Akai MPC-60

instictable ...

with the roger linn upgrades a scsi port and memory upgrade ... it's a smaller version of the 3000. enough for the backbone of a good pruductions. sequencing with it is tight and soft at the same time ... mmh. perfectly balancend. the easiness in wich drumtracks can be edited is unbeatable.

deep and crunchy ... right in your face.

it never ever crashed. for a gig? could be possible ...

mhh ... friendly people from roger linn but the updates are alittle bit expensive.

still a great machine to make real good tracks with ... the less of sampling time (26 seconds, 52 seconds downsampled) definitely improves your sample quality, it's a challenge and somtimes hard work ... but in the end you'll have done something. and it always sounds great.

Every screen is accessible by pressing 2 buttons, 3 at most. Once you know every button and every menu (which is not that hard with the 60), the workflow is amazing.
The OS (I have version 2.02) is really easy to understand, no scientific terms you can't pronounce. And if you don't understand something, there's always the HELP button. I never really needed the manual, although I recommend reading it, since there are some 'hidden' features which I didn't discover until I read the manual.
The only thing that bothers me a bit is the loading and saving times, it takes about a minute to write a full 720k DD floppy.

You don't buy an MPC 60 for features. No state-of-the-art storage capabilities, limited memory, no FX, no timestretch, no synthesis options etc.
However, it's a full-featured sequencer. It has 8 assignable outputs as standard (plus sync, mix and metro outputs), so you don't have to buy some output expansion board like the 2000xl, ASR-10 etc. It also has 2 midi ins and 4 midi outs, making it very versatile when it comes to MIDI connections.

If you're looking for that cruchy 12-bit sound, the MPC is a great option, although the SP12(00) is even more crunchier and punchier.
However, if you want a more clean sound and/or high sampling rates/frequencies, you're obviously looking at the wrong machine.
As far as expressiveness: it's an MPC, essential for that 'human feel' to your drum tracks, period.

If it were stolen, and the thief would run away carrying the MPC, I would throw a handgranade at him, knowing that the MPC would survive while the theif probably wouldn't.
Really, this thing is rugged and reliable, it simply doesn't crash, and probably will never die, 20 years and runnin'...

Never dealt with them.

It's a great machine, period. However, I'd suggest try before you buy, since you might be looking for a more fancy, state-of-the-art piece of gear.
It's not the only option when it comes to that 12-bit sound. You can also go with a newer MPC + an S900/S950 and achieve the same reults while having way more features. SP12(00) is also an option, but the MPC 60 is probably a better buy if this is your first piece of gear.
The MPC 60 is the cheapest option (out of the MPC range) if you're looking for 4 MIDI outs, since the 2000(xl) only has two.

i have the 2.2 os. i hav never even seen a manual for this thing and i know almost everything about it. if u dont have a manual dont trip. u dont really need it. everything is easy to get to. and it also has a help button.

i dont know what the polyphony is. but it is all u will need. effects?? who needs them??? when u dump everything in protools u will be straight. the best midi sequencer in the universe!! i use the 60, the 3000, and the 2000 very very very very heavily. the 60 is the reigning champ!! i do like the 3000 a lot cause its like the 60. the 2000 is ok. that was my first mpc. when i got my 60 i never hooked my 2000 bak up. i let my production partner use it. i do wish i had the upgrade. im gonna get it i just havent thought about it cause im happy with what i got. i would take the 60 without the upgrade over the 2000 with all the options anyday. i already have!!

the feel of this thing is unreal!! the 2000 tried but it cant see this thing. it doesnt matter what type of music u do. this thing can handle any type of music. im a full-time producer/musician. im the type of person that wants my own sound. when u hear my material i want u 2 know that it is me. that started happening when i got the 60. all of my traks started to have my feel on it. whoever is reading this has already heard my material or u will hear it soon especially if u listen to either r&b, hip-hop, rock, pop, gospel, and other types of music. when u hear my material, u hear the mpc 60 killin on all my traks!!!

