Pre ordered MPC X? Lets join together and sue Akai!

Honesty does matter. You can't be mad at somebody who can't meet a deadline etc – if they're being open and honest.
But if they don't talk about it, that's different.

It's like when Slate Digital (I'm a fan!) was announcing things and deadlines on Gearslutz and couldnt keep them and didnt come back to explain anything, he caught a lot of flak. A lot. But things changed since, and he's been super open as well as apologetic, and even does a mailing list thing where he's very honest about things, especially when some things take time. And he knows when it's time to say "I'm sorry I promised things I couldn't make happen on time". You can't get mad at a person like that.
I'm seeing him enjoy a ton of respect these days and I'm sure his company is doing really well.

Good News!

Just received word from MF that they are expecting to make deliveries by September, not October as mentioned previously.

From what I can see, Akai are not a particularly well managed organisation (well the Akai Professional Music part anyway).

Really obvious bugs never really get fixed. I'm thinking about the 'extra bar' on audio exports and needing to switch tracks back/forth before being able to drag and drop audio for a second time. Stuff that any system testing should pick up. And they are just my latest bugbears (not v2 yet).

Developing and marketing hardware which isn't particularly compatible with other Akai products, but are pitched in a way that appears they are. Would it have killed them to create a MidiMix which controlled MPC channels? Or have mappable q-links? Look at NI with Maschine and the Jam - how they seamlessly work together or independently. It's not that NI are involved in witchcraft or anything.

Revealing stuff that takes aeons to ever see the light of day. I know it's a different scale but look at Apple. Announce something, and it's available for pre-order immediately and generally released within weeks. I'm maybe not expecting that exactly, but having something in customers hands within a few months of announcing can't be that hard.

Lack of customer communication. The online forums go wild with speculation about shipping dates, retailers are confused and don't know whats happening. It seems like they are making it up as they go along, which isn't how a respected firm like Akai should operate.

Ok, this is more of a personal taste thing, but as impressive as the Live is...it is ugly (IMO). The Ren was super retro looking (tick), the Studio looked sleek and classy (tick), the Touch was function over form (cross) and the Live was basically the same design. It's almost like they couldn't be bothered to re-think the design for the new system. And it's not as though the Touch/Live is flawless from a function perspective....I mean, even the Studio has forward/backward bar transport which is missing from the Touch/Live. Ok, I concede the X looks mighty sexy, although I think it would look ridiculous size-wise in most peoples setups. All just my perspective, and I am kinda down on Akai at the moment which may be introducing bias!

And the eleventh-hour price-hike. Don't even get me started on that shit. It's almost like they sat back and thought "Ok, with the endless delayed releases and mass confusion out there, it really feels like there must be a way of **** our loyal fanbase some more. Can't think for the life of me what we could do to REALLY piss them off. Oh, hang on....lets bump the price".

And then reports from early Live adopters talk about stuff being hobbled or half-finished. You couldn't make it up, really.

There won't be any appetite for NI to do a standalone Maschine as it's reason for being is as a controller, ie. it doesn't have the standalone MPC pedigree to wrestle with. So that may be Akai's soft landing in all this. But things won't stand still and if people go all in with a competitor due to the shambolic release management, it will be tough to get them back in the short term.

The release of the Live and X along with MPC v2.0 software should be a competitor killer and forge the reputation of Akai as being top of their game. They really are doing everything they can to screw it up.

Apologies all, I'm just a bit high pitched about all this stuff at the moment

Mink, I agree 100%, well said.

Great post Mink!

Mink wrote:It's almost like they sat back and thought "Ok, with the endless delayed releases and mass confusion out there, it really feels like there must be a way of **** our loyal fanbase some more. Can't think for the life of me what we could do to REALLY piss them off. Oh, hang on....lets bump the price".

ha....its funny cos its true.....

solid post in general......i completely agree with your comments on the aesthetic aspects of the MPC's.....

Mink wrote:From what I can see, Akai are not a particularly well managed organisation (well the Akai Professional Music part anyway).

Really obvious bugs never really get fixed. I'm thinking about the 'extra bar' on audio exports and needing to switch tracks back/forth before being able to drag and drop audio for a second time. Stuff that any system testing should pick up. And they are just my latest bugbears (not v2 yet).

