Having watched your videos for over a year now, I feel it’s time to praise the tone and flow of your vocal delivery - comforting and delightful for listening to.
MPC One has become my production and effects machine. Plus it can sequence external synths, allowing me to control and automate paratamters on external synths, and it has several different ways to jam or make songs. With ZERO latency. Everything I record or sample is dead on. And ... you're not making music on a pc, which is a big deal for me. Bottom line: you just can't beat the MPC for versatility, reliability and creativity. And oh yeah ... the VST synth plugins that come free are just incredible. From bass, lead or pad sounds ... it's all there. Thanks the for the review!
no regrets with my MPC one purchase. plug-ins aren’t too shabby and external midi control is super easy. great video! I want to splurge on additional groove boxes so watching your videos gives me my fix 😂
The mpc one is truly the finest piece of production gear I've ever used, especially when combined with a midi keyboard, you've got a full production center that it's both powerful and capable of whatever you need. I've been using it for years and the name still exceeds my ability.
Juicy is the funniest way to describe the mpc one. I think it's very satisfying for sure, hella substantial. It's like a buffet it's got plenty and more
even compared to other elektron boxes, octatrack is difficult to learn but its the absolute king of samplers in terms of raw capability. Its also way more than i needed so i sold it and got the sp-404 mkii.
Thanks for this. Highly informative/educational. I wish there was room for hoping for an Octatrack 2.0 a re-imagined successor would be dope. Also looking forward to that 1010music black box review and addition to this list hopefully soon!
When it comes to samplers, I think that a very important factor is how they affect the way you make music.. I never owned an MPC but judging from my experience with the Maschine, I sometimes feel that it is just too easy to make music on it. On the other hand, all the limitations from the SP and the Digitakt have completely changed the way I compose or even think of music. They are just too impredictable - each in their own way - and this is what I love about them.
@@artisans8521 Digitakts have Reverb, Overdrive, Bit Reduction, Compression and Delay. So at least 5 great sounding effects. There is also Werp, Pitchshift and and Slice. I believe it is also possible to get Chorus, Phasing/Flanging from the delay, although I haven't tried that yet. The quality is on another level compared to the crap effects on my Korg Electribe 2 Sampler.
I'm used to older akai samplers like the s950 and the s3000xl. I wanted to sequence my gear but also wanted to chill at my bedroom making music. I bought a live 2 and tbh, it's even better than I expected. Sample integration is way easier compared to my ususal sample ordering. the whole OS, look and feel is a really whole experience. It's super easy for me to forget how much time I spend with the unit late at night :) True, it's not perfect. Undo button is misplaced, no dedicated program edit button etc. But yeah, it feels like a DAW but at the same time, it totally doesn't. It feels like an instrument when playing the pads, DAW when editing in grid and sample tool when chopping breaks. Never expected to like it that much, I was really prepared to hate the first weeks using it and having constanly looking for stuff in the manual but nope, most of the stuff is easy to use and easier to figure out yourself once ur familiar with the whole OS.
@@artisans8521 yep, versatility is truly something on this machines. I thought it was more or less made with beat guys in mind in to a certain degree, it kinda is but not that much and way less than I thought. also, the stock expansions really give that edm beat type vibe which can distract from the versatility of it and give a false impression. btw, gonna check out lionclad :)
@@filipzawadzki9424 yeah maybe. But the oldskool mpc with their small screen and with their price was too much to handle for me. once i've heard the mpc live 2 can handle an usb interface, I was hooked. still, took me some time to get one
Love the quality and mix of deep dive & casual vibes in these videos! Thank you! After searching (and starting with music) for dawless 2 years ago, I’ve upon 2 weeks ago was team Digitakt and SP404, now switched Digitakt for Syntakt. Could not be more happy. Everything I could need.
Nah for me, I've been burned with driver failures, and other issues like performance or virus even with windows since XP days, and want to use a device without that sort of agro... ...I turn it on I know it works (without bugs from early versions 😂)
You should also check out the dirtywave m8. It tops the OP1 in portability and real production capabilities a lot. Not to mention the price. It is great as a sampler and it is no problem to produce full tracks on it with it's built-in synth engines and mastering. Definitely fits in this category here.
Unpopular opinion and I've never really used one -- but isn't the M8 wildly overrated? Is there any reason why more than a niche audience would want to learn and actually use a tracker workflow? Trackers just seem like a trendy thing right now.
@@jones786trackers provide a lot of control and breakaway compared a regular daw and for sequencing they can be very very nice but yeah I can see how you wouldn't want to learn a new workflow
@@jones786 suspect the hype has to do with cool or unconventional gimmicky looking devices. People have GAS and are always on the lookout for the next thing.
For me, as for many people, the ability to record long samples is the defining choice of the device.In this regard, the mc707 and everyone's favorite oB are just fun toys. The fact that black box 1010 dropped out of your review surprised me ;)
True that - great for studio, amazing, but not live, the Roland MC707 is my jam there. What do you think about MPC v3? I haven’t updated because it took me soooo long to learn. Really is a DAW in a box. But you can bang on it which is why we use this and not a computer right?
Such a great informative video. Love your content. I have the MPC One, Digitakt, Octatrack, Analog Rytm, along with a few vintage boxes like the Korg Electribe ESX1 and Yamaha RS7000. And my favourite is... the Pioneer Toraiz SP16! It sounds the most "club ready" out of the box, with a stupidly simple workflow (it's biggest disadvantage as well), but man is it immediate and fun. It has the best build quality of all my boxes. Do try and get hold of a used unit. From watching your content and the kind of music you make, you will have a blast with it. I think they marketed the product as a "studio in a box" which it is NOT! And that really hurt it's sales and acceptability. It has basic parameter locking and the simplest arrangement mode possible. Sampling is very direct and easy, and it's time stretching capabilities is quite decent. I know you will love it.
Super deep dive .. so deep i needed an extra oxygen tank ! Thanks for all the tips ..details .. expertise .. cheers to your always thorough explanations!
So, you're saying we should get a bunch of MPC One's controlled by midi by a bunch of digitakts, in turn controlled by 404s and so on, in the end having them feed cacophony into a PO-33 , out through a metalmaster pedal outputting via a transformer to a tattoo gun?
