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Well, im a little disapointed. Could be an ok midi controller though.

Pedro Sánchez wrote:

GV1 wrote:Remove it from the computer, and lets see what sound you get. Nothing. Not a sound. You can no longer control anything.

So you would rather stare at a small LCD display and flick through paged menus using softkeys and be limited to the onboard processing offering, rather than just plug in a USB cable to a PC or Laptop and exploit all the potential of modern software and the time saved in doing so? If that the case why didn't you stick to your MPC60. I don't know what you are expecting, traditional MPC's are not making AKAI enough money any more, production habits have moved on, the average studio is centered around a software driven computer and Maschine has set a benchmark in proving their model is leaving MPC's gathering dust.

Who said I didn't stick with my MPC 60? I've just made 3 beats, 2 with the SP1200 and 1 with the MPC 60. I use it constantly! I use my ears to produce, not the screen. Just to add, the 2500 has the same screen size as this new contraption. I also use that a lot.

Traditional MPCs are still selling today as much as they were 10 years ago. MPCs are used in a number of studios globally by the majority of hip hop producers. The reason for Akai's original MPC's downfall is it being sold to Numark. Just look at the 5000 to understand the crap they came out with. Yet they never admit failure and never update their software. It's why people go back to the older MPC's. The 2500 is about the best thing to come out of NuAkai although that's subjective.

I am not sure where you are getting your statistics from. The average small budget home studio is PC based because of the cash limitation to buy hardware and the availability of VSTs by torrent. The demand for hardware is huge.

GV1 wrote:I am not sure where you are getting your statistics from.

??? Do a poll on just forum for people who actually have released music, how many people use an MPC?, then ask on a D'n'b forum, a House forum, even a Hip-Hop forum.

GV1 wrote:The average small budget home studio

...Is the average studio, you find me a commercial studio still buying MPC's, you find me a commercial studio buying new gear even, you might get the odd hip-hop beatmaker with a disposable income, investing in a new flagship MPC model (mainly for some innate nostalgic reason) but thats about it, Most guys have moved on to MPD's and Laptops or Maschine and Laptops and most people were writing them off before they even used them, they can offer the same results in half the time with a quicker workflow.

GV1 wrote:The demand for hardware is huge.

Yeah hardware synths, drum machines and vintage outboard gear maybe but not really new £500plus expensive stand alone samplers when nearly every DAW has some type of soft sampler built in with almost unlimited capabilities and can be coupled with a sub £200 midi controller.

The average guy/gal in the bedroom, making tunes on the laptop and putting out limited releases or digital downloads, is the professional producer nowadays, thats the customer base for these type of companies, their product line-ups tell you this.

Anyway, buy it or don't but you have an MPC anyway so keep pushing on with that.

Pedro Sánchez wrote:

GV1 wrote:I am not sure where you are getting your statistics from.

??? Do a poll on just forum for people who actually have released music, how many people use an MPC?, then ask on a D'n'b forum, a House forum, even a Hip-Hop forum.

GV1 wrote:The average small budget home studio

...Is the average studio, you find me a commercial studio still buying MPC's, you find me a commercial studio buying new gear even, you might get the odd hip-hop beatmaker with a disposable income, investing in a new flagship MPC model (mainly for some innate nostalgic reason) but thats about it, Most guys have moved on to MPD's and Laptops or Maschine and Laptops and most people were writing them off before they even used them, they can offer the same results in half the time with a quicker workflow.

GV1 wrote:The demand for hardware is huge.

Yeah hardware synths, drum machines and vintage outboard gear maybe but not really new £500plus expensive stand alone samplers when nearly every DAW has some type of soft sampler built in with almost unlimited capabilities and can be coupled with a sub £200 midi controller.

The average guy/gal in the bedroom, making tunes on the laptop and putting out limited releases or digital downloads, is the professional producer nowadays, thats the customer base for these type of companies, their product line-ups tell you this.

Anyway, buy it or don't but you have an MPC anyway so keep pushing on with that.

