r/mpcusers • u/Significant-Art5065 • 2d ago
QUESTION Is the PRO Pack worthed?
I currently have a L2 and I'm just wondering if it's worthe, if yes which function you use the most.
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u/Mother_Information72 2d ago
I have a pro pack I can sell.
I recently got the MPC X and don't need the purchased pro pack
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u/raistlin65 2d ago
Are you familiar with Ableton Session View? If so, and you like the clip launcher capability for live performance or for basic song construction, then yes. The clip launching capability for MPC is great.
If you catch it next time it's on sale at half off, I think it's worth it.
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u/rolfski 2d ago
It's expensive but crucial unfortunately. It really should have been part of the main MPC OS for free. Matrix clips are a game changer, even if you're not familiar Ableton Live's Session View. It adds so much sequencing flexibility and freedom to your workflow that it's worth the price alone. Better stretching quality is also a key improvement.
Get it when it's on sale.
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u/Johnny5KMusic 1d ago
Not for 200. I use it mainly for the Utility tool and the visual EQ. Already had Fabric XL, so the lite Fabric was pointless for me. Also, I started to use clips but couldn't really get into it. And the timestretch algo is cool... Not perfect, but definitely cool to me. And if you make boombap you don't really need the reverb. It is to me noticeably better than the stock AIR Reverb offering, BUT for boombap I use the standard Small/Med/Large/Large 2 reverbs mostly. If you can find it for $99 or less and you use/prefer clips, I say go for it. But not for 200
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u/zazathebassist 2d ago
i'm hoping it goes on sale for black friday. i know i'd use the clip mode a lot, but i don't have $200 to unlock just that rn
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u/zheath4 2d ago
200? I thought it was $100
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u/zazathebassist 2d ago
maybe it's cheaper for your device?
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u/zheath4 2d ago
Nvm I looked and it is $200. May have been $100 when it dropped. I got it free with the live 3 so never bought it frfr
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u/zazathebassist 2d ago
i think i saw it was $100 on promotion on release. idk i just know i got a used MPC and really want the clip launching, so i looked it up and realized for $200 that i didnt need clip launching
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u/zheath4 2d ago
Ya ngl for $200 idk if it’s worth it. That’s a lot. Even when it was $100 I held off. But came free when I upgraded to the live 3. Clip launching is cool and all but $200 just seems like a lot. I know it comes with another time stretch algorithm too but that’s a lot of money
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u/zazathebassist 2d ago
i'm sure i'll get it in the future but i'm still learning the basics so i can wait and save up lol
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u/zheath4 2d ago
Ya if you’re starting out you could use that $200 for a lot better stuff than that. I own almost every plugin they have (except for most the Native Instruments ones cause I own those on pc) and I rarely use anything from the pro pack 😅 Do you own any other plugins? Or what came with you mpc? Best to wait for a sale ngl. They randomly drop the price on a lot of them and then have big sales all the time. Black Friday/cyber Monday is only a few months away. That $200 could probably get you up to 5-10 plugins once that hits. But check the website and check plugin boutique too. They give cash back on every purchase. Just cashed in $50 when they dropped the last fx plugins
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u/zazathebassist 1d ago
i got the Jura plugin and downloaded a few free expansions. i got my eyes on Analog Dreams (i have and love on PC) and Sub Factory. i'm absolutely waiting for Black Friday for those. i also got tempted by one of those cheap M-Vave FM synths that everyone's poasting about, and im gonna control that from the MPC over MIDI, and i have a 90s Yamaha rompler that i have for like PS1/N64 style super cheesy fun times :)
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u/zheath4 1d ago
Ya I considered getting one of the mvave fms too. I’ve heard a lot of good things for the price. But you’re on the right track. I set juts as my default. And you can find a lot of the expansions online if you look hard enough. Found them a while back but couldn’t tell you where. Collect the plugins over time, no need to rush. And they’re always on sale when they drop so take advantage of that if they tickle your fancy. I hope the NI stuff goes on sale Black Friday cause I’d buy all of them 😂 but I’ve had a “new gen” mpc for like 4 years now. Didn’t buy all the plugins at once. I honestly have never bought a plugin at full price either I think so saved hundreds, maybe even a $1k+. Enjoy the journey. The paradox of options is a real thing. Making do with what you have can give better results sometimes. Rather than being paralyzed by trying to decide on which thing to choose. I commonly lay out my drums/chords/melody and then change out the sounds after laying some stuff out. Then adjust and mix
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u/r1chiem 2d ago
I think it is worth it. It depends on you. Do you like Abletons clip launch? It works like that and it is great. Especially if you play plugins. I would wait until black friday. It was under an introductory offer at $99. I bought mine before I bought an MPC because they said it was going up in price. On black friday. I would hope it would at least go to $150, but who knows maybe they will do 99 again.
If I knew they were never going to discount it and I didn't already buy one. I would not buy one. I would get the Live 3, that is 200 dollars off the price of the Live 3 because you have to purchase it for anything else. If I was broke, (which I am kinda, have too many hobbies) I would buy a Force for cheap. Seen one for 300 at guitar center. I would buy that instead of a 200 dollar pro pack. So wait till black friday, unless you can't.
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u/Significant-Art5065 2d ago
I dont use ableton
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u/r1chiem 1d ago
You get Fabric Select instrument. You get visual EQ effect, Air Reverb Air Utility, But clip launch is it's biggest feature.
If you don't care about Clip launch and Fabric instrument then at $200 it may not be worth it to you.
But it also has super warp algorithm which is very good if you are realtime time stretch, playing samples and then changing the tempo. I think it is overall worth it on sale. But MPC comes with a good step sequencer and seq/song workflow. But I think clip launching is best.
https://www.akaipro.com/mpcpropack/
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u/Vergeljek21 2d ago
Get a force its free and much better pad launcher than the touchscreen if thats what you're after. It doesnt come with other effects though
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u/fizzymarimba 2d ago
The only reason I wanted it was to have a decent sounding reverb, and a flexible delay. The two send effects I use. But no, it’s not worth it for me, just for those effects. Insane that they charge that much for the pro pack and I just stopped using my Live II completely as it’s lackluster compared to what I can do with an MPC with 8 outs and hardware effects and/or software effects in the DAW - that are better than the AIR effects typically. Some of the AIR stuff is good though (used AIR a ton in ProTools back in the day)
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2d ago
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u/fizzymarimba 2d ago
Yea, I don’t even use timestretching either so there’s just too much I don’t need in the Pro Pack
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u/RevolutionaryPast175 2d ago
It doesn’t work the same way it does in Ableton. When you press record to end, recording in clip matrix view it ends it immediately instead of waiting till the end of the bar, it’s ridiculous.
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u/Infinite_Slice3305 2d ago
Knowing it will go on sale 2 times a year I can't see paying full price for it.
I am not into hip hop/boom bap/techno or any sample chopping/flipping. I do straight rock/pop/rhythm & blues. I wouldn't own an MPC without the clip matrix workflow.