I would love for you to make a comparison video on sequencers for dawless jams next. I’ve tried a handful and like the MPC one the best so far. It gives me a lot of tracks
Maybe it’s because the Digitakt + Octatrack we’re my first pieces of hardware I ever bought (Thank you for breaking my wallet Ricky Tinez), they’re still my favourite. I’ve also spent the most time with the Octatrack so of course it’s my go-to. Since after four years I still don’t know everything, it constantly feels like a new instrument to me - more so than my more recently acquired MPC boxes.
@@Gagarinprojectofficial I use them quite differently. I seldom sample with my Digitakt and instead load one shots as a sample based drum machine. You can do this with the Octa, but you only have 8 machines which get eaten up fast so I offload that duty. The Octa is my performance mixer, master clock, MIDI sequencer and effects machine. The Octa is also really good for live resampling with the pickup machine for external gear like the Digitakt, Digitone or Syntakt.
Interesting video! I would have liked to see the total score in a final chart. It seemed that the MPC one got the best overall score. I quite like it too, and it let me to get the Akai Force, same sampling engine etc. But with disk streaming and clip launching but less compact. My 2nd place contender would be the Deluge atm. It's probably the best overall portable device to me. I had previously started with the Octatrack mk1 and have always been very torn about it. Everything it can do comes with some sort of caveat, but the sum of features is still great. I think it makes sense as a DJ FX processor, looper, mixer as a performance addition, but I don't enjoy making full beats or tracks with it. I did not own the digitakt or op-1 yet.
The octatrack is so misunderstood. At the end of the day, it's just a digitakt with a memory card slot and a crossfader that can be bound to anything. Digitakt lets you have 128 sounds per project, octatrack lets you have 256, half of which load the sound into ram for extra features. Octatrack also has 8 recording buffers that can be juggled in a limitless manner. While it's main strengths are in it's audio inputs and realtime mangling it's worth giving it a shot as a standalone sampler just for the crossfader alone!
My favourite is Digitakt for creativity , experimental ( 2 lfo 's add to p-locking is a game changer ) but it's a sequencer above all . i didn't like the sp404 mk2 worklow but i use this like an fx box
I have been using the Play (original version) as my dawless centerpiece and midi controller 35:12 in conjunction with a Roland MC-707, and Aeros loop studio for guitar. It’s been working pretty well with very few hitches. It’s good as a sample player, great as a midi sequencer.
Well that was a nice look through a fair number of options...though i was hoping to see the Blackbox make an appearance to see how it might stack up. I'm now deeply attached to it. I could easily go crazy collecting samplers but just keep returning to that little beast.
I think it might be the greatest bang for the buck of any single piece of hardware out there. I was also really impressed by the build quality, like you. I sort of can't believe they actually made it that good, for something that you can get fairly cheap.
Same thing happened to me! Had both and just felt like it was a slower Ableton haha. I'm considering the Elktron stuff because I hear it has an inspiring method.
I own two MPCs (Live & X), an Octatrack, Digitakt, Toraiz SP-16, SP404mk2 and a bunch of other gear. But these are the main samplers I own. For studio work, deliberate songwriting so to speak, the MPCs I guess are great, personally though I MUCH prefer my Elektron boxes and even the SP404mk2. All of these give me more of a hardware feeling than the MPCs (the X being better in this regard than the Live) and thus they are much more conducive to experimentation & discovery than the MPCs are for me. The SP16 is also great, it is one firmware update away from being incredible, but we all know that update will never come, so as is it is a great and inspiring box with a few workflow / feature shortcomings.
Your microphone on your desk picks up every tap rather than just hearing the instructions audio output. I’m not sure if that is your intention. Just thought to let you know.
I’ve never tried a Deluge (as didn’t have a proper screen until recently) but I’m in love with Elektron sequencing. Parameter locking anything you want quicker than it takes to type this. Really creative imho, best sequencer since Cubase on the Atari 😉
Hello! Great vid, thanks for that! I was wondering if you could shed some light on where to find a Visual Sampler like the old discontinued Roland P-10. I can't find any option for Visual Sampling online these days. Do you know anything about that, Liam? Cheers.
Honestly, i think it's solid. The last time i loaded samples in mine was more than 2 years ago, and it's still fresh. Plus control. It's a very good sampler. @LiamKillen
Any ideas which of these would play nicely slaved to an Oxi One? I had the Digitakt but just didn't like it, the FX were kind of limiting. Love the look of the FX on the SPmk2 though, plus it looks like a lot of fun to play with. Thoughts?
My go to would def be Elektron gear - the OP-1 I think could also be really cool for that sort of approach - but then you're just limited to one melodic voice. Still though - could be fun !
got the DIGITAKT when i first started producing, no DAW, im a programmer i didn't want to be on pc for this hobby. i eventually sold it and got the mpc live 2. Digitakt is amazing, however for me it left me uninspired and too limited. with my MPC Live 2 iv enjoyed everything about it, its taken what i learned with Digitakt with the fundamentals to a new level. if your tossing up between the MPC ONE and live id ask you if you care about the speaker and battery and storage which i think are the three major things that make it stand out from the one. personally for me being able to throw in a 1TB hard drive, unplug from power and take it to another room easily is incredible.
@@kidangel101 it plays samples not samples audio itself. For me, and most people I think, it’s way easier to just have an audio interface and just sample in through that. The process them (normalize volumes, compress, eq, etc) and upload them to all these cool devices that only play back samples. Like digitakt and polyend play. Apparently digitakt does sample internally. My bad. I still stand by my point though. I’m an analog rytm mkii user (which has a sampling engine like the digitakt) and I rarely sample into the device directly. So much easier to sample into an audio interface or find samples digitally, edit and label them in your DAW, then upload well organized files to your device. Everyone has their own preferences though.
