MPK PAD Swap?

Is it possible to swap out the old mpk61's pads w/the new style akai pads featured on the lpd8/mpk mini/max49?

Thx,

SWM

It would be quite a task as they are two totally different designs if it's even possible. If it was possible you'd be looking at having to gut the whole sensor array from the MPK, and I don't know if the newer style would even fit.

An MPCStuff.com set of MPC 1000 Fat Pads will go in there no problem though.

Yea I was just wondering b/c I'm hearing ppl rave about the Max49's pads being way better than the mpk 49's. Thx!

I did the Fat Pads in an MPD and a 1000, for how simple the install is and the improvement you'll probably be happy with the Fat ones.

I only touched the newer design on the XR-20 and an LPD (rectangles on the XR-20 but the design is the same as LPD/MAX49/Ren/Studio) and they were pretty good. But the easy option on the Fat Pads is great.

Right I messed w/a XR20 & those pads were perfect!!! Glad Akai switched 2 those as the new standards! My whole thing is...if I buy "this or that" then Akai comes out w/a new Max61/88 or a MPD64 (w/the new style pads) etc...then I'm gonna feel cheated lol

I see it like $40, a screwdriver, 10-15 minutes, boom it's sorted. It's not like the old style isn't great. The MPD's all have real MPC 2000/XL/4000/2500/5000 pads in them. Identical. The sensor sheet is the same, but they lost their minds and left a gap between the sensor sheet and the bottom of the pad sheet.

They did this on the MPD 16/24/32/26/18, and every MPK they've made. Just impossibly stupid. Like if you take the bottom off an MPD and still have it plugged in (I don't recommend it, but I did it anyway.. ) and you push down on the top casing, they work perfect. Because the gap isn't there anymore.

So you have to close the gap permanently. At first I used stacks of stickers under the pads, (Pound A Problem's fix I think from years ago on this forum). It was better but not optimum. Some people used electrical black tape too.

A member here, Nym to fix his gap in the MPC 1000 used a $5 drying silicone solution (same issue as MPD/MPK but not as bad. You have 1000 pads in the MPK so you already know the extent of the issue).

Run a search with Nym+silicone and you'll probably find the brand even in the threads.

So $5 or $40 you can fix it.

It would seem like since mpcstuff's been existing for quite some time that Akai would have fixed all pad issues period....BUT they be droppin' the ball in this area.