Will MPC Key be discontinued?

I have been strongly considering buying an Akai MPC Key 61 and watching tons of youtube videos and reading a bunch online. I noticed that the prices are dropping and they are constantly on sale. I also read in a few online forums and comments on youtube that Akai is discontinuing the MPC KEY series and that retailers are selling their stock and not resupplying. Is this true? My concern is that these type of devices rely A LOT on online support and software updates to even be able to function and if they become discontinued and updates stop then they will become fancy paperweights. Had anyone else heard these rumours? Thanks. This would be a HUGE purchase for me so I want to make sure it would work for a long time.

No one knows what akais plans are, but discontinued really just means they stop manufacturing new units. The software continues to work and is the same software used in other models (e.g mpc one, mpc x etc). At some point many years in the future they might decide to stop making firmware updates for gen1 models, but even then, your unit will continue to work, just no more new updates.

I was considering one but decided to wait for namm. I also read horror story’s about the keybed but I don’t know if that has any truth to it.

MPC-Tutor wrote:No one knows what akais plans are, but discontinued really just means they stop manufacturing new units. The software continues to work and is the same software used in other models (e.g mpc one, mpc x etc). At some point many years in the future they might decide to stop making firmware updates for gen1 models, but even then, your unit will continue to work, just no more new updates.

Thank you for the clarification about it still functioning the same if the company possibly stops doing firmware updates.

Ordinairy_Rebel wrote:I was considering one but decided to wait for namm. I also read horror story’s about the keybed but I don’t know if that has any truth to it.

I have read the same things. To fund this purchase I am considering selling my Yamaha CK61 so aside from the inferior keybed I would be switching to I also am curious how the akai digital vst voices will compare with the stock sounds in the CK61. The convenience and inspiration of having the ability of making and editing songs on the unit are only worth it if the sounds and playability are comparable to my personal drum machines keyboards and synths.

IMO the key61 is still not a 'workstation' in the same vein as actual dedicated workstations, it's still ultimately an MPC with an integrated keyboard with workstation like qualities squeezed into the existing framework. Quality of sounds 'out of the box' are probably just as good if not better than your Yamaha, but I suspect loading times of each patch may be much more sluggish and overall workflow might be more convoluted. However it is of course more powerful and capable of significantly more than your Yamaha, if you need that stuff of course.

I would highly recommend you try a key61 first, or at least purchase from somewhere with a no-quibble return policy.

MPC-Tutor wrote:IMO the key61 is still not a 'workstation' in the same vein as actual dedicated workstations, it's still ultimately an MPC with an integrated keyboard with workstation like qualities squeezed into the existing framework. Quality of sounds 'out of the box' are probably just as good if not better than your Yamaha, but I suspect loading times of each patch may be much more sluggish and overall workflow might be more convoluted. However it is of course more powerful and capable of significantly more than your Yamaha, if you need that stuff of course.

I would highly recommend you try a key61 first, or at least purchase from somewhere with a no-quibble return policy.

Great idea! I’m currently plugging in various instruments into my DAW Garageband uising a Presonus interface “as is” basically already having the sounds already and doing rudimentary recordings trying to quantize and make adjustments by ear. Having the deep control depth and ability to edit the sounds so much and options of sequencing the various drums and keyboards in perfect quantized sync and tapping a menu screen and editing the instrument sounds with hundreds of effects and creating a perfect 8 track recording sounds amazing. Most of these things I could do with a better DAW than Garageband so I guess it will be a choice on whether to learn and work on this process with the MPC KEY 61 an “all in one” device or just plug nunerous devices into the computer and do it that way.

Akai is discontinuing the MPC KEY series

This statement is completely baseless. The MPC Key 37 is a TOP SELLER in many shops including Thomann. In fact, it sells more than the MPC One+. Now for the MPC Key 61 it might be different, but absolutely nothing hints at the end of that series, quite the contrary...


I don't think it's useful to spread unsubstantiated rumors like that.