@@LiamKillen no problem. I know the lineup can be a little funky and I definitely had issues with the MPC Software in the past with the MPC Touch, but this new one works really well. I still can't believe it's $699 brand new
Does anyone have any advice about what a beginner should buy? I've been looking at the Chompi but doing research has brought up hardware like the MPC One, the OP-Z, the EP=133 and others... I am just a humble wordsmith with an ear for rhythm and want to have fun creating music. Any help, info, or suggestions from Liam or anyone else are very welcome! There's so much info out here and I don't want to drown in it.... Your community seems to really appreciate your videos and input. I'm just coming to your page but I am thankful for the information you share. I hope to make a good decision on my first piece of hardware and join my fellow artists in the unlimited creative space that are sounds and their sequencing! By that I just mean order and rhythm, I hear people talk about sequencing on these forums all the time and have no idea what it means in music terms lolol I'm guessing organizing the sounds though
Oh man there's so many directions that you can go in, honestly. Roland is always a solid place to start - maybe something like the T8 which gives you drums and bass. The MicroFreak is also an amazing starting point - and maybe Pocket Operators ! I would suggest putting the time in though and watching related RUclips videos before actually purchasing ! :-)
@@LiamKillen just saw the microfreak has a mic you can sample into! so no need to reply, but thank you again. Leaning towards the microfreak because it looks the coolest and I think the clearly labeled knobs is a great starting place to learn what does what, so if I decide to get more serious or upgrade, that will be a nice foundation for understanding sound design.
Wait… I am confused by what “…the Octatrack, I know it’s not an Elektron box..” means (at 11:26). Elektron makes the Digitakt and the Octatrack both, right?
@@LiamKillen ah, got it, oK. I thought all their boxes used the same workflow, but now that you mention it, I think I subconsciously wonder if I’m “ready for” a “wide-rectangle Elektron box” like Octatrack, Analog Four or Analog Rytm. 😂 Maybe you just nailed an important distinction for all of us. Maybe that’s even…. A VIDEO TOPIC!?! 😆 Keep doing what you do, man. 😎 thank you.
Two questions for you Liam: #1 Where did you purchase the covers/skins for your MPC One and SP404 mk2? #2 What it the device at 13:41 that appears to be connected to the Digitakt via MIDI?
I've been using the sp 606 but in a couple years I'm going become a nomad lol I'm looking to streamline my whole studio into a van the MPC looks like a great choice to replace the SP. and my DAW
Out of 404sx and the mpc one which one would you pick? My aim is to quickly jam out ideas before having to switch over to the daw to finish the song. Also I have a drum machine already that I use for the main beat, I'm just looking to extend that with other instruments.
great video, after using push/push2 and ableton for years i wanted some external samplers, got a MPC one, hated the workflow, couldnt understand their language of what they called things, sold it after a week. got a digitakt, LOVED IT but since i play guitar and the live sampling on the digi isnt that great i bought a octatrack and a morningstar mc6, best guitar looper, haha albeit overpriced. i make sample based music with guitar layers and like a lot of people budget is a big factor, the OP1 is almost $3000 here in australia and yeah the octatrack is about $2500 but you get SOOO much more. i really want to give the sp404mk2 a run but not sure how i could fit it in with primarily playing guitar stuff. again, fantastic video
I've had or used most of these and I think Maschine+ is my favorite that it looks like you don't have. Outside of Elektron's sequencing features, I think it beats all the other samplers in ease of use and power.
I'm new I'm hardware. Witch one of the samplers do you recomend for live performance? I bought a minifreak and my idea is combine sampler, synth , guitar and vocals for live performance.
Great in-depth comparison Liam, solid points. I had an MPC Live Mk2 but found it too big and bulky to carry anywhere. Software wise, it was kind of a custom DAW but simpler, so I was missing certain conveniences that I’m used to. Also, the sequence structure is just weird, you could make full tracks but there wasn’t really a way to create transitions between sequences, such as build-ups, it was missing an arrangement view. The Live Mk2 had a very unstable, jittery midi clock btw, it randomly drifted by like one bpm so was unusable for me as the master. I’m thinking of getting a digitakt or maybe the newly released smpltrek next, just want something super portable and fun to use as a standalone device. To be honest, using a laptop with a DAW is by far easier but I just can’t help myself when I see that a new music box with shiny lights is coming out. P.S. Even though batteries are bad for the environment I think that every portable music device should come with a rechargeable battery for portability’s sake. And maybe a speaker as well.
@@LiamKillen 1010 Music is a small company. The founders come from large companies such as NI. Have now specialized etc. The support is ultra massive! The firmware wishes of the consumer are taken seriously.. Much better than Big Player Co. !! I have both.. blue and black box. still impeccable in every situation. touchscreen is faster and sharper than all MPC s have! technology.. very pro, portable ..fuck my ass ..,) It is the New Way..
I hope the mpc adds different warp modes and a true granular engine. Also I would recommend spending time with the synths. They’re pretty capable. I’ve been able to build extremely complex basses without resampling especially with the opx4
Yeah everything's sort of been done at this point so now the market is about workflow / mixing things together for like "the ultimate dawless unit" type of deal.
Feel like most people don't understand how powerful the MPC One is. I have mine connected to a 4 track audio interface with a USB hub, sequencing and applying effects to all my external synths, making it the ultimate performance tool.
I have had a rough time getting my sp404 mkii to sync with Ableton. Whether connecting via midi or usb-c, it needs around -80ms of midi clock sync delay to get it in time with the ableton session, but even then it is not consistent. I even bought an ER-M Multiclock to fix the issue, but then I had an issue where I could get most sequences in sync with the daw, but the first hit was always early. It would hit in time when the sequence repeated, but the first hit was always early even with a bar of preroll. I wanted to export stems from my track on the sp404 to have more control over mix in ableton, so I would solo each bank of sounds and record them in turn from the same sequence. I found that they still required nudging or track delay in ableton to get them in sync with one another. One lesson learned is that with only two audio outs and unreliable sync, trying to export stems from this sampler is more work than it’s worth. This is similar to sync issues I’ve had with the TR-8s, so maybe Roland sync issues in general? Should I just expect that, in a production context (not live), I will always have to nudge audio recorded in from external sequencers to get it in time with the DAW/grid?
They do be a bit clicky. Maschine is the one with softer pads. If you everr have more questions like this, hit up the old Discord! Community vibes! discord.gg/xj8J2xJuBP
Hi! Great video as always! My MPC One just arrived and I began to mess around with it. I noticed that when turning Q-Links, a slight noise appears in the audio outputs (headphones and main out). It is specially noticeable for the third Q-Link. It sounds a bit like an old pot. It is not very obvious and I can live with it but I wanted to know if you experienced this same issue. It happens no matter what parameter you control with the Q-Link. I think it might be some sort of digital interference bleeding into the audio path… however I’m not sure.
