AKAI MPK Mini Plus

The Lounge Other Gear
#1

A new competitor to the Arturia KeyStep 37

Feature MPK mini Plus
Keys 37 mini - 2nd Gen dynamic keybed
Pitch Bend and Modulation Wheel Yes
X/Y Joystick Yes (Fully Assignable)
Pads 8 full-size MPC RGB
Built-in Sounds No
Speaker No
Display OLED
Step Sequencer Yes (2 Track Poly Step/Live Sequencer)
Chords Mode Yes
Scales Mode Yes
Arpeggiator Yes
Note Repeat Yes
Assignable Encoders 8 Assignable Encoders
Sustain Pedal Input Yes
5-pin MIDI Yes
CV/Gate Yes
USB MIDI Yes
USB Powered Yes
Battery Operated No
Transport and DAW Control Yes
Octave Up and Down Yes
Pattern Save Yes
Included Software Yes - MPCBeats - Expansion Packs - Instruments
Software Editor Yes
Dimensions 17.76" x 7.08" x 2.04" (45.11cm x 18.0cm x 5.2cm)
Weight 2.78 lbs. / 1.26kg
5 Likes
#2

Chord mode, sequencers, joystick, CV, DIN MIDI.

This can do a lot for $169.
Just about everything except sequence CC automation.
Good job, AKAI.

2 Likes
#3

Itā€™s the keystep PRO than needs real competition, a midi keyboard incapable of transposing notes and Arturia wants to hear nothingā€¦

1 Like
#4

Anyone know of a 3 octave small keyboard with din midi out that is battery powered? This looked nice but wish it was battery powered. Need something that can turn my DN into a DN keys but still be relatively portable.

WRT the mini plus, I like that the wheels look more robust and I suppose the small screen is a nice addition.

#5

Iā€™d been contemplating picking up MPC Studio for the autosampler, and for the MPC pads, which I prefer over the MC-707 pads for entering drum parts.

Might go with this instead, since it also comes with MPC Beats and its autosampler.

#6

169 $? Itā€™s 216 ā‚¬ (199 ā‚¬ Street price) here in Europe. I wonder where this difference comes from - maybe due to the different routes of the shipping containers.
Well, at least itā€™s immediately available and still not bad for the price. Iā€™d wait for a dark edition, though.

#7

US prices are always shown pre-tax and itā€™s added at checkout.
European prices always include the tax.
Itā€™s a cultural thing. Relatively, these prices are the same.

3 Likes
#8

ah! That makes sense.

1 Like
#9

Itā€™s also due to the exchange rate.

A year ago the prices could be roughly ā€˜equalā€™ as $400 without tax was about the same as ā‚¬400/Ā£400 when including tax. Give or take.

But itā€™s shifted far enough now that those economics donā€™t work anymore.

#10

Only 9 posts since October 22. Ouch! :sweat_smile:
Is it really that bad or?

#11

I donā€™t know to be honest. I have not tried one. Maybe people just donā€™t care?

#12

I have one and for the price its decent. Its basically a travel midi keys for me that fits in a backpack and is powered by usb.

The keys are very ā€œminiā€, more like micro. The feel of them is not awesome. There is no aftertouch. The sequencer works, its nothing special. The arp mode/chord mode is useful since its nearly impossible to fit more than two fingers on the keyboard at once. The pads are typically MPC and feel pretty good.

It CAN do quite a bit, but the set up is kind of a pain. To make it easier there is an app, but uggggh another set up appā€¦gross.

Ultimately its like ~$200 so its a good value and gets the job done nicely as a backup/travel companion. If I had to use it on a daily basis, I wouldnt.

#13

From what I read and saw (I was looking around at the time) the reviews on this one were quite mixed. A lot of people were really positive about how (for example) the new Arturia Minilab really gave folks a lot of DAW control, where AKAI had done the bare minimum. Others mentioned how itā€™s this wierd size thatā€™s got unsatisfyingly small keys but itā€™s quite big, so itā€™s not that portable. So then your natural competition is more like a 37 key full size.

I actually think the idea is kinda stellar though, itā€™s a nice balance of quick input device for casual desk bashing but also a serious music making tool. You got enough pads, enough keys and plenty of options in terms of plugging it into gear if thatā€™s your thing. I think Arturia could have nailed something like this but they went down the 25 key route again.

#14

I was thinking getting one because:

  • itā€™s small in the sense that itā€™s the same size as my pedalboard and fits the case I got.
  • It has 8 encoders which map nicely to the smart controls within Logic Pro.
  • It got pads which suppose to be better than what the competition is offering.
  • It has MIDI over DIN which a lot of small MIDI keyboards in that size donā€™t offer.
  • Not the worse mini keys if I have to believe the reviews. Still mini keys though.
  • Built in sequencer and the arp might be handy sometimes.
  • CV might be handy at some point.
  • Seems like a cheap deal with all those features.
#15

They donā€™t seem to be available new anywhere, in the US at least, which is unusual w/ Akai. That combined with the relatively widespread complaints about the pads double-triggering makes me think they may be doing a hardware revisionā€¦

#16

So thereā€™s a 1.13v apparently but I canā€™t ^$%^#@ look into it on AKAIā€™s website cause the ^#^&# website wonā€™t allow it.

Edit: I was wrong you can download it but thereā€™s no readme file included. So no clue whatā€™s changed.

Has anyone got a clue whatā€™s changed, added, fixed in the latest firmware?

I thinking about getting one but Iā€™ve read you canā€™t change the MIDI to different channels, meaning you can only one 1 piece of gear at a time. That would be a dealbreaker for me and Iā€™m hoping they changed that in the latest firmware.

1 Like
#17

How do you change MIDI channels on this thing?
Is it like SHIFT + STOP and then scrolling through some menu?

#18

Did you try the manual ? akai mpk mini plus user manual pdf - Sƶk pƄ Google

#19

Yes I did and itā€™s something like I mentioned. Shift + Stop and then using the encoder to scroll through a menu. Not a fast or the easiest way.

I ordered one just to be frustrated. To be continuedā€¦ :stuck_out_tongue:

#20

Got it, unpacked it and hereā€™s my first reaction:

The built quality already feels a lot better than I was expecting it to be.
The minikeys (which I hate in general) are quite good. Compared to lets say the Novation mini keys its like night and day and feels way less flimsy. The modwheels are small but useable as well. The buttons all have a nice clickadiclack sound and the encoders arenā€™t too tiny and feel sturdy. The display looks tiny af so hopefully itā€™s very sharp. The pads are stiff but Iā€™m guessing theyā€™ll be fine as itā€™s an AKAI product after all.

Tonight I will hook it up and see if it everything works like it should. If anyone has questions let me know and Iā€™ll try to answer them. :slight_smile:

1 Like