crash??? what does that mean??? the 60 doesnt crash.

i could use this thing on a gig but i dont. i have an asr x pro and i take that out for all of my gigs. the 60 is strictly studio.

the only reason i would need customer support is if somthin breaks. this thing is a sequencin superman so that is not likely to happen.

if it were lost or stolen i would hire a bounty hunter to find the person and bring him to me alive!! i cant tell u the rest cause i mite get in trouble!! it is worth sooooo much more than the 450 i paid for it!! ive been a producer for a while now and i know about gear!! the 60 is so blazin that it is ridiculous!! i love everything about it. i do wish that the screen would stay brite. but who cares. just get another bulb and u r straight. the only sequencers that i would use is the 60 and the 3000. i have a 2000 and an asr x pro. i dont even use them. i let my production partner use them. i dont even miss them. if u dont have a 60 and u want to take your music to another level, u know what u hav to do. get one! even if u have a 2000. trade it in or somthin and get a 60. 1000?? Please!! get the 1000 for your kid. in the music industry the 1000 isnt even worthy to be compared to to anything. save yourself some money and get the best!! 60!!

im a former well known recording artist from the 80's otherwise called "old school".I learned how to use the mpc 60 by watching over hip hop legend "Jazzy Jays" shoulders up in da boogie down.within a matter of days I was making "killa tracks" for my albums.upon completing that album I went,naw I RAN to sam ash in lower manhattan and copped one.a 1990 make original mpc 60 verson 1

over all THE MACHINE functions are placed in such a way that anything you want to tinker with are easily accessable.the fact there are no built in sound effects work for me because I have a couple of "effects" machines.the multiple midi outputs are the jizzy.the expansion possibilities are of the chain.the sequencer "THE BEST I HAVE SEEN"period. mad flexible, dumb easy to use.

"WORD IS BOND",I read some of the other responses to the survey and was blown away when i saw that other people, as I, felt that when you samle a sound(even dirty ones)THEY SOND BETTER. Drums:bounce. response to Touch:da bomb. HipHop:10 r&b:10. Pop:10. Slowjoints:"YEAH"

after 15 years only one problem. I'd TAKE IT IN THE DESERT INSTEAD OF WATER.

nov 04,was the 1st time I had to deal with any problems.the floppy drive "flopped". I had a slight bit of a problem, TRYING TO GET SOMEONE ON THE PHONE at akaipro.but after extensive search on the web I was able to track down 1 yes only 1 place that had it(maybe I should have brought 2)V.S.T. IN PASADENA CA.I tried the roger linn site it was very interesting. but when I called for tech support I kept getting an answering machine,also something was wrong with its E mail site.

if it was lost or stolen I'D CATCH A CHARGE.15 years and counting of beautiful "mu sick" together.I started on an SP12 moved to a 1200 then this.now nothing else matters.also used akai 2000 no comparision, at least for my needs.it is truly a MIDI PRODUCTION CENTER!!! it makes making music a very fun & exciting expierience.I TRULY WISH IT COULD TALK. I would definitely buy one again.WORTH ITS WEIGHT IN PLATINUM.(AND BOY IS IT HEAVY)

Roger Linn really knew what he was doing when he created this; it's really designed with musicians in mind, and as such things are very intuitive and easy to figure out, even for newbies. The manual is one of the best I've ever read -- super clear, easy to understand, and full of examples that explain things in simple detail.

For those coming from a PC (like myself) -- definitely consider getting one of these, your music will go to another level. Not so much on the hype of the sound (more on this below) but rather the *tactile* nature of the instrument. It allows you to be very expressive and doesn't create a layer between you and the music.

Another great aspect that contributes to the MPC 60's simplicity is the layout -- there aren't tons of nested menus, etc. Everything is less than two button presses away, and everything logically flows. If only today's gear were like this.

Make sure you get one that at minimum is expanded with full memory, and has the Roger Linn OS upgrade. These are a *must* to truly get the most out of the machine. SCSI is very nice to have as well, but not absolutely necesssary compared to the other two.