The digitakt’s 64mb per project limit is a deal breaker for me, I need more. Unfortunately the Octatrack seems to be only alternative that will allow me to replace what Ableton is doing (looping samples and using fx for a performance) but it’s like buying a Swiss Army knife when you need a tooth pick!
Oh boy…see that’s the thing with these units- if I was left with one you’re stuck with that specific workflow. At this point I’d probably go with digitakt
@@LiamKillen black box was OK but was kind of frustrating with the deep diving. As someone who was seriously obsessed with samplers I'd recommend the Deluge. They are going up in price soon but maybe Synthstrom has a test unit they can send you.
I think sound quality should always be included in the rating. For instance the only reason I never got an octatrack is that there is some thing poor in its audio.
![Blox Fruits Dragon Rework Update [Full Stream]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EqDAp8udhm0/mqdefault.jpg)
Distribute your music with DistroKid // ESPECIALLY if you're an independent artist / producer
7% Discount Link ►distrokid.com/vip/liamkillen
How are you liking 3.0 for the MPC?
Having watched your videos for over a year now, I feel it’s time to praise the tone and flow of your vocal delivery - comforting and delightful for listening to.
I always appreciate you listening Keith 😊
I’d like to add your text overlays are so artistic
MPC One has become my production and effects machine. Plus it can sequence external synths, allowing me to control and automate paratamters on external synths, and it has several different ways to jam or make songs. With ZERO latency. Everything I record or sample is dead on. And ... you're not making music on a pc, which is a big deal for me. Bottom line: you just can't beat the MPC for versatility, reliability and creativity. And oh yeah ... the VST synth plugins that come free are just incredible. From bass, lead or pad sounds ... it's all there. Thanks the for the review!
Awesome! Thank you for your input :-)
no regrets with my MPC one purchase. plug-ins aren’t too shabby and external midi control is super easy. great video! I want to splurge on additional groove boxes so watching your videos gives me my fix 😂
😏 #gas
The mpc one is truly the finest piece of production gear I've ever used, especially when combined with a midi keyboard, you've got a full production center that it's both powerful and capable of whatever you need. I've been using it for years and the name still exceeds my ability.
It's a beast - it all really depends on how you want to use it.
Juicy is the funniest way to describe the mpc one. I think it's very satisfying for sure, hella substantial. It's like a buffet it's got plenty and more
There’s always another gear to shift up to
Yo man, this production quality is great. Thank you for sharing and creating this
Thx so much for watching!
even compared to other elektron boxes, octatrack is difficult to learn but its the absolute king of samplers in terms of raw capability. Its also way more than i needed so i sold it and got the sp-404 mkii.
SP-404 mk2 I think is the best sampler on the market right now.
Yap 9,3 fits perfect. Finally someone who knows that it’s all about the player behind the Maschine and not mystic Japan converters.
Love the video
True! The player is key!
This basically confirms I made the right decision buying the MPC Live 2.
😏
Thanks for the shoutout Liam!
We’ll deserved shoutout! Thx for watching 😊
Thanks for this. Highly informative/educational. I wish there was room for hoping for an Octatrack 2.0 a re-imagined successor would be dope. Also looking forward to that 1010music black box review and addition to this list hopefully soon!
You’re like the 4th person who’s mentioned this! I’ll see what I can do 😏
I also am interested in the black box. I consider to add it to my setup for stereo samples/ loops
Man this is so cool I love it thank you
Pleasure- thx for watching
When it comes to samplers, I think that a very important factor is how they affect the way you make music.. I never owned an MPC but judging from my experience with the Maschine, I sometimes feel that it is just too easy to make music on it. On the other hand, all the limitations from the SP and the Digitakt have completely changed the way I compose or even think of music. They are just too impredictable - each in their own way - and this is what I love about them.
My thoughts exactly- it’s the workflow that’s most important IMO
@@artisans8521 A proper Odyssey!
@@artisans8521 Digitakts have Reverb, Overdrive, Bit Reduction, Compression and Delay. So at least 5 great sounding effects. There is also Werp, Pitchshift and and Slice. I believe it is also possible to get Chorus, Phasing/Flanging from the delay, although I haven't tried that yet.
The quality is on another level compared to the crap effects on my Korg Electribe 2 Sampler.
Of course it’s easy! Because it’s a instrument! Big differences to Sound design on app
I'm used to older akai samplers like the s950 and the s3000xl. I wanted to sequence my gear but also wanted to chill at my bedroom making music. I bought a live 2 and tbh, it's even better than I expected. Sample integration is way easier compared to my ususal sample ordering. the whole OS, look and feel is a really whole experience. It's super easy for me to forget how much time I spend with the unit late at night :)
True, it's not perfect. Undo button is misplaced, no dedicated program edit button etc. But yeah, it feels like a DAW but at the same time, it totally doesn't. It feels like an instrument when playing the pads, DAW when editing in grid and sample tool when chopping breaks. Never expected to like it that much, I was really prepared to hate the first weeks using it and having constanly looking for stuff in the manual but nope, most of the stuff is easy to use and easier to figure out yourself once ur familiar with the whole OS.
It’s all about background and preference!
@@artisans8521 yep, versatility is truly something on this machines. I thought it was more or less made with beat guys in mind in to a certain degree, it kinda is but not that much and way less than I thought.
also, the stock expansions really give that edm beat type vibe which can distract from the versatility of it and give a false impression.
btw, gonna check out lionclad :)
Why didn't you tried MPC1000 with jjos2xl update? Holy fuck man, you missed a LOT.
@@filipzawadzki9424 yeah maybe. But the oldskool mpc with their small screen and with their price was too much to handle for me. once i've heard the mpc live 2 can handle an usb interface, I was hooked. still, took me some time to get one
Love the quality and mix of deep dive & casual vibes in these videos! Thank you! After searching (and starting with music) for dawless 2 years ago, I’ve upon 2 weeks ago was team Digitakt and SP404, now switched Digitakt for Syntakt. Could not be more happy. Everything I could need.
