MPC Key 61: New FCC Filing From Akai

MPD MPK RAY wrote:

MPC-Tutor wrote:Don't we already have vacuum pro in the guise of Tubesynth? It's a little stripped down, but clearly the same synth underneath?

Regarding the references on the box to 'synthesizer', anyone who thinks Akai are going to have implemented a hardware synth inside this thing just haven't been paying attention. I know personally nothing about this new hardware, so have no 'inside knowledge' to share, but have to assume this is reference to the synth plugins; a software synth is a synth and Akai have already developed the MPC software/firmware to run all manner of software synths, hence making this MPC Key 61 'a synthesizer'. And a sampler. And whatever name the marketing department chooses. Surprised they didn't call it a workstation though.

Once again, this is almost certainly an existing MPC with a keyboard glued on. Or if you prefer, an MPK261 with an MPC rammed up its backside. Nothing revolutionary, just Akai re-arranging existing hardware components from across their brands and utilising the existing software with some tweaks that enhance the workstation aspect (eg. keyboard splitting, preset browser etc). Nothing wrong with this at all, why not use what you already have to make something new and useful without having to spend $$$$$ in R&D.

MPC-Tutor wrote:Damn, they did it, upgraded ram.

I POSTED THIS ON PAGE 38

Yeah, but the likelihood that this is a new board inside this keyboard MPC is nil. The existing Radxa Rock2 that’s been in the recent MPCs has a 4GB RAM option, Akai simply opted not to use it for the recent MPCs and Force (probably for keeping the cost down).

https://www.cnx-software.com/2014/11/05 ... fications/

Gonna sum up my thoughts here.

Third party plug-ins seem very unlikely to me l, as much as I would welcome them. As somebody else mentioned, the security implications and limited market for Linux-based plug-ins on a niche device make it unlikely to me that an App Store model makes any business sense on paper for Akai.

For anybody complaining about paying for plug-ins: come on, guys. I bought my MPC Live mki in late 2019. I was in love with the feature set I bought it with, and Akai has given me several great OS releases since then which made the machine so much more than what I first bought: external midi and audio interface support (albeit buggy with certain audio interfaces), DrumSynth and Hype and all the other free plug-ins, and so on. I would have happily paid to upgrade to the plug-ins along the way. Akai needs a business incentive to keep developing this platform. If I have to throw a few hundred $ at them every year to keep the devices fresh and powerful by paying for plug-ins, that seems like a fair trade. And if you don’t want to pay for those plug-ins, then don’t buy them.

I would personally love to see a Virus TI2 Polar style MPC Live with a 37-key keyboard. It would be the best of both worlds in terms of portability. At 61 keys, the MPC Keys keyboard is already so large that getting a carrying case that can also hold an MPC Live is kind of a trivial addition, and for that scenario I’d rather pick a best-in-class MIDI keyboard controller to pair up with a Live, so I can’t say the all-in-one giant keyboard on the MPC Keys really appeals to me all that much. I used to love running my Virus TI on my desk next to my Mac back in my DAW days - 37 keys was the sweet spot for size and key range IMO.

I’d absolutely flip if they made a 37-key device with Force-style pads to get more pads on the front panel. I prefer the Force’s pads to the MPC, having owned both devices for some time now. The Force’s clear pads work really well for use cases like step sequencing which I think would really shine on a workstation-style device like this. It kind of blows my mind that they didn’t base the keyboard model on the Force OS with the arranger etc., or at least put the arranger into the MPC OS already with 2.11 or a new 3.0 release. A keyboard version of the MPC or Force with the arranger would be a true workstation IMO.

It really warms my heart to see a ribbon controller on the Keys. I wish they’d taken a tip from their Alesis roots and reintroduced the giant double-sided ribbon from the Andromeda. That’s my favorite ribbon controller ever, and the switchable hold feature on it is really cool as well as the ability to treat it like two discrete ribbons.

