Akai Pro Intros New Standalone Touchscreen MPC X With Touchscreen Display, CV Support & More

Akai Professional today announced the newest addition to its iconic MPC line, the MPC X. 

The MPC X is what many MPC fans have been asking for – a modern, standalone MPC. It offers the standard MPC controls and connectivity that you’d expect, including 16 velocity- and pressure-sensitive RGB pads, but also features a large color multi-touch screen.

The MPC X also offers impressive connectivity. I/O includes 6 DIN MIDI connections, dual USB MIDI connections, 8 audio outs, 8 CV/Gate outputs; line, mic and phono inputs; and more. So it builds on the MIDI connectivity of the MPC 5000, adds control of USB MIDI devices and can even sequence your analog gear.

Rounding out the controls are dedicated menu buttons, a large master encoder knob and 16 touch-sensitive 360° assignable pots (Q- Links) with OLED displays, designed for precisely automating individual parameters.

Here’s the official intro video:

Powering the MPC X is MPC 2.0, the latest version of Akai Pro’s MPC software.

Capable of running natively on the MPC X in standalone mode, MPC 2.0 can also be run from a Mac or PC with the MPC X connected to a computer. Among the new features added to 2.0 are: audio track recording, an improved time warp algorithm, enhanced Q-Link control, drag and drop audio/MIDI – all appearing on a new graphical interface.

Features:

  • Standalone MPC – no computer required
  • 10.1” full-color multi-touch display
  • Also acts as a control surface for MPC 2.0 software
  • Internal, rechargeable lithium-ion battery
  • 2 RCA phono inputs with ground peg
  • 16GB of on-board storage (over 10GB of sound content included)
  • User-expandable 2.5” SATA drive connector (SSD or HDD)
  • 4 full-size MIDI inputs, 2 full-size MIDI Outputs
  • CV/Gate outputs enabling the analog control of modular gear, such as classic synths
  • 2 USB-A 3.0 slots for thumb drives or MIDI controllers

“We wanted to preserve the classic MPC feel and workflow that people love,” said Dan Gill, Product Manager for Akai Professional. “But we turned the idea on its head and incorporated the best of what a modern touch-screen interface can offer. What we have now is the most powerful MPC production experience ever.”

Here’s a video that demos the MPC X in action, features producer Bryan Michael-Cox (Chris Brown, Justin Bieber, Trey Songz, Mary J. Blige). Plugging his MIDI keyboard and external hard drive directly into the new MPC X, he creates a track on the fly, using the sounds contained in the X and a few hand-picked samples. No computers were used.

Pricing and Availability

inMusic will be debuting the Akai Pro MPC X later this month at The 2017 NAMM Show.

The MPC X is expected to be available in Q1 2017, priced at US $1999. For more information, visit akaipro.com.

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83 thoughts on “Akai Pro Intros New Standalone Touchscreen MPC X With Touchscreen Display, CV Support & More”

  2. Wow, never been an MPC user myself but looks like Akai really took the effort to make a great product here instead of cutting corners. The little things like multiple full-size MIDI ports, USB hub, ¼ and 1/8 headphone jacks, dual pedal inputs, front and rear inputs etc that take a product from good to excellent.
    Nice to see after so many have baked releases from Akai over the recent years.

    1. I really gotta wonder whether the slew of quasi-mpc “hardware” (which amounted to little more than midi controllers for their MPC software) were all a part of keeping the brand alive/relevant (only partially successful in my eyes) while nailing down the software for the purposes of a real standalone MPC revival.

      It’s definitely possible. I anxiously await the release and reviews.

  3. As a die hard MPC user, seeing this fills me up with joy. I am really hoping this is not a dud, and that everything is ironed out, no crashes etc. Really happy to see this, don’t disappoint me Akai

  11. I love it!!!! I start in the 80s using hardware sequencers and samplers and these is the perfect modern solution for my workflow!!! Thanks AKAI!!!

  12. Im going to bet that there is something funky and super limiting about the standalone mode. As long as standalone mode can do everything, lets say, an mpc 2000xl can do, it should be fine. The moment its limiting in the regard of only 1 bank in standalone, or limited editing like you can only normalize when plugged in, something goofy like that. I’m pretty sure thats going to be the case given their track record and the amount of returns you see with the MPC touch. Like it never existed. But part of me wants them to have got it right. For reals!
    No FX in standalone, not that big a deal, the MPC effects always sucked(The 5000 has a few nice ones, the 400 did as well but was a clunky disaster).
    We are waiting for the first video, if they are real mysterious with the standalone mode then thats a red flag. Like the Pioneer sampler and the mysterious omission of sample editing until after their first set of videos sprung up.