Awesome that you like the Syntakt! I might get into it one day!
Probably will who am I kidding lol
Great collection! Thanks for the nice review! Have a wonderful day!
Thanks for watching! 😊
This guy is very informative and now and again slightly hilarious.
Why thank you
They say: l ˋm going dawless, because I ˋm sitting on job the whole day in front of a screen. And they buy a MPC 😂
Lol it’s a different screen to their defence
i always stand in front of my Mpc !
@@docpification 😂
Nah for me, I've been burned with driver failures, and other issues like performance or virus even with windows since XP days, and want to use a device without that sort of agro...
...I turn it on I know it works (without bugs from early versions 😂)
@@RaverOperator pirated DAW's are loaded with viruses to punish.
Your channel is great, thanks for all the reviews.
It’s a pleasure- thanks for watching
You should also check out the dirtywave m8. It tops the OP1 in portability and real production capabilities a lot. Not to mention the price.
It is great as a sampler and it is no problem to produce full tracks on it with it's built-in synth engines and mastering. Definitely fits in this category here.
I’ve heard nothing but good things about it
Unpopular opinion and I've never really used one -- but isn't the M8 wildly overrated? Is there any reason why more than a niche audience would want to learn and actually use a tracker workflow? Trackers just seem like a trendy thing right now.
@@jones786trackers provide a lot of control and breakaway compared a regular daw and for sequencing they can be very very nice but yeah I can see how you wouldn't want to learn a new workflow
@@jones786 suspect the hype has to do with cool or unconventional gimmicky looking devices.
People have GAS and are always on the lookout for the next thing.
@@r3dsnow757it truly is a great device so easy to make great sounding stuff on it in no time. Its my favourite
Got an Og 404 and know I need to update but was going to get Digitakt, judging from your video MPC Live should be the next purchase. Thank you
🍻 I encourage you to use the affiliate links in my description if / when you end up purchasing!
For me, as for many people, the ability to record long samples is the defining choice of the device.In this regard, the mc707 and everyone's favorite oB are just fun toys. The fact that black box 1010 dropped out of your review surprised me ;)
I don’t have the black box! Would love to try it out
Love the Blackbox w 707 live 😊
True that - great for studio, amazing, but not live, the Roland MC707 is my jam there. What do you think about MPC v3? I haven’t updated because it took me soooo long to learn. Really is a DAW in a box. But you can bang on it which is why we use this and not a computer right?
MC-707 ! I owned it for ab it - that thing is CHUNKY
Such a great informative video. Love your content.
I have the MPC One, Digitakt, Octatrack, Analog Rytm, along with a few vintage boxes like the Korg Electribe ESX1 and Yamaha RS7000. And my favourite is... the Pioneer Toraiz SP16!
It sounds the most "club ready" out of the box, with a stupidly simple workflow (it's biggest disadvantage as well), but man is it immediate and fun. It has the best build quality of all my boxes. Do try and get hold of a used unit. From watching your content and the kind of music you make, you will have a blast with it. I think they marketed the product as a "studio in a box" which it is NOT! And that really hurt it's sales and acceptability. It has basic parameter locking and the simplest arrangement mode possible. Sampling is very direct and easy, and it's time stretching capabilities is quite decent.
I know you will love it.
Very interesting I’ll make sure to take a look
So what one is the best one and club ready Akia MPC one
Super deep dive .. so deep i needed an extra oxygen tank ! Thanks for all the tips ..details .. expertise .. cheers to your always thorough explanations!
Lol thanks for watching
So, you're saying we should get a bunch of MPC One's controlled by midi by a bunch of digitakts, in turn controlled by 404s and so on, in the end having them feed cacophony into a PO-33 , out through a metalmaster pedal outputting via a transformer to a tattoo gun?
Exactly!!
I would love for you to make a comparison video on sequencers for dawless jams next. I’ve tried a handful and like the MPC one the best so far. It gives me a lot of tracks
Good suggestion! I’ll def consider it
Maybe it’s because the Digitakt + Octatrack we’re my first pieces of hardware I ever bought (Thank you for breaking my wallet Ricky Tinez), they’re still my favourite. I’ve also spent the most time with the Octatrack so of course it’s my go-to. Since after four years I still don’t know everything, it constantly feels like a new instrument to me - more so than my more recently acquired MPC boxes.
Ricky knows the Octa inside out! I feel the way way when I come back to my Digitakt
is there reason to choose Digitakt rather then Octa ?
@@Gagarinprojectofficial I use them quite differently. I seldom sample with my Digitakt and instead load one shots as a sample based drum machine. You can do this with the Octa, but you only have 8 machines which get eaten up fast so I offload that duty. The Octa is my performance mixer, master clock, MIDI sequencer and effects machine. The Octa is also really good for live resampling with the pickup machine for external gear like the Digitakt, Digitone or Syntakt.
So you prefer MPC one ?
Interesting video! I would have liked to see the total score in a final chart.
It seemed that the MPC one got the best overall score. I quite like it too, and it let me to get the Akai Force, same sampling engine etc. But with disk streaming and clip launching but less compact.
My 2nd place contender would be the Deluge atm. It's probably the best overall portable device to me.
I had previously started with the Octatrack mk1 and have always been very torn about it. Everything it can do comes with some sort of caveat, but the sum of features is still great. I think it makes sense as a DJ FX processor, looper, mixer as a performance addition, but I don't enjoy making full beats or tracks with it.
I did not own the digitakt or op-1 yet.
Yeah the deluge is something people keep mentioning- it’s def on my wish list
Akai Force is locked to 4/4, isn't it?
The octatrack is so misunderstood. At the end of the day, it's just a digitakt with a memory card slot and a crossfader that can be bound to anything. Digitakt lets you have 128 sounds per project, octatrack lets you have 256, half of which load the sound into ram for extra features. Octatrack also has 8 recording buffers that can be juggled in a limitless manner. While it's main strengths are in it's audio inputs and realtime mangling it's worth giving it a shot as a standalone sampler just for the crossfader alone!