Developing and marketing hardware which isn't particularly compatible with other Akai products, but are pitched in a way that appears they are. Would it have killed them to create a MidiMix which controlled MPC channels? Or have mappable q-links? Look at NI with Maschine and the Jam - how they seamlessly work together or independently. It's not that NI are involved in witchcraft or anything.

Revealing stuff that takes aeons to ever see the light of day. I know it's a different scale but look at Apple. Announce something, and it's available for pre-order immediately and generally released within weeks. I'm maybe not expecting that exactly, but having something in customers hands within a few months of announcing can't be that hard.

Lack of customer communication. The online forums go wild with speculation about shipping dates, retailers are confused and don't know whats happening. It seems like they are making it up as they go along, which isn't how a respected firm like Akai should operate.

Ok, this is more of a personal taste thing, but as impressive as the Live is...it is ugly (IMO). The Ren was super retro looking (tick), the Studio looked sleek and classy (tick), the Touch was function over form (cross) and the Live was basically the same design. It's almost like they couldn't be bothered to re-think the design for the new system. And it's not as though the Touch/Live is flawless from a function perspective....I mean, even the Studio has forward/backward bar transport which is missing from the Touch/Live. Ok, I concede the X looks mighty sexy, although I think it would look ridiculous size-wise in most peoples setups. All just my perspective, and I am kinda down on Akai at the moment which may be introducing bias!

And the eleventh-hour price-hike. Don't even get me started on that ****. It's almost like they sat back and thought "Ok, with the endless delayed releases and mass confusion out there, it really feels like there must be a way of **** our loyal fanbase some more. Can't think for the life of me what we could do to REALLY piss them off. Oh, hang on....lets bump the price".

And then reports from early Live adopters talk about stuff being hobbled or half-finished. You couldn't make it up, really.

There won't be any appetite for NI to do a standalone Maschine as it's reason for being is as a controller, ie. it doesn't have the standalone MPC pedigree to wrestle with. So that may be Akai's soft landing in all this. But things won't stand still and if people go all in with a competitor due to the shambolic release management, it will be tough to get them back in the short term.

The release of the Live and X along with MPC v2.0 software should be a competitor killer and forge the reputation of Akai as being top of their game. They really are doing everything they can to screw it up.

Apologies all, I'm just a bit high pitched about all this stuff at the moment

Appart from the personal design taste, Akai should discus all these points in their next MT meeting.

And send us a live or touch as we are waiting on our preorder

Joey V wrote::worthy:

And send us a live or touch as we are waiting on our preorder

If this ever goes to court, customers might receive a $20 a month for a couple of months or so. Happened to me, I own a Scion XB 2008 and a bunch of people took them to court for faulty power windows that would ignite into flames. Court settled it that Scion had to replace the power windows for every 2008 sold and pay compensation. My XB is fine, I bought it day one back in July 2007 and did not have problems with the windows at all but I was receiving checks of $20, $25 and $30 from Scion with a notice to take my XB to the dealer to replace the power window motors.

If we all got together, same can happen for all us paying customers.

I dont want to sue anyone...I just want my freaking unit! I had to change my order from a MPC X, to a MPC LIVE at Sweetwater....im told by the end of the month to get the MPC LIVE...but other places are posting it for 1st week in July. I cant get this thing quick enough! Fustrating to see other people have it and not being able to get it anywhere on East coast!

Well I think I've decided to stay with my current MPC Studio, buy v2.0 whenever it comes out, and use the £800 I had earmarked for the Live to buy a Moog Sub Phatty synth. Then hopefully, there will be some future price drop on the new MPCs which I can take advantage of without feeling somehow violated...

Mink wrote:Well I think I've decided to stay with my current MPC Studio, buy v2.0 whenever it comes out, and use the £800 I had earmarked for the Live to buy a Moog Sub Phatty synth.

At least Moog isn´t the scum company Nukai is!

Mink wrote:Well I think I've decided to stay with my current MPC Studio, buy v2.0 whenever it comes out, and use the £800 I had earmarked for the Live to buy a Moog Sub Phatty synth. Then hopefully, there will be some future price drop on the new MPCs which I can take advantage of without feeling somehow violated...

