Finally got my first Modern MPC - X SE

Support and discussion for all of Akai’s modern standalone MPCs including the MPC X / X SE, MPC Live 1, 2 & 3, MPC One / One+, MPC Key 37/61.
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Re: Finally got my first Modern MPC - X SE

By Komatos Records Fri Sep 19, 2025 5:15 pm
Odyssey is one of the free synths from the mid-2.xx firmware. Grab it and install it (if it didn’t already come preinstalled).

Hype, Mellotron and Solina are also free from that time period.

Re: Finally got my first Modern MPC - X SE

By fooddude Fri Sep 19, 2025 6:50 pm
On page 280 of the Bible so far. Been breezy & fun (never any “sht I’m stuck, I’ll just skip this step” moments like so many other tuts, books, etc. of any hobbies I’ve had.

But, wanted to ask…

After doing 280 pages of Bible so far, my touchscreen became frozen/unresponsive, maybe 5-7x so far. Instead of waiting patiently (probably the best choice), I just unplugged the power and forced shut-down.

Is this common? A bug in 3.5 fw?
I just hope my unit isn't a lemon.
Other than that intermittent touchscreen-freeze, everything else works flawlessly.

Also... whenever I experience that frozen-screen, all the HW buttons, pads, menus, etc. still work fine.

Do I just need the OS and chip/ram to catch up?
(I’ve noticed it “caught up” a few times if I waited long enuf, and touchscreen became responsive again; but most of the time, the touchscreen just doesn’t work and I forced shutdown).
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Re: Finally got my first Modern MPC - X SE

By Lampdog Sat Sep 20, 2025 12:36 am
This same thing has happens to me on X from time to time (not often), NEVER EVER a problem on Key61 like this.

Re: Finally got my first Modern MPC - X SE

By fooddude Sun Sep 21, 2025 7:18 pm
Lampdog wrote:This same thing has happens to me on X from time to time (not often), NEVER EVER a problem on Key61 like this.


Ah, I see. I quickly googled it a few days ago, and there's many reddit/misc threads about peeps also running into similar frozen screen on occassion; so I guess it's common and not something I should worry about my unit being faulty.

You have the Key 61 too?
How do you like it (build quality and feel wise)?
Does it feel like a cheap and flimsy keyboard/unit, or a durable and robust unit? (I'm certainly impressed with the X's build quality and overall solid feel)

Obviously, there's many peeps that complain of its' keybed (clacky/clicky, stiff, short throw, etc.).
But, I feel they're being overly snobby/critical because many are comparing it to what they're already super used to, or even comparing it to a $4-6k Nord, V-Stage or Montage keybed, lol.

Read a few reviews say the Key61 keybed is actually decent and good quality (perhaps just a different feel from what they're used to).
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Re: Finally got my first Modern MPC - X SE

By Lampdog Mon Sep 22, 2025 4:15 am
Key61’s keybed doesn’t feel as good as Korg Kronos2, NOWHERE near as nice as ASR-10.

Key61 is very light, feels like a toy when you pick it up, buttons are soft rubber with a solid click underneath like Live 1.

I HATE that it only has 4 q-links. Pads are the same as mpc one pads.

Key61’s screen is more vivid than X.

Neck pain is REAL with no tilt after 30 minutes. X’s tilt is GOD LEVEL comfort.

I still like the Key61.

Re: Finally got my first Modern MPC - X SE

By fooddude Mon Sep 22, 2025 7:08 pm
Lampdog wrote:Key61’s keybed doesn’t feel as good as Korg Kronos2, NOWHERE near as nice as ASR-10.

Key61 is very light, feels like a toy when you pick it up, buttons are soft rubber with a solid click underneath like Live 1.

I HATE that it only has 4 q-links. Pads are the same as mpc one pads.

Key61’s screen is more vivid than X.

Neck pain is REAL with no tilt after 30 minutes. X’s tilt is GOD LEVEL comfort.

I still like the Key61.


Thanks for the honest review.

I've not used/had too many kybds... just vintage Mirage, Juno 60, ESQ1, Studiologic SL-161 midi-controller [which UPS broke] and now currently only have JV-80 as my main kybd controller.