    1. As I understand it, this MPC basically has an embedded version of Windows on it, so it’s essentially running the same application, whether it’s plugged to a computer or not.

      Obviously, running on a computer is going to let you expand its capabilities by using it with your DAW or other plugins.

    2. Def waiting for the other shoe to drop. It says nothing about swing, so maybe that’s gone? Or 16 bit 44.1k sample rate or something. There’s definitely a few specs missing I’d be interested in.

      This is InMusic after all, so I am preparing for the disappointment.

  13. I see there are a few happy people posters , guess its got some people excited. I just cant get excited about rehashing the MPC again, this type of workflow is dead to me and would actually be a hindrance to me as it would sit outside of my current workflow.

    For me this is just more evidence of how few new ideas AKAI have, how far behind they are. No doubt, some will love this, I get it but AKAI really need to up their game if they want to create a MUST BUY for the masses, this is a million miles from that.

    The tech for this is 10 years old at least, its 10 years too late and already outdated.

    1. being able to host usb midi and all of the multi ins and outs are not backwards at all, it is pretty forward thinking considering the needs of the community – I don’t see it making a big splash though for the price considering the alternatives in the market

    2. For years I’ve been reading forums full of people begging akai to make a new standalone MPC. So it seems that this workflow is definitely not dead. Personally, Ive never touched an MPC… but this thing looks damn awesome.

      1. exactly my point, people have been asking for it for years, and not its come out years later.. you are making my point for me.

        1. No, they are not making your point for you. Are pianos outdated? Because you have stopped using a particular workflow, that workflow is outdated? You have a serious ego.

          1. Obviously i’m suggesting that instead of giving people what they wanted years ago, they’ve released it years too late, this tech seems very dated to me, stand alone workstations feel very last decade.

            ….and its like AKAI… their current reputation for updates and fixes is dismal and they.. well.. they made recently the frankly laughable two worst synths created in living history.

            Obviously this thing has its place, some people will love it, I get that, I may have got excited about it if it were released 10 years ago but today, today it feels tired and niche and I bet they dont sell these in massive numbers.

    3. Not sure how you can call this outdated when there’s literally nothing else ever made that has the connectivity and capabilities that this has.

      What else lets you sequence 64 channels of MIDI, sample and chop and sequence audio, and sequence your analog gear, too?

      There’s been a huge swing back to hardware workflows, and so there’s a lot of people looking for a powerful sequencer. Look at how popular the Novation Circuit has been – but it’s designed to be an entry level box, this is designed for pros.

        1. Yes because PC’s have all the knobs and functionality to modulate and change paremeters on the fly, whilst sequencing multiple instruments all in real time, live.. ??? ~_~

          This is a different beast all together and I’m hoping the MPC X clip launches too just as the MPC live does.

          1. A laptop running albeton live + pro card + controller like maschine could do a lot more than that, remember MPC 2.0 is just the windows app running on a embedded windows host so if anything you are limiting yourself to just this app, where if you were running MPC 2.0 in windows on a laptop you would access to much more stuff.

            for me this is not not really bringing anything new to the game, my 5 years ago had more scope.

            2. Right, and you’ve just named 3 products you’ll need just to do that. Don’t you get it? And you’re also forgetting a sequencer which is number 4. And I bet you (excluding the laptop) those 3 products work out more expensive than this MPC X. Machine studio, how much? Squarp Pyramid sequencer is £620. And then comes a fairly packed soundcard that accommodates the same amount of connectivity that the MPC does and you’re talking close to or more than £1000.

        2. So many of us Do NOT want to use a computer for music. This is a godsend. Bravo Akai for making a professional product at last.

    4. In order to understand the MPC workflow you should use one for a while and know how to use it well.
      Only then will you understand that it is as relevant today as it ever was. You don’t have to create your whole song in there, but to get ideas going it’s priceless.

