MPC X used market

[fantomhertz]

I'm curious to know why are there so many MPC X units up for sale.

Is it a bad investment?

Hardware/Software issues?

[BertKoor]

It's a nice entry-level pad grid controller. Shitloads have been produced. My guess is people either buy the next one with other features, or go back to entrering notes by mouse.

[Distorted Horizon]

It's a nice entry-level pad grid controller.

Okay?

https://www.thomann.de/fi/akai_mpc_x.htm

[BertKoor]

Oh, I thought the 'X' was a wildcard.

[Distorted Horizon]

Oh, I thought the 'X' was a wildcard.

Maybe you mixed in to mpd -series?

[bmanic]

I think it's just not as good as people thought it would be, hence the huge amount of them on the used market. I have an MPC Live that I'm probably going to sell unless it improves with the next few updates from AKAI.

It's an incredibly "simplistic" machine that is extremely incapable at doing very simple things. For instance, it has no phase reverse on any mixer channel nor does it even include it as an offline edit effect for samples.. so one of the most simple audio features ever created is missing from this machine (and it's not like phase reversing isn't important.. it's one of the most fundamental things when it comes to layering drums).

There's virtually no basics for sample synthesis. It has an extremely simple modulation system that for instance lets you only modulate the filter in one direction with the envelope.. so a unipolar mod system. Frustratingly stupid design.

The sequencer/pianoroll feels extremely archaic and is about as barebones as it gets.

The hardware itself is robust and well done so it's a real shame that the software is so incredibly lame on so many different fronts.

I most definitely can not recommend one of these until AKAI gets off their asses and actually fixes the very basics.

[gminorcoles]

I sold my live after a short time because I really just wanted a great sequencer and its not a great sequencer. I was really excited about it from looking at reviews and videos though.

[noizdawg]

Hi - I have both Live and X. The X is a lot better due to the additional knobs and screens. It is one of the fastest standalone boxes. But it has shortcomings. It can be a bit futzy doing some of the operations when needed, like copying a sample and then reversing it to put it on another pad. This would all be drag and drop on a computer. The big thing that surprised me last time, was that the machine does NOT have real-time swing! So you actually have to use the quantize screen, try a different value, and then re-quantize it. So, goodbye to your original timing values if you lose the Undo history. And no way to just "hear" the swing and dial it in, like on Maschine or, I thought, original MPCs? (of course on the NI camp, people complain that they CANNOT bake their swing into the note timing - go figure, hehe - both ways have pros and cons, of course)

EDIT - I will add, I shopped around and got the best deal I could. I had bought a used one first, but it reeked of smoke when it was on for 10 minutes, so back it went. (really like-new condition too, such a shame, plus it came with the DeckSaver and a case) But I still made sure to not pay the full price for a new one.

I was going to post a new post, I might still, but in case any owners here can chime in - has anyone else experienced that their main silver data encoder knob, the one on the right, is off-center? I.e., as you turn it, it has a bit of a wobble to it, like a record that is not centered on the platter? Mine will make and then lose contact with a finger if I hold my finger from my other hand against the edge. The reason I ask is, Akai has offered to pay for me to ship it in, but it's to a repair center. Short of re-soldering the pot underneath back on, I am not sure they can really fix it, and I don't want the expensive piece getting marred up from tools unnecessarily. Plus it seems it would take many weeks at least to get it fixed and sent back to me. So, I am thinking of just living with it. Obviously the dial does work, I just get conscious of it sometimes when I spin it fast, and whenever I look at it. I tried looking at my Live but since it has a black dial on a matte black faceplate, it's harder to see... I almost think its knob is a little crooked too. (I did try gently bending the knob to see if I could just straighten it out myself, but any adjustment I do doesn't take, there's no permanent give to however it's mounted... which is a good thing, I suppose.)

[deastman]

I suspect most of the people selling their MPC X/Live are moving over to the Force.

I only recently picked up an MPC Live, and I’m pretty happy with it. Sure, I can see plenty of areas where it could be improved. But I’m coming from using both a Digitakt and Octatrack, and all I wanted was a standalone box with fast and intuitive sampling, slicing, and mapping to pads. It doesn’t get much easier than the MPC for that.

[bmanic]

The MPC Force looks equally unimpressive as the MPC Live. It has almost all the same shortcomings and very similar type of "Duh!! How on earth didn't they implement this properly??" issues as the MPC Live/X series.

AKAI just doesn't seem to have a team that truly sits down and asks the basic questions of workflow. They also seem to refuse to look at how the world has moved on in terms of what is expected of a sequencer/sampler/workstation.

[fantomhertz]

Thanks a lot to everyone who has chimed in.

I own an MPC Live currently, in the past I've owned the MPC 2500 as well as an MPC 4000 which I regret selling.

I'm considering upgrading to the MPC X for the faster workflow, but based on what I've read it will probably result in a similar experience I've had with the MPC Live. It's a great looking and simplistic machine as you all have pointed out but not very inspiring for me to use.

The first machine I reach for is the Push 2 or the Octatrack for standalone, but I keep the MPC Live around like an expensive IMPC Pro app waiting for an update that will bring it to the level of the 4000.

Being battery powered is great but its size isn't ideal to use on while traveling, I might be better off with a Deluge or the black box sampler.

[beatstudio]

I think it's because AKAI Force was released, and many people want to try that, but as it's quite expensive, they try to recover a part of the cost by selling their MPC X

[jacqueslacouth]

I really think Akai lost their way with the MPC line around the MPC 5000. Eventually the 5000 sort of found its feet and was ok. But IMHO, after that, the whole line really seemed to lose its soul. They tried to hard to be too many things to too many people and basically made an arse of it. Personally, I am much happier to use the MPC 2000XL to get what MPCs are all about (a 4000 would be nice, but still go for crazy prices second hand (with good reason)). But if you are looking for all the whistles and bells, the truth is computers are much better at THAT.

[bmanic]

But if you are looking for all the whistles and bells, the truth is computers are much better at THAT.

I 100% disagree. There is absolutely no reason at all why the MPC Live/X and Force couldn't be much better. We're not even talking a lot of new or complicated features, just an upgraded 21st century mentality and willingness to invest in workflow. They have a friggin touch screen on it! A good one too! .. and it isn't used at all properly. We're in 2019 and they have no proper gestures programmed for it other than pinch to zoom. No long hold or double taps utilized all over the place. No two finger swipes etc. There's so much basic shit that could be done with a touch screen if only somebody at AKAI got off their ass and actually thought about these things.

Then there are all the lovely hardware buttons and encoders. It's utterly perplexing why these aren't being used to their fullest.

Still, as long as there's potential and they are actively updating the product (which they are) all is not lost. The situation is not completely hopeless, yet.

[noizdawg]

I am kind of disappointed there has been no update to include the Force's scene songmaking routine int he MPC products yet! Anyone else afraid they won't add it? I don't get how they can expect that to want use to buy Force - it's not like the two are linked in some easy way and one can fly patterns from one to the other seamlessly. One either uses the Force, OR the MPC X/Live. (Unless you count making a loop on the MPC and then "sampling" it into the Force as seamless, I suppose.)

Also, anyone ever worried they might just announce the MPC Y or X2 or something? I don't mind having a workstation keyboard or synth get older and possibly devalue. But these MPCs, they're tied into the computer market way of doing things. What if Akai starts upgrading the software ala Apple, and invalidates the older hardware simply by its lack of power to run the new updates? Sometimes these things keep me up.