By
Fanu
Wed Nov 02, 2016 8:53 pm
I think Akai are in a really tight spot atm, TBH.
If you think about it…when they were leaders and when they were ruling the roost with their _actually_ iconic products, they were selling a lot of stuff to pros.
Those devices cost tons back then, and there were fewer options and competitors, and their products were damn superb (you really can't criticize the old stuff much in the then contemporary light, can you, and a lot of that gear is still in use for a reason).
Now, they're aiming at consumer/prosumer market, and there's loads options from competitors out there already, offering all the stuff that Akai are still playing catch up with (realtime timestretching, PDC, audio tracks, etc.).
It'll be damn hard for Akai to come out with 2.0 and be like "Waheyyy, look at realtime timestretch, audio tracks etc" as that won't impress anyone. It'll be like "OK, cool".
To really actually impress peeps, it has to hit real hard. Their only real advantage at this point is the overused marketing phrase, "iconic MPC workflow". That workflow is good, but probably enough only to the old die-hard MPC-only users. Will it be enough for Akai to create/maintain a sustainable product...I'm not sure.
The fact that they're coming up with belt-driven turntables and controllers stuff does tell a story: the MPC probably isn't selling like hotcakes anymore and money has to be made elsewhere. I think MPC more of a side product of theirs these days – and with it, I think they've lost the plot a bit, and I genuinely kind of feel bad for them at this point. Love the old stuff but feel a bit confused about them these days...dunno what to say, although I'd love to love them but can't.
One way to gain advantage in the field would be to create a superb standalone product that really just damn works. A proper workhorse. But if it's plasticky controllers whose software is always badly behind the game...it's hard to bring in new people like that.
Good Luck with that.