AKAI MPC Live First Impressions

In this video, sound designer Aiyn Zahev shares his first impression of the new AKAI MPC Live.

Topics covered in the video include:

1:27 Stability
2:49 Routing
4:29 Filters
8:14 Legacy Emulation
9:40 Effects
14:15 Touch Screen Response
15:40 Battery Life
15:58 Grid View
17:13 Automation
18:58 Modulation
22:34 Chop Mode
23:24 MPC Software

The MPC Live expands on the production workflow of the MPC Touch by adding standalone functionality. It offers a full-color 7-inch multi-touch screen, 16 velocity- and pressure-sensitive RGB pads, and a large, clickable master encoder knob.

The MPC Live is designed to be both portable and powerful, with 2GB of RAM, 16GB of on-board storage, and a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.

Pricing and Availability

The MPC Live is available now with a street price of US $1,199.

14 thoughts on “AKAI MPC Live First Impressions

  1. Excellent overview vid – thanks for sharing! I’m looking forward to getting this unit, particularly if they implement Ableton link support. That will be as far as I see the best way to sync Ableton with my hardware world.

  2. In specs and concept this could be the ultimate dedicated hardware solution for composition, production and performance. Everything i want from a sequencer/sampler and then some. Great UI, solid construction, expressive pads, sleek design, portability, lots of connectivity options…

    But Akai being Akai, it seems they’re once again rolling out a product that’s not nearly finished. I’ve read reports of firmware crashes, UI inconsistencies, erratic behavior, …

    Is this the MPC1000 all over again? Ridden with bugs Akai never cared to resolve, the only reason they are still in use is because a (presumably) disgruntled Akai firmware developer created a proper elegant firmware that made it do what it was supposed to.

    Perhaps they should just release the OS source code straight away.

  3. too few inputs, too few outputs, no sidechaining (WTF?), too pricey –> no deal. thanks for this video!

  4. 24:20 -> “The MPC live really feels like the old MPCs”

    Question:
    What is the oldest MPC you have tried? Akai mpc renaissance? :S

    1. MPC 2000XL is the oldest, then the 2500 and 5000. Sequences, tracks, programs, song modes. This is an Akai workflow that’s shared on all of them. That’s what I meant.

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