MPC X, MPC Live, MPC One & MPC Key 61 Forum: Support and discussion for the MPC X, MPC Live, MPC Live II, MPC One & MPC Key 61; Akai's current generation of standalone MPCs.
By r4nd0m Thu Mar 07, 2019 9:08 pm
Hey guys,

Obviously new here and have been reading and watched videos for hours but cant make my mind up.

I’ve got a Live on route but for some reason wonder if I should return it and go for the X instead. I was wondering how much difference/advantage the available knobs and buttons have over the Live.

Background: never really been an finger drummer, have used Akai rack samplers in the distant past and have since used mainly keys and computers but for beats its just too cumbersome to be tethered all the time - hence I thought the Live may be a good option compared to Maschine. Then watching various video tutorials I start to wonder if I have made the right decision - 7 vs 10”, less buttons and knobs which should make the workflow easier, connectivity looks better on the X as well as visual master out but no real portability ...

If anyone who has both and I know some ofnyou have or people who have experience with both could give me their views please?

Maybe its just as I had been looking at the 5000 multiple times in the past ... any comments welcome ... please no get Maschine, dont like the workflow and being bound to a laptop no more ...

Cheers
r4n
User avatar
By Bezo Thu Mar 07, 2019 9:34 pm
To get started...

I've only played around on the X for a quick second. I own a Live.

Definitely an extra button press or 2 for many things, sometimes 3 regarding Q-Links. Some menu shortcuts were added recently to help, but this is still 2 button presses (shift + pad).

Now the I/O, no way around that if you need them. If I'm interpreting correctly, you'll be in stand alone a lot. If you use an interface and will be finishing songs tethered to a CPU, it could be a none issue depending on your set up. But if all your sounds will be in the machine, and your tracking out from there into a mixer, the X might be for you.

I rely on my interface for I/O. I've gotten used to the limited menu diving to the point where I would never consider the X. For my purposes, the X is overkill.
By CharlesRandolph Thu Mar 07, 2019 10:39 pm
r4nd0m wrote:Hey guys,

Obviously new here and have been reading and watched videos for hours but cant make my mind up.

I’ve got a Live on route but for some reason wonder if I should return it and go for the X instead. I was wondering how much difference/advantage the available knobs and buttons have over the Live.

Background: never really been an finger drummer, have used Akai rack samplers in the distant past and have since used mainly keys and computers but for beats its just too cumbersome to be tethered all the time - hence I thought the Live may be a good option compared to Maschine. Then watching various video tutorials I start to wonder if I have made the right decision - 7 vs 10”, less buttons and knobs which should make the workflow easier, connectivity looks better on the X as well as visual master out but no real portability ...

If anyone who has both and I know some ofnyou have or people who have experience with both could give me their views please?

Maybe its just as I had been looking at the 5000 multiple times in the past ... any comments welcome ... please no get Maschine, dont like the workflow and being bound to a laptop no more ...

Cheers
r4n


Depends on your growth. If you want CV out, 2 More MIdi outs, 2 XLR with Phantom Power, 8 Outs, More knobs. and a couple less button presses, I suggest getting the MPC X. Other than that, the software, memory, storage are all same.
By dez perado Fri Mar 08, 2019 5:59 am
don't forget the larger screen.not that the screen on the live is tiny in any way but once i switched to the x thats one of the things that i appreciated right away
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By MaScHiNeHeAd Fri Mar 08, 2019 6:24 am
Wassup, r4nd0m....

Nope, not disappointed at all. Very happy Live owner. Form factor is ideal for me, as Il like to be portable.
As Bezo said, the X is overkill for me too.
Not fazed by a bit of menu diving, fits my workflow.
I work almost exclusively in standalone, so not being tethered to a pc is another bonus, only using sw when needed. (mainly finishing tracks & auto-sampling soft synths)
I don't drive/connect to outboard gear, so limited I/O is not an issue for me.
Yep, dead happy..

Peace :-D :-D
By r4nd0m Fri Mar 08, 2019 5:16 pm
cheers guys - received it this morning and had a good play with it ... then went to a local dealer and had a quick play with the X - while trying to get a new ilok key (unlucky) for the second license - maybe when I need more connectivity there may be an option for an upgrade or a newer version but its actually bigger than I expected and the workflow seems ok for me ...

one thing that wondered me though that AKAI is unable to map available expansions on the device to be available in MPC when the device is connected in controller mode - I rather keep the library on the computer empty - so I manually removed it after installing from XPN and exporting to the Live just to realised that the to the Live exported expansion is no longer available in controller mode .... odd ...
User avatar
By Lampdog Sat Mar 09, 2019 12:54 am
If you want something edited post/pm the complete edit and let me know.
I will make the correction.
By head034 Mon Mar 11, 2019 7:33 pm
Bezo wrote:To get started...

I've only played around on the X for a quick second. I own a Live.

Definitely an extra button press or 2 for many things, sometimes 3 regarding Q-Links. Some menu shortcuts were added recently to help, but this is still 2 button presses (shift + pad).



Well.. was hoping it would end up in 2.3.. 2.4.. Seems small but a very huge workflow improvement!!!

The feature is implemented and does exactly follow parameters for the new Plugin instruments & AIR Plugins that have been added.. If I tap the touch screen of the parameter i want to edit, the Q-link follows... Nice!

But i was hoping it was also implemented in sections such as Program Edit, and Really in Sample Edit!

Having to use the q-link button to navigate between Sample Start and Sample End is very slow!
If i Edit the start of a sample, then want to edit the end, but then i want fine tune my edit start some more, I have 2 options:

1. i have to hit the q-link button 3 more times to get back to the Sample start section..
2. or, my other option is to Hit shift then the q-link button to go back to the start editing (this requires the use of 2 hands because of the location of the shift and q-link buttons)

If the q-link could follow what i touch on the screen, it would be a huge work flow improvement, especially in the edit department! I wouldn't need the use of 2 hands and/or 3 button clicks to get to a specific parameter in any of the sections...

Been submitting this request since 2.2 release.. :popcorn:
By kaydigi Mon Mar 11, 2019 8:43 pm
head034 wrote:
Bezo wrote:To get started...

I've only played around on the X for a quick second. I own a Live.

Definitely an extra button press or 2 for many things, sometimes 3 regarding Q-Links. Some menu shortcuts were added recently to help, but this is still 2 button presses (shift + pad).



Well.. was hoping it would end up in 2.3.. 2.4.. Seems small but a very huge workflow improvement!!!

The feature is implemented and does exactly follow parameters for the new Plugin instruments & AIR Plugins that have been added.. If I tap the touch screen of the parameter i want to edit, the Q-link follows... Nice!

But i was hoping it was also implemented in sections such as Program Edit, and Really in Sample Edit!

Having to use the q-link button to navigate between Sample Start and Sample End is very slow!
If i Edit the start of a sample, then want to edit the end, but then i want fine tune my edit start some more, I have 2 options:

1. i have to hit the q-link button 3 more times to get back to the Sample start section..
2. or, my other option is to Hit shift then the q-link button to go back to the start editing (this requires the use of 2 hands because of the location of the shift and q-link buttons)

If the q-link could follow what i touch on the screen, it would be a huge work flow improvement, especially in the edit department! I wouldn't need the use of 2 hands and/or 3 button clicks to get to a specific parameter in any of the sections...

Been submitting this request since 2.2 release.. :popcorn:



Submit it again, I did to dan and the software submit screen. Qlink follow actions are a must for sample edit in standalone.