Bluetooth support in the MPC allows you to use Bluetooth enabled MIDI controllers (such as the Korg Microkey Air). You can also use Bluetooth to send MIDI data to an iPad. In both situations, no MIDI or USB cables are needed, so bluetooth MIDI is quite useful for mobile beat making use. There is an endless range of samples and 16GB of internal storage to help you store the new samples. In addition, you can connect the SD cards or storage cards to extend the storage of your unit. You’ll have to decide what type of inputs you’ll need from an MPC, but if you know you’ll be needing lots of varied I/O, you’re probably going to find life is easier grabbing an X or MPC Key. Best ‘Beats on the go’ Option: With its internal battery and speakers the MPC Live II is definitely the most naturally suited to making music whenever the mood takes you, snd with its decent array of audio ports and flexible MIDI options it’s equally at home in the studio. If the MPC One Plus didn’t exist I’d be recommending the MPC Live II to everyone, but as it stands I just think that unless you really need those extra ports and are going to make good use of that internal battery, the MPC One edges it with its comparable features, ultra-portability and significantly lower price, and don’t forget it can be used with an external rechargeable battery if you really need that additional portability.

The One+ is supposedly the entry-level MPC, but it’s quite capable of producing complete pieces of music. We spent most of our time treating it as a sample-based drum machine, with a few instrumental frills on top. In terms of the ‘+’ update, the most useful element is the wireless connectivity. Having now used all of the current MPCs, we’d say that this may not be the most fully-featured in hardware terms, but it’s one of the most fun to use. Wireless internet – if you don’t have an ethernet port in your studio but have wifi, a wireless repeater could be the solution. If you get a portable/travel repeater, you can take it around with your MPC One to any location. just make sure the repeater features a built in ethernet port. The repeater will latch on to any nearby wifi signal and will provide internet and network access to your MPC One via the ethernet port. The most recommended USB interface for the MPC (and the one used by Akai in their promo videos) is actually a complete mixer and recording solution, the Tascam Model 12, which effectively provides your MPC with 12 inputs, 10 outputs, hands on dials, knobs, EQ, FX, mic preamps and a host of other features. So if you’re happy ‘outsourcing’ these tasks to an additional device like this, even the MPC One Plus could be used as a studio ‘hub’. ErgonomicsYou may have noticed that most of these MPCs support ‘Ableton Live Control’ and Ableton Link. So what’s the difference? The unit is designed with a built-in lithium-ion battery, which provides four hours to six hours of virtual operation. It is a slightly bigger model as compared to MPC One.

Most of what comes on the unit is drum programs and hits, representing various urban and dance styles. I've raved about MPC drum programs before: they range across up to 64 pads and feature up to four sound layers per pad. Drum programs have their own internal mixer and can use any of the many internal plug-in effects on individual pad channels or the whole kit. Akai Professional’s long-running MPC series is one of the most recognized sampling workstations ever made. Originally named MIDI Production Center (now Music Production Center), Akai introduced the first model, the MPC60, in 1988. Roger Linn, who developed the popular LM-1 drum machine in 1980, designed the earliest MPCs. Renowned for their influence on hip hop and electronic music, today’s workstations share DNA with their predecessors, with upgrades suited for modern digital recording. In this MPC One review, we’ll break down Akai’s affordable sequencer and sampling workstation. Akai MPC One OverviewThe MPC One Plus features all the functionality we’ve come to expect from MPC products. Every control is thoroughly designed to enhance your workflow, helping you to be more creative than ever before. Four touch-sensitive controls and a large data encoder map directly to critical parameters. Combined with sixteen velocity and pressure sense pads that deliver the perfect response to every touch. Akai has also included mainstays found across the MPC range including Note Repeat, Full Level, 16 Levels and dedicated Transport Controls to complete the MPC One Plus’s expressive feature set. Studio connectivity

Time stretch is identical for all standalone mpcs, there is nothing unique about the stretching on the live 2. Reply

The pads allow convenient recording of the pattern, and you can manually input everything with the sequencer grid. You can also use the touchscreen for making deep sequence edits. The MPC Live will support the following file types.AKP, . ALL, .IPT, .PGM, .PRJ, . SND, .MID, .SEQ, . APS, .50k, and.50s.

You can connect your standalone MPC with your USB audio interface by navigating through the preferences menu and finding your sound card. You can also up to 32 inputs/outputs (but beware of the CPU usage!) New plugin Instruments This is an easy fix, just grab a cheap USB to ethernet adapter and connect this to the USB 2.0 port. The MPC One Plus only has a single USB port, so if you need this for other purposes (USB MIDI, USB interfaces, disks etc), you’ll need a powered USB hub (which you’ll probably be using anyway). Alternatively, just temporarily connect the ethernet adapter whenever you specifically need network access. How does the MPC One Plus compare to the other current MPC models? So as things stand, adding more internal storage to the MPC One looks good on paper, it doesn’t really add any practical benefits. Perhaps in the future these restrictions will change, but for the moment you’ll definitely be better off using a large capacity SD card or USB drive for all your saving and storage requirements, as when connected to your MPC these drives are all accessible from a computer via USB connection. I hear the MPC One Plus has more memory and more powerful processor – is this true? The max recording resolution in standalone mode is 24 bit, 44.1kHz. When using the MPC One in controller mode the recording resolution can be set up to 24 bit, 96 kHz. The Live II, because of its time-stretching capabilities. And ideally, the X, because it’s more “fullstudio”-like. Reply

I hear the MPC One Plus has more memory and more powerful processor – is this true?

Wifi and ethernet are currently used to activate premium plugins, OTA firmware updates, syncing files with your online Splice account, Ableton Link and Ableton Live Control. MPC Drum and Keygroup Engine Enhancements such as Akai Pro Sample Tail, Dedicated Pitch Envelope, and Keygroup Portamento Includes acclaimed instruments, including Electric, Tubesynth, and Bassline, and AIR FX mastering processors