This video takes a hands-on look at the new Akai MPX16 sampler.
The MPX16 is a sample player with onboard sound recording. Samples are saved to an SD card, and can be played back using either the unit’s MPC-style pads or via external MIDI device, via USB-MIDI and 3.5mm (1/4-inch) MIDI inputs.
Samples are captured at CD-quality, via dual 6.3mm (1/4-inch) inputs or the on-board stereo microphone. The user may assign audio clips to the pads and apply tuning, filters, envelopes and ‘choke’ grouping for creative, dynamic performances.
The MPX16 has a US $199.99 street price.
via GUITARGUITAR
but….why?
Off the top of my head, possibly a way to get around the polyphony restrictions on something like an octatrack. I do agree that a basic loop sequencer (nothing nearly as powerful as an MPC) would be a good addition.
Why would you take the sequencer off an MPC? How much more expensive would this have been with a simple MPC500 style sequencer onboard?
Because MIDI. Because DAWs.
Why would anybody want to pay an extra $400 to sequence this using a tiny LED readout, when we’re used to 23″+ monitors?
Look at the size and think about it for a second.
Also consider boot times and stability.
As someone who likes grooveboxes, I’d probably love that!
Because the MPC is now a $20 app.
Some people just want a solid, easy to use hardware sampler and this looks like a fun option.
because this is an *instrument* that you are actually supposed to play. not something to press a play button on that will play something for you. not that one or the other would be better. it’s just a different approach. nobody is complaining about a missing sequencer on a bassoon, right? and the APC already exists, so why the need of another one…
strange, not sure who the market is, it could be useful i suppose but its not essential
The weirdos who do experimental music performances are super fond of that type of toys!
For someone that likes to throw samples Live, but doesn´t want to be with a computer all the time.
and it was a zzzzzz presentation…
actually i know a few people that only use their MPC to bang out samples with the pads, at live shows etc… so presumably that is the market
truncating is just ridiculous – just how many times did he turn that knob to move the sample start. come on!
They demo’d it in precision mode; you can also scroll through 10x as fast.
Agreed. Hopefully the knobs were spec’d to take that kind of abuse, although, being budget priced, I doubt it.
Coming soon to a bargin bucket near you…..
Lamest product of the year?
Apparently a lot of people haven’t noticed that the traditional MPC is completely dead, because people stopped buying them.
Sir, I must respectfuly disagree. The used market for ‘traditional’ mpcs is quite healthy, akai are foolish not to have one in their current product lineup.
Brendan, sir I respectfully agree in full, I love my 500, want a 1000, how, in this day and age Akai could not just sort out the pishy wee RAM sizes and make a nice wee 500 sized big Rammed effects laden wee sampler is a disappointment, however I do enjoy the limits of the 500….
Why would it come with chicken?
There have been tons of people looking for a gizmo like this. Simple sampler. The iPad got people thinking again about how cool it would be to use some reliable hardware to perform live, jam out ideas, edit on the go, etc.
Consider all the cool usage scenarios, and it’s really a fantastic tool, especially for all those performing musicians out there who don’t have big venue tours. For instance, the people with loopers who play at restaurants and such, wedding DJs, etc. Or put together something like this, an iPad, a zoom h6 and a micro brute and you have one hell of a portable studio. And it can reach even farther given the price and ease of use if you factor in places that aren’t really musical in nature using them. Public spaces could use them for playing back pre-recorded messages and introductions. Sound effects at theaters. etc Seriously… this thing could have some long legs.
Because some of us play live electronic music. Same reason I use real synths at shows instead of a laptop and midi controller. I’m super excited for this as it will allow me to add some sample based stuff without a laptop + mpd/push/TF. Dedicated hardware tends to run more reliably.
The real question is why would they take the MPC out of the mpc and make it a glorified laptop controller.
You’re dead Wakai!!!!
I’d love to have this if it had a basic sequencer in there. I could still find plenty of uses for it without the sequencer but that would make it perfect.
Its useless if its as stingy as the 2 new Casio “samplers” that offer 4 seconds total. My farts last longer than that! I’m sure it offers more, though. Xtopher is right on target. Its much less a drum machine type of item, pads and all and more of a one-shot or looping trigger. I’ve got a NanoPad that I use for transitions or loops far more than for anything drum-like. For me, it simply turned out to be a useful bridge more than an instrument per se. I think the MPX line has a similar goal. If you’re really serious about playing e-percussion, you’ll probably have something like an OctaPad around. It simply depends on what kind of eeevil you have in mind. This is a hybrid tool that can wear several hats. If it can wear 3 of 5 that matter the most to you, buy it. So far, it looks like a decent advancement of the line.
It’s reads from an SD card Fungo, so it should have a decent amount of sample time, and easy to swap cards/sample banks. You are right that Casio screwed the pooch on that one!
Although, I thought the ‘available at Target’ was a dead giveaway that synthtopia readers wouldn’t be that particular Casio’s intended market.
