MPC Web Sites
MPC Samples - Huge selection of MPC expansions, specialising in multisampled drums and instruments. And home of the MPC Bible!
MPC Forums - the largest MPC community on the planet, running since 2002 with over 1 million posts and over 80,000 members. My main hang out!
Crates Motel - Mixing & mastering videos with an MPC focus, from Conan Manchester.
Reddit MPC Users Group - largest MPC group on Reddit, run by Cubilas.
MPC Facebook Community - consistently friendly and helpful Facebook community for MPC heads.
Akai Professional – Makers of the MPC series.
JJ OS – Third party OS developer for MPC1000 and 2500
Roger Linn Design – Father of the MPC, support and downloads for 60/3000
JJ Manual – Stan Steez site for his JJ OS1 manual, with faqs and info. The site is now dead, but I’ve linked to the Internet Archive version.
Stereoroid MPC1000 Site – FAQs and tutorials for the MPC1000 (from Internet Archive)
Free MPC Software Applications
Amit Talwar’s Apps – a collection of Amit’s personal apps, many of which work with MPC/Force files
MIDI-to-Pattern Convertor – free online tool that can convert a MIDI file into an MPC pattern, good tool for Force owners (MPCs can load MIDI files natively, the Force cannot). Supports multi-track MIDI files as well.
Convert with Moss – convert wavs and sampler instruments into mpc xpm files
MPC Beats – Akai’s free version of the MPC Software (registration required for download). Has track limits and missing some instrument plugins and FX, but is otherwise pretty much identical to the MPC Software.
MPC Maid – Free, cross platform program creator for MPC1000/500/2500/500 program format only.
Paid MPC Applications
Akai’s MPC Software – The software version of the current MPC eco-system. Can be used as a standalone app or controlled by MPCs or most MIDI controllers.
Instrumap – creates keygroup instruments from folders of sounds. This is able to create an instrument from multiple pitched samples recorded over multiple dynamic levels.
MPC Keygroup Creator – batch creates ‘single sample’ MPC keygroup programs from folders of samples (one sample per instrument)
Kit Creator – Windows/Mac app that automatically generates sample kits for MPCs and Ableton Live.
Kit Maker – converts Maschine kits and other sample kits into MPC format
Legacy Akai MPC Operating Systems
These are the official Akai operating systems for legacy MPCs only – note that the MPC60 OS is not available as a standalone file as it is hard coded into the unit’s ROM chips.
| Model | OS |
|---|---|
| MPC1000 | 2.13, 2.12 |
| MPC2500 | 1.24, 1.23 |
| MPC5000 | 2.0, 1.02 |
| MPC500 | 1.31, 1.30 |
| MPC4000 | 1.71 |
| MPC2000XL | 1.20, 1.14 |
| MPC2000 | 1.72 |
| MPC3000 | 3.11 |
| MPC60 | 2.12 (N/A) |
JJOS Operating Systems
The JJOS is a third party MPC operating system made for the MPC1000 and MPC2500 only. It is developed by one of the people behind the original MPC1000 OS (who was allegedly part of the team involved in the MPC2000XL). The original JJOS was primarily the Akai OS with a number of essential bug fixes (most importantly a fix for the disk corruption issues in Akai OS), but a number of additional features were also added such as ‘global program edit’, audio tracks and an improved file management system.
There is also also several paid JJOS versions, which have progressively added more advanced features to these legacy MPCs, although due to the limited ROM memory available in the MPC1000/2500, adding new features often meant that some existing features had to be removed.
Read my JJOS Beginner’s Guide for more info on JJOS including a breakdown of all the different versions – and of course check out the JJOS site itself; JJOS MPC1000 and JJOS MPC2500.
JJOS Downloads
Below are firmware downloads for the various JJOS versions, including the older editions that are no longer developed. Remember you mist use the OS file made for your specific MPC (either MPC1000 or MPC2500). ‘Paid For’ JJOS firmware files are effectively just trials with the save screen disabled (but all other features are fully working) – purchase and enter an activation code to unlock the save screen.
| JJOS | Latest OS | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| JJOS Free | MPC1000, MPC2500 | Basically the Akai OS with bug fixes and a few extra features. A no-brainer. Install Guide |
| JJOS1 | MPC1000, MPC2500 | The original ‘paid for’ JJOS which is structurally similar to the free JJOS but has many additional improvements. No longer available to purchase, but can be freely installed if you have JJOSXL license. |
| JJOS2 | MPC1000, MPC2500 | This OS involved a massive change to the core structure of the MPC OS and introduced some much more advanced sampling features. From this point onwards, programs created in these newer JJOS versions were not fully -backwards compatible with older JJOS or Akai OS. |
| JJOS2XL | MPC1000, MPC2500 | Overhaul of JJOS2 and still my favourite JJOS version which in my opinion contains the best blend of features. Install Guide |
| JJOS128XL |
MPC1000, MPC2500 | Developed exclusively for the optional ‘large’ screen hardware upgrade that can be purchased from MPC Stuff – this OS will not work in a standard ‘small screen’ MPC. Confusingly, this is NOT the large screen version of JJOSXL. Install Guide |
| JJOS128SP |
MPC1000, MPC2500 | Large screen version of JJOSXL. Requires a JJOSXL license and the large screen hardware. Install Guide |
| JJOS3 | MPC1000, MPC2500 | Small screen version of JJOS128XL. Requires a JJOSXL license. Install Guide |
Other Third Party Operating Systems
Roger Linn, original designer of the MPC range currently offers an updated OS for the MPC60. A company called ‘Mansell Labs’ once offered an MPC3000 upgrade called the Vallixi, however that site suddenly (and without any notice or explanation) stopped fulfilling orders for the Valixi chips many years ago. The site is now gone but you can still pick up Vallixi chips on Ebay (some are second hand, others appear to be ‘clones’ of original chips). You can read this forum topic for more information on ‘Vallixi-gate’.
‘Current’ MPC & Force Operating Manuals
Akai have put all their User Guides on a single page:
Current MPC Manuals & User Guides (standalone MPCs & MPC Software)
Latest MPC Tutorial Courses From MPC-Tutor
Legacy MPC Manuals
The following are the latest version of the official Akai technical manuals for legacy MPC models:
MPC1000, MPC500, MPC2500, MPC5000 MPC2000XL, MPC2000, MPC4000, MPC3000 MPC60
JJ OS Manuals
Manuals written for the JJOS either by JJ himself or by MPC-Forums.com member, Stann Steez.
MPC1000 (Free JJ OS), MPC1000 OS1, MPC1000 OS2, OS2XL, OS128XL
MPC2500 Free OS (3.10), MPC2500 OS1, MPC2500 OS2, OS-XL, OS128XL
Service Manuals
If you are into repairing the internals of your MPC, then you may need to consult the official service manuals which contain circuit board diagrams, part numbers and general servicing information. Thanks to DJ Khayos for the 5000 manual!
MPC1000, MPC2500, MPC5000, MPC2000XL, MPC2000, MPC4000, MPC3000