In terms of features, the MPC is an excellent centerpiece for a studio - with 8-outs, an effects send/return, low-pass filter (you'd be surprised how much you can do with this), and the world's most intuitive and easy to use sequencer, it has everything you need and none of the things you don't.

For mixdown/mastering you'll want to track to a PC/ProTools anyways, so lack of effects is not an issue.

Everyone raves about how "warm" and "punchy" this machine is. Realistically, try not to buy into the hype. There's a saying, "People see what they're looking for." Same easily applies to gear. If they *really* want to believe the sound is warm and dope -- guess what? To them it always will be.

Sure, it has a certain sonic characteristic, but contrary to popular belief that doesn't mean you can put in any sample and voila -- instant Madlib or DJ Shadow. Even if you're going for that old-school, gritty/dirty hip-hop sound, the MPC 60 will only help you so much, and it's a lot less than most people like to believe.

Your sample source, how you sample, etc all really affect it, and the MPC tends to work better with someone who really knows the art of sampling well.

Countless reviews and online "tests" comparing the 60 to the 2000, 3000, 4000, 1000, etc. tend to favor the 60 for that warm, old-school sound, and claim that no other machine can do it. Believe these with a grain of salt. Sure - alone with absolutely no PC, mastering, mixdown, etc that's probably true, but realistically it doesn't matter for those who take the music creation process all the way to finished CD.

Again - with all the tools out there, and against what the die-hards say, it is definitely possible to get that sound without the 60.

What you really want to get the 60 for is that it brings the musicality and fun back into making music. *That's* what people are really buying these things for I think.

The construction is built like a tank. The older version (MPC Mk I) feels more solid that the MPC 60 II, which is plastic and feels cheaper. The sequencer is rock solid, compared to a PC you don't have to worry. It is pretty big and heavy though, so gigging it's probably not as ideal.

For repairs Bruce Forat is a good source in the U.S. His company also customizes them very nicely, pricey though. There's an awesome support group at Yahoo groups, if you get one definitely join, people are really helpful. MPC-Tutor also has a pretty good MPC 60/3k forum.

Ultimately, for my needs I sold the 60 and am planning to get an MV-8000, as I like the combination of both a drum sequencer/sampler as well as a machine that can play sample patches. I miss it, but not as much as I thought I would.

I definitely loved it and was an ardent fan for the several years I had it, but it's designed for a particular way of working, which I got tired of and wanted to try something new. It's all up to personal methods and needs. I have friends who still cling to theirs tightly, but if you're thinking of getting one I say go for it, you'll learn a lot about making music.

I'm using version 2. Very easy to use, but not as easy as the MPC-2000 (there's no graphic windows, and step edit depends on quantisation).

A complete MIDI production center.

12 bit sampler. The sound of this sampler is amazing. I can't believe it's so warm and punchy. Whatever you sample into it will sound fatter.

Built like a tank.

Go to Roger Linn's web site.

After spending 4 years with an MPC-2000, I can say that the 60 is the real thing. The 2000 is the toy version, really! The sampler is only 12bit but sound very warm and crispy. The sequencer has THAT magic groove that the MPC-2000 try to emulate. Even thought it has more than 15 years old, this is the best machine ever made for Hip-Hop and R&B (with the 3000 of course).

As the submitter of the first review for this product on this page, I wanted to come back and do another review as I have since purchased the 3.10 software upgrade.

Ease of use is as good if not better with the new OS, many new features make the process more streamlined, some of which are outlined below...

Ok, we can all go to Mr. Linn's site and see a feature list for the new OS, but I just wanted to touch on a few and their usefullness in the real world.

I think one of the greatest additions is that of the note variation slider being able to control the attack, decay and tuning of any pad. So much easier when programming drum tracks where you need the kicks and/or snares to have a different decay time per hit to add realism...previously i had to reload copies of the same sample (which wastes memory and pad space), assign them to different pads and truncate the ends at different points. Bravo!