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This needs to be on billboards.

People are still making bangers with 60s & 3k. The current MPC are waaaaay more powerful & people are worried about out it not being the latest & greatest. Half the time its these same people that just want to make music that could've been made the current models & even the classic units.

i think all of the current models (X, Keys 61/37/, One+) will be replaced by versions with the Live 3 specs eventually. how soon . . . who can say? if you need it today, i wouldn't wait for the bump up that is (probably) coming somewhere down the line

chrisroland wrote:i think all of the current models (X, Keys 61/37/, One+) will be replaced by versions with the Live 3 specs eventually. how soon . . . who can say? if you need it today, i wouldn't wait for the bump up that is (probably) coming somewhere down the line

Thanks for your insights, do you think that akai will have a firmware update to update the mpc key 61 to use the future workflow system and new sounds or will I have to buy the newest hardware device? I don’t want to drop $1500 and then in a few months have akai say “oh we now have the mpc futura line with all new features, uh that mpc key 61 no longer supports the new operating system.”

R0ckAndR0ll wrote:

chrisroland wrote:i think all of the current models (X, Keys 61/37/, One+) will be replaced by versions with the Live 3 specs eventually. how soon . . . who can say? if you need it today, i wouldn't wait for the bump up that is (probably) coming somewhere down the line

Thanks for your insights, do you think that akai will have a firmware update to update the mpc key 61 to use the future workflow system and new sounds or will I have to buy the newest hardware device? I don’t want to drop $1500 and then in a few months have akai say “oh we now have the mpc futura line with all new features, uh that mpc key 61 no longer supports the new operating system.”

that's mostly the Pro Pack currently. so i think they'll keep older models backward compatible as much as possible. but end of the day the new specs are the new specs

The MPCKey61 is one of the best pieces of gear I have ever owned. I'm 62, so I've owned a lot of gear over the years. The keybed is pretty awful. Also, the keys are shorter in length than usual which makes it difficult to get into the black notes. I presume the designers never approached a good keyboard player or pianist when they produced the prototype because it is a real shortcomingm on what is otherwise a game-changer.
That said, the specs on the new MPC Live 3 hint at either a new MPC or hopefully a new MPC Key machine may be released next. I would love a 73 note version with a semi-weighted keybed. I once owned an EMU E4K and the keybed on that machine was truly fantastic. That said, the Key61 is a machine I could have only dreamed of when I was composing TV jingles in the late 1980s and 1990s. Used with a Tascam Model24, I now have a studio that replaced tons of gear.

altruistica wrote:The MPCKey61 is one of the best pieces of gear I have ever owned. I'm 62, so I've owned a lot of gear over the years. The keybed is pretty awful. Also, the keys are shorter in length than usual which makes it difficult to get into the black notes. I presume the designers never approached a good keyboard player or pianist when they produced the prototype because it is a real shortcomingm on what is otherwise a game-changer.
That said, the specs on the new MPC Live 3 hint at either a new MPC or hopefully a new MPC Key machine may be released next. I would love a 73 note version with a semi-weighted keybed. I once owned an EMU E4K and the keybed on that machine was truly fantastic. That said, the Key61 is a machine I could have only dreamed of when I was composing TV jingles in the late 1980s and 1990s. Used with a Tascam Model24, I now have a studio that replaced tons of gear.

Thank you for your input.
1- How do the virtual plug ins instruments compare to a traditional keyboard (I have a yamaha ck61)? I would have to sell my ck61 to buy this and the convenience would be great having a sampler, daw and sounds all inside of one device but I do have the ck61, a roland sp404a and garageband daw on my macbook. I would be selling some things to get the “all in one box” mpc key 61.
2- How difficult is it to figure out how to make songs with the mpc key using the workflow on the mpc key 61? I use garageband because it has the easiest daw. I’m not computer tech savy. I have watched a million youtube videos on making a quick beat or song but I value your opinion.