I still don't understand it lol
My favourite is Digitakt for creativity , experimental ( 2 lfo 's add to p-locking is a game changer ) but it's a sequencer above all . i didn't like the sp404 mk2 worklow but i use this like an fx box
Yeah that's precisely how I use them too.
you are so blessed thank you for making this video
It's a pleasure thank you Chase! :-)
Just came for samplers review and this was excellent....... subbed..... liked....... 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 now where are those other videos.... 😊
Thank you! I've got tons of them! :-)
great detailed video, wish I had started my music journey with that video , would have done things differently
That’s exactly why I put it out - glad to help!!
@liamkillen Do you still have and use the Octatrack? Even after the Oxi one was added to your collection?
Honestly ... I haven't used it in a loooong time at this point.
@@LiamKillen Ok, thanks for your perspective.
I have been using the Play (original version) as my dawless centerpiece and midi controller 35:12 in conjunction with a Roland MC-707, and Aeros loop studio for guitar. It’s been working pretty well with very few hitches. It’s good as a sample player, great as a midi sequencer.
Beast set up!
Did you never have a problem with the OP-Z regarding double trigs and bending? I’m just about to buy it but see many stories.
Yeah the double trigs is a thing with the OP-Z and the SP-404 mk2 actually.
Where do you find the color knobs. I found op-z knobs cause it helps organize viaually.
That’s an overlay I got from oversynthe
Well that was a nice look through a fair number of options...though i was hoping to see the Blackbox make an appearance to see how it might stack up. I'm now deeply attached to it. I could easily go crazy collecting samplers but just keep returning to that little beast.
Would love to try out the black box!
What all can the black box do, friend?
I got an MPC One it's totally overkill for what I use it for but I'm happy with it.
It’s a monster
Where did you get the yellow versions?
Custom skins ! :-)
Nice topic. I had the MPC one briefly, the Force as well. It felt too much like a limited DAW for me. The elektrons really add in terms of creativity.
Fair comparison
I think it might be the greatest bang for the buck of any single piece of hardware out there. I was also really impressed by the build quality, like you. I sort of can't believe they actually made it that good, for something that you can get fairly cheap.
Same thing happened to me! Had both and just felt like it was a slower Ableton haha. I'm considering the Elktron stuff because I hear it has an inspiring method.
I own two MPCs (Live & X), an Octatrack, Digitakt, Toraiz SP-16, SP404mk2 and a bunch of other gear. But these are the main samplers I own. For studio work, deliberate songwriting so to speak, the MPCs I guess are great, personally though I MUCH prefer my Elektron boxes and even the SP404mk2. All of these give me more of a hardware feeling than the MPCs (the X being better in this regard than the Live) and thus they are much more conducive to experimentation & discovery than the MPCs are for me. The SP16 is also great, it is one firmware update away from being incredible, but we all know that update will never come, so as is it is a great and inspiring box with a few workflow / feature shortcomings.
Your microphone on your desk picks up every tap rather than just hearing the instructions audio output. I’m not sure if that is your intention. Just thought to let you know.
which one is best for live looping?
Hmm they could all work for that sort of workflow TBH- sorry for this non answer lol.
Where is your Deluge? Aka the best sequencer in hardware
Never used it yet!
I’ve never tried a Deluge (as didn’t have a proper screen until recently) but I’m in love with Elektron sequencing.
Parameter locking anything you want quicker than it takes to type this. Really creative imho, best sequencer since Cubase on the Atari 😉
@@leftmono1016 with it's static resale value if you have the extra money try out Deluge
You can pan instruments in the Digitakt … I thought it was a mono sampler … ?
Yeah it downgrades the samples that you're using to mono, but the output is stereo.
Anyone know Liams 404 set up when hes at the park 17:45 the portability is bonkers
sp 404 mk2 - audio is playing into Zoom H5 - I'm using AIAIAI TMA-2 wireless + headphones- cables are from MyVolts. Cheers -
I have a hapax and I'm having a rough time picking a sampler because I already have a sequencer so good.
I would buy a synth and not a sampler if I was in your shoes.
Hello! Great vid, thanks for that!
I was wondering if you could shed some light on where to find a Visual Sampler like the old discontinued Roland P-10. I can't find any option for Visual Sampling online these days. Do you know anything about that, Liam? Cheers.
Thanks for watching !
That is uncharted territory for me !
Someone in my Discord might be able to point you in the right direction though: discord.gg/xj8J2xJuBP
The MPC is bad in being controlled externally but the best brain of a setup...
My thoughts exactly
Interesting list. You didn't show my 2 favorite sampler/grooveboxes - the Octatrack and the Maschine+.
Octatrack is an honourable mention :-)
How do you feel about Korg ESX?
Not familiar with it!
Honestly, i think it's solid. The last time i loaded samples in mine was more than 2 years ago, and it's still fresh. Plus control. It's a very good sampler. @LiamKillen
Can you import a song and chop it to take only what you need from a song?
You absolutely can do that
@@LiamKillen Thank you!
Any ideas which of these would play nicely slaved to an Oxi One? I had the Digitakt but just didn't like it, the FX were kind of limiting. Love the look of the FX on the SPmk2 though, plus it looks like a lot of fun to play with. Thoughts?
My go to would def be Elektron gear - the OP-1 I think could also be really cool for that sort of approach - but then you're just limited to one melodic voice. Still though - could be fun !
got the DIGITAKT when i first started producing, no DAW, im a programmer i didn't want to be on pc for this hobby. i eventually sold it and got the mpc live 2. Digitakt is amazing, however for me it left me uninspired and too limited. with my MPC Live 2 iv enjoyed everything about it, its taken what i learned with Digitakt with the fundamentals to a new level. if your tossing up between the MPC ONE and live id ask you if you care about the speaker and battery and storage which i think are the three major things that make it stand out from the one. personally for me being able to throw in a 1TB hard drive, unplug from power and take it to another room easily is incredible.
Thank you for this addition: :-)
How is the Play considered a sampler?
It relies on playing back / altering samples- that’s how you make music with the play
@@LiamKillen I own one, but since you can't bring in external sounds, like on the Tracker, I just never considered it a sampler. Semantics I guess lol
@@kidangel101 it plays samples not samples audio itself. For me, and most people I think, it’s way easier to just have an audio interface and just sample in through that. The process them (normalize volumes, compress, eq, etc) and upload them to all these cool devices that only play back samples. Like digitakt and polyend play.
