Like a computer maybe… 
But yeah you got me on that one… but i feel like it’s a shame to buy an OT for only Hub/FX… but of course, like you said it’s a powerful beast in anyway !!! my bad i may over-reacted on that one… there’s probably not such a thing in hardware STRICTLY speaking
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haha its ok, if i knew anyone that didn’t exploit the other features I would probably give them an ear full of advice 
my OT is sort of on mixer/fx duties these days. Not much sampling going on, but I do like to run VSTs through the OT… gives them a bit of character and the FX with plocks will take the sounds to new places.
the giant MPC looks really good. I need to see a full review to see the caveats of the UI/OS but all those CV outs really have my mouth watering
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Yeah at some point i considering a PC laptop… + Toraiz but now cards on the table changed. If Elektron drop something at some point it can changed again. So i paused a bit, wait NAMM ending and see how first users complain about their MPC Live and MPC X and then i will see more clearly what’s the real card actually are.
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Also @nirun, i said computers but if money is not a problem i bet than modular is surely the way for this kind of experimentation with FX isn’t it ?
Just thinking to that
I’m loving what Akai is doing here, but I wonder if they’re missing the point by listening too much to the community.
The MPC Live is like “Look, a daw without a computer!” Almost exactly, actually. A typical hardware controller, wired to a typical computer interface. Essentially, two components merged.
The advantage with hardware is that you can go about the recording and production process in an entirely different way, since you have the tactile approach readily at hand. That’s one of the strengths of the OT - since it’s something else, built in hardware, it’s not a daw in a box, or a replacement for such an environment. It’s something else. And you can’t replicate an OT within a computer, no more than you can replicate Ableton in the OT.
With the MPC Live, it does feel a bit like it really is like a daw, interface and all, workflow and everything, in a package that’s physically close to a touch screen wired to a hardware interface.
Though the merge of all this, is of course the point, and I’m just not seeing it. It’s just like why do a production environment as it works in a computer, in a computer-like box, with a computer interface, with a hardware interface that you usually connect to a computer?
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To me the point is to make a Music environment optimized for music production.
(you plug, you make your thing, no jitter, SYNC ok… plenty of inputs, outputs… phone inputs is great, midi 2in 2 out and more on the MPC X but what i like on the MPC X is Touch or not you can use it, not sure the LIVE if you don’t like the Touch control can actually working the old way…)
And
not a Operating System not optimized for one task but any tasks
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I’m much more polite since i came back to hardware for making music rather than the time i’m ITB… everyone around me say hey what’s happen to you you seem to actually making music now… and yes it’s exactly that !
Also what i liked ITB / Computer is the visual approch, i think i want to keep both… i like Hears approach and i like Visual approach, but hardware only
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https://www.gak.co.uk/en/akai-mpc-live-performance-and-production-sampler/904823
Not quite £700 but still less than I expected by a good £100-200
https://www.gak.co.uk/en/akai-mpc-x-performance-and-production-sampler/904829
And this one is well below what I expected it to cost by hundreds!
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you can really do anything in modular if money space and TIME isn’t an issue 
cross fader + scenes on the OT controlling FX settings hard to recreate with modular, possible but will be very messy and time consuming to achieve something similar that can be done with a few key presses and encoder turns on the OT. you will also likely need multiples of the same unit. Intellijel rainmaker is cool, same with erbe verb echophon etc. you just need a lot of sequencers / lfos to be able to modulate more than one parameter with different values at any given time, something the OT and overall the elektron sequencer does really well.
You can definitely get more interesting “surprise” results with modular, but for performance the OT still wins hands down for my purposes due to reliability speed and precision
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I get your point. Not much in the way of creative innovation from what I’ve seen so far on the standalones. And seems to be lacking in the areas OT excels (lfos/trig types/scenes etc). But in terms of portable/hybrid practicality theyve close to nailed it. And for anyone that already owns an OT and wants something portable to use around the house in a daw scratchpad kind of way, un-hemmed in by 64 steps and monophonic tracks etc, and then bring it in to their main setup to take further and pair with OT… The Live looks like it could be ideal.
Can see my overall productivity/finishing songs/gathering samples etc increasing a ton if the software is solid. When my kids are older and I can spend more time on my main setup again then maybe I’ll sell it on but right now it’s portability etc appeals a lot.
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These AKAI guys actually reminds me how @Dataline is good at (live) demoing…
“And I can change the master clock I go up in tempo, down in tempo, and this really does put MPC into a whole new category”.
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I’ve never touched an MPC before, but do you think this pictures illustrates something like setting p-locks on elektron gear?
How deep are LFO options on the current software? Lots of destinations/shapes etc? Just read a little about LFO Layer Cyc function that sounds like could be interesting. Unable to find a decent thread or video on LFO overall tho.
And p-locks? IIRC I think I heard from somewhere else that these don’t exist on MPC, which is a definite bummer. Maybe I got that wrong tho? Or Maybe added in V. 2?
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I’m having a look at the MPC 1.9 software manual, it seems like the LFO are limited to the “programs” and do not seems as deep as the OT, not p-lock (but it seems there’s a similar per step automation), not sure about midi cc confirguration.
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exciting - has anyone figured out the actual differences? (besides the obv tech ones)
I wonder if the live has less functionality or is just not as beefy (less tracks/polyphony or something)
For MPC Live, isnt it limiting with only 1 set of 1/4 input jacks? Means when recording a potential song, need to record each input track separately?
Probably not much different to a basic audio interface but how do you work around this limit?
Personally it never bothered me with past MPC’s having 1 set of inputs. Usually I use an aux send from a mixer to feed an MPC.
The MPC live is looking like a real winner for me… fingers crossed they finally got all the right ingredients for my tastes
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Im just trying to think how i could get this to improve my workflow in current setup. I have an OT, so trying to rationalise how this would add enough value to purchase. For me the benefit would be in recording and mastering from hardware, into a complete song (i.e. similar to a DAW, but removing the DAW element). Seeing the track in zoom in and zoom out mode rather than just per the step sequencer on the OT. I would prefer to use OT and Live together rather than giving the OT up.
I see the plus is in the MIDI sequencer - with the Q Link knobs you could map and automate the CC of an external instrument. The software allows around 20 min of recording per sample. A midi sequence has no set length.
It has a configurable mute parameter i.e. mute sequence after 1 bar etc. So one can start /stop multiple sequences from the machine. It has scales, progressions and chords, that is quiet helpful. Also Overdub recording of sequences.
You could quickly iterate a lot of variations.
The sampler also has the possiblity to run looping with replace , and could insert FX, that sounds like a through track on the octatrack. I would think the midi sequencer alone would be worth it. I dont have read about routing an LFO to a midi CC yet, but i think the manual of the touch will cover most of the usage of the mpc live.
Also midi learn is not yet clear to me if its supported or not.
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