iMPC Pro External Controller- Dont cheap out- Get an element

I searched high and low over these forums and several others, found many posts with no actual answer on how external pads work with iMPC pro, so Im going to tell my experience here, so hopefully someone else does not end up buying the wrong thing.

Element vs MPD 18/24/32.. etc..

I went to Guitar Center, saw they had the Element for $149 and the MPD18 for $99
I liked the size of the MPD and thought somehow I could use the slider bar to change pitch without holding it down on the iPAD.. Boy was I wrong..
I bought my MPD in Illinois, on my way home to PA.. Ended up having to drive to Cleveland today to swap it out for an element.. 3 hours of driving as punishment for trying to be a cheapskate.

Heres what happens when you buy an MPD ( any style)
1. Connect with the camera connection kit: It wont work off the bat - You have to use a powered USB Hub to even get Apple to allow it to work.
2. If you have iMPC Pro and months of work saved, you won't be able to use it to directly control the app still. It requires you to download Tabletop from Retronyms.
3. Once you download Tabletop, you have to assign each pad command to a button in Tabletop IMPC, and its still buggy- it jumps to different banks and the midi learn feature is something I was not impressed with.
4. Tabletop iMPC pro is a separate app. You get it free if you already bought iMPC Pro, but it has its own directory, own program files, and has limited samples. Theres no way to move your files from the native iMPC Pro app easily without iFunbox/ SFTP, jailbreaking, etc.. Its Totally NOT worth the effort.
5. Tabletop almost feels like a "Virtual PC" There is a lag when you use the MPD thats very slight, enough to annoy you. Long story short.. dont bother trying to save $50.00 and not getting the Element.

Heres what happens when you get the Element.
1. Connect the Camera Connector Kit and hold down the TAP button on the Element with iMPC Pro Open ( this allows the element to connect in "low power mode"
2. Press any button and instantly see your element work flawlessly with no latency issues.

Its pressure sensitive, its thin, comes with its own flip cover, and everything just works...
There is no slider, but thats ok, because the slider on the MPD does NOTHING anyways on tabletop.
I do not recommend getting any external midi controllers other than the Element if you are Exclusively using it for the iPAD app.

I did try the MPD with FL Studio but still felt a little lag. Granted I didn't spend more than 10 minutes with it, so im sure I could tweak it to work, but I already knew i was taking it back after the ipad disappointment.

Hope this helps anyone pondering buying add-on pads.
I don't know how the MPC Fly works, I haven't seen one, but if anyone wants to reply feel free.
I am very happy with my element

Orrrrrr, you could get a Quneo which is lighter, slimmer, more durable and much more versatile than the Element, which is just a recycled "MPC Fly" which failed because it only worked with the iMPC app.

The Quneo has templates for many Ipad apps. such as iMPC, Beatmaker and Beathawk. It also has a killer template for iMS-20:

I concur, get it! It works wonders with the MPC app's Feels like the old days of punching into the 2k-xl

Akai MPD 232 works with this program under the MPC Essentials preset. Pad banks will have to be done on screen and not on the controller. The transport controls will also need to be done on the iPad. Having the fat pads makes a better experience with the app.