MPC Live + MPC X: new standalone touchscreen MPCs?

Fanu wrote:

Horseclick wrote:depending on price vs what it does compared to my 4k, akai may force my hand, but they need to get it right.

No Doubt!!!

The countdown officially begins..!! --->> NAMM 19-01-2017 <<---

soultrane28 wrote:the Ren is probably the most slagged good piece of gear in recent memory

as someone who started on 1.8 I fully agree.....

but if I started on 1.0 like a lot of people on here, I think it would be hard to forget that on its initial release it just wasn't ready....

Living Bate wrote:

soultrane28 wrote:the Ren is probably the most slagged good piece of gear in recent memory

as someone who started on 1.8 I fully agree.....

but if I started on 1.0 like a lot of people on here, I think it would be hard to forget that on its initial release it just wasn't ready....

I don't think Ren IS slagged on, but the software was. The hardware is pretty good. However, the software did catch a lot of flak when it came out in a highly immature state that never should've been a paid product. Where we are right now compared to the very beginning is quite good.

yeh I tend not to separate between hardware & software and just judge the product as a whole.....

that being said I do love the Renaissance hardware.....and I really dislike the Touch.....

hence why I am really interested in the 'X' and not even slightly interested in 'Live'....

The Ren wasn't exactly 'exciting' as a piece of hardware, a flagship coming out in 2012 with a tiny 'dot matrix' LCD screen and a ridiculous number of buttons, no slider (or more modern equivalent, e.g. touch strip), USB 2, etc etc. Yes it's solid and appeals to traditionalists, but yawn. Over hyped and discontinued without an immediate replacement.

So fast forward 5 years and from a design POV we have the exact same chassis with a black paint job and a 9" touch screen bolted on. I still think Akai are ultimately stuck in a design rut.

MPC-Tutor wrote:The Ren wasn't exactly 'exciting' as a piece of hardware, a flagship coming out in 2012 with a tiny 'dot matrix' LCD screen and a ridiculous number of buttons, no slider (or more modern equivalent, e.g. touch strip), USB 2, etc etc. Yes it's solid and appeals to traditionalists, but yawn. Over hyped and discontinued without an immediate replacement.

So fast forward 5 years and from a design POV we have the exact same chassis with a black paint job and a 9" touch screen bolted on. I still think Akai are ultimately stuck in a design rut.

You are right about the design rut. But for me its just the way I want it to be (MPC X)
Last year I wanted to buy the Ren but suddenly the touch came out and so I went for the touch.

And I have to say it works and the touchscreen makes up for the missing buttons but in some situations It would be faster to have dedicated buttons.

But the biggest reason I want the model X is because of the eye candy I like the design including the big screen. I don't know why but good looking gear makes me more creative.. (My opinion)

The design of the MPC Touch also isn't revolutionary the only big plus is the touchscreen.. (My opinion)

I just hope that they will drop an reasonable price on the model X.

To me it looks like the X puts together the good things about Ren and Touch, which will probably be a good combo (<< < LOCATE > >> buttons please).

To those who are not happy with what we're seeing right now (the X), what would you improve about it?

My concern is the build quality of the screen. How flexible is it at angles? I'm sure much thought went into this. Need more pics and a video. Hopefully we at least get that before NAMM.

Yeah, I do get it, and of course people will be happy if the MPCX is ultimately standalone at a realistic price, in fact I reckon even without the touchscreen they'd be happy. But I'm still not convinced that Akai are spending enough resources into UI design, both hardware and software, I still get the impression (rightly or wrongly) that many design decisions are made in haste in a bubble, they just seem odd or poorly thought out.

However I do completely understand, probably better than most, that currently the MPC market is a relatively tiny niche, so we simply cannot expect Akai to plough the kind of money you'd expect from the likes of Apple (who in all fairness seem to be stuck in their own design rut ATM).

I guess I just want to be completely 'wow-ed' before parting with this month's mortgage payment. The Touch is/was pretty cool, but obviously flawed in several aspects - as you say Fanu, how do they justify removing the locate buttons?

But generally I'm definitely preferring the direction of the Live compared to the X. Maybe it's because I just don't have the space for another huge MPC in my studio. But I definitely would like to see Akai concentrate on the smaller form factor and develop a more efficiently designed UI (hardware & software). I personally love touch strips, I love with they've done with the new Macbook pro (where the strip changes depending on the currently required usage). I think these and the touchscreen are potentially the way forward in replacing some of the vast array of buttons. I'm not advocating removing all the buttons, but for example I really don't see the need for a hardware number pad, and as someone who never really took to the 16 qlinks, I still think there's scope to improve the 4 qlink set up (in combination with touch strips and touchscreen functionality).

I'd also like to see more tech put into the pads, the Quneo springs to mind.

The Touch UI software is still very clunky, perhaps 2.0 will address some of the 'fiddly' aspects, but I personally feel that even on a 7" screen they could do a much better job of optimising the available space.

Just saw a mac book pro demo, the touch strips are sexy..!!

I would love to see that the new touchscreens (Live and model X) are more responsive than the touch..
The Headphone jack should be inserted at the front of the MPC. And they should add a hdmi connection.

The stand underneed the touch needs to be re-engineered, sometimes it's very hard to fit the damn thing in its place.

The design of the LIVE looks like they didn't have any inspiration at all, it's like Dan Gill went like:
Guy's let's go with a brick-design..!!
Whole Akai crew: WOAAWW..!! (standing ovation)

There's probably more but I just cant come up with it right now..

One thing, though...
I'll believe it when I see it. Who can say the last leaked pic of the X wasn't just a prototype?
Dan's "paperweight"?

i for one am very curious and looking forward to the namm next month... i keep my eyes open, and preserving a kidney for a possible sale...
also if u on facebook go join this group so we can discuss this and other mpc related stuff at https://www.facebook.com/groups/865669740175972/

MPCHolland wrote:i for one am very curious and looking forward to the namm next month... i keep my eyes open, and preserving a kidney for a possible sale...
also if u on facebook go join this group so we can discuss this and other mpc related stuff at https://www.facebook.com/groups/865669740175972/

I guess your from The Netherlands.. So am I.. I'll check out the group later on..

I'm mostly looking forwards to getting a cheap Ren when everyone else gets a live or X!