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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By Neodymium Sat Jul 11, 2026 7:29 am
Did you add the price for the Pro Pack to your calculation? IMHO for any MPC newbie an MPC3 without the clip matrix is only half of the cake.[/quote]

I've been away from things, and noticed the Blue MPC One on youtube. My MPC One needs new Q Link encoders. I went back to the UK and InMusic said I could order them in the UK, with an 8 week lead time, but it was 4 week before I would arrive. So I keep putting off getting them. Knowing now that I can get an new modern MPC One, and that I like blue, for about the same price as my current model is great. I had a this feeling the new MPC One was going to be a step up in price, but I was wrong. It's a shame that you still need to get the Pro Pack, but it is half the price. So I am going to hold off on ordering the Q Link encoders and the Pro Pack until I am in a place to make a good decisions. No point paying full price for the Pro Pack if I am going to move to the newer model.

Seeing 3.9 and wavetables being part of drum programs and not a separate plugin is fantastic I've posted about this as a wish list several time, but to see them do it and add FM and RM with so many layers has taken me back. From a synthesis point of view this is really unique. I'm not sure how I feel about my hydrasynth now. So I don't know if Akai devalues the MPC Key 61, but it's may have just don so for my Hydrasynth and LSR-02 drum synthesiser.
By Johnny English Sun Jul 12, 2026 7:30 am
B-Wise wrote:
Johnny English wrote:The keyboard I use the most is from 2007.

Damn, that's 2 decades!
What do you use & why do you like it?


I typically play one of it's EP sounds or its primary piano sound. They are all quality though not up to the realistic levels that some newer boards have, but the sound is pleasing to listen to. I actually like more than most new boards. I particularly like the action. It might be my favorite weighted action of any keybed I've ever played. It's terrible for organ playing though.
By altruistica Sun Jul 12, 2026 9:30 am
I just ordered the MPC XL.
I've always loved Akai products, probably my favourite was the DPS24.
After buying a Force a few years back I could see that one day clip mode would come to the MPC. After hooking up my NI Komplete Kontrol 8 MK2 to the Key 61, I was happy with the piano sounds on the unit, something I haven't been happy with when using the Keys own keyboard. I don't think Akai are going to bring out a Key 73 or Key 88 with a decent keyboard and also if they did, it wouldn't have the real estate that an XL has. So, I decided that I wanted to try an XL with the KK88 and if it works I'll keep it and if not, send it back. I've never liked working a DAW even in my early Atari STE days with Steinbergs Pro24. It always feels unmusical to me. Working with Presonus Studio One for the last eight years has been bearable but even with a Presonus Studiolive Series 3 mixer, I never felt as happy as when I'm working within the MPC ecosystem.
By B-Wise Sun Jul 12, 2026 10:29 am
Johnny English wrote:I typically play one of it's EP sounds or its primary piano sound. They are all quality though not up to the realistic levels that some newer boards have, but the sound is pleasing to listen to. I actually like more than most new boards. I particularly like the action. It might be my favorite weighted action of any keybed I've ever played. It's terrible for organ playing though.


I was asking what model keyboard do you use. What "It" are you talking about? :lol:
By Johnny English Sun Jul 12, 2026 9:11 pm
B-Wise wrote:
Johnny English wrote:I typically play one of it's EP sounds or its primary piano sound. They are all quality though not up to the realistic levels that some newer boards have, but the sound is pleasing to listen to. I actually like more than most new boards. I particularly like the action. It might be my favorite weighted action of any keybed I've ever played. It's terrible for organ playing though.


I was asking what model keyboard do you use. What "It" are you talking about? :lol:


Sorry, I was a bit elevated for a second. It's a Motif XS8.