  15. pricey but really nice – I don’t know if I could justify 2gs on it considering I could get a new high end laptop + really nice audio interface for as much but it really is damned cool

    1. What’s the laptop going to be worth in a year?

      The price is up there, but seems pretty reasonable to me when you look at what you get and what classic MPCs go for. At least on paper, this looks like it can do tons of things that older MPCs can’t do, especially the analog sequencing, and that makes it a lot more appealing to me.

      For people that are already into MPC-style production, this looks like it could be a winner. IF Akai has crossed their t’s and dotted their i’s.

  17. damn this thing is a superbeast… unlike the last few “modern” MPCs, this one looks really up to speed and very well done

  18. I, personally, haven’t used an MPC at all, but have several friends that have been using them for Hip-Hop production since the MPC60 back in 1988. They will be thrilled to see this, and no doubt will shell out the full asking price without hesitation.

    Note:
    It looks like there is an error in the features list above: -> 4 full-size MIDI inputs, 2 full-size MIDI Outputs <-

    Should be: 4-OUT and 2-IN

  19. On specs alone – incredible. Not a huge touch screen fan, but willing to give it a shot here. Akai could do themselves a favor by being a bit more clear with specs; there is no need to dumb down what they are offering here.

    1. I recently got a Korg Krome. Has a touchscreen which i was not all about. Now, its pretty sweet once it works into your muscle memory. Instead of scrolling with a knob, you just touch and swipe, pretty fancy stuff. You may come around, you know. And they are shady with the specs. Like they just invented a new box no one has ever heard about, its a dam sampler, give me the dirt, right!

    2. Look closely at the end of the QuickStart guide:
      Processor RAM
      Storage
      1.8 GHz quad-core ARM® Cortex® A17 processor
      2 GB
      16 GB (user storage, 10 GB pre-installed content), 4 GB (MPC operating system)

      So – looks like it’s at least not an embedded windows

  20. Really digging the discussion in here and the lack of douchey-ness towards another poster. Good stuff (So sarcasm) But all in all its a step in the right direction. We can all believe that each music company should put out a version of every mass marketing piece of gear but that shouldnt be the case. They should stay in their lane. Akai with samplers, korg with synths and workstations, roland with effects, multitrack recorders and synths, yamaha with whatever the hell they make, and behringer with shit mixers, etc. So they are making the correct move since we’ve seen what happens with other companies who make samplers, ebay sells more used mpc’s once you try them out ***maschine***cough****. And i loved maschine, just felt weird having a great pad/software sampler with a BILLION other softsynths i didnt want or need and a very limiting software interface.
    So again, lets hope they didnt cut anything essential out like swing, or all those other little nuggets you use but dont think about much. Wait till they are gone, like ADSR to AD, or filtering without the 2nd filter and no lfo’s for vibrato. You’d miss those things.

  21. a reminder, fanboys: the renaissance was a public beta. in order to have a stable 2.0 firmware nukai has to sell lots of mpc x´s. their owners have to report bugs to andy avgousti´s mpc forums, then pete goodliffe has to read the dedicated bug thread, then he has to code again, then nukai has to release an update, then other bugs occur, then… etc. nope, akai is not roland. not even pioneer. their toraiz runs smoothly. i´m no longer interested in nukai stuff. i hope roland is coming with their acb sampler to namm. according to “tha knoq” – who was whistleblowing at gearslutz – it will be a “16-pad sampler/workstation”. the serato/roland dj808 is crap due to the fact that it costs $1,500 and has no display.

  22. Looks sexy. I was skeptical of the 16 Q-Links but the OLED displays make up for the lack of faders.

    While I like the I/o configuration I wish they would have went the modular route and enabled users to personalize thier unit by swapping out cards.

    Maybe I want 16 outs and don’t need midi. Maybe I want additional inputs so I can route all my hardware synths into my MPC.

    I also wish they added X/Y controlls to the pads like Quneo.

  23. Wow this one has everything a new stand-alone workstation needs 😀

    I wonder if it also has “Vintage emulation” like the akai mpc resistance..

    1. they dropped the epileptic-theme…damn….my eyes! hard to watch that fullscreen..it hurtz!
      😉
      but yes…a new MPC for all the lovers of it.

      sold my machine mikro before christmas, because of the missing standalone-factor..so the MPC Live would be my type of choice..not sure about that touchscreening…but first hands on and then see. but anyway .. 2017…has just begun…

  30. Who uses an MPC now except for rappers? Don’t know anybody using MPCs anymore since Push2 came on the scene. Let’s see what sounds this thing make, but for my trance genre, this seems useless at 2,000 dollars. But good to see innovation for all genres of music.

