Akai Professional today introduced the MPC One Retro, a new version of the MPC One that combines modern MPC features with old-school MPC styling.
The MPC One Retro features modern MPC functionality, including MPC plugin instruments, insert effects plugins from AIR Music Tech, a 7″ Capacitive Multi-Touch Screen, USB, DIN MIDI, CV/Gate support and an SD card slot. It also can be used as a controller for the included MPC2 – a DAW application that offers 128-track sequencing, real-time time stretching, MIDI editing, clip launching, Ableton Link support and more.
Features:
- Limited Edition retro colorway chassis and gray MPC pads
- All the features of the MPC One Standalone (No Computer Required)
- Standalone music production center with 4GB onboard storage
- Fully compatible with projects, programs and sequences from previous MPC versions and legacy hardware
- Comes loaded with loops and samples created by industry-leading sound designers
- Load up your own custom samples via SD card or USB
- 7″ touchscreen allows you to edit and chop samples via gestures
- 16 velocity and pressure-sensitive pads for programming beats and playing melodies
- Includes instruments including DrymSynth, Electric, TubeSynth, Bassline, and AIR FX mixing and mastering processors
- USB controller input allows you to play sounds with your favorite controller keyboard
- 8 CV/Gate outputs for controlling modular synthesizers
- MIDI I/O for integrating synthesizers, drum machines, and other hardware
- Stereo line-level inputs and outputs on 1/4″ TRS connections
- USB-A port for thumb drives or control surfaces
Pricing and Availability:
The MPC One Retro is available now for $899.
I’m glad they did this. I like the extra functionality of the Live – built in battery and option to add an internal SSD especially – but this is cool.
Also want to add that I’ve been enjoying the workflow and experience of using the Live, so if anyone is curious about the MPC ecosystem, I say go for it and dedicate some time. It’s awesome but deep and very capable; like a DAW in a box but more like using an instrument instead of a computer. There are lots of great tutorials both from Akai and Tubedigga, and Matthew Stratton as well as others.
computers are instruments too.
so is a stick
You have a polyphonic stick?
polyphonic stick = sticks, no?
of course, but i don’t think anyone would reasonably question that ?
Looks like one of those Synth Magnets on eBay
Having had a classic Akai MPC I kinda like this throw back.
I’m just not sure it’s worth paying full RRP for though.
The video and accompanying text makes it just seem like a re-skin. There’s no mention of unique sample banks or anything that isn’t on the black one.
Seems a missed opportunity.
Nice.
Neat ting:
USB 19v to DC MyVolts Ripcord Cable ($£20)
connected to 3A output USB power bank
powers MPC One on the go.
Charging a hundred bucks for white plastic instead of black plastic is a little disingenuous. If it was $29 more, maybe it would be worth it, but 100 is too much to ask of people for the same product in a different color.
The difference is €30 over at Thomann.
At the moment the price is the same (699€).
it’s $100 more at Sweetwater and the other American retailers.
Or wait a couple of years and pick one up used for a few hundred less.
I had a MPC Live 2 retro and i just didn’t jive with it. I found it very frustrating to use. Almost impossible to do anything “immediately”. Ended up selling it, the guy who bought it seems to be doing quite well on it. I guess I’m just used to the much simpler “knob per function” design on synths. Anyone know of a sampler with good capability that is *very* easy to use?
I was going to recommend MPC One for a teenager eager to get into making beatz sampling
After owning MPC Touch :
I recommended Ipad 2020 or Ipad Pro 12.9 simpler workflow more intuitive tonnes of software as we know.
Yeah Ipad works out more expensive esp after purchasing apps and hardware
+ after adding dongle, audio interface, midi controller, pads, it’s not as elegant as MPC One.
Still Ipad can be minimalist just plug in 32ohm headphones via adapter : good to go.
I owned the MPC One, and found it very frustrating to use, even ‘though I’ve programmed a lot of synthesizers.
I don’t understand why any of these sampler designers can’t make a keyboard oriented sampler, with layering, split left hand, and arpie functionality.
Are the screens still laggy? Has been apparent in every official demo vid. They seem underpowered and unless you have a lot of sweet hw to control this with i would argue that an ipad with Cubasis 3 with plugins runs in circles around these things.
Now if Akai implemented IDAM (audio and midi over usb) on a unit without a screen and instead made a new ios app to go along with it, THEN… But one can dream.