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Akai Professional MPC500 Portable Music Production Center  

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    $1,299.00
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    $59900
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Akai Professional

A truly portable sampling sequencer with a battery powered design.

The Akai MPC500 Music Production Center can be powered by 6 AA batteries allowing producers to work outside the studio with familiar Akai features and functions. The included AC power adapter along with the high-quality construction, sound, and feel will make it a great small sound editing and production unit in the studio. This compact-yet-full-featured music production center features a 48-track, 16-channel MIDI sequencer and 32-voice drum/phrase sampler with 16-bit/44.1kHz fideilty.

The sequencer supports standard MIDI file format and the sampler accepts WAV files. The MPC500 provides 12 velocity-sensitive pads for triggering sounds and has Akai's legendary 12 Levels function which allows one sound to be assigned to all the pads with varied level or tuning per pad. The MPC500 music synth provides numerous onboard effects plus two stereo effects sends and a Master control.

The MPC500 uses up to 128MB RAM via the same EXM128 memory expansion used on the popular MPC1000 and MPC2500. The CF Card slot will allow users to backup their data, which can then be loaded directly into a MPC1000 or 2500 making the family of new MPC's fully compatible. The USB port allows you to transfer .wav files and .mid files or MPC sequence files in and out of the Akai MPC500 or connect an external hard drive.

Features

  • Classic MPC feel in a portable, battery powered unit
  • 12 MPC style pads
  • Built in effects
  • Data compatible with MPC1000 and MPC2500
  • CF card for quick, expandable data storage
  • Uses same EXM128 memory expansion as MPC1000 and MPC2500
  • USB for transferring samples and sequences to and from a computer
  • Selectable mic/line inputs
  • Q-Link slider for writing tune, filter or level automation
  • Pattern-based and linear 48-track sequencer
  • 16 MIDI channels
  • 16-bit/44.1kHz sampling
  • 32-voice drum/phrase sampler with up to 128MB RAM
  • Battery powered (6 AAs) or AC powered
  • Velocity and pressure sensitive pads for expressive programming
  • 12 Levels function: one sound on all pads with varied level or tuning per pad
  • Built-in Compact Flash drive and USB port (Mass Storage Class)
  • Support for standard WAV files and MIDI sequences
  • Built-in Analog Audio I/O, headphone output, and MIDI I/O
  • Internal sounds in Flash
  • 4-way sample layering and velocity switching per pad
  • 1 lowpass filter with resonance per voice
  • On-board effects: 2 stereo effects and a Master effect
  • Memory expansion available separately
  • Compact Flash card and AC power adapter included

Get your tracks down on the go. Order now!

MPC500 Portable Music Production Center Specifications:

  • General
  • Display: 2 x 16 character LCD w/back light
  • Memory card slot:Compact Flash (The size of the compact flash card that MPC500 can handle is from 32MB to 2GB)
  • Dimensions: 266mm x 175mm x 44mm
  • Weight: 1.34 kg
  • Power requirement: 12v DC 600mA (negative tip)
  • Battery life: Approximately 4.5 hours of continuous use with LCD backlight ON
  • Sound Generator
  • Sampling rate: 44.1kHz
  • Memory capacity: 16MB standard (11.5MB for sound memory), expandable to 128MB
  • Recording time: 136sec. (16MB, MONO) or 24m28sec. (128MB, MONO)
  • Memory expansion slot: 1 x for optional EXM128
  • Data format: 16-bit linear
  • Polyphony: up to 32 (dependent on processing)
  • Dynamic filtering: 2-pole lowpass filter per voice
  • Preset sound memory: 5MB
  • Number of programs: 24
  • Effects
  • Effects: 2 stereo effects and Master effect
  • Effect type: Chorus, Flanger, Bit grunger, 4 band EQ, Compressor, Phase shifter, Tremolo,
  • Flying pan, Reverb, Delay
  • Master effect: 4-band EQ, Compressor
  • Sequencer
  • Maximum events: 100,000 notes
  • Resolution: 96 parts per 1/4-note
  • Sequences: 99
  • Tracks per sequence: 48
  • MIDI output channels: 16
  • Song mode: 20 songs, 250 steps per song
  • Drum pad: 12 (velocity and pressure sensitive)
  • Drum pad banks: 4
  • Sync mode: MIDI clock
  • Inputs/Outputs
  • Record input (L and R): 1/4-inch stereo phone x 2, pseudo balanced -40dBu, input impedance 9k ohm
  • Max. Input level: +10dBu
  • Stereo output (L and R): 1/4-inch phone x 2 pseudo balanced +11dBu, output impedance, 1k Ohms
  • Max. Output level: +5 dBu
  • Phones output: 1/4-inch stereo phone x 1, 200mW / 100 ohms
  • MIDI inputs: 1 x 5-pin DIN
  • MIDI outputs: 1 x 5-pin DIN
  • USB: Slave connector x 1, USB MASS STORAGE CLASS support (Windows 2000/ME/XP or later version, or Mac OS 9.x/10.x or later version.)
  • Data Compatibility
  • MPC1000: SEQ, WAV, PGM
  • MPC2000/2000XL: SEQ, WAV, SND, PGM (Most parameters of PGM file can be loaded.)
  • MPC2500: SEQ, WAV, PGM
  • MPC4000: SEQ, WAV, PGM (DRUM program only. Only note assign and tune are loaded.)
  • MPC3000: SND (THRU Computer)
  • Z4/Z8: WAV, PGM (DRUM program only. Only note assign and tune are loaded.)
  • S5000/6000: WAV only (THRU Computer)
Write a Review Overall Rating Customer Reviews 8 See all 8 customer reviews...