    3. I use an MPC for sequencing electronic studio jams ALL THE TIME. It is by far my favorite hardware sequencer of all time, the sampling portion is really just a bonus for me. 9 times out of 10 I do not use a single sample when working with my MPC.

      For all of it’s flaws, the MPC still holds up as the central brain for my entire rig.

  31. kind of funny how the tides turn. just a short while ago NI was taunting akai with the maschine studio, only to themselves just turn to milking and alienating their userbase. i for one am done with NI and the komplete mismanagement of the maschine product line.

    good on akai. have to wonder how the stability is, presuming these are w10 embedded systems.

  32. I’m suprised it took so long well done akai , though I’d be very curious to see what the processor and ram limitations are before I completely commit , as well as what the competition will have on offer over the next Few months , companies should take note – a lot of folk want the freedom to create in the box abd have that tactility

  33. I do not understand why people feel the need to trash a product they do not want that isn’t even out yet. The MPC doesn’t really fit my workflow, but it looks like it will make sense for a lot of people. If using a laptop makes more sense to you, why are you trying to force your workflow upon others? That’s pretty immature and close minded. Oh wait, this is synthtopia. Carry on.

  34. It really is just a weak touch screen PC with a built in midi controller. For $2000 you can a powerful Pro 4 and your pick of much more sophisticated midi controller + interface.

    Its great that Akai are trying but IMHO there simply trying to exploit the less computer literate musician sector by offering a wolf in sheeps clothing here.

    That said the bespoke touch screen software may be what lifts this above what’s available for any other touch screen devices. That’s where the niche may lie.

    2. “It really is just a weak touch screen PC with a built in midi controller.”

      Forgetting about the touch screen part for a second…… what does that make every other MPC ever? They all have run on an OS, they all basically feature pads which trigger sounds that have been loaded into RAM, therefore glorified controllers. I just don’t see the difference between Akai building their own OS and using a relatively stable OS from Microsoft to build upon. If anything, that’ll be an improvement (I hope).

      At the end of the day, they aren’t exploiting the less-computer literate. They are filling the gap in the market that wants a STANDALONE solution that isn’t a giant 88 key workstation. I personally cannot stand getting in front of a computer to write/play music. I like sitting in front of a machine that was designed and built specifically with Music Production in mind. I don’t want to even have the choice to check my email, look at facebook, scan Bandcamp or Soundcloud, Browse Youtube, spend hours downloading VSTs & AUs just cause I can, etc. etc. etc.

  36. Great news from Akai. They have had a couple missteps, but what company hasn’t? I won’t be getting this as it doesn’t really click with my workflow, but am interested to see some reviews on it and possibly play it myself someime in the future. I’ve been playing a long time, and it’s a good time to be into hardware.

  38. People wondering what the Live and X can do should mostly look into what the 2.0 software can do. You want a list of features, it ‘s in the software. A lot of speculation can be quelled, like someone worrying that an MPC won’t come with a Swing feature. LOL.

  40. As an eurorack modular user one knows that having the ability to record and sequence cv and gates ( and triggers) from modular sources ( like CV controllable envelope generators, randomizers, function generators, frequency to voltage generators and all the possible voltage manipulation that the modular world offers) is something that every eurorack user wants and haven´t been offered much yet ( at least not in a flexible and practical module). So if MPC X doesn´t have the ability to do this , but instead it just converts external MIDI or MIDI notes programmed in the piano roll display to CV before the output, then possibilities for modular and analogue synth users are not that impressive, i think. Older MPCs can already sample pulses that can be used as trigger and one can always use MIDI to CV converters. But if the new MPC X could record CV from the AUDIO inputs ( as some devices do) or a dedicated CV input , then it would be awesome to sample, assign to pad and RECORD CV- GATE SEQUENCES before the outputs.

    The new touch display sequencer controller is beautiful , using it with recorded cv-gate would make this the best possible controller for modular and analog gear users

    I hope that day will come

  43. Hi,

    I’m an MPC 1000 user and am seriously switching over to the MPC x…what it’s not clear to me – or I may have not read well, is whether it keeps the 64-track sequencer for external instruments in addition to the 8 audio tracks.

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