Akai MPC X

I
’ve been an MPC-head since the
early noughties, starting off with
the legendary MPC3000 then
moving to an MPC1000 for live
sequencing/triggering. Having
also reviewed the MPC
Renaissance, Studio, Element/
Essentials and more recently the MPC
Touch, it’s now time to explore the new
hybrid flagship: the MPC X!
Unlike the previous generation of
MPCs, which were controllers for the
MPC DAW software running on your
computer, the MPC X (and its smaller
relation MPC Live) are standalone
throughout. The main body is metal
with sleek red plastic sides, whilst the
front has a squishy cushioned armrest
for comfort whilst beat making. The
MPC X’s switches feel tough, the metal
jog wheel feels sturdy and the touch
sensitive metal, user-assignable Q-link
dials feel high-quality with zero wobble.
The super-clear Q-Link OLED
displays are indispensable, showing
the currently active Q-Link
functionality, and the displays update
instantly depending on what’s
selected in standalone mode, plus the
external plugin selected in controller
mode. Handily, you can also check
any Q-link’s current value by gently
resting your finger on any Q-Links’
capacitive surface.
Like all MPCs previously, the X
has 16 thick rubber pads which are
velocity and pressure sensitive, and
the coloured backlights are a huge
help for checking velocity levels,
placement of events within your
beats, and to denote the clip lanes in
clip mode. These pads are the finest
out there right now, and they allow
extremely sensitive and precise
expression. You also get eight pad
units, essentially running their own
embedded OS via built-in multi-core
processor, with a 16GB internal drive
and 2GB RAM. This provides a nicely
integrated solution for running Akai’s
latest 2.0 MPC software natively, and
while there are a few notables
missing from the standalone OS
version (no external VST/AU plugins
can be loaded in standalone mode
and the hardware is currently limited
to eight stereo tracks of audio), most of
the key functionality remains.
The X is an imposing-looking
machine and feels very solid
THE PROS & CONS
+
Very well built. Audio
engine and interface
sound excellent. Few
bugs and no crashes
Very close to being a
complete DAW
replacement, once a
few missing features
are implemented
Touchscreen is
excellent, the
sequencer’s timing
feels great
-
No battery power, no
direct-from-disk
audio streaming,
same HD and RAM
capacity as MPC Live
Limited to 8 stereo
audio tracks in
standalone mode.
No mouse input. No
parameter locking
Akai Professional MPC X | Reviews
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FMU323.rev_akai.indd 79 9/6/17 3:36 PM