All of them feel pretty much the same and decent, more or less (except the short-throw Juno; which was never designed to be a midi-controller anyways, nor even had midi without modding or a converter).

I'm pretty happy & content with the old JV-80.


Edit:

Googled their weights...

Mirage = 24.75 lbs
Juno 60 = 26 lbs
ESQ1 = 37 lbs
Studiologic SL-161 = 12 lbs
JV-80 = 19.8 lbs

Key 61 = 17.9 lbs


The only one I remembered being super light, toy-feeling and plasticky was the Studiologic.

At least the Key 61 is similar weight to the JV-80. Doesn't seem too light.
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Re: Finally got my first Modern MPC - X SE

By Lampdog Wed Sep 24, 2025 4:56 am
Key61 has not crashed once, at all, since I bought it, not once in the several firmware upgrades/downgrades I’ve put it thru.

X has crashed plenty of times.

Re: Finally got my first Modern MPC - X SE

By sinik Wed Sep 24, 2025 8:12 am
what i really liked when i played with the 61 keys, is the buttons.
i hope the new live 3 will have the same style buttons, as they have a really nice texture and click to it.

i think its the best looking device from akai since a long time.
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Re: Finally got my first Modern MPC - X SE

By Lampdog Wed Sep 24, 2025 8:01 pm
sinik wrote:what i really liked when i played with the 61 keys, is the buttons.

I love the Key61 buttons. I've never liked the hard plastic buttons. I'd much rather have soft rubber buttons with a solid click underneath and Key61 got that part right!

Re: Finally got my first Modern MPC - X SE

By B-Wise Wed Sep 24, 2025 8:25 pm
Lampdog wrote:
sinik wrote:what i really liked when i played with the 61 keys, is the buttons.

I love the Key61 buttons. I've never liked the hard plastic buttons. I'd much rather have soft rubber buttons with a solid click underneath and Key61 got that part right!

I hate those hard button too. I put clear tape over the buttons on my RS7000 & it made them quieter.

Re: Finally got my first Modern MPC - X SE

By fooddude Mon Oct 13, 2025 7:12 pm
(this is a continuation/merger from this other kinda-similar-problem thread: viewtopic.php?f=48&t=219791. I didn't wanna hijack/clutter/off-topic that thread anymore... since it's more about the Live 3).

fooddude wrote:Interesting... so, having an SD card may cause unresponsive screen??
(but everything else works - pads, buttons, knobs, sounds, monitoring, etc.)

I just got an X SE... and its' screen becomes unresponsive almost every time I start it and use it (always have to force reboot).

But, in Controller mode (still SD card in it for root saving/loading; but cache is using desktop), it happens less... if it does happen in Controller mode, it becomes responsive again after a little wait (unlike Standalone mode; it doesn't become responsive again even after +5-10 minutes and needs a force reboot).


fooddude wrote:
Kamera2K wrote:Uh, if i were you I'd be giving that thing back to whoever or wherever I got it from. Did you buy it like that?

Might be a good idea to factory reset it too


Ultros wrote:SD card is toast. not uncommon. the MPC seems to trash them pretty hard. I had one melt in the SD slot lol. micro sd doesnt dispurse the heat well, i recommend full size SD cards.

either the sd is dying, or the file system on it has corrupted. wipe the sd, reformat it to fat32 or vfat.

Input / output is failing.


It's a like-new refurb direct from InMusic w/ mfg warranty.
They state it's been professionally inspected & tested during refurb.

I can easily return/exchange it (4 month return window iirc); but, I really love its' new condition and it's kinda a hassle to re-pack it and ship it out again.
More so, kinda worried any new exchanged unit I get might not be in as like-new condition as this one I have right now.

It's super mint and looks new (I OCD inspected it, wiped down every square inch for 2 hours when I got it lol... not a single blemish/scratch/scuff. Zero wear/burnishing on pads, buttons, etc.


Now I have a feeling it might be the current SD card in it - a cheapy/budget Transcend SDXC 512gb, supposedly C10 U3 V30, etc. (no mention of mb/s on actual card). Got it (for the S2400) cuz it was super cheap for a 512gb card.

