MPC X, MPC Live, MPC One & MPC Key 61 Forum: Support and discussion for the MPC X, MPC Live, MPC Live II, MPC One & MPC Key 61; Akai's current generation of standalone MPCs.
By Certified Beatz Sat Jun 03, 2023 2:54 am
At least we can all get along and at least take the jabs.. great to see this forum for 20 plus years have always been that way
. Not like the other forums that have the same problems but there expansion and other products keep them alive..

I was banned for yes being out of line often but frustrated and most here know that :o .. moving from akai selling my MPC2500 and going to there brand .. it failed well not expansion and instruments wise but there controller..
By HouseWithoutMouse Sat Jun 03, 2023 1:25 pm
I finally figured out something even more ridiculous: subscription-based bug fixes! Bugs are fixed for paying monthly subscribers. You know, as you have seen, fixing bugs isn't normally possible, but now thanks to the extra subscription money they can afford spending time on bug fixing. And of course, if you unsubscribe, all bugs come back. You only get what you pay for! If you don't pay, you don't deserve to use a bug-fixed version. Premium quality for premium customers. This is an ingenious scheme.
By 40Beatz Sat Jun 03, 2023 1:38 pm
You Guys Are Opening Up A Can Of Worms!
You realize you're giving Akai Ideas of generating more revenue by Re-Purposing the Same Product...Over & Over & Over

I'll Pay a Monthly Subscription IF Akai covers ALL of my Music Equipment from Accidental Failure.

DirecTV and other alike has that Coverage. Whole Home Coverage! Customers pay a Small Monthly fee, along with their Cable/Internet Bill, and EVERY Electronic Unit in the House is Covered. If they cant repair it, you'll be Compensated some how. Look It Up
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By EnochLight Sat Jun 03, 2023 2:55 pm
mpc_fan_2022 wrote:Look up what the expression "late stage capitalism" means. Roger Linn and his craftmanship that brought us the MPC line have nothing to do with the kind of Gonzo capitalism InMusic practices.

Well actually, maybe InMusic could put all that "subscription fee" to good use and pay the guy the money he is owed... :lol:


I know what late stage capitalism is, but that doesn’t change the truth of my statement. :nod:
By godlike Sun Jun 04, 2023 7:07 pm
FYI: As some suggested--I am not conducting this inquiry on AKAI's behalf. I am a supporter of AKAI (the same as those in the forum) and merely made a suggestion toward our collective growth and improvement.
By Certified Beatz Sun Jun 04, 2023 7:50 pm
godlike wrote:FYI: As some suggested--I am not conducting this inquiry on AKAI's behalf. I am a supporter of AKAI (the same as those in the forum) and merely made a suggestion toward our collective growth and improvement.



They have a budget so your inquiry doesn't benefit those who don't have a budget. Your the type of guy that loves subscriptions and don't have a savings account.. spend your money not mines with your crazy idea.
By B-Wise Sun Jun 04, 2023 8:45 pm
godlike wrote:FYI: As some suggested--I am not conducting this inquiry on AKAI's behalf. I am a supporter of AKAI (the same as those in the forum) and merely made a suggestion toward our collective growth and improvement.


And just how long have you've been a supporter of Akai to think that a software subscription with them would be in the best interest of our collective growth & improvement?

And well do you know this forum to not know your idea was going to be collectively hated?
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By hyena Sun Jun 04, 2023 11:36 pm
this is the worst idea i've ever heard...
you mean i pay around a thousand euro\dollars\whatever for a product and then i have to pay them monthly for continuing using the tool i already bought????
this is even worse than the idea of having to pay for an OS upgrade (something i hope we wouldn't see but it's more acceptable, at least it is reasonable...)
By Tappinaway Mon Jun 05, 2023 1:24 am
godlike wrote:So far we have been satisfied with the development of the MPCs and their updates. I am wondering if they moved to a subscription model we would see faster development and growth?

I sense that we would be okay with a monthly subscription if the rate was reasonable. Somewhere around $15.99 per month is a thought.



:smh: :smh: :smh:
By johnnytravels Mon Jun 05, 2023 2:28 am
zangetsu01 wrote:So a Akai really thinks that with the latest updates they have rolled out stable versions?


This. Akai will not see another payment from me for anything until they give me a stable and generally bug free version of the MPC One firmware.
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By mrmarbury Mon Jun 05, 2023 10:18 am
Neodymium wrote:Cakewalk, went subscription, Gibson had to sell
Pro-Tool went subscription, Avid was sold about 2 wees ago.


