switching from mpk 49 to MPK 88 with track pad & comp keyb

Currently use the mpk 49 midi connected to the mpc 1000 and ableton live 8

I'm not a piano player so the hammer action weighted keys would be new to me yet I think having the full 88 keys would be nice to have right there without having to hit octave up/down switches.


The don't have em on display at guitar center or sam ash in my city so can't try out the 88


the mpk line is built more solid than other midi keyboards i've had which is why i like that line

anybody that used both mpk 49 and mpk 88 please chime in with feedback

solid build? actually, the MPK keys break quite easily...

somebody post that pic, you know the one... lmao

The 88's keybed *might* be better built to support its hammer action and all. I have seen mention that the buttons or something in the middle rattle and that the actual keys are somewhat noisy but other than that the few user reviews I've seen are positive. But yeah the 49 is crap.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqGC0wF-jVI

Isn't the 88 overkill if you don't play keys? Are you having to reach for the transpose key all that often?

Menco wrote:

How the hell did they manage to do that just by playing music with it?

gotta be more to that story




mpk 49 is more solid & heavy duty than other midi keyboards i'm had like m-audio or casio etc

BGBEATS wrote:gotta be more to that story

yep...

JUKE 179r wrote:Got mine straight out the box (Nov '08), started to hook it up to my Mac Book Pro and one of the damn keys was already popped up! I called Musicians Friend about it and they "Lied" and said that they never heard of that problem before. They said that it must have happened while being mailed out to my APO address so it's wasn't thier fault and to notify Nukai. WTF???

lol, yeah that pic!

I can't see how those keys can be pulled up without some kind of abuse or a faulty unit itself

I've learned that the mpk 88 has the "upgraded mpc 1000 pads which I will like better than the mpk 49 12


I've decided to purchase the mpk 88 next week after reading many positive user reviews and with akai giving a $150 mail in rebate thru sept

Yeah, maybe it's not the mpk itself but just poor overall production from Akai causing faulty units. Lot's of people complaining about dying data wheels and buttons on the 2500 while me and others don't experience any problems at all.

well one member here who worked at a music shop said he saw a lot of returns with the busted key.... more then any other controller. it looks like the key is good but the hook that stops it from going too far up is what's wrong with it.

that pic is still funny though... I think someone should make one of those demotivator pics with the black border and some smart ass line about akai under it.

I had an MPK 25 - no problems at all, dunno what the problem was really - but i will say that the pads were crap - really crap

The 88 is ok, but it's still more for a MIDI person not a player.
That kinda makes the price high for what it is looking from the keybed perspective and some other 88's available.
If you are not a player just someone looking for more keys then it will be fine and you will see an obvious difference compared to the 49, which feels slightly different compared to the 25 or 61.
It's really hard to beat it for the overall controller factor since it gives you a lot of controller aspect.

You should try to get the people at Sam Ash or GC to open a box before you buy it.
If they don't agree then make them remember that even if you take it home you can still bring it back which gives them an open box return.

ntalec wrote:The 88 is ok, but it's still more for a MIDI person not a player.
That kinda makes the price high for what it is looking from the keybed perspective and some other 88's available.
If you are not a player just someone looking for more keys then it will be fine and you will see an obvious difference compared to the 49, which feels slightly different compared to the 25 or 61.
It's really hard to beat it for the overall controller factor since it gives you a lot of controller aspect.

You should try to get the people at Sam Ash or GC to open a box before you buy it.
If they don't agree then make them remember that even if you take it home you can still bring it back which gives them an open box return.

Have one being transferred to my local guitar center so I can trade the mpk 49 in toward the price (next weekend)

will run me around $650 cash after the trade


The pads on the mpk88 are supposed to be the upgraded mpc 1000 pads

the fully weighted hammer action keys should feel like my grandma's old piano

key split if is what I'm thinking should allow the keyboard to be "split" in two to trigger two different sounds almost like having two separate controllers.

note repeat, full level, 16 levels, swing (mpc features.)
arp may be same as mpk49 or may be different


transport controls faders panpots automapped to ableton live 8



open space on top face on left between mod wheels and arp button) (i'm left handed) that is good place for mouse to sit so it feels more like part of the unit itself( mouse space on right too for reg right handers)

(no mouse space on the 49 below)


I just wish could use the usb and the regular midi out at the same time