A good idea if you dont have an external storage device). I have not done it yet but everyone says its very easy to do. From waht I understand Akai even will do it for you now (At a price of course!)

As I atated this machine is perfect for hip-hop, so I assume its good for dance music and techno as well. The drum sounds I have gotten off my MPC200XL sound just like anything on the radio. I had never really used drum pads before I bought this unit so its hard to say if the are good or bad in comparision to other drum machines. I have no problem with them though, and they playback with touch sensitivity thats very accuarate. There are no built in sounds which is understanable, this is a sampler/sequncer. My only complaint about that is Akai packages the machine with a sound CD (Filled with great wavs from all models of the MPC family) but with out an external cd device you have to use a computer to copy wavs to disk, which can get time comsuming.

I have never had any problem wih my MPC2000XL and I have owned it for 2 years. I got one of the first ones that came out. I find it very reliable but I dont like using disks for storage. This in my opinion is not the most relaible storage option. I had one or two disks get corrupted (not Akais fault), and its impossible to save large samples on a disk.

Never dealt with the customer service, but the network on the internet is great. I put my RAM memory and EFX card in myself, its not hard at all. Akai says that you void your warranty by doing these things.

When I bought my MPC2000XL I was comparing it to the ASR-X which had just recently been released. The main thing that really made me get the MPC2000XL was that MPC's are almost industry standard for hip-hop music. I do not regrat it at all. From what I have seen though the MPC2000XL is just about the best sequncer/sampler on the market. Some people complain about the physical make up of the machine because it has lots of plastic buttons. I guesse it a legitimate concern since we all want our gear to last a long time. They seem sturdy to me, unless you have hands like the Incredible Hulk I dont see why this machine will wear out or break down easy. If you are looking to buy an MPC2000XL I would suggest finding a used one if possible with all the effects board and 8 out expansion. Buying it brand new can put a dent in your pockets.

version 1.14. the mpc has a very logical interface. once you get to know the basic structure you'll find that most functions operate in the same manner. six softkeys share alot of the navigation functions. within two or three hours of goofing around and refering to the manual i had a really good grasp on how this thing operates. the machine is deep but allows you to learn as you work as opposed to having to learn the entire machine before it is at all useful.

32 max polyphony. up to 256 samples on board at once. 4 banks of 16 very responsive drum pads that are large enough to use two fingers for rolls and flams (very cool!). lots of expansion availible for the mpc... up to 32 megs of ram, fx board, multi-8 and digital i/o board and 8 meg flash ram all can be installed although the flash ram is quite expensive. the mpc comes standard with scsi to allow connection of a zip drive or other storage. the only thing that bothers me here is that the scsi won't work connected to a pc. since the mpc supports wav. files you can work around this by using dos format floppies to transfer samples to and from the pc for editing. for many i'm sure this won't be necessary because the mpc has wave form editing, bpm match, time-stretch as well as most basic software based sample editing functions.
the mpc also has a very powerful full featured sequencer on board. if your into pattern based sequences you can't go wrong here. set up more like a drum machine sequencer rather than a linear sequencer (although you can record in this manner as well) you can whip out complex parts very quickly. exellent!!! it also has a built in mixer that allows for automation of level and pan thru the sequencer. i do wish their was some basic e.q. and compression here... or at least normalize in the sampler. i guess this might be a limitationfor some that don't edit on pc or don't have the multi-8 expansion board running into a nice mixer. other than that, i can't be more happy with the mpc's ability to stand alone.

obviously, if you put good in you get good out. if you want grunge you can resample to a lower rate internally. as i said before, the pads are exellent... way better than any boss or any other that i've played to date. the mpc is the standard for hip-hop production but come on, it's a sampler... your imagination is your only limitation!!!

i've only had it a week so i can't rate this as of yet. it sure is heavy though! i'll come back and re-review the mpc after the honeymoon is over.

don't know

the main reason i bought the mpc was the need for me to get away from the pc for composing. don't get me wrong, computers are amazing but i found myself using my eyes more than my ears. also, i really wanted a portable solution to sequencing and sampling. i considered the su700, arxpro, sp-808 and the yamaha a4000 (very nice) before deciding on the mpc. the su700 and arxpro are cool little machines but really lack in the midi sequencing department. the sp-808 is the ultimate sample remixer but with only 4 tracks (what's with that???)!! the a4000 is an awsome sampler for the price but that is all it does. overall, most of the machines i considered are entry level phrase samplers with built in fx made for instant gratification. hey, i'm sure they have their uses but i need something that has the ability, expandability and depth that will grow with me over time. and since of it's status in the music industry i'm sure the software upgrades will keep on coming making it even more powerful. yes, i wish it could comunicate with my pc. and i wish it had built in compression and e.q. but i can live without theses things... i can't live without a powerful sequencer and sampler though!