I was thinking about it yesterday... I've been having trouble w/ this Transcend card before too, when it was in my ex-S2400 (sometimes, file-text was garbled, hieroglyphics whenever browsing files & samples).
This card also sometimes had problems (super slower than normal) when transferring lots of samples/folders onto it in the past.

I have a couple better quality (but smaller capacity) SD cards (that I've never had problems with) that I'll format and test out in my X SE soon - SanDisk Extreme Plus SDXC 128gb & 256gb, C10 U3 V30, 150mb/s.

Crossing my fingers that fixes the problem!

If not... I'll try with no SD card at all, or maybe try getting an internal SSD instead of using an SDXC card.


fooddude wrote:Tried the better SanDisk... same problem.

Seems to be getting worse now and becomes unresponsive right at Demo/NewProject screen (instead of randomly or in the middle of using it).

So, force reboot... ejected SD card to see if no SD card at all will help it... still unresponsive right at boot up.

I can't even get past the "New Project" screen (since I can't use touchscreen); and, now (since I've been force rebooting it), I can't hit "OK" on the screen "MPC Restart - Your MPC was not properly shut down the last time you used it. Please power down correctly to avoid data loss."

Touchscreen is totally unresponsive now and I can't use machine.

I've tried force-reboot 5x with same problem and can't exit/OK on the screen "MPC Restart - Your MPC was not properly shut down..."

I'll just send it back.

Is this problem common for modern MPCs? (this is my very first modern MPC).


fooddude wrote:Started working again (after +8 force reboots). Now imma see if this SanDisk works better.

N/m... it's unresponsive again, lol.



I've already started the exchange with the seller (direct from inMusic refurb) and new one should be shipped out soon.

But... while preparing it to send it back (ie: logging out of inMusic on the device and also resetting pref, I noticed the touchscreen keeps working properly now.

I'm trying to recreate the unresponsive-touchscreen again, by restarting it throughout the day... but, it keeps working now.
Perhaps the Transcend card put some bugs into the system before and got stuck in the system; and now, after reset pref and using a better Sandisk card, it is better. irdk

Better safe than sorry, so sending it back anyways.

Re: Finally got my first Modern MPC - X SE

By Kamera2K Mon Oct 13, 2025 10:48 pm
Did you install the latest firmware? 3.6. My issue was also on 3.6, and had to do with my SD card and the touch screen (as described in my thread). Formatted the SD card and no problems since. Wonder if it’s just 3.6 that bugs out with the SD cards or something specific on the SD cards.

Re: Finally got my first Modern MPC - X SE

By fooddude Mon Oct 13, 2025 11:45 pm
Kamera2K wrote:Did you install the latest firmware? 3.6. My issue was also on 3.6, and had to do with my SD card and the touch screen (as described in my thread). Formatted the SD card and no problems since. Wonder if it’s just 3.6 that bugs out with the SD cards or something specific on the SD cards.


I saw your thread. Nice the SD card fixed your issue!

Me... I tried a different SDXC card, newly formatted... and it didn't fix it. Also tried no SD card at all; same thing, didn't fix it.

What worked (for now... need further testing) was a simple Reset Pref.

I didn't do it at first... because it's a brand new machine (well, at least refurbed, inspected & tested by inMusic) and I thought it was already reset from factory.



Got the X SE just a few weeks ago, it was first on 3.5. I also updated to newest 3.6 recently.
But, the unresponsive touchscreen was happening on both FWs.

It was getting bad yesterday... couldn't even get past New Project opening page; so force rebooted it +8x and couldn't get past the "MPC Restart - Your MPC was not properly shut down..." cuz couldn't hit OK.

But, eventually got it working briefly again... so, started prepping for returning it (log out of inMusic and Reset Pref)... was curious, so I tested it and it works fine again.

I've been restarting it all day, trying to recreate problem; but, I can't and it keeps working properly.


So, perhaps the “Reset Factory Preferences” fixed it.

I’m not 100% sure yet… I need to test/use the machine for a couple days or a week to make sure (the unresponsive screen was happening daily, randomly while using it).
(rather keep it... since packing it back up is a hassle, it's also pretty much new condition)

If the unresponsive-touchscreen happens again, then it for sure needs an exchange.
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