Akai Professional has introduced the latest member its music production center (MPC) family, the MPC500.
Portable and battery-powered, the MPC500’s functionality includes drum programming, sequencing, and sampling capabilities that allow artists the luxury of creating music on the go in a compact, road-worthy chassis. The MPC500 is data compatible with both the MPC1000 and the MPC2500 and includes both line and mic inputs for sampling your own sounds.
Other enhancements include a mass storage-class USB port, which makes it easier than ever to store a massive amount of sample and sequencer data. With the addition of the built-in compact flash drive, musicians and producers will have greater access than ever to all sounds and sequencer data.
Features:
- A 32-voice drum/phrase sampler with up to 128MB RAM
- Pattern-based 48-track sequencer allowing users to assign a different program on each track or record MIDI data to be sent to an external sound module Renowned MPC style pressure sensitive pads including 12 levels and full level features
- Built-in Analog I/O with switchable Mic/Line inputs, 1/4″ stereo headphone output and MIDI I/O
- Support for standard WAV files and MIDI sequences
- Internal sounds in flash with on-board stereo and master effects
- A low-pass filter with resonance per voice capability
- Display: 2 x 16 character LCD w/back light
- Memory card slot:Compact Flash (The size of the compact flash card that MPC500 can handle is from32MB to 2GB)
- Dimensions: 266mm x 175mm x 44mm
- Weight: 1.34 kg
- Power requirement: 12v DC 600mA (negative tip)
- Battery life: Approximately 4.5 hours of continuous use with LCD backlight ON.
Sound Generator
- Sampling rate: 44.1kHz
- Memory capacity: 16MB standard (11.5MB for sound memory), expandable to 128MB
- Recording time: 136sec. (16MB, MONO) or 24m28sec. (128MB, MONO)
- Memory expansion slot: 1 x for optional EXM128
- Data format: 16-bit linear
- Polyphony: up to 32 (dependent on processing)
- Dynamic filtering: 2-pole lowpass filter per voice
- Preset sound memory: 5MB
- Number of programs: 24
Effects
- Effects: 2 stereo effects and Master effect
- Effect type: Chorus, Flanger, Bit grunger, 4 band EQ, Compressor, Phase shifter, Tremolo,
- Flying pan, Reverb, Delay
- Master effect: 4 band EQ, Compressor
Sequencer
- Maximum events: 100,000 notes
- Resolution: 96 parts per 1/4-note
- Sequences: 99
- Tracks per sequence: 48
- MIDI output channels: 16
- Song mode: 20 songs, 250 steps per song
- Drum pad: 12 (velocity and pressure sensitive)
- Drum pad banks: 4
- Sync mode: MIDI clock
Inputs/Outputs
- Record input (L and R): 1/4-inch stereo phone x 2, pseudo balanced -40dBu, input impedance 9k ohm
- Max. Input level: +10dBu
- Stereo output (L and R): 1/4-inch phone x 2 pseudo balanced +11dBu, output impedance 1k Ohms,
- Max. Output level: +5 dBu
- Phones output: 1/4-inch stereo phone x 1, 200mW / 100 ohms
- MIDI inputs: 1 x 5-pin DIN
- MIDI outputs: 1 x 5-pin DIN
- USB: Slave connector x 1, USB MASS STORAGE CLASS support (Windows 2000/ME/XP or later version, or Mac OS 9.x/10.x or later version.)
Data Compatibility
- MPC1000: SEQ, WAV, PGM
- MPC2000/2000XL: SEQ, WAV, SND, PGM (Most parameters of PGM file can be loaded.)
- MPC2500: SEQ, WAV, PGM
- MPC4000: SEQ, WAV, PGM (DRUM program only. Only note assign and tune are loaded.)
- MPC3000: SND (THRU Computer)
- Z4/Z8: WAV, PGM (DRUM program only. Only note assign and tune are loaded.)
- S5000/6000: WAV only (THRU Computer)
The MPC500 has an MSRP of $1,299.00 and is shipping immediately.
More information is available at the Akai site.
