AKAI Professional MPC Live Review – All in Machine

AKAI Professional MPC Live II is a unique production unit. It is the first MPC to feature a built-in stereo studio monitoring system. As such, you get to hear every detail of your production.

It comes with a multicore processor, stereo speakers, 16 RGB MPC Drum Pads, and a rechargeable battery. It also has an internal storage capacity of 16GB and supports WI-FI $ Bluetooth connectivity.

AKAI Professional MPC Live II


 
 

Things we liked

Inbuilt stereo studio monitoring system
WI-FI and Bluetooth enabled
On-board rechargeable 5-hour Lithium-ION battery
Highly portable
16GB internal storage
 

Things we didn’t like

Learning and mastering the unit takes time
Lacks disc streaming

The Drum Kit Review

The original MPC Live was Akai’s comeback to stand-alone music workstations. Shortly after its introduction to the market, the studio model, MPC X followed. Recently, Akai introduced the MPC One, a compact and more affordable model.

After numerous software updates, we now have the new Akai Professional MPC Live II. It features an Ableton Live control and onboard synth plugins.

This new stand-alone MPC is an excellent beat maker. It borrows some key features like a sampler, multicore system, MIDI controller, and drum machine from its predecessors. 

With a built-in stereo studio monitoring system, the Live II delivers studio-quality sample sounds. Amazingly, you can connect this drum machine to all your studio music instruments using WI-FI, Bluetooth, MIDI, USB, or TRS outputs.

Who is this product for?

Are you a passionate music-track maker and never want to miss an inspirational moment when making your samples? The new MPC Live II is a sure bet. This self-contained hardware comes with a rechargeable battery and delivers a full standalone MPC experience.

It allows you to hear every detail of your production with impeccable clarity. It also keeps your ideas flowing by use of a creative process.

The Akai Professional Live II is also ideal for music producers. It is one of the best beat-makers in the market. Moreover, it comes with all the essentials you need to make music. They include; a 7-inch high-resolution multi-touch screen and 16 velocity-sensitive drum pads.

It also has touch-capacitive encoders and can connect to all studio music equipment. Thanks to its compatibility with Bluetooth, WI-FI, Bluetooth, MIDI, and TRS CV/ Gate outputs.

What is inside the box?

  • User instruction manual
  • Power cord
  • USB cable
  • The MPC II unit

Key Features of these Drums?

Connectivity

The Akai MPC Live II comes with all the jacks, ports, and connectivity features needed to make really great audio. The best thing about this standalone sampler is that it connects to all the equipment available in a studio. Below are the machine’s connectivity features:

·        Two USB 3.0

·        2×2 MIDI input/output

·        Three stereo ¼-inch TRS outs

·        Phono/ Line level in

·        4 TRS/ CV gate jacks

·        Network connectivity – WI-FI and Bluetooth

AKAI Professional MPC Live connectivity

These features are simple to connect, use and control. They give you the versatility you need as a producer to work from different studio spaces and on stage. Interestingly, the Live II commands all the external MIDI gear. You can simultaneously route and plug-in all the MIDI gear in your studio.

The presence of WI-FI connectivity makes it possible for Ableton Link integration. With this new feature, the sharing of projects becomes super easy. You also get to do parameter control and seamless clip-launching directly from your MPC Live II.

MPC 2 Software

The MPC software in the Akai Live II functions in both controller and standalone mode. To tune the software to the controller mode, you need to plug it into your computer. Here, it controls clip-launching, time-stretching, synth engines, and VST compatibility.

The software works well as a standalone application on DAW integration and PC and Mac. When you have this software, you don’t have to rely on a computer to produce songs.

Its adaptive creative versatility also makes it an ideal controller for DAW. When you transfer your project to the plugin, you get individual elements as native instruments. 

You can then route these elements to separate tracks in your DAW. Also, you can tweak them from the hardware.

Consequently, your MPC Live 2 can act as your audio interface. And any storage device, like an SD card or hard drive, and MIDI will reflect on your computer.

Sounds

Akai Professional MPC Live comes with great sound and sample content. It has fantastic knocking samples from Decap and exclusive kits from Araab Muzik (all rights reserved).

It also has dozens of key instruments from F9.

Another fantastic sound feature is the built-in stereo studio monitoring system. Besides giving you top-notch sound quality, it allows you to catch every detail of your workflow. As such, you can keep your ideas flowing throughout the process.

This Akai Professional Live has all the key requirements for tracks production. It has a full-size multi-touch display screen, touch encoders, and pressure-sensitive drum pads.

It also has MIDI keyboard controllers, touch-sensitive q-link knobs, and stereo monitors.  With a built-in audio interface and rechargeable battery, the Live II delivers a full MPC experience.

Alternatives to this Electric Kit

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Downsides of this Electric Kit

 

Though the Akai Professional Live II is a well-known drum machine, it has a slightly difficult learning curve. It may not be appropriate for you if you urgently need it to complete a task immediately after purchase.

It may take time to learn all the features and workflow of this sequencer. However, once you know how to use all the tools and samples, you will have an entire world of creation at your fingertips. Using the provided user guide, Akai forums and YouTube videos will shorten your learning time.

Conclusion

To sum it all, AKAI Professional MPC Live II is a must-have sequencer for serious producers and track makers. It is highly portable and comes with a rechargeable battery. Moreover, it is a self-contained MPC hardware, with all the necessary features to work on your audio tracks from start to finish.

It is compatible with all studio instruments via USB, MIDI, Bluetooth, WI-FI, or TRS cables. Therefore, it gives you the freedom to move around and work from different locations apart from the studio.

This standalone sampler sequencer is the best hardware for live performance. With a master volume knob, SD card slot, USB 2. 0 slot for storage and other fantastic features, you are good to go.

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