being as you are already involved enough in music to know how serious you are, i would definitely look at getting an mpc. its a great place to start a setup, and being a dj it seems to me you probably want to go the hardware route.

the only thing i would suggest is looking into getting a 2000xl or maybe a 2000 instead of the 1k. if you plan to be using the computer and the usb a lot, than get the 1k, but if you just want to be using some tts and records, look at a more capable version. the new 2.0 on the 1k has a lot more features, but the feel and everything still isnt quite on a level with the classics.

you might also want to look at a 2500, but idk anything about them.

what i would suggest first, however, is to get a copy of fruityloops. you can do anything in FL that you can do on an mpc, and its much cheaper and easier to learn the basics. peep some of those sampling in FL tutorials, and get to work.

the setup i have running right now, i use either FL or the mpc to sequence, sample, and lay down drums, and then i rewire reason to whichever of those im using for some bass, synths, strings, whatever. i mostly like to stick to classic sampled productions, but ill add in some other subtle elements that enhance the emotion a little bit. anyway, thats my setup, and i can do pretty much anything i want. really vursatyl setup.