MPC500 is the best

| Review By: The Insane Demon | 3 weeks, 1 day ago

1 people out of 2 found this review helpful

Features:

This device is awesome.. it was the missing piece to my sequenceing the SP404SX. The sequencing is easy and after reading the manual a few times and hands on its even easier. The pads are MIDI assignable to the MIDI instrument it's connected to. The effects are OK to enhance the internal sounds. I'm still learning this device, but so far it's great. The song mode is the best and this device is very flexible. You can put your sequences in song mode and if you need to edit the song you can transfer the song into one long sequence and edit as normal.

Quality:

The sounds it comes with is cool for Hip Hop and other music at CD sound quality. I use it to backup my main Drum machine. The sound quality is great and you can adjust each sound volume as well as the effects.

Value:

The value is great since this is my first MPC, but i have dealt with the older Akai rack mountable Samplers and this is basically the drum machine version with added features. 

Overall:

In conclusion this device will meet and exceed your needs. As i am still learning, this will definately be a great device for a long time. As for its Big brother models, if this device can do all of this i'm sure the Big brother models can do even more. But for now this exceeds my needs.

Do you own the product?:
Yes
Have you used the product?:
Yes
Musical Experience:
DJ/Producer
Style of music you play:
Musical Beats
Where you live:
Bronx, NY

Did you find this review helpful? yes no1122278

My First MPC...

| Review By: TRES | 4 years, 2 months ago

1 people out of 1 found this review helpful

Features:
Quality:
Value:
Overall:
This is my first official hardware sampler that I ever bought and to be honest, I'm very glad that I didn't go for the same products all of my peers tend to collect. At first I wanted to get an old vintage sampler from the internet, but then I started doing more research and opted for something a little more modern but with the same features that once temped me into buying a hand-me-down sampler. This is perfect for what I do and if your a sample-based individual such as myself, give the Akai MPC 500 a chance. You might get tempted into buying one for yourself.
Do you own the product?:
Yes
Have you used the product?:
No
Musical Experience:
Hobbyist/Beatmaker/Producer/Engineer
Style of music you play:
Hip-Hop
Where you live:
San Antonio

Did you find this review helpful? yes no804980

MPC

| Review By: mpc | 4 years, 4 months ago

0 people out of 0 found this review helpful

Features:
Quality:
Value:
Overall:
Its a mpc, as far as beat machines go, this is top of the line. Its a good MPC to start out with if you are not a mpc user. If you are a mpc user it links up with the rest of the mpc line. Real professional-ish.... not pricey either...
Do you own the product?:
Yes
Have you used the product?:
No
Musical Experience:
11 years
Style of music you play:
hip hop
Where you live:
mpcville

Did you find this review helpful? yes no964448

Bada Bing Bada Boom

| Review By: Anonymous User | 4 years, 4 months ago

1 people out of 1 found this review helpful

Features:
Quality:
Value:
Overall:
As a home-grown producer, I recommend the MPC500 to anyone that wants to make beats on the go. Start with a beat in your head, sample something, and bang it out on the 12 velocity pads, its that simple and wicked too. With 32 polyphony, 48 tracks, and effects at your disposal, it's like a little MPC4000 on batteries. Options to select time stretch or pitched BPM for samples make the unit uncanny for old school DJ's and new school producers. You could even put it in a book-bag!!
Do you own the product?:
Yes
Have you used the product?:
No
Musical Experience:
Hobbyist
Style of music you play:
Hip-Hop, Psychedelia, Jazz
Where you live:
Carolina, P.R.

Did you find this review helpful? yes no968055

the old vs new

| Review By: mozart-kFWfF | 4 years, 4 months ago

2 people out of 2 found this review helpful

Features:
Quality:
Value:
Overall:
I own many m. p. c s  and the best for me is my 3000 the last one with roger linn name on it for the price the the 500 is my new baby it is small lite and very powerful it work just as good as the big boys for way than half the price for beginners with skills this is the tool to have
Do you own the product?:
Yes
Have you used the product?:
No
Musical Experience:
active musican
Style of music you play:
hip hop r and b
Where you live:
new york city

Did you find this review helpful? yes no1077768

See all 8 customer reviews...
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