Apparently digitakt does sample internally. My bad. I still stand by my point though. I’m an analog rytm mkii user (which has a sampling engine like the digitakt) and I rarely sample into the device directly. So much easier to sample into an audio interface or find samples digitally, edit and label them in your DAW, then upload well organized files to your device. Everyone has their own preferences though.
A dancer dances, a sampler samples. Polyend Play isn't a sampler.
@@Rainersherwood Digitakt is a sampler, tho. Play isn't.
2.14 seems to work really well on my MPC One Plus.
Thanks for this addition ! :-)
@@LiamKillen no problem. I know the lineup can be a little funky and I definitely had issues with the MPC Software in the past with the MPC Touch, but this new one works really well. I still can't believe it's $699 brand new
Does anyone have any advice about what a beginner should buy? I've been looking at the Chompi but doing research has brought up hardware like the MPC One, the OP-Z, the EP=133 and others... I am just a humble wordsmith with an ear for rhythm and want to have fun creating music. Any help, info, or suggestions from Liam or anyone else are very welcome! There's so much info out here and I don't want to drown in it....
Your community seems to really appreciate your videos and input. I'm just coming to your page but I am thankful for the information you share. I hope to make a good decision on my first piece of hardware and join my fellow artists in the unlimited creative space that are sounds and their sequencing! By that I just mean order and rhythm, I hear people talk about sequencing on these forums all the time and have no idea what it means in music terms lolol I'm guessing organizing the sounds though
Oh man there's so many directions that you can go in, honestly. Roland is always a solid place to start - maybe something like the T8 which gives you drums and bass. The MicroFreak is also an amazing starting point - and maybe Pocket Operators ! I would suggest putting the time in though and watching related RUclips videos before actually purchasing ! :-)
@@LiamKillen just saw the microfreak has a mic you can sample into! so no need to reply, but thank you again. Leaning towards the microfreak because it looks the coolest and I think the clearly labeled knobs is a great starting place to learn what does what, so if I decide to get more serious or upgrade, that will be a nice foundation for understanding sound design.
You don't use your wood panels anymore on your mpc?
I do not. Honestly...they're flimsy AF! I do not recommend them. After tapping your MPC for 10 mins the stand falls over lol
@@LiamKillen ruclips.net/video/thc6lEY1SlE/видео.html
Great vid, thanks Liam. 😎👍🏼🙏🏼
I like the staining on that table - what can you tell me about it?! 🙃🙏🏼😄
The table? I bought a nice high quality table that I knew i'd use forever, that's about all i can tell you about it lol.
Wait… I am confused by what “…the Octatrack, I know it’s not an Elektron box..” means (at 11:26).
Elektron makes the Digitakt and the Octatrack both, right?
Yes but an Elektron box means the box shaped Elektron units- digitakt / syntakt / digitone
@@LiamKillen ah, got it, oK. I thought all their boxes used the same workflow, but now that you mention it, I think I subconsciously wonder if I’m “ready for” a “wide-rectangle Elektron box” like Octatrack, Analog Four or Analog Rytm. 😂
Maybe you just nailed an important distinction for all of us. Maybe that’s even…. A VIDEO TOPIC!?! 😆 Keep doing what you do, man. 😎 thank you.
The mc707 is missing!
I still suck at it lol
Two questions for you Liam:
#1 Where did you purchase the covers/skins for your MPC One and SP404 mk2?
#2 What it the device at 13:41 that appears to be connected to the Digitakt via MIDI?
1- styleflip + mpc stuff
2- that’s a midi controller- the pc-12
Darn… I kinda wished you got to try the Smpltrek in this video… But maybe you could review one day (despite not needing anymore gear)!😆
Ah ! Yeah i'm not too familiar with those yet.
I've been using the sp 606 but in a couple years I'm going become a nomad lol I'm looking to streamline my whole studio into a van the MPC looks like a great choice to replace the SP. and my DAW
If you can fit it- get the MPC X 😏
@@LiamKillen I love the way the one is set up
Out of 404sx and the mpc one which one would you pick? My aim is to quickly jam out ideas before having to switch over to the daw to finish the song. Also I have a drum machine already that I use for the main beat, I'm just looking to extend that with other instruments.
MPC One for sure, but the 404 MK2 is the newest model and I would choose that over the One.
Did u customize that MPC 1 or it came like that Thats funky I have the retro color version.
I customized it :-)
@@LiamKillen
great video, after using push/push2 and ableton for years i wanted some external samplers, got a MPC one, hated the workflow, couldnt understand their language of what they called things, sold it after a week. got a digitakt, LOVED IT but since i play guitar and the live sampling on the digi isnt that great i bought a octatrack and a morningstar mc6, best guitar looper, haha albeit overpriced.
i make sample based music with guitar layers and like a lot of people budget is a big factor, the OP1 is almost $3000 here in australia and yeah the octatrack is about $2500 but you get SOOO much more.
i really want to give the sp404mk2 a run but not sure how i could fit it in with primarily playing guitar stuff.
again, fantastic video
Thank you for this addition and I appreciate you watching! :-)
I've had or used most of these and I think Maschine+ is my favorite that it looks like you don't have. Outside of Elektron's sequencing features, I think it beats all the other samplers in ease of use and power.
Yeah i haven't messed with it yet.
I tried all the Elektrons but just can’t vibe with the workflow. Sounds amazing tho
Is the poly play less divey then polyend amigo?
Than the tracker? I’d say the same amount
I'm new I'm hardware. Witch one of the samplers do you recomend for live performance?
I bought a minifreak and my idea is combine sampler, synth , guitar and vocals for live performance.
404 mk2 I think would be the most reliable
@@LiamKillen thank you so much bro.
Great in-depth comparison Liam, solid points. I had an MPC Live Mk2 but found it too big and bulky to carry anywhere. Software wise, it was kind of a custom DAW but simpler, so I was missing certain conveniences that I’m used to. Also, the sequence structure is just weird, you could make full tracks but there wasn’t really a way to create transitions between sequences, such as build-ups, it was missing an arrangement view. The Live Mk2 had a very unstable, jittery midi clock btw, it randomly drifted by like one bpm so was unusable for me as the master. I’m thinking of getting a digitakt or maybe the newly released smpltrek next, just want something super portable and fun to use as a standalone device. To be honest, using a laptop with a DAW is by far easier but I just can’t help myself when I see that a new music box with shiny lights is coming out.