Head over to GearSlutz. They will provide you with some very accurate information based on your analysis. It may even open your eyes. Go ask the question.

Everything you said about hardware, and the MPC's is wrong mate. Not having a pop at you and I'm not trying to start a war. But you are wrong and I think a number of people on this forum will even back me up.

The only reason why I am banging on here is because Akai are misinforming people. It's part of their marketing tactic. You will find threads all over the Internet that are saying it's a standalone unit, which we all know is wrong. It's their marketing tactic. I am just trying to inform others before making the purchase.

As I said, if you enjoy I wish you luck. It will obviously have it's benefits and I can see it being a success. But people are no doubt going to be buying it for the wrong reasons then complaining when they realize it's not what they thought.

<3

GV1 wrote: Head over to GearSlutz. They will provide you with some very accurate information based on your analysis. It may even open your eyes. Go ask the question.

The same guys who are so hung up on justifying why they remortgage their homes to buy SSL outboard gear for their project studios, or argue about inaudible differences in summing algorithms

GV1 wrote:Everything you said about hardware, and the MPC's is wrong mate. Not having a pop at you and I'm not trying to start a war. But you are wrong and I think a number of people on this forum will even back me up.

Which is why everyone is asking questions daily in this forum, about how to program on MPC's huh?

I'm not trying to be the arsehole, but your views on marketplace seem to be blinded by the fact you are a gearhead yourself and the majority of people who make music at the same level as yourself are not, hence why the all-in-1 usb midi controller market is so successful.

Pedro is right, also you down this product purely because you gotta plug it in your pc to make it work? Still an amazing bit of kit, sweet software with it, and who hasn't got a PC to hook it all up to these days?

I'd be interested to see Akai's sales figures before and after the release of the NI Maschine. I'd suspect they were considerably down, which would lend credence to the idea that the Renaissance is an attempt to claw back some market share.

They've probably been working on it before Maschine was out. It's probably aimed at a different market. Previous MPCs have cost over $3,000US at launch in the past. This one will probably be around 2k or so at launch. I'd be surprised if it was under 1k.

Akai has been heading in this direction for time now.
MPCs haven't been called MIDI Production Center for quite a while now, they changed the name to Music Production Center quite a while back. Now it seems it's been changed to Music Production Controller.

Their MIDI controllers are some of the best ones around. I enjoy and use the MPD as well as traditional MPCs, just for different purposes. MPCs are great because of the standalone use and stability. They are hugely popular and can still be found in studios all over the world. There's even a whole market based just on modifying and customizing MPCs that has been doing well for years.

Along with the new Renaissance, they are also releasing a new slim MPC and some iPad app. I'd be interested to see this new "slim MPC". Maybe it will be a new traditional MPC built with current hardware that allows a huge size reduction. I have zero interest in ipad though. They are unveiling both in a few weeks.

There's also been hints for a long time they are doing a new Linndrum as well.

Pedro Sánchez wrote:

GV1 wrote: Head over to GearSlutz. They will provide you with some very accurate information based on your analysis. It may even open your eyes. Go ask the question.

The same guys who are so hung up on justifying why they remortgage their homes to buy SSL outboard gear for their project studios, or argue about inaudible differences in summing algorithms

GV1 wrote:Everything you said about hardware, and the MPC's is wrong mate. Not having a pop at you and I'm not trying to start a war. But you are wrong and I think a number of people on this forum will even back me up.

Which is why everyone is asking questions daily in this forum, about how to program on MPC's huh?

I'm not trying to be the arsehole, but your views on marketplace seem to be blinded by the fact you are a gearhead yourself and the majority of people who make music at the same level as yourself are not, hence why the all-in-1 usb midi controller market is so successful.

I'll accept that but only because neither of us know the market figures and it was a genuine response.

did it get launched? i don't see anything about it on the site?

So basically, its Akai's answer to NI's Maschine.

I think your only getting so rilled up about it because its not what you wanted or expected..

You are still getting the sound of classic MPC hardware (according to Akai), but we will have to watch how it compares..

