Inspire me Akai!

I remember another forum member mentioned Akai is being run by a different company compared to the hardware era from the 80's and 90's. So things are different. I think NAMM will show us how different and if we will finally get some of the popular features we've been asking for.

I will know they are serious when Dan Gill is no longer doing demonstrations of the MPC at Namm

Andy Mac is good

Gettin depressed

Bomber4000 wrote:Where have we seen this before ? Oh yes, the MPC 5000 was treated the same and if that JJ guy didn't make his custom OS updates the whole MPC experience wouldn't have been the same today on the 1000 and 2500.

I 'think' that it took threats of legal action from unhappy customers with the MPC4000 OS to get it updated, by an external contractor, to where it is now.

So even though different company ownership over the years, it seems that this behavior is nothing new.

Bomber4000 wrote:I don't see why they won't abandon the current users just because it's software based.
The Ren/studio's are paid for and that's all that matters, especially knowing that software updates cost money and don't make money.

A plus with the controller/software model, is that they can update the software to work with new controllers, and keep compatibility with older controllers.

They don't have to completely dump the software and start from scratch, as they do with a new hardware CPU.

Thats what i meant
what he said

Being software based means nothing, they don't get a special pass just because it's software. There are plenty of companies who abandon software all the time, I'm just saying in the case of Akai Pro,their record has already been a dodgy one, so they are suspect.

I get the point about compatibility, but we're talking about a company who basically left the 1000,2500 and 5000 in the dark,and the point bomber made is dead on, if it weren't for jjos , the 1k and 2500 units would've been dead in the water alot sooner.

bobbybland wrote:Being software based means nothing, they don't get a special pass just because it's software. There are plenty of companies who abandon software all the time, I'm just saying in the case of Akai Pro,their record has already been a dodgy one, so they are suspect.

Not saying they get a special pass.

Just that if they do release a new controller, they 'could' more easily support both the older controllers and a new controller with the same software, 'if' they decide to.

Other controller/software manufacturers often do this, keep compatibility in their new software for old controllers, when new controllers are released.

Of course they often do drop support for the older controllers, when they no longer want to spend the time to program in support for the older controllers, or when they want to force users to upgrade to the newer controllers, but it is more possible for new controllers, and new software versions, that still support older controllers.

Unlike new hardware/OS, where the new hardware CPU requires a completely different OS, so there is no possibility to provide support for the older hardware within the new OS.

Not saying that is what will happen, but it is more likely with a controller/software configuration, than a hardware/OS configuration.

Also, I don't think that they will drop MPC controllers/MPC Software, even if they do release a hardware MPC, they have gone too far down that road, and need it to compete with Maschine.

agreed, it would seem likely they could keep compatibility with next gen controllers.
My main point is,if they don't support their current design,by fixing whats not working in the software, I can see many folks leaving, regardless if they continue to put out new controllers.

the software is what is important here, the controller they have made for the ren is more then capable enough, how many times do we hear "hey this controller sucks" rarely if ever,but how many times do we hear, "this software could be alot better" (that's the clean version)


Akai have to decide if their current team is actually worth keeping around,or just milking a paycheck.

bobbybland wrote:Akai have to decide if their current team is actually worth keeping around,or just milking a paycheck.

They also have to keep selling product, so they have enough cashflow to keep the software development going, in the eyes of the bean counters.

They probably need a new controller at some stage soon to compete with the Maschine Studio's dual colour screen bling, from a marketing perspective.

To someone who knows the functionality behind them, the MPC might be a better choice, but to the majority of music tech customers, the Maschine Studio is possibly going to seem more appealing due to that bling.

Given their history I see them dumping the ren before maintaining compatability. I just don't think they have the resources, or the vision for longevity to be part of their plan. Hence designing a freakin mpc for a platform who's hardware is guaranteed to change every 3 years (ipad), and in this case, a controller that is dependent on a frequently changing set of computer and connectivity specifications. That's why I actually think the standalone route is always safer. Maybe not better, but to be successful in this market, u better be ready to react to a crap ton of specs that u have no control over when and how they change. Does akai have the resources? In the stand alone world, you control the box. Heck people still use MPCs from 1999. How many people still use a computer from 1999?

