MPC Key 61: New FCC Filing From Akai

Just received this alert from the FCC:

http://email.fccid.io/c/eJw1jMEKwyAQRL9 ... t01h_p9SsG

FCC ID: Y4O-ACVM

All the juicy stuff like user manual and actual photos are under confidentiality agreement, but they have made this public:



So looks like this is definitely happening. Appears to be a SATA option on the underside.

Wonder if they have a 49 key version as well, haven't got the room for a 61 key keyboard!

MPC-Tutor wrote:Wonder if they have a 49 key version as well, haven't got the room for a 61 key keyboard!

I can find some room! LOL! I wonder what features it’ll have…

This was the original image found buried in the MPC firmware, most likely same features as all the other MPCs, but with the MPC Studio 2 touchstrip and pitch bend and mod wheel etc.

https://www.synthanatomy.com/2021/07/ak ... ation.html

Hopefully the keybed is the same feel as the MPK249/61 (could do without the spring squeaks though...). Pad sensitivity on the MPK249 is also actually superior to the MPCs IMO, so again, hopefully that's also transferred over.

Did you notice that the manual will go out of confidentially, 7/7/22? Hmmm.

Sadly, if it's the same old computer inside, I have no need to bite, and I like weighted controllers. On the flip side, if it retains the same hardware, this ensures even the old Live mk1 will still be supported for some time!

In a lot of ways though, this will be the modern day ASR10 I would think.

I'd assume this is now probably pretty much ready to roll, although they might hold back for one of the music gear trade shows, e.g. Namm (june) or more likely Musikmesse (April). But perhaps it will just get released straight away, after of course the inevitable 'accidental' retailer product page leak that seems to be part of the overall marketing plan for all electronics products these days.

Ouch. Only 4 Qlinks; big mistake IMHO. This is my only real complaint about my Live.

Well at least they put the wheels in the correct place.

More Knobs = A Bigger Footprint = More $$$$

jabberwalky wrote:In a lot of ways though, this will be the modern day ASR10 I would think.

I’m looking forward to actually seeing this actually be that. I never owned an ASR-10 and always wanted one.

It is odd that they went with the 4 Qlink design, even 8 on the Force (with OLED) provides a huge workflow improvement. There seems a lot of spare 'space' on that firmware 2.10 mockup, seems they can easily fit more stuff on this. 16 Qlinks, or, like the MPK, 8 qlinks and 8 sliders.

The MPC Key 88 may have More Q-Link knobs for you guys! I can see them Offering that Option just like the difference between the Live and the X.

Bigger Screen(Adjustable)
More Q-Links
More OLEDs
More Real Estate

ReBrand it as the...

AKAI MPC Key X88

40Beatz wrote:The MPC Key 88 may have More Q-Link knobs for you guys! I can see them Offering that Option just like the difference between the Live and the X.

Bigger Screen(Adjustable)
More Q-Links
More OLEDs
More Real Estate

ReBrand it as the...

AKAI MPC Key X88

Yeah, they could've put 8 qlinks w/OLEDS at least! Hopefully that sketch is outdated. Also that sketch has a funky scale. The pads on the LIVE are over 1 pad row taller than the screen, so those might be the smaller pads like the MPC One. For now I'll just use my poor mans MPC Key X88 lol.

The X is 2300 dollars new. I don't see them doing an 88 key MPCX. Would be in the 3 k range at least and would have to bring a whole lot of amazeballs to compete with keyboards in that price range.

Akai's Marketing Strategy is that if People want more Bells and Whistles (MPC X), you'll pay the Extra Loot For it!

Business 101

Great news! I was starting to worry this project was abandoned. Let's hope Akai got their mind right and went for the full set of 16 Qlinks. With that in place, and assuming they eventually manage to add a proper mod matrix to this line, there will be no competing products on the market IMO.

jamos wrote:Ouch. Only 4 Qlinks; big mistake IMHO. This is my only real complaint about my Live.

Yeah same here

40Beatz wrote:More Knobs = A Bigger Footprint = More $$$$

As MPC-Tutor says, unless they've drastically changed something hardware wise since the original leak then there's plenty of unused panel space for 3 more rows of knobs without having to up the footprint. I'll gladly pay the extra $ for 12 more knobs thank you.

40Beatz wrote:The MPC Key 88 may have More Q-Link knobs for you guys! I can see them Offering that Option just like the difference between the Live and the X.

I don't oppose the idea but I much prefer 61 unweighted keys with a properly filled out panel ready for war over a wall of a workstation with the same amount of features. A compact and versatile machine loaded to the brink with physical control would look the biz, persuade more on the fence buyers and certainly put some fire below the #ss of the usual suspects in the workstation business in terms of what's available in the semi budget price segment. There's nothing else even close as far as I'm concerned.