Celebrating 35 Years of Beat Making Excellence!

Want to start a discussion? Ask a group of traditional beat makers what the best MPC of all time is. Go ahead, we dare you.

There is no way of knowing which was the most popular. There's the pure tone that makes the original MPC60 a classic collector's piece that still produces beats to this day, but there's also the incredible flexibility of the MPC2000/XL and the incredible all-in-one features of the MPC5000. The truth is that every classic MPC is the "best" in the eyes of one producer or another, but one thing is certain: Akai Professional's MPC X is the modern MPC every ardent fan has been waiting for.

To celebrate 35 years of revolutionary groove, Akai has released the MPC X Special Edition, complete with the iconic grey-based color, plus a larger hard drive and double the RAM of the standard MPC

Regular firmware updates ensure that the MPC X is an ever-evolving instrument, ready to inspire and encourage new and innovative uses of its powerful suite of effects, instruments and features.

Instantly map drum pads to a full-scale keyboard, or add variety to any MIDI part with probability and repeat tools.

A growing collection of AIR effects takes individual instrument lines or entire tracks to new dimensions, including amp simulations, timbral sculpting tools, a grain engine, performance effects, vocal boost tools, and more, along with support for plug-ins for even greater creative potential.

There's also support for any class-compliant audio interface, so you can record and mix tracks directly from your Akai MPC unit!

Intuitive control meets unlimited depth

One of the biggest "love it or hate it" factors among MPC models is the balance between ease of use and depth of features. This music production monster delivers more music production power than any previous MPC. However, with such an intuitive user interface, you can probably pick one up and start working without even touching the manual.

This ease of operation is entirely based on the integration of its embedded software and complete set of physical controls. The shallow access that MPC X offers means you don't have to dig deep to find the features you want. Just take a look at the layout of the controls and you will understand.

Simply put, if it's something you would access with a mouse in a computer DAW, you can access it on the touchscreen. If it's something you want to control by pressing an actual button or turning a knob, then there's a button you can press or an OLED-labeled Q-Link encoder you can turn. It's amazing how MPC X seamlessly follows your workflow!

It is both software and hardware.

More precisely, MPCs have always combined software and hardware from the beginning. Now, you can run the same software as your MPC X on your computer. This means that you can remain connected to your computer if you wish, taking full advantage of your computer's software as well as the MPC X's inputs/outputs and controls, but you are not obligated to do so. Think about it - there are workflow options here that you've never had before.

For example, you can go out with just your MPC X, a microphone or two, and a smile on your face. MPC software has made it easier than ever to take your gear with you and use it wherever you feel inspired, create new beats, create new samples, and even record vocals along with your beats.

Regular firmware updates expand groovebox's extensive suite of performance tools, like connecting your favorite class-compliant USB audio interface directly to the MPC X to record instrument and vocal tracks - without the need for a DAW!

At the end of the day, you can go home with a fresh, more or less completed track in your pocket, ready for whatever finishing touches you want to add in the studio. It's the best of both worlds!

Headquarters for your complete music equipment

With the MPC1000, Akai Professional sampling workstations began to gain a reputation as exceptional sequencers, with music producers across a wide range of genres adopting them for their MIDI setups. When the MPC5000 arrived, you had 64 MIDI channels at your command, and there was no competition as to who reigned supreme in the world of hardware sequencers.

For a moment, hardware sequencing took a backseat to software-only production, but in recent years, not only has MIDI sequencing gained traction again, but the emergence of Eurorack equipment and other low-cost analog synthesizers have brought it back control CV/Gate expressively - and the MPC X is ready for it all.

Without being outdone by the '5000, the MPC X includes four MIDI output ports, but also has eight 3.5mm CV/Gate outputs. This means you can sequence your all-analogue synth rigs alongside your MIDI sound modules, creating stunning hybrid production systems, all controlled by your MPC X and fully synchronized with the other tracks. The two USB ports also support MIDI via USB, allowing you to integrate your virtual instrument collection or sync with another DAW.

Now consider the MPC

In the end, it all comes down to the sounds

Firstly, if you want specific sounds on your MPC X, you can go crazy. You can load almost any sample you want or record new samples on the fly. That's classic MPC power.

However, if you're looking for inspiration, you only need to explore the huge 10GB Vault sound library. We're talking the best that Capsun Audio, MVP Loops, and CR2 Records have to offer, plus a ton of exclusive content from the sampling gurus at Akai Professional.

But what about your sample library? You may have a sample library that some would consider overkill, but you can't live without it. That's cool - just load everything onto an external hard drive (HDDs and SSDs supported) and plug it into the 2.5-inch SATA drive connector.