I enjoyed your initial post, and couldn't agree more about how great the older retro units look, the Live looks off balance, and even now I think the Studio Black does look the sleekest and clean of all MPCs, but I dig the big retro white models, they just look awesome to me, But I'm really liking the buttons and form factor of the Studio Black. Which brings me to my question, how is it for controlling the software as a dedicated controller? Im not interested in the stand alone aspect of the new models, and as all MPC can use the new 2.0 (if and when it drops) I see the Studio Black as a great piece to get into the MPC world. I'm not opposed to using a computer, and I'd rather edit wave forms on a big screen than looking at a small touch screen ( I don't like touch screens). I'm in the very similar spot as you, I'm also about to buy a SUB37, and see the Studio Black as a great piece to add to my setup for sampling. So hoe has your experience been with the Black? I think I'll pick one up when 2.0 is available as I work with almost exclusely audio, and very little if any midi work.

Cheers,

Mink wrote:Well I think I've decided to stay with my current MPC Studio, buy v2.0 whenever it comes out, and use the £800 I had earmarked for the Live to buy a Moog Sub Phatty synth. Then hopefully, there will be some future price drop on the new MPCs which I can take advantage of without feeling somehow violated...

I kind of came to a similar stance... I had a MPC touch, but was pretty frustrated with missing features and workflow wise i felt it to be slower for me. A lot of menu diving and missing key features that was not available on the hardware. I eventually got rid of the Touch, and ended up getting a MPC studio Black. Happy as hell with the MPC Studio Black. Its got the classic MPC feel (for the most part) in a portable package! So glad they put the classic knobs on there! Hated using the flat circles to edit and scroll with on the grey model.

One thing i really hated on the Touch (which is also on Live) is having to use a button to scroll thru q-Links A/B/C/D.. The button thing got to be really annoying. Love the knobs.

I to will just get the 2.0 update for MPC Studio Black when available and leave it at that. Probably some where down the line get an MPC X if i see a good deal $$ on one. Of all of these new MPC models thus far, The MPC Studio Black is my favorite, and good deal wether purchasing new or used.

Gnome Tone wrote:
I enjoyed your initial post, and couldn't agree more about how great the older retro units look, the Live looks off balance, and even now I think the Studio Black does look the sleekest and clean of all MPCs, but I dig the big retro white models, they just look awesome to me, But I'm really liking the buttons and form factor of the Studio Black. Which brings me to my question, how is it for controlling the software as a dedicated controller? Im not interested in the stand alone aspect of the new models, and as all MPC can use the new 2.0 (if and when it drops) I see the Studio Black as a great piece to get into the MPC world. I'm not opposed to using a computer, and I'd rather edit wave forms on a big screen than looking at a small touch screen ( I don't like touch screens). I'm in the very similar spot as you, I'm also about to buy a SUB37, and see the Studio Black as a great piece to add to my setup for sampling. So hoe has your experience been with the Black? I think I'll pick one up when 2.0 is available as I work with almost exclusely audio, and very little if any midi work.

Cheers,

Funnily enough, I tried a Sub 37 yesterday and loved it so am now leaning in that direction (if my bank account can handle it!)...

I don't have the Studio Black, I have the Silver - although essentially they are the same and I do think they are hands down the 'nicest' looking MPCs by some distance. Also incredibly portable (as long as a laptop is taken too).

As for controlling the software, I've found it is perfect. The lack of q-links probably being my only main gripe (although thats the same on the Live). I know it doesn't have the hardware interface of the Ren but as I use a separate audio interface it's not a big deal. It is because the Studio works so well which prompted me to question spending quite so much on the Live. I really don't need to be super portable, and even if I did I think some of the restrictions on 3rd party VSTs would be an issue for me. I'm mainly studio based, and given the MPC is on a desk, I'm not sure how much an advantage the built in screen would be either, especially as it is flat.

I'm sure the Live is a great piece of kit for those who have the right use case for it. But at the moment I have a big analogue-synth shaped hole in my setup which needs filling and I don't think it quite brings enough to jump up the priority list.

Perhaps the Akai price rise has actually done me a favour in reducing my procrastination