New Product: Akai MPC5000 Music Production Center
Mar 18, 2008 8:23 PM Asher Fulero (Writer)
Akai has created a
monster. The new MPC5000 ($3,499; www.akaipro.com) features big improvements to
the MPC line, such as 8-track streaming hard-disk recording and a powerful
20-note synthesizer with three oscillators, an arpeggiator and a multimode
filter. You now have the ability to create whole songs inside an MPC, mix them
down and burn audio or data CDs to the optional optical drive. The all-new 990
PPQ (parts per quarter note) sequencing engine offers tighter MIDI timing but
still keeps the option for that famous MPC swing. Built-in 64 MB of RAM is
expandable to 192 MB, and there's a built-in 80 GB hard drive. In addition to
the 40 new effects and modular 4-bus effects processor, Akai includes a new
Master EQ and Compressor with an Old School mode for vintage sampling sound. A CompactFlash
card slot accepting as high as 2 GB cards and USB 2.0 offer modern
connectivity, along with two MIDI inputs, four MIDI outputs, RIAA turntable
inputs, 10 analog TRS inputs, eight ADAT optical output channels and stereo
S/PDIF connections. Chop Shop 2.0 slices loops into individual samples and
auto-assigns them to pads, while new technologies such as Patched Phrases and
Continuous Sample Track allow Ableton-style warping and sample-syncing. The
screen is twice the size as on the MPC2500, and there are 12 Q-link controllers
for writing automation (eight knobs and four faders). Beat-heads rejoice!
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