shigeon wrote:I love the idea of having a new version of an old-looking MPC with a non-touch/non-color screen, features the new MPCs have that the Ren-era MPCs are missing (specifically X features like a physical master channel level screen, screen labels for knobs, all that good stuff), and things like the ability to use line and phono inputs at the same time, general quality of life improvements.
Do you fellas and fellettes agree? What features would you want added? Design ideas?
So unfortunately, I have to disagree, but only because I think Akai covered all the bases with the current Generation of MPCs. You've got the Studio 2 for non-touch screen/non-color screen. The X has all 16 Q links with Led Screens for the parameters, and the One and Live are the perfect balance of feature compromise and portability.
Also, in my opinion, the Ren was the weakest Flagship MPC, especially compared to the Maschine Studio. There are also many features that benefit from using the touchscreen, like file management, scrubbing samples and sample chops, the program edit screen, and note editing using the grid edit screen. All of the older standalone MPCs are just like using the Roland Fantom X, which I still have. Using a jog wheel to scrub through samples and choose letters for file naming is time wasting and cumbersome.
The MPC workflow is meant to be standalone, which is why the Ren never made sense. Looking at waveforms on a low resolution LCD screen doesn't work, the Deluge is an example of this. Even waveforms on the Digitakt are not as detailed as the touchscreen on the current Generation of MPCs.
You can also tell by discontinued products that large, fully featured pad controllers are not the way of the future. Why do you think the MPD 232 and the Maschine Studio are discontinued? Because users wanted portability, the ability to disconnect from the DAW/computer, and modern workflow enhancements like Touch UI plugins.
I definitely understand that the Ren made sense for some producers, but if you want to (or dont mind) be tied to a computer, Maschine honestly offers better workflow and more functionality.
As far as using Line and Phono inputs at the same time, I think that's a hardware limitation and would require a different SoC, which wouldn't make sense with the ecosystem of current generation MPCs. AFAIK, All current Gen MPCs including the X and the MPC Key 61 only have 1/2 inputs.
I honestly think that if there was a market for a new flagship controller, Akai would make one, but it looks like Akai wants to specialize in standalone hardware, at least that's what they've done for the past 5 years at this point.