Akai Professional Introduces The MPC5000 Music Production Center

(Click for a close-up)

(Click for a close-up)

Akai Professional announces the MPC5000; the new standard for music production.

The MPC series set the standard for producers making beats around the world. The new MPC5000 is the result of dozens of engineers, 20 years of experience and a new synth and drum sampling engine unlike any MPC ever.

The MPC5000 is the first MPC to include eight-track streaming hard disk recording, a 20-voice, three-oscillator analog synthesizer with arpeggiator, a new sequencing engine with 960 PPQ resolution, pad and track muting and mixing, 64 continuous sample tracks and 12 Q-Link controllers. There is even a new FX engine with 4 FX buses and 2 FX per bus.

The MPC5000's virtual analog synth eliminates the need for external analog synth modules or buggy software based synthesizers. The new eight-track direct to disk recorder lets musicians produce whole songs in the MPC and then mix them down with the internal sequenced programs and any input thru source. Add the optional CD/DVD drive and producers can then burn an audio or data CD to the mix. More than 650MB of premium-quality sounds from Loopmasters are included to get musicians up and running with pro-quality production in seconds.

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Unique to its class, the MPC5000 delivers a full suite of production features that include:

• Sixty four-voice drum/phrase sampler with 64MB memory built-in; expandable up to 192MB RAM
• Three-oscillator virtual analog synth engine with built-in arpeggiator
• More than 300 Virtual Analog synth presets included
• Eight tracks of Direct-to-Hard Disk recording
• More than 40 all new effects available within a modular 4-bus effects processor
• Master equalizer and compressor with "old school" mode that gives a vintage sampler sound
• Built-in 80 gig hard disk drive
• Optional CD-R/DVD drive
• USB 2.0 port for computer connectivity
• CF Type-2 card slot (up to 2GB)
• Chop-Shop 2.0 - slices a stereo loop into individual samples with automatic pad assignment
• Patched Phrases - creates multiple splits in looped samples to ensure proper tempo sync without changing pitch
• Continuous Sample Track - ensures samples play in perfect sync no matter where you start the beat in a loop
• Twelve Q-link controllers for internal automation, external MIDI control and quick parameter editing.
• 240 x 128 hinged backlit LCD
• Ten built-in analog outputs, plus eight ADAT-optical outputs and stereo S/PDIF IO
• Powerful new multimode filter
• Two MIDI inputs and four MIDI outputs
• Turntable phono inputs with RIAA preamp
• XLR / 1/4" combo jacks with selectable mic/line levels

The display is twice the size of the MPC2500 and MPC1000, so waveforms appear crystal-clear. Integrated Chop Shop 2.0 now supports stereo chops and Patched Phrases. The MPC5000 is also the first MPC with Random and Cycle sample playback added to the Zone play, and a turntable preamp.

The MPC5000 is expected to land at retailers in Q2 - 2008 with an MSRP of $3,499.

For more information, visit their web site at www.akaipro.com.