A simpler option is to put what you want on an SD card or USB thumb drive, but it's all up to you. Either way, MPC X makes it easy.

Bring your creative flow to life with the latest firmware

When Akai Professional announced a software DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) that thought like an MPC in 2012, the world of electronic music production went crazy. The immediate success of MPC Studio and MPC Renaissance paved the way for MPC X and laid the foundation for regular firmware updates, adding many user-requested features that complement MPC X's overall design philosophy.

MPC 2.0's ability to record audio tracks alongside their loops has taken MPC's DAW software out of the realm of beat production and into the ranks of great loop-based DAWs.

Additionally, Akai Professional has updated its time-warp algorithm, making sample stretching and slicing smoother than ever.

You'll feel the enhanced control of the Q-Links (knobs) as they respond as if they're one step ahead of you, and the MIDI and audio drag-and-drop function makes the most of the MPC X's touchscreen.

You can even plug your favorite class-compliant USB audio interface directly into the MPC X to record instrument and vocal tracks.

Additionally, several incredible and versatile plugins are included, such as the Air Vocal Insert Effect Suite, which features Vocal Tuner, Vocal Harmonizer and Vocal Doubler effects, as well as tone shaping tools such as Flavor, Amp Sim and Granulator.

With recurring, user-focused updates like this, you're more prepared than ever to produce radio-ready tracks with the MPC X.

CHARACTERISTICS:

• A complete, standalone DAW that lets you work without using your computer
• Everything you loved about sampling and beatmaking built in
• Offers a perfect combination of classic loop production and modern track production
• 10.1-inch touchscreen and all the convenient controls you need
• 16 velocity and pressure sensitivity pads you'll love using
• 48GB of internal storage and external hard drive support, accompanied by 4GB of RAM
• Preloaded with an epic collection of sounds you'll actually use
• Regular firmware updates introduce new plugins: 4 instruments (Hype, Solina, Odyssey and Mellotron), 7 insertion effects (Half Speed, Diode Clipper, Stutter, Diffuser Delay, Sample Delay, Limiter and Granulator) and AIR Vocal Insert Effect Suite ( Vocal Tuner, Vocal Doubler and Vocal Harmonizer)
• Option to connect class-compliant USB interfaces directly for recording vocals and instruments without the need for a DAW
• Enhancements to the MPC Drum and Keygroup engine, such as Akai Pro Sample Tail, Dedicated Pitch Envelope, and Keygroup Portamento
• New drum pad effects including Ringmod, Bitcrush and Decimator
• High-quality analog inputs/outputs that connect to everything you need
• Control all your gear with extensive MIDI, CV/Gate and USB connectivity
• Improved Q-Link control and MIDI/audio drag and drop also included
• The 10GB Vault sample library includes production-ready content.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

Type: Independent Sampler/Sequencer
Internal Sound Engine: Multicore system with plugin instruments, multisample key group instruments and drum expansion libraries
Screen: 10.1" multitouch display, tilt adjustable
Pads: 16 velocity/pressure sensitive RGB pads, full size
Other Controllers: 16 touch-capacitive Q-Link knobs
Sounds: 10GB of premium sound content
Sequencer: 128-track MIDI, 8-track audio
Looper: Yes
Sampling: Advanced sampling and audio editing/recording
Analog Inputs: 2 x XLR-1/4" Combo, 2 x 1/4" TRS, 1 x Dual RCA Stereo, 2 x 1/4" TS (instrument)
Analog Outputs: 2 x 1/4" (master L/R), 6 x 1/4" TRS
Headphones: 1 x 1/8", 1 x 1/4"
MIDI I/O: 2 x 5-pin In, 4 x 5-pin Out, USB, Bluetooth
Other I/O: 8 x 1/8" TRS (CV/Gate)
USB: 2 x USB-A 3.0, 1 x USB-B 3.0
Bluetooth: Yes
Pedal Inputs: 2 x 1/4"
Storage: 4GB RAM, 48GB internal (10GB user storage), SD card slot, 2.5-inch SATA disk drive connector
Software: Akai MPC 2
Compatibility: VST Compatible (Control Mode)
System Requirements - Mac: OS X 10.10.5 or later
System Requirements - PC: Windows 8.1 or later
Power Supply: 19V DC power supply (included)
Height: 3.4", 8.4" (display in vertical position)
Width: 19.9"
Depth: 16.7"
Weight: 12.5 lbs
Manufacturer Part Number: MPC X SE