Point i'm trying to make is if it sounds the same, and has more controls, bridges software and hardware, all I can see are benefits.
I bet you have your '60 next to your computer anyway

Apparently this isn't a Maschine competitor, but the slimline "Studio" they will announce at NAMM might be. The MPC Studio is probably the cheaper controller only version with less features and most likely around the same price point as a Maschine. The Renaissance is probably the expensive flagship model. Additional specs and prices announced at NAMM.

I'm going to wait for NAMM before I pass further comment on it.

It does seem like they are competing with Maschine and whether you like the Maschine over the MPC is down to personal choice. Realistically speaking they both have their own DAW (Akai DAW and Maschine) but I believe the MPC will have a workflow more like a true MPC.

Yeah I was very disappointed as I was expecting a standalone machine. Or at least a real hybrid. I did suggest on the MPC Forums that Akai should have worked on the 2500 and the 1000 to improve on those machines as standalone models yet integrated their DAW so it can also be used as a controller. Similar to how the virus works with a computer, or as a standalone unit. That would have been perfect and it would have created a real stir.

Whether they can take Maschines competition is another story though. Whilst Maschine was influenced by the original MPCs they have done a cracking job with their controller and their software. Especially with the support for the Maschine when used with their other VSTs. Twisted Tools ensembles with the Maschine are just out of this world.

I'm still doubtful the release will be any time soon. Rumour has it the release will be August time which gives NI plenty of time to get their updates and "new features" rolled out to go head to head with Akai. But, if you look at Akai's track record the Synth Station was announced at NAMM and still didn't get released.

If the MPC isn't designed to be in competition with the Maschine Akai are targeting a very small niche because out of all the MPC users, a percentage don't like the idea it's a controller and preferrer their origional MPCs, which makes me think they are in competition.

I agree the MPDs are great, I had the 32 before I ever got an MPC when I first learnt how the original hip hop was created. But even with the MPDs Akai lost out to the Maschine.

It's going to be interesting to see what happens.

As for the 60 and 3000 modes this will have to be heard before I pass comment. But, because the outputs will be digital it's likely to be bitcrushed audio that don't actually sound the same as the original 60/3000. The Maschine didn't manage to crack it, although it comes close and does the job in terms of dirtying up the drums.

Everything I said previous is all based on my personal view. Don't want to start an argument with my fine fellows on here :p

I use the MPC2000. Unfortunately the screen has far too many dead pixels to see whats going on with it.

So I actually use mine as a midi controller in Ableton. I record all my drums using samples I house in Ableton but using the pads and also the brain of the MPC.

This new MPC seems to do exactly this. The brain of an MPC with the ease of using samples within a DAW. May be wrong but thats what it looks like to me.

MineOurArc wrote:I use the MPC2000. Unfortunately the screen has far too many dead pixels to see whats going on with it.

So I actually use mine as a midi controller in Ableton. I record all my drums using samples I house in Ableton but using the pads and also the brain of the MPC.

This new MPC seems to do exactly this. The brain of an MPC with the ease of using samples within a DAW. May be wrong but thats what it looks like to me.

No, you're about right mate.

Shame about the 2000 and the pixels. Screen replacements are pretty easy if you or someone you know can solder. I know a place in Coventry in the UK, and a place in London that can sort that screen out for less than £100. Failing that you've always got Forat.

Or ... sell it to me and buy a Maschine :p I actually collect early MPC's because eventually they will disappear and whilst others like collecting stamps I collect vintage hardware from the hip hop and early electronic era.

Here is the MPC Fly. Leaked images by me. Say thanks.

Leaked by myself









Say thanks

Edit: I hate the ren ... but this! This is sexy and portable. This could easily be the Maschine killer if the software is right.

looks nice, I`d buy one
quite slim as well

dubstep with an mpc? Doesnt seem like it would give you enough control over the sound.

bl0rg wrote:dubstep with an mpc? Doesnt seem like it would give you enough control over the sound.

I don't solely produce Dubstep. Before Dubstep I was and still am creating old school hip hop.