If you’re interested in an MPC, get ready to drool.
Akai is shipping the MPC5000, the MPC they call “the most advanced MPC on the planet.”
It offers 8-track streaming hard disk recording, a 20-voice, 3-oscillator analog synthesizer with arpeggiator, a new sequencing engine with 960 ppq resolution, pad and track muting and mixing, 64 continuous sample tracks and a new effects engine with 4 FX buses and 2 FX per bus.
The Akai MPC5000 has an MSRP of $3,499.
Details below.
MPC5000 features:
- Three-oscillator virtual analog synth engine with built-in arpeggiator
- Over 300 Virtual Analog synth presets included
- Eight tracks of Direct-to-Hard Disk recording
- Over 40 all new effects available within a modular 4-bus effects processor
- Master compressor and equalizer
- Built-in hard disk drive
- Optional CD-R/DVD drive
- USB 2.0 port for computer connectivity
- CF Type-2 card slot (up to 2GB)
- Chop-Shop 2.0 – slices a stereo loop into individual samples with automatic pad assignment
- Patched Phrases – creates multiple splits in looped samples to ensure proper tempo sync without changing pitch
- Continuous Sample Track – ensures samples play in perfect sync no matter where you start the beat in a loop
- 12 Q-link controllers for internal automation, external MIDI control and quick parameter editing.
- 240 x 128 hinged backlit LCD
- 10 built-in analog outputs, plus 8 ADAT-optical outputs and stereo S/PDIF IO
- Powerful new multimode filter
- Two MIDI inputs and Four MIDI outputs
- Turntable phono inputs with RIAA pre-amp
- XLR / 1/4″ combo jacks with selectable mic/line levels
- Sample library provided by Loopmasters.com
- 64-voice drum/phrase sampler with 64MB memory built-in. Expandable up to 192MB RAM
Five or more years ago, any cool hardware synth or module that was made public was enough to get my interest, droolage and if it was worthy, my money. Just wondering how many electronic music producers are looking at the MPC 5000 and saying, ” I cold do that stuff with my DAW and VST plugins”. I don’t need no steenking MPC. Are there folks who are going to plunk down the MSRP for the 5000?
I realize there are diehard MPC users- just wondering about the impact of seeing the image in this article on users. Are you going down to the music store to play one?
One Love
This looks like Akai’s answer to the whole LinnDrum II thing. Too bad the “analog” is virtual– otherwise I might be interested in it.