MPC-Tutor wrote:I don’t think many people actually use the mpc software, the large majority are exclusively standalone.
Half of those that do use it are on macs so can use AU plugins. Many of the windows users are likely using plugins with a vst 2 version.
Hence the lack of public requests for this (imo). But yes I agree it seems like they should get this sorted, especially if they still hope to entice other daw users to the mpc way (but really, the mpc software is very poor in comparison to mature daws so I think it’s really just a pipe dream for akai until they put some serious work into the software as a whole)
Kontakt 7 is VST3 Only.
Before the Komplete Kontrol update, the workaround was to run Kontakt through Komplete Kontrol, which had a VST2. However, that loophole is closed now that Komplete Kontrol has gone VST3-only. As a result, libraries like Output Exhale are not accessible unless you still have Kontakt 6 [Player] installed - though many libraries are moving the requirements up to 7.x as they get updated.
All of Steinberg's virtual instruments (Backbone, HALion, etc.) are VST3-only. I use those two a LOT, and I am not looking for alternatives. (
I already own UVI Falcon. It cannot access HALion Content, obviously.)
iZotope has largely gone VST3-only (Ozone, Nectar, Neutron).
Honestly, it's getting to the point where the lack of VST3 support is becoming a major issue for Windows users for some software packages, because major developers are starting to ramp up the dropping of VST2 (as it is wasteful to maintain them).
AKAI's MPC Instruments are not good or varied enough, and there is no way I can settle for them in a standalone compared to what I can get on a 14" PC Laptop or MacBook Pro with 30x the Compute Capacity that can produce longer off the charger and with exponentially better performance than an MPC Live II in "Battery Saver" mode and is actually good for recording and comping vocals and other acoustic instruments. For what most people do on an MPC One, you don't even need an Audio Interface if your DAW supports CoreAudio or Windows Low Latency Audio (or at least WASAPI [Exclusive]). The trade-offs are simply not worth it.
For just putting together some beat sketches, the MPC software was fine. It started super fast and it was relatively lightweight. It was like using something like ACID Pro, except better for Sampling, Chopping, etc.
But, as time moved on, more and more of my plug-ins and virtual instruments fell out of compatibility - on top of Akai breaking controller support and the ability to move the huge content directory to external storage (or any non-system drive/volume on Windows).
If you collaborate with anyone, you have to use VST3, even on macOS. Otherwise, the plugins will not load properly. This is also an issue for cross platform video editors that support both VST3 and AudioUnits, like DaVinci Resolve. If you use a PC Desktop and MBP, for example, you have to use VST3 on both otherwise the plugins you use will not load properly when you open the project on your desktop. DAWs work the same way.
If you use AU on macOS and move to Windows in 3 years, your projects will not load properly because you used AU everywhere. You're going to have to basically replace the instrument instances and rebuild the patches. So, make sure you stem everything out and back those up - just in case.
Right now, VST3 is the Most Common Factor plug-in format. Support is necessary.
If we were still using 1990s-era laptops, then something like an MPC One would actually be attractive due to the portability... but it is literally less portable than my Laptops, so I don't see the point in even considering one of them. Better to just use a Maschine MK3 Controller that is far superior to use with a 3rd party DAW and benefit from the better software development and ecosystem @ Native Instruments.