As far as the SoC goes: once again, I’d bet money this is built on the same Radxa Rock2 board with the 4GB option (https://www.cnx-software.com/2014/11/05 ... fications/) and not the newer Rock5. The fact that this device is still capped at a max of eight plug-ins and audio tracks implies that there’s no additional CPU horsepower. I’d say it’s only a matter of time before Akai upgrades the whole lineup to a more modern board but there seems to be little reason for them to do so for this keyboard alone. All a board upgrade would do is add to their support and maintenance burden, and I’m sure they’re not ready to take that burden on just yet. As others have said elsewhere, that extra 2GB of RAM is probably for larger key groups for piano samples etc.

If and when Akai upgrades to the new Rock5 boards or similar, going to the support for NVMe SSDs over SATA will make an enormous improvement. I’d liken NVMe to “slow RAM” versus SSDs, which on the SATA protocol are more like “fast HDDs”. The possibilities for incredibly fast disk streaming and even live playback of samples via super low-latency NVMe drives with hundreds of thousands of iops would be amazing, almost like having unlimited RAM.

MPD MPK RAY wrote:YOU A DAY LATE AND A DOLLAR SHORT.

Yeah, but you made so much noise about having allegedly discovered the new board inside the MPC Keys, it’s going to take at least three more posts on this topic to set the record straight.

misterflibble wrote:

MPD MPK RAY wrote:YOU A DAY LATE AND A DOLLAR SHORT.

Yeah, but you made so much noise about having allegedly discovered the new board inside the MPC Keys, it’s going to take at least three more posts on this topic to set the record straight.

No lies detected!

MPD MPK RAY wrote:No lies detected!

Thanks for having a good sense of humor, my man. I wish you’d have been right! Let’s keep our fingers crossed that we see some second-generation devices coming out some day soon.

Check my new line up if the MPC Key 61 sounds are mediocre tho:
Cerberus The Worlds Smallest MicroATX Hackintosh Case



2 espresso Displays 15.6” Full HD 1080P Ultra Thin Touchscreen Monitors




aaaaaand back... to Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S61

Oh I bombarded Akai with feature requests about Xpand in Standalone mode. Probably gonna send an email about the Mixer screen and "Global" FX Automation.

No complaints about the keyboard, just hoping and wishing Akai sells enough of them to keep developing the firmware. (My only other wish is that they eventually add the features from the 4K and improve the keygroup engine) And if they release a new generation of MPCs with 4GB RAM and the same SoC, I'm in. Especially if it has 37 mini Keys.

These music-making products have design compromises to make them feasible to build and sell. While it may not have infinite CV, Q-Links, and outputs - it does have them. Eight Cv's, four outs, and four q-links are sufficient for most folks. Would I personally like more of each? Absolutely. But I don't feel this is a reason to ding Akai. It looks like the MPC Key 61 is a sweet new expansion of the MPC line, and if it is successful, I'm sure they will make other variations.

I would also venture to say this product is not likely targeted at existing MPC users. It looks more like an attempt to expand the MPC user base by targeting keyboard/workstation users (like Fantom and Motiff people). The Fantom and Motiff workstations to me have always felt more compromised by their lackluster sampling and sequencing engines - both of which the MPC excels at. The Drumsynth and the Odyssey synth in the MPC world really blew my mind, and frankly, I was really surprised. Those two instruments alone sound thicker and more authentic than in those other workstation platforms. That's not say its all perfect. I get angry when trying to use the bass synth which has no real amp envelope controls, which makes it nearly useless.

This is what happens when there is nothing else to talk about.. buy it if you want if not then guess what don't buy it .. this is a great forum I been here almost from the beginning let's just play nice... I will not buy the keyboard just because it doesn't offer anything that my X & keylab MKii controller can't do...

I'm super excited about it. I love the MPC sampling/sequencing workflow, but I've always struggled with playing more expressive chords and melodies on the pads. I also never liked having midi keyboards hooked up with wires and stuff flapping all over the place. I also tried the Fantom/Motif/Korg workstation route, but the user experience and sound on those is subpar compared to the MPC stuff. The Fantoms/Motifs are more for church groups and wedding/cover bands, and the MPC stuff is more conducive to creating your own style + sound.

