New akai ableton controller

thelike5 · Post by **thelike5** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 3:12 pm

Finally, the nicest looking (and no doubt functioning) controlleer for Live yet.

Question, who here would have guessed that Akai would be the ones to make this controller?

Not me!

sporkles · Post by **sporkles** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 3:14 pm

Just skimmed through the info pages at Akai's website, and not once
have they used either of the words "motorised" or "endless".

WHYYYYYYYYY?!

ollyb303 · Post by **ollyb303** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 3:14 pm

thelike5 wrote: Question, who here would have guessed that Akai would be the ones to make this controller?

Makes perfect sense to me. Having come from an Akai (MPC) background, Live is the only software which comes close to the MPC workflow for me, so it seems fitting that having got rid of a couple of big heavy, metal Akai boxes to make way for Live, I can now get one back on the desk!

six_o_clock_crow · Post by **six_o_clock_crow** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 3:16 pm

Angstrom wrote:now to ebay my belongings off so I can afford one!

If my granny was still with us... well, I'd Ebay her to get one

Out Of My System · Post by **Out Of My System** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 3:19 pm

Strange day. 10 minutes after getting kicked in the nuts with a massive tax bill, this must-have controller appears and brightens my world. The wife will have to go on the game for me to afford anything for the next 12 months, so will be interested to hear just how many tricks the poor girl will have to perform in order to buy it. I'm hoping it's on the right side of £500.

Meef Chaloin · Post by **Meef Chaloin** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 3:19 pm

Tarekith wrote:Right above the solo buttons.

is that what they are? Looks like they are labelled something different but i can't make it out

six_o_clock_crow · Post by **six_o_clock_crow** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 3:20 pm

sporkles wrote:Just skimmed through the info pages at Akai's website, and not once
have they used either of the words "motorised" or "endless".

WHYYYYYYYYY?!

I could understand no motorised faders due to cost. But I am guessing the rotaries are endless - the ones on the MPD and MPK ranges are, aren't they?

And why bother having a nice ring of LEDs round the rotaries if they don't update to reflect parameter changes when you switch banks (or from pan to sends etc.)

I am sure they must be endless.

hoffman2k · Post by **hoffman2k** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 3:21 pm

FS: Faderfox LX1, PM with offers!

thelike5 · Post by **thelike5** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 3:22 pm

ollyb303 wrote:
thelike5 wrote: Question, who here would have guessed that Akai would be the ones to make this controller?
Makes perfect sense to me. Having come from an Akai (MPC) background, Live is the only software which comes close to the MPC workflow for me, so it seems fitting that having got rid of a couple of big heavy, metal Akai boxes to make way for Live, I can now get one back on the desk!

Really, I'm actually surprised. I have never really known Akai to partner with anyone, seeing that their big money was always made in their MPC's. Granted, over the last few years they entered into producing controllers, as they kind of had to, to mixed results. Personally, I always prefered Novation controllers to Akai's but thats largely due to their automapping.

I just figured if a controller came out, designed to be used with Live it would have stayed with the boutique companies, or perhaps Ableton would have released one themselves. Shit, Henke knows what he's doing... I figured he would have been the one to design a controller that could have retailed for around $1,000.

I'm actually happy it's Akai, just surprised. The controller looks really, really nice.

Meef Chaloin · Post by **Meef Chaloin** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 3:32 pm

thelike5 wrote:
ollyb303 wrote:
thelike5 wrote: Question, who here would have guessed that Akai would be the ones to make this controller?
Makes perfect sense to me. Having come from an Akai (MPC) background, Live is the only software which comes close to the MPC workflow for me, so it seems fitting that having got rid of a couple of big heavy, metal Akai boxes to make way for Live, I can now get one back on the desk!
Really, I'm actually surprised. I have never really known Akai to partner with anyone, seeing that their big money was always made in their MPC's. Granted, over the last few years they entered into producing controllers, as they kind of had to, to mixed results. Personally, I always prefered Novation controllers to Akai's but thats largely due to their automapping.

I just figured if a controller came out, designed to be used with Live it would have stayed with the boutique companies, or perhaps Ableton would have released one themselves. Shit, Henke knows what he's doing... I figured he would have been the one to design a controller that could have retailed for around $1,000.

I'm actually happy it's Akai, just surprised. The controller looks really, really nice.

Henke's is based on open source code/chips/whatever. I would imagine its a different ball game writing and designing from scratch

aqua_tek · Post by **aqua_tek** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 3:32 pm

well wowie, now that's what I call a jerk-worthy picture

sporkles · Post by **sporkles** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 3:33 pm

six_o_clock_crow wrote:
I could understand no motorised faders due to cost. But I am guessing the rotaries are endless - the ones on the MPD and MPK ranges are, aren't they?

And why bother having a nice ring of LEDs round the rotaries if they don't update to reflect parameter changes when you switch banks (or from pan to sends etc.)

I am sure they must be endless.

Good point on the LEDs - I was thinking the same thing, but I'm not familiar
with their other products. The fader situation is probably going to throw me off
this one (if we imagine for a second that I could afford one in the first place).
I find it way too counter productive not having them automagically update
when I switch banks. Still... sexy time!

six_o_clock_crow · Post by **six_o_clock_crow** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 3:38 pm

sporkles wrote:
six_o_clock_crow wrote:
I could understand no motorised faders due to cost. But I am guessing the rotaries are endless - the ones on the MPD and MPK ranges are, aren't they?

And why bother having a nice ring of LEDs round the rotaries if they don't update to reflect parameter changes when you switch banks (or from pan to sends etc.)

I am sure they must be endless.
Good point on the LEDs - I was thinking the same thing, but I'm not familiar
with their other products. The fader situation is probably going to throw me off
this one (if we imagine for a second that I could afford one in the first place).
I find it way too counter productive not having them automagically update
when I switch banks. Still... sexy time!

For all Flight of the Conchords fans: "it's business / it's business time!"

I just hope I'm right about the encoders, because if they aren't endless then that seriously puts a downer on it for me.

Like I say, I am guessing they are endless due to the LEDs... but maybe they're there just to make it look pretty

LeifonMars · Post by **LeifonMars** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 3:56 pm

8O wrote:
Doh!

Akai makes an Abelton controller for Ableton

abletoff · Post by **abletoff** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 4:04 pm

LeifonMars wrote:
8O wrote:
Doh!
Akai makes an Abelton controller for Ableton

It's been already cracked!