P.S. Even though batteries are bad for the environment I think that every portable music device should come with a rechargeable battery for portability’s sake. And maybe a speaker as well.
Re the battery thing- I think you’re right- TE’s got it right on that one
Beautiful Made Video. Thank you for this ;-)
Always a pleasure
Throw that part away if you want to make music professionally without
midi problems. You can forget about the new MPC updates.
Tip: 1010 black box!
I've heard nothing but good things.
@@LiamKillen 1010 Music is a small company. The founders come from large companies
such as NI. Have now specialized etc.
The support is ultra massive!
The firmware wishes of the consumer are taken seriously.. Much better than Big Player Co. !! I have both..
blue and black box. still impeccable in every situation. touchscreen is faster and sharper than all MPC s have!
technology.. very pro, portable
..fuck my ass ..,)
It is the New Way..
I hope the mpc adds different warp modes and a true granular engine. Also I would recommend spending time with the synths. They’re pretty capable. I’ve been able to build extremely complex basses without resampling especially with the opx4
Yeah everything's sort of been done at this point so now the market is about workflow / mixing things together for like "the ultimate dawless unit" type of deal.
definitely like. thanks for great job
Thanks for watching :-)
Feel like most people don't understand how powerful the MPC One is. I have mine connected to a 4 track audio interface with a USB hub, sequencing and applying effects to all my external synths, making it the ultimate performance tool.
yeah maybe I need to dig a lil deeper into the thing eh?
Yup. MPC buggy has hell on external midi control. Terrible after 2.10. Sold it. My iPad running BM3 rock solid.
Unfortunately this has been my experience, yeah-
Thanks for sharing that tip bro!!!! Very much appreciated
It's a pleasure.
I'm only finding variety knobs for pioneer mixers but you got cool knobz
I got em from 3dwaves
For the must mobile solution and the best price and work flow is koala sampler app !! And what about novation circuit sampler rythm ?
I’ve heard great things about both of those options!
Hi Liam, does the MPC One make a 'CLACKING' sound every time you hit a pad? - or is it just your video?
That's the sound it makes! The pads are harder than let's say the Maschine.
Curious to know why you didn't include the Polyend Tracker instead of the Play. Heard it's great at sampling
It is you’re right- it’s the name- it’s stuck as a tracker in my mind but you’re 100% right
I have had a rough time getting my sp404 mkii to sync with Ableton. Whether connecting via midi or usb-c, it needs around -80ms of midi clock sync delay to get it in time with the ableton session, but even then it is not consistent. I even bought an ER-M Multiclock to fix the issue, but then I had an issue where I could get most sequences in sync with the daw, but the first hit was always early. It would hit in time when the sequence repeated, but the first hit was always early even with a bar of preroll. I wanted to export stems from my track on the sp404 to have more control over mix in ableton, so I would solo each bank of sounds and record them in turn from the same sequence. I found that they still required nudging or track delay in ableton to get them in sync with one another. One lesson learned is that with only two audio outs and unreliable sync, trying to export stems from this sampler is more work than it’s worth. This is similar to sync issues I’ve had with the TR-8s, so maybe Roland sync issues in general? Should I just expect that, in a production context (not live), I will always have to nudge audio recorded in from external sequencers to get it in time with the DAW/grid?
I’m just dabbling with Ableton still so I don’t know all the ins and outs of it yet! Good luck finding what you’re looking for!
why do the pads on the npc one sound clickiy?
They do be a bit clicky. Maschine is the one with softer pads. If you everr have more questions like this, hit up the old Discord! Community vibes! discord.gg/xj8J2xJuBP
I would've liked to see some more affordable options, but then again, i have no idea if there are any... music gear is too expensive...
The P-6 is an affordable option ! It's a bit more limited though.
I love my Field, but the drumsampler needs an ADSR envelope and "lazy chop" function. Hope TE will implement this in a future upgrade!
Yeah that WOULD be a nice addition.
Hi! Great video as always! My MPC One just arrived and I began to mess around with it. I noticed that when turning Q-Links, a slight noise appears in the audio outputs (headphones and main out). It is specially noticeable for the third Q-Link. It sounds a bit like an old pot. It is not very obvious and I can live with it but I wanted to know if you experienced this same issue. It happens no matter what parameter you control with the Q-Link. I think it might be some sort of digital interference bleeding into the audio path… however I’m not sure.
Exciting! Hmm could be a lot of things!
The digitakt’s 64mb per project limit is a deal breaker for me, I need more. Unfortunately the Octatrack seems to be only alternative that will allow me to replace what Ableton is doing (looping samples and using fx for a performance) but it’s like buying a Swiss Army knife when you need a tooth pick!
Great analogy - I totally understand where you're coming from lol.
ITs not possible to export songs from the SP404Mk2 to a DAW?
You can export projects but not like stems (yet). Maybe they'll correct that with an update, I don't know.
So if you could only keep one, which would it be?
Oh boy…see that’s the thing with these units- if I was left with one you’re stuck with that specific workflow.
At this point I’d probably go with digitakt
maybe soon Maschine plus? ill be watching, great vid! thank for your work
It’s a pleasure
would be curious to hear your thoughts on the Circuit Rhythm (with all its limitations in mind)
It’s in the peripherals 😏
Field videos coming soon??
In the works 😏
you prefer mpc over sp?
I would say overall, yes. But currently i'm using the SP more.
ur fingerdrumming is really good
Hey thanks :-)
What are your thoughts on Koala Sampler, the app?
Honestly haven’t played with it much yet
All those samplers and still missing the best one in my opinion which would be the deluge
Deluge and 1010 black box were the two that everyone wanted me to fux with next
@@LiamKillen black box was OK but was kind of frustrating with the deep diving. As someone who was seriously obsessed with samplers I'd recommend the Deluge. They are going up in price soon but maybe Synthstrom has a test unit they can send you.
I think sound quality should always be included in the rating. For instance the only reason I never got an octatrack is that there is some thing poor in its audio.
I find that the sound quality from one unit to the next is so subtle that it didn't deserve a category in this video.