Im using v1.07 No presets. (This is a good thing)
Manual actually translates well to english. You wont need it though. Very easy to use.

Polyphony is 32. Pads are great.

Sampler is great for drums. Sequencing actually DOES have some kinda magic. Loops\synth samples could be better, not bad though. No effects, the akai effects board and the new filter board both suck.

It crashes every now and then. Everything happens for a reason, right?

Never dealt with them, but everybody supports em.

I wont lose it, thats a warning for those who might think about it too. Only thing bad is its hard to make a bad track on it. Get one or think about what could've been.

Even with the recent launch of the "MPC killer" RS7k and word about the MPC4k, the MPC2000XL never seem to lose its appeal. I'm not exactly sure why but I just got one myself, full blown less the SMPTE chip. The OS that came with mine was v1.12, but I quickly updated it to the current v1.14. It's a very straightforward easy to use machine so I never did bother about the manual much. But when I did need answers, the manual was pretty handy. Best of all, there're many dedicated MPC sites online so help is just a click away. It's also nice to know that the unit has built in universal voltage so no worries plugging it in both US and UK when you're gigging.

A fully expanded MPC2000XL has 32MB RAM, 8 output digital/analog expansion board, a true multi-effects board, an 8MB FlashROM and a SMPTE chip (which I didn't install). Also, thanks to mpc2000xl.com I learnt how to replace the floppy drive with an iomega ZIP250 drive. By today's standard, 32 note polyphony is not much, but I took into consideration this is a drum machine, so having 32 things going on at any one time is more than enough for me!

The flip up screen is definitely a nice touch and the pressure sensitive pads are extremely responsive. The timing of the sequencer is also extremely tight. Even Logic Audio running on my G4 don't come close, and need I mention the infamous swing factor. I'm not a technical guru or pro gear reviewer but I know what groove is and the MPC rocks! The multi-efx board isn't too comprehensive but it works well with sounds and saves me the trouble of hooking up outboards. My 8MB FlashROM board retains all my fav drum sounds when I switch off the machine and best of all it doesn't take up any of my 32MB RAM, so essebtially, I have 40MB RAM to work with. Cool. BUT being a previous MPC60II user, I must say that the built quality of the MPC2000XL really dissappointed me. The buttons are plasticky and the pads aren't as hardy. My MPC60II still looks and feel like the day I got it nearly a decade ago, but I'm not sure if the MPC2000XL can hold up as well.

The reputation speaks for itself. It is a very reliable piece of gear for gigging and serious professional studio work.

From all over the world, websites, hotlines, faqs, the support is tremendous.

I love the way this machine works. I don't really love it for its features because they're not fantastic. If I want features, I'd go for the new Yamaha RS7000. But there's just something this MPC2000XL has that no other machine can come close to. If I ever lose this machine, I would wait to buy the MPC4000.

i have the SE 3 with fancy paint chrome finish. its a GC special ltd. edition of 1000/
for the way my brain works i cannot possibly think of any better way to sequence/
using latest OS, manual is pretty boring. good as reference only.

Absolutely the best sequencer i have used. THis is much improved vs. the MPC 2000.
4 drum kits available
256 sounds can be loaded at once
you can do RESAMPLING converting AT 12-bit to recreate the MPC 60 or lo fi sounds/.
it does take a LONG LONG time for the processing of this function but it can reproduce any former MPC!
did i mention its easy to use?

pads are good but not the best i have felt. the sampler is exactly the same as s2000
and the A/D convertors sound very accurate. nice natural sound.

have had problems with mpc 2000 but so far no bugs to report/