"This is just the beginning"

What all of that talk on social media, most in response to people asking for standalone... All we see is a Studio painted black with the Renaissance jog wheel and Touch knobs, and a belt-drive turntable?

The most exciting thing here is 2.0. If it's on point I'll buy a Touch. But was hoping to see flagship hardware (standalone would be cool, but not critical). Wish they would clarify if the Touch is the new flagship.

Sometimes it's a love-hate thing with these guys (a belt-drive turntable???).

Anyway, carry on...

Eyalc wrote:Wish they would clarify if the Touch is the new flagship.

I doubt it's the new flagship. The more likely scenario is that the next flagship that supersedes the Ren just isn't finished, or they're holding it back to allow the Touch to shift some units. Musikmesse is in April, so that might be the next opportunity for Akai to showcase something new.

In terms of a new standalone, I read recently that there were still a few outstanding issues porting Windows 10 to these lower powered PCs. Maybe that's holding things up? Who knows...

Isn't it obvious the Touch is the current flagship? The Ren/Studio came out like 3 years ago...

They just hit us with a freaking MPC with a touch screen! The touch hardware is among the prettiest mpcs ever(or any piece of hardware.. period) and along with the newly updated software and touch screen workflow its also the most beast mpc imo by far. The new look of the software is based completely on the look of the Touch and they are calling it the mpc software 2.0. It's been said in the past that the new flagship would arrive around the time the software hit version 2.0, so unless they have a hardware mpc with a touch screen with built in software and a 1 TB hard drive or some super mpc they plan to release in the coming months I'd say the touch will be viewed as the main flagship for the next 3-5 years

Coz wrote:I doubt it's the new flagship. The more likely scenario is that the next flagship that supersedes the Ren

Didn't the Touch just supersede the Ren? I dont understand why people are referring to the Touch as if its like some rehashed mpc studio with a gimmicky touch screen. It has less buttons because everything is easily accessed by the touchscreen, and now everything is accessible from the hardware as with the Ren only certain modes were available on the hardware. The Touch I barely use my mouse or need to look at the software, with the Ren I was forced to use my mouse and click around the software, now my mouse is basically my finger on the MPC Screen. It blazes the Ren in workflow and runs off the same software

Yep. It's established now that the Touch is indeed THE flagship in Akai's eyes and some consumers too.

For the minute I need that extended audio interface the Ren possesses so I won't be changing just yet.

Going from MPCS with tiny gameboy lcd screen to an MPC that utilizes a tablet touchscreen as its main control center is like going from wagons to cars, typewriters to computers, like going from candles to electricity

Akai just pissed all over the Maschine

I have a hard time considering the Touch a true flagship MPC, the interface is too basic. As Coz mentioned, they probably aren't in any rush to bring out a proper flagship until the Touch has started selling serious units and is well established. I suspect we'll see the 'flagship' appear simultaneously with MPC Software 2.0.

Well, you're the tutor, but it's a studio tool. If workflow is optimized on the screen, who the heck needs more little plastic buttons everywhere?

Blackberry users thought iPhones were too basic, too. How'd that turn out for Blackberry?

MPC-Tutor wrote:I have a hard time considering the Touch a true flagship MPC, the interface is too basic. As Coz mentioned, they probably aren't in any rush to bring out a proper flagship until the Touch has started selling serious units and is well established. I suspect we'll see the 'flagship' appear simultaneously with MPC Software 2.0.

This. Also, the phrase "this is just the beginning" coincided with the release of the Touch, so I'd say it's definiltey not obvious that the Touch is the flagship. More like obvious that it isn't the flagship.

Icepulse wrote:Well, you're the tutor, but it's a studio tool. If workflow is optimized on the screen, who the heck needs more little plastic buttons everywhere?

I didn't say it needed more plastic buttons everywhere - in fact I posted this over 2 years ago, where I suggested a touchscreen would do away with the need for all those buttons (and pretty much predicted the core featureset of MPC Touch):

MPC-Tutor wrote:If the hi-res colour screens actually serve a useful purpose, i.e. to improve workflow, make live performing more intuitive etc, then I'm all for it. It shouldn't be about adding fancy tech for the sake of it, but if technology can improve the MPC, it should be incorporated.

A hi res 7" touch screen slap bang in the middle of the unit would be amazing for pinch and zoom editing of samples, sequencer events etc - no doubt would help streamline menu navigation as well, could probably get rid of some superfluous buttons at the same time.

All I'm saying is the audio interface is a bit basic for a flagship MPC. I feel you either don't bother with the interface at all, or you go the whole hog like they did with the Ren.

I'd be very surprised if Akai don't roll out (what they'll market as) a 'flagship' MPC later this year. But if you feel the Touch satisfies your definition of flagship, then that's great.

You're definitely right that the I/O options are spare vs. past flagship models, but I think that's just another step Akai is taking away from reliance on hardware, outside of core necessities like good pads, good navigation and a way to get samples in.

InspectahEX wrote:Didn't the Touch just supersede the Ren?

I don't know... did it? The Ren still seems more advanced as a controller for the MPC software, and has a much better array of audio and midi connections. The Touch appears to be a better pseudo-standalone MPC, where much more can be done from the controller. If they stop making the Ren it'll be clearcut what's the current flagship.

I can't imagine Akai just releasing a new Studio, a few cheap turntables and some expansions for the whole of 2016 though. Taken literally, if "this is just the beginning", I would expect at the very least there will be a flagship controller with more Q-Links, better audio interface and some form of tilt screen.

Coz wrote:

Eyalc wrote:Wish they would clarify if the Touch is the new flagship.

I doubt it's the new flagship. The more likely scenario is that the next flagship that supersedes the Ren just isn't finished, or they're holding it back to allow the Touch to shift some units. Musikmesse is in April, so that might be the next opportunity for Akai to showcase something new.

In terms of a new standalone, I read recently that there were still a few outstanding issues porting Windows 10 to these lower powered PCs. Maybe that's holding things up? Who knows...

So the new standalone will run on Win 10, on hardware with less muscle than actual current PC's than can run the latest MPC software smoothly.

Great!

Icepulse wrote:So the new standalone will run on Win 10, on hardware with less muscle than actual current PC's than can run the latest MPC software smoothly.

Great!

Let's hear what you're actually doing with this amazing additional power then? It seems like you're too busy trolling the forum to be using your new toy.

Coz wrote:

Icepulse wrote:So the new standalone will run on Win 10, on hardware with less muscle than actual current PC's than can run the latest MPC software smoothly.

Great!

Let's hear what you're actually doing with this amazing additional power then? It seems like you're too busy trolling the forum to be using your new toy.

I only just got the thing. I won't go there with you, bro. I've no doubt that your stuff requires that standalone magic.