Sure that makes sense. But why add all the DAW like abilities if Akai is best suited to sampling capable drum machines? It still seems like the most recent Akais fall between two stools to me
The piano roll can come in handy for some detailed editing but I don’t really use it. I don’t use the clip mode at all or the looper and I’m totally fine with that. I say this because what I do use it for it really shines. Sample chopping, beat smashing those soft pads and midi sequencing. With the new update I’ll be midi recording from my DT four tracks at a time with plocks and conditional trigs all over the place.
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I look at it like the traditional MPC is still there but with enhanced sampling tools, nice effects and way more storage.
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You missed my brackets 
If I need to be serious, I’ve more doubts about OT1 vs OT2, if the OT2 audio out, display and new UI are really a valuable plus.
About the infamous learning curve, well, I’m using Elektron gear since 2014, and honestly I don’t see all that difficulty, eventually with the octatrack the point is the flexibility about making different things in different ways, the versatility, this could take time, discovering new paths.
Then I know the difference between OT and MPC Live, one is toward live audio mangling, that can kinda adapted for standard sequencing stuff but not completely and easily like you could do with an MPC, where lacks of all the live audio mangling features of the live, or, if it have that features, they are not underlined in the UI like in the OT and viceversa due to the different main goals of the 2 boxes.
Main point about the MPC is the still missing disk streaming if you want to use it like a crippled DAW.
That’s why my which (one) to get (first).
I’ve already AR mk1, A4 mk1, MD UW mk2, MNM mk2, 9U 104hp + 9U 84hp DIY Modular.
What I would like to add is a dedicated sampler.
Currently I see the mpc live as something that will probably lead me to sample, sequence and make complete tracks, while the octatrack more like another instrument that will not lead me out (at least not easily) from the “loopcentric” twist I’m inside until I decide to record in Ableton and arrange there.
Yes, Ableton is already a sampler, but as many, I work all day long in front of a computer, and I don’t want to stay in front of it also in my spare time still dealing with keyboard and mouse.
I see that with the OT I’ll probably end on Ableton anyway, more often than with the MPC Live.
I could be completely wrong, but I see more intricate and difficult doing complete tracks using the OT than the MPC Live, at least from all the videos I’ve seen, perhaps it’s just a matter of different approach, but surely they have different main use goals, already highlighted by their UI.
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I love MPCs!
But I don’t like the fact they can’t do odd steps (only evenly divided steps) per track.
There’s a workaround, but it’s not worth it.
Just set your external gear to do the odd step thing! SH01A baby! Techno
And the sampling just looks so dam easy to manage. I personally like the touch screen. Waiting to see if there are any Memorial Day deals as me want!
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Now that I’m working from home every day in my home studio doing work, I don’t want to be in front of my computer. Use case for me is the MPC Live could be kind of fun to sketch in the living room, outside, etc, and plug various gear into it (guitar, phone, etc). So the speaker would actually work in this scenario (saying that as I kinda think it’s a dumb design, but I’ll use it). I’d then export to Ableton and work there to arrange/polish. No experience with OT or DT, but agree they are diff beasts.
is there a release date on this yet? thinking of changing things up
just got a shipping notification from Sweetwater (though I had been told later May / early June)
I’m still waiting for my shipping info from Sweetwater. Ordered on Sat. this past weekend. Hoping I get notification this week.
Got my ship notification this morning as well. I ordered Saturday. I see some of the complaints about convoluted workflow in this thread and it’s like…uh…this is an Elektron board and you’re complaining about convoluted workflow… okayyyyyyyy 
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I think I’ve found a bug in fw 2.8:
The mpc live 2 lets any midi data pass to the midi track, from any connected device to any midi ports (DIN/USB Host), pressing NOTE REPEAT. The external devices can trigger the notes when note repeat is pressed or it is in latch mode.
Releasing note repeat, the midi flow stops.
Obviously, I disable midi input from the track, the track midi input is set to none.
Am I missing something???
I don’t have a Live, but I have experienced similar issues on older MPCs by unintentionally setting the midi “Soft thru” to “Omni”. It might be worth checking to see if there is an option to set it to “As track”. If it is a bug, hopefully it gets ironed-out:).
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Can anyone say if you can use SDXC cards on the Live MK II, like on the Mpc One?
Yes, it’ll accept SDXC, which uses the default exFAT format, which is the format that Akai recommends, well, at least for the internal SSD/HDD. I use a SanDisk 512GB SDXC with no issues. It’s not as fast as the HDD installed inside though.
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Thanks.
This thing is amazing, probably the best all-in-one I’ve used, and a great successor to what I loved about the Novation Circuit (everything you need, portable, speakers in a pinch, master-level sound shaping). I didn’t think I’d care about the speakers, but they’ve turned out to be a godsend for my current life.
Anyway, here’s my first jam on the Live II. Love this thing so far.
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Much enjoyed! I still don’t think I ever want to jump into learning the MPC workflow over an Octatrack and/or Ableton Live. But I have to admit that you made a very nice track and demo it well here!
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Been on a selling spree to get a MKII. Just about there and can’t f***ing wait.
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