New Akai MPC

[i3igTripplets]

lol

too bad starving student already got the beat thang..

lol I only had it for a few days

[cmreal04]

WTF! Why won't akai let me give them my money. The studio looks like a piece of crap, the pads on the new "mpc's" probably suck just like every other version they've released after the mpd24. I know I know just go to mpc stuff and buy new pads, NO I'm not fixing there product with my money! They had an opportunity to do something really special here and dropped the ball once again. I will not be surprised to see these all over ebay, NI has computer based beat production on lock until further notice....Akai's new lame offering isn't on same level.

[3dot...]

ugh...

[condra]

wha... wha wha

whan too treeee

[noland]

for real

[glitchrock-buddha]

Well I've watched all the videos I can on youtube about the new MPCs and as a huge MAschine fan, I think they look great. They do have some features Maschine lacks like timestretch and song mode, they already load plug-ins from the get go. They could actually integrate better than Maschine in a DAW. The pads are exactly the same as the originals, not like the MPDs. The software/hardware combo looks well designed, they've inlcuded all the features of the classics in terms of layouts and screen functions. I happen to think they've listened to people on these. I wish there was something in between the "Studio" and the "Renaissance". Smaller footprint like the Studio but 8 of their APC style knobs.

[delicioso]

They won't have the level of integration of Maschine though, as expected. For example, the Akai product manager confirmed that the LCD display on the hardware won't show things like waveforms for chopping and adjusting start/end points like Maschine's hardware does, so you would be forced to look at the computer screen for things like that.

[humnumb]

They won't have the level of integration of Maschine though, as expected. For example, the Akai product manager confirmed that the LCD display on the hardware won't show things like waveforms for chopping and adjusting start/end points like Maschine's hardware does, so you would be forced to look at the computer screen for things like that.

Yeah, that's definitely the case. They'll be far more reliant on the use of the computer screen and all the demos showed them having to use the mouse/trackpad a lot (for the part of the software that actually worked that is). And the timestretch is just an offline process whereas the upcoming built-in timestretch for Maschine will be realtime. You would think that they would have been more on top of it since they had the luxury of 3 years to watch Maschine develop and had the opportunity to actually innovate. But then again, Akai has never been about developing software and even attempts at iOS apps like SynthStation have been utter failures.

[skatr2]

Not that I am a huge supporter of akai...but why are we comparing timestretch abilities of a product thats not out to that of another product that doesn't even have it in the first place? Akai reps confirmed you wont use it on the unit itself...but nobody has even hinted that it will be "real time"(whatever that is) timestretch in maschine! The only thing anyone knows from NI is they are "working on it"...not ready to roll. I recognize the two of you are all geeked out about whats in store...but until you see a functional copy...why spend your time saying another product is worse or not up to par with something you don't even have yourself?

[Tarekith]

AudioMIDI is saying the Ren is $1300, and the Fly is $300. The Fly app only has 4 tracks max too.

[humnumb]

Not that I am a huge supporter of akai...but why are we comparing timestretch abilities of a product thats not out to that of another product that doesn't even have it in the first place

The new MPCs are not just "not out". They don't exist as actual working products because they're far from being finished working on them. In fact, they're still taking notes and trying to brainstorm ways to implement basic features. They couldn't even load any plugins in the NAMM demos. Maschine on the other hand is very much a real product and you can already do all kinds of realtime timestretch in it with plugins.

nobody has even hinted that it will be "real time"(whatever that is) timestretch in maschine!

False. NI has hinted at exactly that as far back as 2010:

"Timestretching is on our development roadmap, as a real-time feature, not just an offline process in the sample editor. Regarding the "when" - when it's ready"
http://www.native-instruments.com/forum ... stcount=12

[o0o]

Not that I am a huge supporter of akai...but why are we comparing timestretch abilities of a product thats not out to that of another product that doesn't even have it in the first place

The new MPCs are not just "not out". They don't exist as actual working products because they're far from being finished working on them. In fact, they're still taking notes and trying to brainstorm ways to implement basic features. They couldn't even load any plugins in the NAMM demos. Maschine on the other hand is very much a real product and you can already do all kinds of realtime timestretch in it with plugins.

nobody has even hinted that it will be "real time"(whatever that is) timestretch in maschine!

False. NI has hinted at exactly that as far back as 2010:

"Timestretching is on our development roadmap, as a real-time feature, not just an offline process in the sample editor. Regarding the "when" - when it's ready"
http://www.native-instruments.com/forum ... stcount=12

I believe in your first paragraph that you made skatr2 case. It Does not exist yet unless one of you is beta testing the akai units right now.

[delicioso]

Not that I am a huge supporter of akai...but why are we comparing timestretch abilities of a product thats not out to that of another product that doesn't even have it in the first place

The new MPCs are not just "not out". They don't exist as actual working products because they're far from being finished working on them. In fact, they're still taking notes and trying to brainstorm ways to implement basic features. They couldn't even load any plugins in the NAMM demos. Maschine on the other hand is very much a real product and you can already do all kinds of realtime timestretch in it with plugins.

nobody has even hinted that it will be "real time"(whatever that is) timestretch in maschine!

False. NI has hinted at exactly that as far back as 2010:

"Timestretching is on our development roadmap, as a real-time feature, not just an offline process in the sample editor. Regarding the "when" - when it's ready"
http://www.native-instruments.com/forum ... stcount=12

I believe in your first paragraph that you made skatr2 case. It Does not exist yet unless one of you is beta testing the akai units right now.

No he was saying that the new MPCs are still vaporware while Maschine actually exists and can already timestretch with plugins as well as built-in timestretch coming which NI promised as a realtime feature unlike the offline kind found on MPCs.

[skatr2]

I am saying you are trashing one that doesn't even exist yet for the enduser and citing things that maschine doesn't even have. It uses plug-ins to timestretch...but can't on its own (and only company statements that this is in a "roadmap"). So he did actually argue for me as I wasn't talking about using a plugin and as most people share in opinion...lack of in-house timestretch hinders maschine as a contender.

I guess it was an irritation that I consistently see out of maschine users who feel inclined to tear up any other competition or options as if they have little man syndrome trying to get some attention with the big boys. All because NI released a product that was well thought out...but well lacking in what a lot of people were looking for in a DAW. They made this really nice software and controller with the ability to make really cool grooves on the fly...and then said if you want to do anything else you need to use other software to make it worth while.

[humnumb]

I am saying you are trashing one that doesn't even exist yet for the enduser and citing things that maschine doesn't even have. It uses plug-ins to timestretch...but can't on its own (and only company statements that this is in a "roadmap"). So he did actually argue for me as I wasn't talking about using a plugin and as most people share in opinion...lack of in-house timestretch hinders maschine as a contender.

I guess it was an irritation that I consistently see out of maschine users who feel inclined to tear up any other competition or options as if they have little man syndrome trying to get some attention with the big boys.

Whoa... no need to get defensive bro. Use what makes you happy and make music. I just don't see the new MPCs as being competition material at all until they actually exist.

All because NI released a product that was well thought out

Yeah. How dare them for doing such a thing?