Akai APC 40: Has it delivered?

[glitchrock-buddha]

It does everything I wanted it to just fine. So yeah, it delivered. No setup, the thing just works. Combined with Maschine and a keyboard, it's quite a combo for live looping.

[squelcht]

I still at the pan encoder. that has to be the one mixer control I use the least.

Seriously...Do people really pan sooo frequently that they decided to add that option?

APC40 does the trick & does it well.

As far as the recent "note entry" bitching that went on---WHO GIVES A FUCK? Get a real damn keyboard for crying out loud

[3phase]

its a nice studio unit but when i used it on stage it failed... the scrolling of the buggy L8 was hanging..

so i highly recomend to do only livestes that just have 8 tracks.. and never touch the navi buttons.. because even with just 8 tracks the scrolling can send you to nowhere.. no problem in the studio..but when you really play live you dont have the time to bother about such things.. so in case you are no dj or pseudo live act that just swithes between intro and outro and calls this live.. you are better of just using 8 tracks..


the short powersupply cable was a big problem on one live set...


the missing selection of fx returns was a big problem on stage.. all this secondary moves.. its disgusting..

i actually started my 2 livestes with apc with the apc.. but ended them on the trackpad of the computer..was just better for improvisation even with swetty hand an small screen to use the laptop internal controls than the big bulky APC.. that actually wasnt what i expected from my investment...


ah ja.. the formfactor.. to big.. i ve a G2 keyboard, a nm rack, a 303, a 606 and a 808 with me..and a laptop..
and sometimes a pro one

i was able to find a space for the apc.. but was hard work..having it hanging half over the table ...


so..great for the studio no so super for stage work...


my wish.. a small version... 12 x 8 grid.. with mini buttons.. round shape of the buttons.. like in an old stylish brown pocket calculator.. so the button is rounded and the surface of the button is rounded.. like a ball segment..
to allow precise trigering on a tight grid

so the 12x8 in 18 x12 cm..


muticolour leds... yeah.. i know that this is expensiv..but so is live..

12 mini faders... like in a 707 ... with one button each.. multicolor again.. and a real hardware switch or deticated butons that select if theese buttons do mutes solo or whatever..

mini motor faders? hmm.. maybe led segment display.. that can act either as meter bridge or feedback of fader position..
maybe just little standard alps faders with led inside and the multi segment display by th side?

or naked as in the apc? actually the concepts should allow booth versions in the same housing..

one cheap.. one expensiv and mor visual feedback.. but same functionality...






thats what i would call good product design..at least roughly... some extras have to be deigned as well..
But at least regarding stage work the 707 formfactor has prooven very performant more is just not necessary..
exept when you consider that overview over many clips is that what we need.. especially in an enviroment wher we trigger scenes,,and especially in an enviroment where we build the sog from single clips...

so they 8x5 layout is just unsuited for real stage work from the beginning.. its for the looks.. it never replaces the screen..except for preprogrammed sets..

sorry.. in he end of the day the apc was a dinosour when it hit the market allready... from the electronics..from the intention.. from the formfactor.. its a bit retard..


however..we only have the small mini apc now..we an extra unit to it... best of cause powered by the main unit..but having an own power supply aswell..allowing twin supply.. when one supply fails the other takes over...
all comunications are done via the main unit that has the usb port conected to the computer...

but who knows..maybe modern parts that dont look for the penny allow to have this all usb powered...
but only as an option..

So..
all the encoder crossfader thing in an extra unit of the same form factor but arraneged as little battle mixer ..with 2 times 8 rotary .. 2 master faders and the crossfader and some other buttons..


and of cause the main unit provides hub and sync functionality to pay off for the nasty external power supplys..

roland sync with shuffle.. 3 midi out ports.. aso..

all the electronic musican needs..

however.. when it comes to small things it leaves the DIY domain pretty much..

another point against the apc.. big bulky things you can DIY..

[Tarekith]

I still at the pan encoder. that has to be the one mixer control I use the least.

Seriously...Do people really pan sooo frequently that they decided to add that option?

Agreed, not sure why people put a pan option on something meant for stage, never seen anyone mess with pan in that situation.

[3phase]

I still at the pan encoder. that has to be the one mixer control I use the least.

Seriously...Do people really pan sooo frequently that they decided to add that option?

Agreed, not sure why people put a pan option on something meant for stage, never seen anyone mess with pan in that situation.

the pans are messing everything up.. but 8 knobs you can throw away for own assignments without second thought..


however., if i would have been the designer the pan page would have just followed the lower 8 encoders but with a lock button..

theese cunting in 8 blocks is anyway shit.. 8 and a selector = 9..

we have that at least with the faders.. anybody ever needed the master fader? a non rotary knob for maser and cue would have just been fine.. and small would have been enough there..

another point symetrie: are musical instruments symetrical? and how does that relate to user interaction and orientation? look at a 808 and go figure..

[mode:masters]

I love my APC, the only thing that bugs me is that the transport controls are right above the x-fader. They can get easily pressed when your having a frantic session.

It certainly has reduced the time it takes to get new songs up and running.

Hopefully once I can afford to shell out for Max4Live I'll get some extra mileage out of it.

[JuanSOLO]

I love it, too bad there's no editor.

[aizo]

APC 40 + LP is a delicious combo!!!

I love mine and they have both completely changed how I write music and work with music!

[LeifonMars]

the pans are messing everything up.. but 8 knobs you can throw away for own assignments without second thought..

+1

[mersault]

Its great for the studio, cumbersome for touring. That's just logistics. I sold mine because of it though. ...that being said, its a great piece with nearly endless possibilities. I wouldn't be surprised if years from now, its considered an important piece in the evolution of technology and creating music.

[divonic]

Yes definitely delivered, I like mine a lot. Works exactly like I thought it would, and feels very sturdy given the price. My only minor complaint is that I wish the stop clip buttons were red instead of green, but that's a really minor point.

yeah that would be great. I also would like the main volume fader to be a different color than the others.

but other than those two things I love my APC40.

[McQ714]

I also would like the main volume fader to be a different color than the others.

Nail Polish??? piece of colored duct tape?

[AceLuby]

Its great for the studio, cumbersome for touring. That's just logistics. I sold mine because of it though. ...that being said, its a great piece with nearly endless possibilities. I wouldn't be surprised if years from now, its considered an important piece in the evolution of technology and creating music.

Interesting. Mine fits in my laptop backpack pretty easily. It is a little big, but noting I would consider 'cumbersome for touring'.

[glitchrock-buddha]

abso-freakin'-lutely

I got mine for 4 - 5 weeks now and I still discover some new features here and there (like collapsing/expanding groups; ...

How is this done? I didn't see this documented anywhere. ?

[Tone Deft]

abso-freakin'-lutely

I got mine for 4 - 5 weeks now and I still discover some new features here and there (like collapsing/expanding groups; ...

How is this done? I didn't see this documented anywhere. ?

hold down a track select button to open/close a track group.

whooohooo!!