I called a few different music retailers and they hinted that these are already in stock but they can't sell them yet - as soon as they pop up, I'm buying. I'm guessing Akai is holding the line on a specific release date for their marketing efforts (like when you see a bunch of paid YouTubers release their cheesy videos all at once). That social media bombardment approach seems to work because it sells out products on launch pretty swiftly and they keep paying the YouTubers to do it.

otoc wrote:I'm super excited about it. I love the MPC sampling/sequencing workflow, but I've always struggle with playing more expressive chords and melodies on the pads. I also never liked having midi keyboards hooked up with wires and stuff flapping all over the place. I called a few different music retailers and they hinted that these are already in stock but they can't sell them yet - as soon as they pop up, I'm buying.

Great.
Then you let us know.
I am very curious about new acoustic and electric pianos.
If they are good, with semi-weighted keys, that will be very interesting for me.
I still never found anything comparable with Mini Grand and Velvet.
Electric is so so.
Good to make percussive sounds though.

It's funny, I started using my Ensoniq ASR-10 Rack again, I think it's subconsciously due to this new MPC workstation...

otoc wrote:I'm super excited about it. I love the MPC sampling/sequencing workflow, but I've always struggled with playing more expressive chords and melodies on the pads. I also never liked having midi keyboards hooked up with wires and stuff flapping all over the place. I also tried the Fantom/Motif/Korg workstation route, but the user experience and sound on those is subpar compared to the MPC stuff. The Fantoms/Motifs are more for church groups and wedding/cover bands, and the MPC stuff is more conducive to creating your own style + sound.

I called a few different music retailers and they hinted that these are already in stock but they can't sell them yet - as soon as they pop up, I'm buying. I'm guessing Akai is holding the line on a specific release date for their marketing efforts (like when you see a bunch of paid YouTubers release their cheesy videos all at once). That social media bombardment approach seems to work because it sells out products on launch pretty swiftly and they keep paying the YouTubers to do it.

Those workstations you dont like and think are only for cover bands can be heard on countless records used by legendary producers.

My guess is you are more into preset synth sounds than instruments. Thats cool, do you. But for me, it's why the keys will be a disappointment. More focused on the modern mainstream sound drenched in reverb and delays than giving the user the tools to create their own style

J.O.BEATS wrote:

otoc wrote:I'm super excited about it. I love the MPC sampling/sequencing workflow, but I've always struggled with playing more expressive chords and melodies on the pads. I also never liked having midi keyboards hooked up with wires and stuff flapping all over the place. I also tried the Fantom/Motif/Korg workstation route, but the user experience and sound on those is subpar compared to the MPC stuff. The Fantoms/Motifs are more for church groups and wedding/cover bands, and the MPC stuff is more conducive to creating your own style + sound.

I called a few different music retailers and they hinted that these are already in stock but they can't sell them yet - as soon as they pop up, I'm buying. I'm guessing Akai is holding the line on a specific release date for their marketing efforts (like when you see a bunch of paid YouTubers release their cheesy videos all at once). That social media bombardment approach seems to work because it sells out products on launch pretty swiftly and they keep paying the YouTubers to do it.

Those workstations you dont like and think are only for cover bands can be heard on countless records used by legendary producers.

My guess is you are more into preset synth sounds than instruments

You contradicted yourself and made assumptions about me that are incorrect. That seems to be the norm on this forum The Fantom/Motiff lines are the epitome of preset synth sounds. In my original reply that you quoted, I explicitly call out the ability to craft your own sound on the MPC ecosystem as its differentiating factor.

You are correct on another point, these Motiff/Fantom workstations are very top-40 friendly since they have a plethora of canned sounds used by "legendary producers". None of which appeals to me. My favorite artists and producers don't chart and are not famous by any means. This may shock you, but not everyone pursues music as a "get famous and get rich" pursuit.

Lampdog wrote:

Straker wrote:Ahahah

You say whatever you want.
There could have been more yes.

@everyone and in general, all constant complaining, speculation complaining and bitching gets us nowhere. Everyone should go bombard Akai with that, the actual company, and stop turning a good forum into a bitchfest.

About time someone said it.
If you don’t like a product that’s cool, move on. All this talking, back n forth is not gonna magically change the product to what you want. Instead, your energy would be best spent looking for said product if it’s available.