But, I keep saying, NAMM will be telling of the state, vision and future of akai. I actually expect these teasers to be for a product unrelated to MPCs, or the experienced pro/semi pro producers.

Like simonsays

SimonInAustralia wrote:They also have to keep selling product

As much as i'd love a hardware standalon unit, i dont think it's economically viable from akai's current position in the market. They aint making enough money..

Now that they've commited to having the software on your computer, you kinda have to stick to it..
The best money making route for this is to make sure you drop a new controller every major update(1 then 2 then 3) while still retaining compatability for old controllers...

I really think that the ren is a better hardware controller than maschine studio, Purely because of the qlinks and audio interface...
Its the software that has to catch up..

I also wonder how akai would do if they went about a modular approach.. (qlink controller, pad controller, transport controlller, then connect them together .. on a base block system.. or just use them by them selves as midi contrllers...) that would get really interesting.. You kinda build your mpc.

dazastah wrote:Now that they've commited to having the software on your computer, you kinda have to stick to it..

Yes, I think that really is where the market is at now days, especially with Maschine being their only real competition.

Not really sure they would be able to sell a hardware MPC, in the volume required to be viable, without the plugins and computer integration provided by software running on a computer.

Though 'if' they have already had plans for a hardware MPC, the rumor/mention of a hardware Maschine might push that into reality.

It is all just speculation, none of us, outside of the developers and possibly the beta testers, really has any idea, we will know their immediate plans in the next week at NAMM.

Whatever the new 'big announcement' is, it has backlit pads, so probably a new MPC controller, or a hardware MPC, or an APC type controller with MPC style pads, or a larger MPX, or could also be the MPC DJ product mentioned at at a previous NAMM...

https://mpcdj.uservoice.com/forums/147956-mpc-dj



While it could be a new MPC, it is also possible the 'big announcement' isn't an actual MPC, and that Pete's talk of something better than 1.6 at NAMM could be unrelated to that, and could be MPC Software 1.7 or 2.0.

mpc dj for sure.....
Forgot about that one...

Also, judging from Pete's comments, they are not sure which of this new 'goodness' he mentions will be shown at NAMM...

Pete Goodliffe ‏@petegoodliffe Jan 8
@bdrake71 We are hoping to unveil even better goodness than v1.6 for NAMM. We'll have to see… Rest assured, we're working madly on it!

Pete Goodliffe ‏@petegoodliffe Jan 13
@bdrake71 So this is a "little" update "Only" some new features and bug fixes. There is some even "bigger" stuff coming down the line…

@BDrake71 Jan 13
@petegoodliffe 1/22 ?

Pete Goodliffe ‏@petegoodliffe Jan 13
@bdrake71 We'll see how things are going near then…

Pete Goodliffe ‏@petegoodliffe Jan 16
@benjiboko There's actually quite a lot of goodness we have in the pipeline, and we're just deciding what will go on show.

While the 'big announcement' seems to be some sort of hardware, that will be definitely be shown at NAMM, these tweets from Pete lead me to believe that the two are possibly unrelated, and that Pete is talking about an MPC Software update, the details of which they are not even sure exactly what will be ready, even now, and that it will probably be separate to this new hardware 'big announcement'.

SimonInAustralia wrote: and that Pete is talking about an MPC Software update, the details of which they are not even sure exactly what will be ready, even now, and that it will probably be separate to this new hardware 'big announcement'.

man, As much as i'd like to hear about mpc soft updates at namm... They should just have an official update/bugfix list.. That clearly states that the list may change closer to release date... I think users would be much more relaxed knowing what they are actually doing/ working on, than speculating and letting users hype out misinformation.

Even the official release notes just say ... Bug fixes and enhancements.. No detail on what was fixed..

Part of the reaper love is knowing what they are exactly doing, having preview of the beta releases, and direct contact with developers... They basically have the forum and website as their marketing. Direct from the developers.. it's like a 95 percent praise from users direct to the developers on even small bugfixes...

I know reaper is just software, so it's a different beast, but the mpc software could do with the same model of controlled infomation... A lead developer just posting a sticky offical update/bugfix list,...

haha From the reaper about page...

For starters, REAPER is coded by a small group of dedicated engineers, not multiple software units under the central command of product marketing