// Good to know
MPC file guide
Good to know before you convert or build a kit: which files each classic MPC reads, how to get them onto the machine, and what to check when a kit does not load as expected.
Which program format each MPC uses
Almost every MPC calls its program file .PGM, but several different formats hide behind that one extension. A newer machine can usually read an older format. An older machine cannot read a newer one.
| Machine | Program file | Sounds | What mp2mp gives it |
|---|---|---|---|
| MPC 60, MPC 3000 | The oldest .PGM format | .SND only | Not supported |
| MPC 2000, MPC 2000XL | Their own .PGM format; they also load MPC 3000 programs | .SND (the MPC 2000XL also .WAV) | MPC 2000XL: its own .PGM with .SND or .WAV sounds |
| MPC 1000, MPC 500 | The MPC 1000 .PGM format, which earlier machines cannot read | .WAV; they also load .SND | Their own .PGM with .WAV sounds |
| MPC 2500 | A slightly newer revision of the MPC 1000 format; it also loads MPC 1000 programs | .WAV | An MPC 1000 .PGM with .WAV sounds |
| MPC 4000, MPC 5000 | Their own formats (.AKP on the MPC 4000) | .WAV | Not supported |
| MPC Software, MPC X, Live, One | .xpm | .WAV | This is what the converter reads |
Sample makers and the MPC Editor program treat the MPC 2000 and the MPC 2000XL as one target, with one difference: a program for the MPC 2000 needs its sounds as .SND files.
.SND or .WAV?
Both hold the same audio; only the header at the start of the file differs. .SND is Akai's own format, in use since the MPC 60. .WAV is the standard format every computer understands.
- MPC 60 and MPC 3000: .SND only.
- MPC 2000: loads single .WAV files, but a program has to find its sounds as .SND.
- MPC 2000XL: reads and writes both. .SND is its native format and loads slightly faster; the difference is small.
- MPC 1000, MPC 2500 and MPC 500: .WAV is the native format. They still load .SND files.
On these machines both formats are 16-bit at 44.1 kHz, so neither sounds better than the other. A computer cannot play .SND files without special software, which makes .WAV easier to check before you copy a kit over. For the MPC 2000XL, mp2mp writes .SND unless you choose .WAV.
Getting a kit onto the machine
Unpack the ZIP on your computer first. Each program is a folder with one .PGM and its sounds. Keep them together: a program finds its sounds by name in the same folder.
- MPC 2000XL: copy the folder to a disk the machine reads, such as a floppy, a Zip disk or a CompactFlash card if the machine has a card reader fitted, using a matching drive or card reader on the computer.
- MPC 1000, MPC 2500 and MPC 500: connect the machine to the computer with a USB cable and choose USB on its Save or Load page, or put its CompactFlash card in a card reader. Then drag the folder across.
- File names: 8-character names survive every route between a computer and an MPC. The MPC 2000XL can show 16 characters, but long names do not always arrive intact from a computer.
- Floppy disks: one sound cannot be larger than the disk (1.44 MB), so long samples need a card or a Zip disk.
- Large disks: the MPC Editor manual advises keeping fewer than 500 files in the top level of a disk used with these machines. Folders keep you well under that.
Loading a program
Open the LOAD screen, go to the program's folder, select the .PGM file and confirm. The machine loads the program and then every sound it names. If a sound is reported missing, it is not in the same folder as the .PGM, or its name was changed on the way.
On the MPC 2000XL, if the sounds load but sit on the wrong pads, check the Pad assign field in the program's assign screen. It should say PROGRAM, not MASTER, so that the machine uses the pad layout stored in the program.
Memory is the usual limit. Both tools on this site show what a kit needs before you export it.
| Machine | Standard memory | Fully expanded |
|---|---|---|
| MPC 2000XL | 2 MB (about 22 seconds of mono audio) | 32 MB |
| MPC 1000, MPC 2500, MPC 500 | 16 MB, of which 11.5 MB is for sounds (about 136 seconds of mono audio) | 128 MB |
Other operating systems and newer machines
Many MPC 1000 and MPC 2500 units run JJOS instead of Akai's own system. According to MPC-Samples, the free JJOS and JJOS1 read the same programs as Akai's system, while JJOS XL has its own program format and no longer loads .SND files. mp2mp writes Akai's format and has not been tested on JJOS.
Going the other way is easier: MPC Software and the standalone MPC X, Live and One can load older programs and .SND sounds, although individual settings do not always carry over.
Sources and further reading
This guide is based on Akai's operator's manuals for the MPC 2000, 2000XL, 1000, 2500 and 500, the MPC Editor manual, files saved by real machines, and these articles by MPC-Tutor at MPC-Samples.com, which go into more depth: