MPC2000xl Vs Maschine, some quick thoughts for those curious.

Now that I have a 2kxl back in the lab (I was an avid MPC2kxl user but sold mine about 4 years ago) I figured I would give a quick compare. I have added the MMC reader and maxed out the ram of the MP

First off, if this was a desert island thing it would be Maschine hands down. But as you know the MP has its own charm. I was kind of fun to revisit. So I figured I would break it down since so many people are wondering what to get. Also remember that for my last job I needed to know every DAW out there as well as the MV, MPC5k etc. So I know most products pretty in depth.

Maschine Pro's

#1 Sampling chopping! Best way to chop samples PERIOD, nothing on the market comes close.

#2 Vintage mode, you can get really close to the SP or MPC60 sound with this guy

#3 Timing is nice and tight

#4 use a nice big screen if you want

#5 PLugins, oh yea

#6 NI will be adding features and updating for a long time.

EDIT #7 Machine has a fantastic sound library with it, now of course a good producer should come up with there own sounds, but this is still a very nice starting point

Maschine Con's

#1 it is so clean, sometimes you have to dirty things up to get that "classic" sound

#2 Some people complain about the lack of time stretch, this is a feature I don't use at all so I don't care. But I am sure it will be added to ver 1.7

#3 would be cool to be a stand alone box but also impossible.

#4 If your computer sucks, so does Maschine. Of course if you are a producer and your computer sucks then I think there are other issues here.

MPC2kxl Pro's

#1 Man drums on this thing cut through a mix and sound huge with very little effort. I have to work a bit harder in both Reason and Maschine to get that.

#2 It feels super cool to just be you an MP and a turntable vs the world. No computer, no distractions. Just music.

#3 The MPC just feels soulful, kinda like my favorite bass (I have been a bass player for over 15 years and am very emotionally attached to my first bass) Even though the MPC may not be spec wise up there with other units, you emotionally connect with it. This is one of those abstract things that Apple for example does really well.

#4 Timing, and I mean not the swing (Reason 4 got me the MPC swing in spades) just how it feels from brain to idea. If the samples are loaded its very fast

MPC2kxl Con's

#1 Loading samples takes freakin forever and is a huge pain in the ass.

#2 Chopping takes FOREVER on a TINY screen, just poke me in the eye with a screw driver. It also gets physically exhausting, spinning that wheel forever.....

#3 Remember on old cell phones with no qwerty keyboard how texting sucked? Yea thats how you have to name things in the MP.

#4 32mb of ram MAX, really? WOW

#5 it is really hard to stay organized.



Well thats all I can think of for now, I will add more as I think of them. But I will say this, I am very happy to have both in the studio and would not get rid of either one. Both Maschine and the MP will have a prominent place in my productions. I am thinking about building like 1000 drum loops on the MP and rexing them up for use in Reason, because at the end of the day software is faster, more powerful.

As you know I am a big fan of the MV, the biggest problem with the thing was that it tries to do to much. Instead of being the best drum machine, it had mastering tools (for example). It is just to confusing to use. Where the entire goal of the MPC60 was to be a DRUM machine and pretty much only a drum machine. And it did that perfect for its day.

I will say this, once you get your head around Maschine. You will use your MV less and less. I mean Maschine is a box that got me to use Reason less, that is saying something!

RS7000 vs Maschine... the quickest thought of all!!!

RS fo' LIFE!!!

da relic

MV is not confusing to use, if you learn how to use it.

MPC is like analog gear....hard to let go....but the MASCHINE is the digital gear it is the future and THE FUTURE always ends up being better ......PERIOD!!!!

@hev that's kinda my point the mv is wicked powerful. But with an mpc and maschine and reason I could start making music right out of the box. They are very intuitive. Where the Mv was a pain to learn but it sure is cool once you learn it.

My experience is the opp. What I've noticed with the maschine (like anything else) what you put in you get out. I do a lot of processing through preamp and or through sp 303 and the sound sounds the exact same in both.

Drums cutting through the mix. What work are you doing to get them to cut through the mix? I've used all 3 pieces never had this issue maybe its because I have my levels in each set the same? I know Reason is set lower by default (volume wise)

I don't have too much experience with the 2000 series I mainly stuck with the 3k

No, you are correct. Maschine is VERY clean. Where the 2k adds something in the upper mids. In reason I layer the drums, add an M class compressor, then a scream on the tape setting and that will get them there.

Well Maschine is only going to be as clean or dirty as your chain.

Wow that is a quite a bit. The most i've ever had to do is layer. Meh good breakdown regardless though

I like NI's support...

Shit...I had the Left LCD go bad on me....... They sent me ANOTHER UNIT.... and didn't even ask for the original one back...so as of Tuesday...I have two Maschine units..... Got a dude who said they can probably get it replaced in guitar center....if that happens...I'm selling the other unit.

I really enjoy my Maschine...... I went to FL Studio the other day..... I must say that placing sounds into the piano roll via mouse SUCKS.

I will admit that I can put a beat together in FL quicker than Maschine.......But I will say that what I do in Maschine ultimately comes out better overall...

Nice little breakdown, DP...

I will add this... Maschine would suck if there was no VST support and I would never get it if it didn't have VST support... I would've never purchased it. Just the fact that I could use Kontakt 4 and my subboombass, it has been my weapon of choice for a long time to come.

I am temped to add a breakdown of Kong vs the other two. As I am very familiar with it as well. What do you think?

DO IT! Lol....... It's a moot point for me, since I won't buy an MPC or anything else that I could do with Maschine.

Not a bad idea although I feel Battery would be a better comparison to the mpc as well as maschine

i dont know, if its a feature/workflow breakdown then skill is less important. As far as battery goes, I own it, but man I just dont use it enough. Can you even chop samples in battery?

Oh of course