This ultra-portable, battery-powered workstation boasts a 7-inch multitouch display, which complements 16 velocity-/pressure-sensitive pads and an array of streamlined controls. It’s like Akai never bother to actually do a QoL release and fix some of the most painfully obvious omissions. TubeSynth emulates the sound of classic analog polysynths with analog modeling technology, combined with 5 integrated AIR effects. In addition, the possibility was created to install an SSD hard drive with a few simple steps and thus significantly increase the internal memory.

If the OP has narrowed his personal choice to those two devices there isn’t any ‘need’ to include the M+ or anything else… ‘have you thought about the Maschine+? Now you can simultaneously connect and route all the MIDI gear in your studio, including class compliant USB Keyboards, MIDI interfaces and USB to CV modules, supercharging your I/O capability.MPC X, MPC X SE, MPC One, MPC One+, MPC Key 61, MPC Live and MPC Live II (also suitable for the MPC Touch running MPC 2. The plugins are great starting point if you don't have a lot of hardware or you don't have them near you. Akai Professional's MPC2 software features all the tools to quickly navigate every musical task from writing music and recording audio, to mixing and mastering. There are a lot of significant improvements here, with some workflow unblockers that disarm gripes from our recent MPC One review.

Retaining its predecessor’s stylish looks and robust build-quality, the Live II expands upon it with an even smoother workflow, additional controls on the front panel, lighter form factor, CV connections and a punchy built-in stereo speaker - the Akai Live II is a more than worthy successor to its first iteration. Additionally, all the engines can be accessed in one multi mode instrument for a powerful combination program. Since we last reviewed the MPC line, Ableton Live compatibility has been added, not only allowing MPC creations to be exported as Live projects, but also providing mapping to use the hardware as a wireless Live controller. This new MPC Live has more buttons, the master volume control is now on the front panel and, oh yes, there's a built-in speaker.A new addition in Version II is the built-in stereo speaker, which, together with the rechargeable battery that allows up to five hours of mains-independent operation, is predestined for use outside the studio environment. With its trend-setting performance possibilities together with the seamlessly integrated MPC software, it becomes the central tool on stage and in the studio.