Another feature I wanted to touch on might go unnoticed by most, but to my way of working it was a godsend. In my first review, one of my only complaints was the often quirky relationship between my 60 and Cubase...with the addition of a "Local Mode On/Off" parameter in the new OS, problem solved! I can still lay down my drum tracks on my 60 as usual and transfer them to Cubase, but now I can go back over and do add ins over the cubase tracks without that horrendous midi loop feedback I used to get!

The last feature I'll touch on here is the new Programs way of doing things, MUCH better than the old way...you can switch drums around to different pads, rearrange the pads to the way you like them, substitute drum sounds in a track very easily, etc....PLUS it saves all sounds in a common bank, so no more wasted disk space when saving multiple kits that share drum sounds!

no change here, the sound still rocks the house, block and much of my zip code...

Again, no change here...still as reliable as Mr. Reaper and the Tax Man...

Just get em on the phone...

Overall with the addition of the new OS, I can't see much room for improvement. All functions are well laid out and seem to flow into one another in a natural, intuitive way.

If it were stolen today I wouldn't even NEED forensics...countless hours of Court TV have prepared me to not only identify and locate the culprit, but also to do away with him and any evidence of his "disappearance" in the quickest and most efficient of manners... ;)

To anyone on the fence, I'd say just jump and get the damn thing...your beats will thank you!

Software V. 2.2
It came with expanded memory,manual and 20 floppies of sounds

Given it is 20 years old almost this machine is a dream.
The sequencer is huge,totally open and programmable,the midi is quite extended and the displayed instructions are a touch of genious.It does all that you can buy it for.

The sound is amazing,legendary.Crunchy,superdynamic,totally inspiring.You can do house,techno,ambient,just anything with it,not only hip hop or breaks.And overall,its groovy feel is second to none,much much better than MPC3k.Few operations and you've just programmed uncomparable beats to dance to.

Never had any troubles with it,even after heavy touring in smokey and sweaty clubs.Totally reliable.

Never needed any,but i guess Akai' customer support is pretty good.

Together with my Emu SP1200 and my Moog Memorymoog,this is ALL I need to make music and keep working for ages without gettin bored.It's a perfect tool,highly recommended.
It worths every penny you'll spend.

Man what you talkin'bout Willis, my 5 yr. old will make beats on this thing!!!!

A real 12 bit MPC (Roger Linn) No effects but it has an effect input so you can add any efx board to it! Expansion WOW!!!!! you can go to www.rogerlinn.com & get the scsi & 3.1 software for around $500 & you have a 3000 without the filters, but I will trade those filters for 12bit anyday!!! And man it just looks too good!!!!

It sounds like a live drummer with a cracked drum!! Its very crispy, warm & juicy!! LEAVE THOSE NEW MPC'S ALONE, ONLY THE ROGER LINN JOINTS(60,3000)

NEVER EVER CRASHED LIKE THE NEW ONES & ITS ALMOST 20 YRS OLD!!!! You can go to war with this thing!!!

Never had to talk to them (akai) WHY SHOULD I? Gets a 10 cause I have no problems!!

Lost or stolen you ask? HAHAHA!!! I would turn into Charles Bronson & KILL THAT DIRTY RAT!!! Had it for 3 yrs,I also have an asr10, emu's emaxx se & a roland xp-30, dude I've been there, I traded my 2000 for the 60, best move I even did in my life! KEEP REAL HIPHOP MUSIC ALIVE! PEACE!

This is not difficult at all...not even for the entry level beat-maker. I have the OS 3.1 and it's definately worth it if you can afford it because it offers you alot of the same features that are on the MPC 3000.

No effects but it doesn't matter much...the MIDI setups are fun but I haven't messed around with them too much yet. The sequencer is awesome.

Everyone will attest to the fact that this thing makes drums sound DOPE! No question.

get a flight case for it on the go and it's good forever. a tank? yes a tank!

? never used

after having used a computer and a dr sample, this was a Godsend. RogerLinn is a genius. www.rogerlinn.com