Akai Professional MPC Live III

[pc999]

It does have actually some very interesting stuff.
But it could use some extra buttons and knobs.

Anyway, it is too expensive, specially given the mediocre CPU power for today's standards and relatively low memory.

[machinesworking]

It would be great, if the MPC3 software wasn't still one time signature only.

[masterhiggins]

It's ugly AF.

[pc999]

It would be great, if the MPC3 software wasn't still one time signature only.

It looks like they released an update today that add more time signatures.

[machinesworking]

It would be great, if the MPC3 software wasn't still one time signature only.

It looks like they released an update today that add more time signatures.

Nope, they just added the ability to use other time signatures, you still only have one time signature per project. It's the most piss poor thing they could have done, the MPC is regulated to Maschine levels of uselessness with time signatures, and there still is no VSTi3 plugin. When it gets one, one would hope they finally add in the ability to have more than one in a project, (because it's going to get really stupid in a DAW if they don't), and hopefully in your arrangement, you know? like how every DAW has had since 30 years ago?

[Jim Roseberry]

I get the frustration with multiple time signatures.
That said, I still think there's a lot of advancement in the MPC Live 3.
I just grabbed one today (should be here Weds).
Looking forward to checking out the new pads and capabilities.
Sounds appear to load much faster.

[machinesworking]

Yeah if it wasn't such a huge part of what I do it would be hard to pass up the MPC Live III, it looks like a full blown production tool, just add a keyboard and you're good. I was/am a little disappointed they didn't add extra audio inputs or ADAT, but considering you can use a class compliant audio interface with it... I don't think it allows the CV outs with an interface though? Anyone know?

[bmanic]

So.. anybody here bought the MPC Live mk3 yet? I would be very interested in hearing about the latency figures of the Live mk3 and see if they have been improved.

Last time I measured the latency of the Live mk1 it was around 17ms which is not great.

This is how you can estimate the latency:

Tools needed are: a microphone and a computer where you hook up the microphone (so probably also a soundcard with mic input) and a separate input for at least 1 channel from the MPC live (or use the USB channels, doesn't really matter).

Then simply place the microphone close to a pad, load up a sharp click sound or rimshot on the pad and hit the pad with enough velocity for the microphone to easily pick it up.

You'll record the microphone and mpc output channel at the same time. Then simply compare the differences of the two sound sources in your DAW. That is your output latency of the MPC.

[Jim Roseberry]

So.. anybody here bought the MPC Live mk3 yet? I would be very interested in hearing about the latency figures of the Live mk3 and see if they have been improved.

Last time I measured the latency of the Live mk1 it was around 17ms which is not great.

This is how you can estimate the latency:

Tools needed are: a microphone and a computer where you hook up the microphone (so probably also a soundcard with mic input) and a separate input for at least 1 channel from the MPC live (or use the USB channels, doesn't really matter).

Then simply place the microphone close to a pad, load up a sharp click sound or rimshot on the pad and hit the pad with enough velocity for the microphone to easily pick it up.

You'll record the microphone and mpc output channel at the same time. Then simply compare the differences of the two sound sources in your DAW. That is your output latency of the MPC.

I have the MPC Live 3... but haven't (yet) measured its latency.
I'll do that when I have a moment.

You could also test using a MIDI note in your DAW (to trigger the MPC)... and record the resultant MPC audio.
Measure the difference between the start of the MIDI trigger note and start of the recorded audio... and that's the "Delta" (latency of the MPC).
This assumes you've verified that your audio interface is properly aligning recorded audio.

[bmanic]

Yeah you could do that too. However, triggering the actual pads seemed to add some extra latency last I checked. Hence the above method.

[Jim Roseberry]

Yeah you could do that too. However, triggering the actual pads seemed to add some extra latency last I checked. Hence the above method.

Doing this test on the MPC Live 3 itself:
- Onboard mic recorded to one audio track
- Pad's analog output recorded back to an analog input on a second audio track
I get a Delta of 613-samples (13.9ms).

Sending the pad and mic outputs separately via USB-C (to a DAW), I get a Delta of 213-samples (4.83ms).

13.9ms is pretty lame.

That's a pretty substantial difference (9ms). I'll test again tomorrow to confirm.
TBH, I'm not super crazy about the 4.83ms.

Just looked at the reported round-trip latency of the MPC Live 3's audio interface (Cakewalk Sonar) and it's exactly 400-samples (using the smallest 64-sample ASIO buffer size).

[electro]

Can the MPC Live III run the 2.15.1 OS?

[Jim Roseberry]

Can the MPC Live III run the 2.15.1 OS?

Don't know for sure... but I'd highly doubt it.
The old OS doesn't support the new MPC-E pad functions.
Small thing... but the startup logo for MPC Live v3.6 OS is different than v3.6 for the MPC X SE.

[Jim Roseberry]

OK, ran some more latency tests today... using Nuendo.
Recorded at 44.1k... as the MPC's audio interface is locked at that sample-rate.
I used the smallest 64-sample ASIO buffer size.

If you're working with a hybrid setup (MPC Live 3 ultimately recorded into a DAW), you're going to have to keep track of separate recording offsets.
Assuming you want all audio to be in tight sync...

MIDI note from DAW (via USB-C) triggering a pad on the MPC Live 3 - latency is 330-samples (7.48ms)

Round-trip Audio (USB-C output recorded to USB-C input) - latency is 549-samples (12.45ms)

Pad-triggered sample vs mic'd pad - latency is 219-samples (4.97ms)
In this case, both the onboard mic and pad-triggered sample were sent to the DAW via USB-C.

Given the onboard CPU is not the equal of a high-end DAW, these latency figures aren't terrible.
If you're used to a Nord (which triggers via USB MIDI closer to 2ms), you'll not be blown away.
Another point of reference, the 3rd Wave (excellent digital/hybrid synth) triggers via USB MIDI at about 7ms.

[electro]

Read on some forum the class compliant USB interfaces were faster RTL than the internal MPC soundcard. Why would class compliant USB soundcards still be unable to do 48Khz?