Any personal preferences or subjective weighting aside what's usually the difference here:

Buy a Version:
- full feature set of Version X + all minor updates and bug fixes that are created during the lifecycle of this version
- depending on the company new devices/features get added for free.
- depending on the tiers: more features the more you spend once.
- usually upgradable to a higher tier easily. Usually no downgrade in the sense of getting the delta you paid back.
- Every x years the company releases a new major version that can be bought for full or a reasonable upgrade price.
- you can use your bought version as long as the OS is able to run it.
- special features might cost extra

Rent a Version/Subscription:
- full feature set of the current version + all future versions + bug fixes during the lifecycle of the software product as a whole
- depending on the tiers: more features the more you spend each month
- monthly upgrade or downgrade depending on needs with increased or decreased payments
- often added benefits like cloud storage, free master classes and the like.
- you can use the software as long as you pay.
- special features are usually included in you tier.

What would both models mean for a hardware product (in short):

Buy a Version/MPC:
- It's what we have now. We buy the device and use it to our liking. And as long as Akai is willing to support the version on the device we will get updates and probably new features with extras to buy once. If you don't want those features, then you won't get them.

Rent a Version/Subscription:
This is really complicated but let's break it down for a piece of Hardware with an OS on

1 Buy the hardware, rent the OS:
- You buy the hardware in an as is state of the software(a), just a very basic version of the software(b) or no software at all(c) ... they all have one thing in common: you can do what ever you want with the hardware.
- in case of a: whatever bugs are in there or features are missing now will be fixed or added the longer you wait until you buy the hardware -> the longer you wait the more the MPC is worth as a product to the end user
- in case of b: you can use some basic version that might be enough for some people and then upgrade to one of the full version tiers. Must be priced more reasonably to get many users on board. Even those who do not wish to subscribe to anything. Open question here would be: Will the basic version get bug fixes as well? Will the included basic version receive a free major upgrade?
- in case of c: You buy the plain device that the way it ships is nothing more than a paper weight. You can use it as long as you pay but receive everything. Once you stop paying the device stops working again. To make this interesting to anyone the device must be extremely low-priced or even free.
- in general: the hardware needs to be open so that 3rd parties can develop a third party OS.

2 Buy the hardware and the OS, rent the PC Software
- you have your MPC with its OS that gets all the updates -> basically as it is now
- you subscribe to the pc software must be on par with its "classmates" Ableton Live, Studio One, Logic and maybe Pro Tools to be worth the price and add a massive benefit over just using MPC standalone. Like adding a whole new workflow or anything to the MPC here.

3 Rent everything
- you create a subscription that includes the hardware and every future software upgrade.
- as long as you pay you can use the device and all of the software + new features + bug fixes over the whole lifecycle of the device.
- once you cancel your sub you have to send it back to Akai.
- Akai is the one who defines how you can use the device. Is modification allowed? What if it's broken or stolen? Is using it live in a messy club allowed or do you have to pay a "club fee"?
- Are there benefits like automatic replacement when new hardware gets released? Free or moderately priced hardware upgrades of the same device (like better CPU, more RAM, more disk space)?
- does renting a device include free repairs?


Example of Pioneer DJ and their DJ software Rekordbox:
- the software as such is a subscription with everything mentioned above that is in a subscription model.
- Most mixers come with an "automatic activation" of the software. So when you start the software you get a very basic featureset that enables you to prepare a dj set. As soon as you attach a supported mixer you get the full feature set. Meaning you only need the monthly subscription when you want to use the software with a different mixer or use you laptop to play at different clubs with unknown hardware.
- When they switched from buy to own to subscription they included all mixers that have had an activation code before to support that automatic activation.

There is much more to write on this and weight in regards of pros and cons. So feel free to add things. But here is my personal opinion on that matter:

- The Pioneer model is fair imho. Buy the device and get everything else for free. If you only want to use the MPC Software because it's so great, then subscribe to it if you like to. If you don't subscribe or disconnect the MPC hardware you get the feature set of MPC Beats at least.
- If they have to because let's be real they need to earn some money, then let's go the following route: a new major version upgrade for the MPC OS and SW costs some reasonable fee that is fairly low for existing customers. So everyone who feels the need can upgrade and everyone else can use their current version with the current feature set and all upgrades + fixes that have been released until the lifecycle end of that version. Everyone else upgrades for a fee and gets all upgrades + fixes coming out during the lifecycle of that new version for free again. That also includes the PC Software.
By B-Wise Mon Jun 05, 2023 11:04 am
Certified Beatz wrote:Delete this thread :vomit: :vomit:

It's better to pin it on the 1st page, so new members can be informed of the level of backlash they'll get offering this kind of idea on this forum.