Yammy should do a mini RS7000
Haha.. This is a great machine. If you wanna play live its a lot better to use this and put some samples there and blast away with a pad. With a computer you never know whats gonna happen and latency and bla bla bla.
I have the mpx8 and it was great for that purpose. Its a no brainer at that price.
And now i can tweak my samples rudimentary in this new one. GREAT!
seems a little useless. i have an MPC 500 that i use just for fun to make little beats, i like the relaxing limitations when i want to create away from my DAW. i think they missed it on this. they way the pads are laid out, they could have implemented a cool little step sequencer? and the traditional MPC style editing? if I’m going to use an MPC, I’m going to use it cause its hardware, if I’m gonna use the iPad app, i’d rather hop back on Logic or Ableton. hmm…
Man, some of you are so spoiled!
My first sampler was the Roland MS-1. No sequencing, limited editing, and a 32meg PCMCIA card that cost $250 at the time.
Made a ton of music on it, in the studio and live.
This new Akai sampler looks great for that same kind of no-fuss sample playback and recording.
*edit* meant super limited Sequencing and editing. 🙂
The sequencing was so limited that I usually just ended up doing live arranging.
ok grandpa….
I have an mpc 2500, great sampler although the onboard sequencer I by pass with midi (just like I used my s950, s2000 etc )
I bought the mpx 8 and I am very pleased with it a mobile sample module with great sound .
Nice one Akai, keep going .great for traveling and I can use all my akai and any wav in it .
It seems like this plus an iPad running something like Koushion could be a cool little setup.
if it was cheaper and had a step sequencer i might consider it
I wanted to like this video so badly but how can you enjoy a demo in which half of the time the instrument isn’t even plugged in
that said I think I may still add this to my lineup
Get a flippin MPC500 not this trash.
You can check my additional full review article here:
Some of you may have thought the video was ‘zzzzzz’ but we did do 2 fun demonstrations and the rest we just wanted to talk about the item (do something different)) as most other video reviews coming out will do just that. This is a simply piece of kit, its not meant to be advanced in any way, so how much can you talk about it? I mean once you start adding a step sequencer, more features etc it may as well be an MPC500! Read my review to see my thoughts & opinions –
http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/news/article.asp?id=126875
I have a feeling they’re going to want you to buy the Rhythm Wolf to sequence it with…
That would actually be a pretty sweet little combo. I can’t imagine that’s the plan though, since the silly thing isn’t battery powered! I’d be lining up day one if this just had a li-ion cell in it! Cheap plasticky thing to take to the park? Maybe grab some snippets of birdsong or footsteps with the built in mic? Could be a nice, cheap, alternative to the SP-404.
A half product,stick audio-inputs (8) including phantom power, internal processor , studio quality fx sequencer sampler ect …..stop shying away from real potential, I am a maschine studio user and would love a true all in one solution-its possible so-why hold back with half products?????
An old school tip for some of you about samplers… if you load in a looping sample and set it to continuous playback, you can press the pad once and have your timed rhythm track always running, then jam on top of that with other sounds. With 16 pads and some careful planning, there is no reason you couldn’t do some pretty impressive live performances with nothing other than this little box.
Needs to be a step sequencer, then I’ll buy two. Also I find these Sakai pads too stiff, you have to fiddle with velocity to a lighter touch gets a more consistent result.
No mention in the manual of crossfade looping, so sustained non-rhythmic sounds are pretty much no-go. Come to think of it there’s no actual looping of the sample itself: you have to hold down a pad to get a sound to cycle. The lack of a proper looping option kills any interest for me. Which is a pity because I don’t want or need a sequencer and otherwise appreciate the simplicity of it.
Ouch. A drum sampler video where you can hear the table thump as much as the piece of gear. I wouldn’t like to be these guys once they noticed it after filming! Definitely been there.
Think of this as a good pad controller that also includes a reasonably well spec’d sampler. Not a bad price at that point.
Shame about it not being bus or battery powered. Shame about it not having a ‘wait for signal’ sampling mode to avoid the need to truncate the sample starts. But the big fail to me on this one is the inability to load kits. It’s all sample-at-a-time according to the older CDM p/review. Last two should be fixable via firmware upgrade at least.
well, a lot of you peeps are missing the point. yeah, MPCs are awesome, software sequencers are awesome and ipads are… errr… awesome.
if you want a cheap way to add sample playback to ANY setup then this might fit your needs.
for me, this is perfect. i’ll sample my extra drum sounds to the mac, transfer them to the mpx & trigger it from my electronic drum kit – drumtree (google midizoo & drumtree for pics). i can use any drum brain i want – td8, tmx, dmpro – and add any specific sounds i need via the mpx.
this makes the mpx PERFECT. maybe some more outputs, but a pair of balanced outs is ok. i can add mpx8’s if i need more.
wondering what they’ll bring out next!?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kL1RHK5Tflo