Can the Akai MPC 2000xl still hold its own?

The MPC 2000xl used to be the most sought after MPC, even after the MPC 1000/2500 were released. For whatever reason, they have now become low on the MPC latter. The great part of this is this machines can be an absolute bargain. I bought my 2000xl for $261 shipped. It had max ram, 8 outs, a hard case, and didn't have a scratch on it. You can add a card reader to it for $5 and bring it's functionality up to most modern machines.

As I started to use my 2000xl, I found it was so much better laid out than my MPC 1000. Menu's are easier to find and faster to go through. This machine just feels better than any of then new MPC's. This machine shines in design and simplicity.

This is my favorite MPC for chopping samples. I attribute this mostly to the data wheel. Unlike the 1000 and 2500, it does not click, and is very smooth. It doesn't feel cheap like the newer MPC's either. I find that this makes chopping samples much more enjoyable. The actual wave form is slow to load however on the screen. This does not bug me, I often I have my first chop done before the waveform has fully loaded. If you are visual chopper, this may be a hassle in the long run. For me, this machine is simple, fun, and easy to use.

Hardware wise, this machine is great. It has 8 outs which makes life much easier. Akai has done a great job on the MPC series with making this a breeze to utilize. No complex menus, just go to the mixing menu and assign.

It has 32 megs of ram which is 378 seconds of sample time in mono, or 187 in stereo. Unless you are loading a bunch of sample libraries for synth sounds, or using increadibly large samples, this should be enough time for most anyone. Unlike older MPC's, you don't have to "plan" your beat as much when loading up samples.

I added a card reader to my 2000xl. This is one of the best parts of the 2000xl. The card reader works flawlessly, is quicker than a floppy, no annoying noise. You can access all your sounds off your computer and throw them on your MPC. You cannot do this cheaply on the 3000 or 60.

What is not to like?
Unlike the MPC's that came after the 2000xl, you cannot make the MPC 2000xl truly monophonic. What this means is you can't make each pad mute all the other pads. Watch Boon Doc use an MPC 1000 on youtube. You will see that he hits one pad, then another one, and the second chop cuts off the first. On the 2000xl, you have to set each pad to mute another pad. Each pad can only mute 2 other pads. Many people don't mind this, to me, it is a huge pain.

Coming from the 1000, it just irritates me. The 1000 does this so easily, in one menu. I feel like on the 2000xl, I have to set it to, note off. Then I start arranging my chops, going back and forth from the program menu, to set my mutes to switch the chops back to mono. This can start eating up my time quickly and get frustrating. I will often just use my ASR 10 or S2000 rack instead to make my life easier. Because this machine is so easy and enjoyable to chop samples with, I think it bugs me more than it should.

The other thing with this machine is that the screen can go bad. It used to be a costly replacement, now they are a discontinued part. Be careful when buying one online. Many dedicated MPC 2000xl enthusist are trying to create a solution for new screens. You can read more on the mpc-fourms.com.

My Verdict.
This machine has a rock solid sequencer that the MPC series is known for. It is well laid out, has plenty of sample time, and just feels great to use. It has 8 outs which save tons of time as an option. The card reader expansion is cheap and makes this machine so much more modern. The pad mute part bugs me but many people don't care.

This is the best MPC for the money hands down. It has a higher build quality than new MPC's, more sample time than older, and can be found dirt cheap. Make sure you find one with a good screen.

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