NI Maschine vs Akai MPK49

Hey guys ,

i recently got into producing and i’m about to make my first purchase.  I have a very big dilemna going on right now.  I will mostly be producing techno , mostly inspired by alan fitzpatrick , adam beyer(the dark kind, not too many synths ), and since i’ve set myself a budget, i am considering one of the two items i listed.  I heard so much good about the Maschine for making grooves and resampling on the spot , and it really got me curious since i was pretty confident with getting the mpk49 at first.  Now, my question is the following :

Will the Maschine bring me that much more of a leap forward due to the software and resampling capabilities when comparing with the Mpk49 for drum loop productions ? (is it worth losing the keyboard ? ). I use Ableton Live 8.2

If someone could enlighten me , would be thankful!

Cheers :wink: !

Hi mate welcome to the forum



Well too me it is a no brainer go for the Mashine - i make dark techno and only have a 2 octave keyboard which is more than adequate for my use - not got one yet but it is on my shopping list



But if your new to production don’t just rush out any buy it learn Live inside out as if you listen too any of my recent work its using live and plugins and no outboard

Maschine has its own learning curve too… but you definitely dont need a huge keyboard, especially if you are making tech. The Library with Maschine is class & I hear that you can use 3rd party stuff in the Software now - which is great. No sidechaining in it - yet? Am I right? But a little plug like the LFO tool by Xfer is a workaround (so I hear).

If you are gonna go down the route of buying “something” - I’d continue to make some stuff with Live first & see how you get on. Buy a cheap little kboard & after a bit, see if you still really want / need to spend a few hundred quid on something else. You can always assign clips to the keyboard keys.

I’m sure everyone here will say about the benefit of hindsight in regards to buying sh!t. In the meantime, I’d watch every single YT vid & read every article I could about mashine & see if the workflow was something that you could get your head around. Thats if you havent already done that of course!

Dont mean to be pessimistic - but I think you gotta know if you really want Maschine - or not before you buy it - its not like a midi keyboard.

Otherwise… its just gonna be a lovely box with pretty lights (and they are!) :cool: :hehe: :slight_smile:

Just make sure you need it :slight_smile:

Have you got yourself a decent set of monitors yet Mate?

there is a cheaper option if you have a Midi Controller. check Rob Papen Punch. awesome Drum Machine and sampler. and have a sick sequencer.

Check the reviews.

Over the years I’ve bought and sold a lot of music software and hardware. There are only two things that I’ve stuck with through everything - Ableton and Maschine. Try Maschine out at your local music shop and if you like it get it. I still don’t think anything else comes close to it and NI are STILL producing updates for it that are game changing.

[quote]wickedged (11/07/2011)[hr]Over the years I’ve bought and sold a lot of music software and hardware. There are only two things that I’ve stuck with through everything - Ableton and Maschine. Try Maschine out at your local music shop and if you like it get it. I still don’t think anything else comes close to it and NI are STILL producing updates for it that are game changing.[/quote]



LOL I was waiting for you to add your 2 pennies :slight_smile:



Still not got one yet :frowning:

Thanks everyone for your inputs!

I appreciated your opinions and will be keeping the maschine on my list of purschase, but will buy it only once i really get the hang of ableton. For now i guess ill buy a mic and get confortable with resampling… :slight_smile:

I am actually looking at the m-audio cx-5 studio monitors and heard alot of good on them, does anyone have objections/ better suggestions ?

Thanks to all again, honestly, it’s the best forum i have yet to come accross.

Cheers!

Whats your budget man?



I think most people like/have the KRKS



[url]http://www.krksys.com/krk-studio-monitor-speakers/rokit/rokit-5.html[/url]



Again. .I’d say most have 5’s or 6’s. I’ve got yamaha hs50m’s.



Save up for the best that you can afford & then a little more. It’ll be worth it.



Bigger monitors for a bigger room. Too big & you’ll get killed with bass. 5" monitors usually start to taper off going down past 55hz… so you wont get as much sub. If your room can take it - get bigger… but if not, its no probs.



Those M-Audios seem to have got a few good reviews.



[url]http://www.musicradar.com/gear/all/recording/monitors/studiophile-cx5-223966/review[/url]



Get a shortlist together - see if you can go listen to them somewhere.



Search in google & put “Problem” or “Rubbish” or “Bad” beside them & you’ll get some non-BS truth from their owners.

[quote]mintek (12/07/2011)[hr]

II am actually looking at the m-audio cx-5 studio monitors and heard alot of good on them, does anyone have objections/ better suggestions ?

[/quote]

 

I thought the CX5 has been discontinued, but maybe there are still some available. I have never heard them so I am not suggesting something better, but if I was spending that kind of money I would look at the Adam A7X. They have a 7" speaker, rather than the 5" of the CX5 so the bass will be better, and they have ribbon tweeters that are the best you will find.

 

I have the Adam A7 (the older model) and I love them.

http://www.dv247.com/studio-equipment/adam-a7x-active-studio-monitor–72929 

http://www.adam-audio.com/files/downloads/A7X_SOS_0810_lowres.pdf 

http://www.adam-audio.com/en/pro-audio/products/a7x/description

 

 

EDIT: I have just noticed that the Adam A7X are a lot more expensive, I was looking at the price for one monitor. Sorry :doze:

Haha no worries TheAnt … i chose these because their performance are between the rokits and the A7X`s though closer to the A7’s , and for a reasonable price… plus they look so sexy… can’t wait to get my hands on em : )

[quote]slender (11/07/2011)[hr][quote]wickedged (11/07/2011)[hr]Over the years I’ve bought and sold a lot of music software and hardware. There are only two things that I’ve stuck with through everything - Ableton and Maschine. Try Maschine out at your local music shop and if you like it get it. I still don’t think anything else comes close to it and NI are STILL producing updates for it that are game changing.[/quote]



LOL I was waiting for you to add your 2 pennies :slight_smile:



Still not got one yet :([/quote]



Ha! I’m getting far too predictable in my old age. Bloody Native Instruments should be paying me a fortune for the amount of free marketing I do for them on this forum… :smiley:

In fact get an Akai. Maschine smells of poo and wee.

[quote]wickedged (12/07/2011)[hr]In fact get an Akai. Maschine smells of poo and wee.[/quote]



I’ll buy yours for a fiver then and I’ll even get a rag and bone man too collect it :slight_smile: