Akai Pro MPC Key 61, firmware 2.10 leaks new MPC keyboard sampler workstation

[trusampler]

https://www.synthanatomy.com/2021/07/ak ... ation.html

[antic604]

Wow, I would buy this in an instant!

[apoclypse]

Wow, I would buy this in an instant!

Same here. I was ready to buy when tI thought it was going to be a Force keyboard. An MPC Keyboard makes even more sense imo.

[kcearl]

Isnt this that Force 6 that folks posted a while back?

Wonder what kinda price this’ll hit…

[apoclypse]

Isnt this that Force 6 that folks posted a while back?

Wonder what kinda price this’ll hit…

If it's about the same price as MODX maybe a little less than the Nautilus it wouldn't be too bad imo.

[SLiC]

I cant see this is a big leap for AKAI, just and MPC and or a Force in a MPK61 case (the latter go for around £300) so this could be around £1200 (could be under £1000 in the shops)

[kcearl]

I think the price will determine sales...Ive got three of the new line and Id buy this, but not if its more than an X....$1500-1700 range then I think id add it. The only issue I have is it using the current beta version of the Forces disk streaming. With keys Id definitely want more indepth keygroups, so thats either more ram or disk streaming not just being utilised for recorded audio files or longer samples/loops....so this could be a v3 machine, looks fantastic though.

[SLiC]

I wonder what the thing is to the left of the pads, I thought it was a touch strip for modulation but there is already a pitch and mod wheel- VU meter?!

[lfm]

If they stick to the 10" screen it could be a Kronos killer, just about. Maybe increasing to 16 audio tracks too. I mean MPC X has 128 midi tracks each sequence, not just 16 as Kronos.

You have 2 midi inports, 4 midi out ports - that is seriously good to start with. Then Akai has big ears, a firmware update, and also manage to increase midi ports if class compliant with external ones that you use for computers. Akai are really serious about this concept as it seems to me.

I am looking for a used Oasys which has 10" to possibly have something that I could stay working on for a full day, tilted upwards etc. Have no clue how they went down to Kronos if 7"-8" or whatever and flat.

About displays - my cheapest $400 DSLR camera has wifi that can be used with a tablet or something to increase size of display. It also has mini hdmi.

Why don't they make either Hdmi or wifi on workstations I wonder????
So at least while working get decent size, for people giging might not need for live use.

Not even Nautilus did Korg increase display size as I recall.

Korg did a mixer in collaboration with Mackie, which I believe has ability with an extra larger display.

A lot of good thinking on Akai part I think.

[apoclypse]

I wonder what the thing is to the left of the pads, I thought it was a touch strip for modulation but there is already a pitch and mod wheel- VU meter?!

It looks like a touch strip to me but it’s really hard to tell in the pic. Since there are no faders I can see them using that as a fader rather than modulating parameters.

[Schmidi]

Exciting stuff! Love my Live mk1. Best piece of music gear I've ever owned, and I've never seen another music device receive so many amazing updates in my 42 years. Would replace it in a heartbeat if it was gone. This may be it's big brother someday!

[bmanic]

If they stick to the 10" screen it could be a Kronos killer, just about. Maybe increasing to 16 audio tracks too. I mean MPC X has 128 midi tracks each sequence, not just 16 as Kronos.

It would take a lot more than just hardware to be a "Kronos killer". I suspect the AKAI MPC Key 61 would be identical in operation to the current MPC Live/Live2/X/One, meaning it is _extremely_ simplistic when it comes to it's basic sampler synthesis capabilities and extremely simplistic in some other ways too.

For instance, we just now with this latest update (2.10) finally got a pitch envelope for the samples. We still have no real way of changing the polarity of anything recorded.. samples nor audio tracks. Also, none of the envelopes (except the latest new pitch envelope) nor LFOs have a way to be bi-polar or any control over the direction they are modulating. They also have no way of being controlled in how they are triggered (even in legato mode, which we just got for the portamento feature, the envelopes are retriggering every time.. same with LFO).

So just in basic synthesis/sampling terms, the AKAI MPC series is stuck in the stone age.


.. so no, it ain't no <insert older established brand product here> killer.

