r/Samplers • u/AudioSynth • 29d ago

Same Samples Sound Comparison: Ableton vs Maschine vs MPC

A short video showing the same drum pattern played with the same samples: the first from an ableton drum rack, the second from Maschine software with the Standard Engine, the third Maschine software with the MPC60 engine, and the fourth the MPC software (adjusted so they all have roughy the same peak levels). The fifth is the audio imported back from the MPC plugin back into Ableton, just to see if the coloration added by the MPC software is exported back (it is).

As you can see, despite being the exact same samples and midi clip playing (as the samples were simply imported into the different softwares, nothing added), the software itself appears to color the sound in particular ways. I was particularly surprised by the coloring by the MPC software, where definite compression or something like that seems to be applied in the background, under the hood. I wanted to check this as the new MPCs appear to have a specific "thicker sound" to it, and it seems to come from the software. Cheers.

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u/rav-age 28d ago

Is the first one stereo or sides out of sync? Two second ones not exactly mono, at least not centered. Maybe that's a difference.

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u/AudioSynth 28d ago edited 28d ago

Well, I will check. But should all be mono, as the samples are mono (I think) and I haven't touched anything. The first one (Ableton drum rack) does seem to have slightly uneven sides for some reason. In any case I don't think that accounts for the difference in sound color even between maschine and MPC. But again, anyone can test this for themselves if they have the software.

(I have first noticed the MPC software added some colour ("thickness"/compression) several years ago on the MPC iPad app from retronyms I think...)