anybody else place an order for the AKAI MPD32

grainshifter · Post by **grainshifter** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 5:00 am

i know it would be smart to wait for reviews, but i pulled the trigger and preordered the MPD 32.

its all about scaling down for DJ gigs, and the 32 looks promising on paper so far.

i ordered from sweetwater, it still hasn't shipped yet.

anyone else waiting?

so soon i'll have the 32 and hopefully the echo indigo DJX for my MBP
to replace

uc33, pK, and faderfox lx.

timbreland · Post by **timbreland** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 5:04 am

i ordered too. i am an mpc head and this has some great features of the mpc--16 levels, note repeat. thats why i got it. when did they say it was shipping? cant wait to get mine.

timbreland · Post by **timbreland** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 5:06 am

i'm replacing the padkontrol too. love the PK but cant have both.

grainshifter · Post by **grainshifter** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 5:21 am

they've claimed that they would be arriving soon, and that was last week. rep said they should've shipped by this week...

oh well... nothing yet

it's kind of a tough choice whether i'll finally end up replacing the padkontrol. the x-y, the responsiveness, the lights, and now all the apps people are making for it..

i'll see how the akai works out. in secret, even in the hardware days when i was on the korg es-1, i secretly coveted the MPC...

now i'll be a legit MP owner....

soon hopefully!!!

circuitslave · Post by **circuitslave** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 5:32 am

Give us all a detailed review as soon as you guys get 'em. I've yet to get a pad/percussion controller and am contemplating the new MPD32 over the PadKontrol. Perhaps Akai have gotten it right this time.

circuitslave · Post by **circuitslave** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 3:44 am

grainshifter wrote:they've claimed that they would be arriving soon, and that was last week. rep said they should've shipped by this week...

Sweetwater is now showing this "We've confirmed this item will ship soon from AKAI and should arrive in our warehouse the week of 4/06. Go ahead, place your order now. We will ship it immediately, the very same day we receive it from AKAI. "

hehe, What a crock. "We've confirmed.." I thought they confirmed at an earlier date. I wouldn't be suprised if they end up "confirming" it will ship in June.

grainshifter · Post by **grainshifter** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 3:59 am

now that some utter nonsense!

they said they would ship it the week of march 17. i even placed my order, and here i am twiddling my thumbs.

f**k. what a way to bring a man down and raise some blood pressure

3dot... · Post by **3dot...** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 4:15 am

....soooo... you guys didn't test it yet huh?

Tohtruck · Post by **Tohtruck** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 4:30 am

This is typical with Numark's Akai. I'm surprised you guys weren't expecting this.

They did the same thing with the MPK. They claimed it would come out a certain time then they kept postponing the release date. It ended up coming out like 6 months after the originally scheduled shipping date.

You guys probably won't see the 32 until sometime in the middle of the summer.

I'd definitely like to get the 32. But I can already see that there will be numerous issues. First off, the thing won't come out until a while from now so there's no point in placing a pre-order.

Second, there's probably gonna be a number of problems with the controller's communication with different software platforms. People still can't get their 24's to work with certain laptops and there still seems to be issues with the getting the 24's MMC transport controls to work with a number of software.

I definitely hope I'm wrong. Because if this actually does what it advertises with no issues, I would strongly consider selling my MPC in favor of the MPD32. However, Akai's track record ever since Numark took over has been rather mediocre and a slap in the face to Akai's long-term customers.

Tohtruck · Post by **Tohtruck** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 4:42 am

I also hate that they don't even have actual MPC pads, instead they're just MPC-style pads.

The 24's pads were not MPC pads either. They don't feel aweful but not nice and chunky like an MPC which was a downer. I have a feeling that the 32 will be the same shit, which will only be a minor let down if everything else on the unit ends up working.

beef_wellington · Post by **beef_wellington** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 8:02 am

AudioMidi.com website says they are "In Stock".

http://www.audiomidi.com/MPD32---MIDI-U ... 10455.aspx

No other indication that they are on the way. I have seen dates from 3/17 to next month for delivery to retailers. I've been keeping an eye out for them.

grainshifter · Post by **grainshifter** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 2:44 am

thanks for the tip about audiomidi.

i'm happy to say that i took home the MPD 32 last night. audiomidi did have them in stock and being in LA, i drove out to there site to pick it up.

more detailed review to come,

first impressions:

the unit is built solidly,
unlike the padKontrol which felt kinda plasticky,

however it is a rather large unit.

with the padkontrol, even the trigger finger, you could easily hold a 15" laptop and the pk/tf resting against each other in one hand,

the 32, while still portable, is a lot to look at.

functionality:

upon first test, the pads are not as responsive, seems like you have to hit them dead in the center to trigger the samples. after going into the menu and adjusting sensitivity and curve, it did respond a lot better to what i do with the pads.

only 4 banks i think, for the pads, and 3 for all the other controls, but it is a dream to have 8 faders, pots and pads on one unit!

beautiful...

more later

circuitslave · Post by **circuitslave** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 4:46 am

grainshifter wrote:thanks for the tip about audiomidi.

i'm happy to say that i took home the MPD 32 last night. audiomidi did have them in stock and being in LA, i drove out to there site to pick it up.

more detailed review to come,

first impressions:

the unit is built solidly,
unlike the padKontrol which felt kinda plasticky,

however it is a rather large unit.

with the padkontrol, even the trigger finger, you could easily hold a 15" laptop and the pk/tf resting against each other in one hand,

the 32, while still portable, is a lot to look at.

functionality:

upon first test, the pads are not as responsive, seems like you have to hit them dead in the center to trigger the samples. after going into the menu and adjusting sensitivity and curve, it did respond a lot better to what i do with the pads.

only 4 banks i think, for the pads, and 3 for all the other controls, but it is a dream to have 8 faders, pots and pads on one unit!

beautiful...

more later

Great !

The MPD32 is being shipped! Now throw us a little beat on YOUTUBEY !

beef_wellington · Post by **beef_wellington** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 4:53 am

zZounds and AMS claim to have a couple in stock too. I am tempted to order one, but can get a discount if I wait for the local Guitar Center to get them.

I currently have an MPD24 and I love the unit, can't wait for the additional pad banks and note repeat. I think it's a great controller for Live.

On the pad response issue, the MPDs have the same pads as MPCs, but something in the construction makes them slightly less responsive and more stiff. Definitely not as soft/thick feeling as MPC pads. I checked an MPC forum and some people that ordered replacement MPC pads to put in their MPD were disappointed to learn that it was the same exact part. If you are a loyal MPC user, you may be a little disappointed in the pad's feel, but otherwise a great unit.

Tohtruck · Post by **Tohtruck** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 5:12 am

I'd like to hear your thoughts on how the internal midi clock is implemented with Live and how well the note repeat and swing functions work.

And of course is there an issue with the MMC transport controls not working with software (like so many MPD users complain about with the 24)?