[kcearl]

If they stick to the 10" screen it could be a Kronos killer, just about. Maybe increasing to 16 audio tracks too. I mean MPC X has 128 midi tracks each sequence, not just 16 as Kronos.

It would take a lot more than just hardware to be a "Kronos killer". I suspect the AKAI MPC Key 61 would be identical in operation to the current MPC Live/Live2/X/One, meaning it is _extremely_ simplistic when it comes to it's basic sampler synthesis capabilities and extremely simplistic in some other ways too.

For instance, we just now with this latest update (2.10) finally got a pitch envelope for the samples. We still have no real way of changing the polarity of anything recorded.. samples nor audio tracks. Also, none of the envelopes (except the latest new pitch envelope) nor LFOs have a way to be bi-polar or any control over the direction they are modulating. They also have no way of being controlled in how they are triggered (even in legato mode, which we just got for the portamento feature, the envelopes are retriggering every time.. same with LFO).

So just in basic synthesis/sampling terms, the AKAI MPC series is stuck in the stone age.


.. so no, it ain't no <insert older established brand product here> killer.

I agree, I think this is purely for those who want an mpc in this format…when the extent of your sampling is four layer one stride that will take up half your ram your not going to be running multiple instances of acoustic instruments with fx, its not going to be a workstation killer.

But every akai I have needs a master keyboard, so this could be aimed at someone like me as a studio centerpiece, or for live playing obviously.

I dont have room for this but Id maybe make room at the right price…personally Id love the battery option with speakers, only because I bought my daughter one of the new psr flagships and its fun in this format. Having a $1500 portable keyboard mpc with speakers would be awesome…it wont be though

[apoclypse]

If they stick to the 10" screen it could be a Kronos killer, just about. Maybe increasing to 16 audio tracks too. I mean MPC X has 128 midi tracks each sequence, not just 16 as Kronos.

It would take a lot more than just hardware to be a "Kronos killer". I suspect the AKAI MPC Key 61 would be identical in operation to the current MPC Live/Live2/X/One, meaning it is _extremely_ simplistic when it comes to it's basic sampler synthesis capabilities and extremely simplistic in some other ways too.

For instance, we just now with this latest update (2.10) finally got a pitch envelope for the samples. We still have no real way of changing the polarity of anything recorded.. samples nor audio tracks. Also, none of the envelopes (except the latest new pitch envelope) nor LFOs have a way to be bi-polar or any control over the direction they are modulating. They also have no way of being controlled in how they are triggered (even in legato mode, which we just got for the portamento feature, the envelopes are retriggering every time.. same with LFO).

So just in basic synthesis/sampling terms, the AKAI MPC series is stuck in the stone age.


.. so no, it ain't no <insert older established brand product here> killer.

You've been banging this drum wherever you go.

The MPC may not be a Kronos killer, but it's simpler to use overall than a Kronos and that may be enough for some people. Also as far as I remember (and it's been a while) the Kronos doesn't have polarity options either for audio recording.

I agree that modulation should be bi-polar and I'm hoping Akai addresses that at some point. They are probably worried about breaking legacy patches as it could effectively break LFO on existing program patches if not done correctly. The sampler needs an overhaul but I think they will leave that for a 3.0 release where they can more easily drop legacy.

[bmanic]

I've been fighting ignorance. Hence the banging of the drum. People seem to be so easily impressed by simple hardware numbers or this and that.. without actually knowing what makes a synthesizer a synthesizer or a dedicated sampler a proper dedicated sampler. Even users that only rely on presets, will in fact benefit from all the tiny bells and whistles of a synthesizers or samplers capabilities due to 3rd parties being able to create better preset/sample packs. Thus the "tiny" details matter.

So if somebody throws out hyperbole, I will respond so as to leave a record of actual facts and to temper the hyperbole. The current MPC product lineup, while pretty damn awesome, are very far from perfect and definitely not in the same category as something like a Korg Kronos.

Then again, we are speculating on a yet not released product. Who knows, maybe AKAI will deliver version 3.0 of the firmware at the time of the 61 Key launch and it'll indeed be as capable.. but I wouldn't count on it. The Kronos is a Kronos due to many different reasons and features.. pretty much none of these something that AKAI has ever explored before so the comparison is probably quite silly. Hence the original reply.