lol
Ah, the fabled Akai RSI Live
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I think Akai will stratify their product lines even more.
- an SP404 type entry level machine to compete with similar lower priced machines from Roland and KORG
- a Live II backbone machine replacement for pro and prosumer market
- an SE flagship model replacement
The One-series will probably remain. It occupies a nice affordable slot and will get an upgrade mostly with new labeling to match 3.0. And then thereâs the usual dummy controllers but that wonât come so soon until the desktop software is ready.
The anomaly here is the Force. Not sure if there will be a replacement as most of MPC 3.0 has crossover features already.
I just canât imagine what more extra hardware features thatâs not been done that needs to be added to the new hardware. Maybe a crossfader and MPE support for the flagship. For the Live-series maybe a tiltable screen. But their current series have pretty much stocked up in hardware features already. Anything we wish to see?
While checking the FCC, I came across a registered device with the ID Y4O-ACVG. Itâs likely a new MPC device.
https://fcc.report/company/Inmusic-Brands-Inc
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All new devices could could get a new screen thatâs tiltable with a hinge, audio over USB, MPE, & RAM.
The One could be given a battery & maybe an some combo jacks with a preamp or at least separate record gain knobs for each input like the Force.
The live could get longer lasting battery.
The Force needs a better button layout, another crossfader, a battery & extra audio & MIDI in/outs.
Other thing is, what if they add the Force clip matrix to the current gen & many people like it & they want more buttons to deal with it better?
Then Akai will have to design the new models around those needs, so IMO, until MPC3.0 is more fleshed out weâll need to wait to make design suggestions.
Letâs see what they do this May.
I just thought about this. If the Force is still being updated, they may plan on staying on the this current gen of MPCs & Force for at least another year. Why update it if they plan on abandoning it this year? We may not see new gen until 2027. Thatâs a whole decade on 1 gen. Which is insane for Akai & most hardware devices.
Agreed on a battery-powered One-series. That seems like a logical progression for that model. Tiltable screens - maybe for the Live-series and the flagship of course. Iâve always thought the Force matrix keypads could be a âpiggybackâ device to the main 3.0 software. They will unify the operating system so they donât need to maintain both, and release a small hardware piggyback device with matrix keypads and a crossfader to go with your Live or One hardware. Iâd like to see a HDMI output for the flagship with external input control. Close to a Fairlight if doable.
Most of the other hardware improvements suggested are extra this or that. What I meant was, what else can a new MPC hardware bring nowadays without going esoteric? A D-beam? That weird gyro controller in the OP-XY? Breathe control input?
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I wish Akai would take inspiration of how other touch-screen devices handle MIDI editing - itâs unnecessarily complex on Live/One/X with all the tool switching and bottom menus 
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Get better at playing then!! Haha kiddingâŚi hate the midi editor in mpc. But at least now they have a few more shift options. In version 2 you used to not be able to delete selected notes on there lol. Had to select notes, then shift amd cut 
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Another banger, it explains what I hate about the mpc midi editing.
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Iâm sure they are going to improve the midi editing via the touch screen at some point because of the new direction they are going in trying to expand their base with 3.0⌠Those new customers wonât be satisfied without it.
I sold my Live II yesterday. Only because Iâm short on funds for bills and havenât used it in a grip. I also have a hunch new hardware is going to drop and I might be more interested in that. Who knows. I do feel a bit sad to no longer have an MPC in the house, even if just for music history sake.
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an mpc is like a leatherman or swiss army knife, Iâd be lost without one.
Iâm currently looking for an sp-303 style skin for an mpc one
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MmmâŚexcept it doesnât have decent step sequencing, nor conditional trigs, the piano roll editing is cumbersome, audio export is unreliable and track muting is glitchy.
Sometimes itâs better to have individual tools than one tool to rule them all.
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mine doesnât suffer from any of those issues, definitely not an elektron stepsequencer but more than good enough for any stepsequencing I do on the mpc, which is not alot⌠but for example you can do alot more on it than just placing triggersâŚ
I havenât had any export issues or track mute issuesâŚ
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I genuinely never sequence or edit midi on my MPC, nor did I on the MV8800 I used for ages. Theyâre meant to be played and recorded into. You can do the other stuff, but youâll probably be disappointed if thatâs what youâre after. Itâs why I donât get the comparison to other grooveboxes etc. Theyâre for playing live on the pads, MIDI or sampling into and playing those samples live. Then taking that to combine into a song.
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Sequencing midi on the old MV and MPC were a dream in comparison to the janky current MPCs.
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what kind of issues are you having, and which OS are you using?
Probs a good time to sell. I feel like a new gen of MPCâs are just around the corner.
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Thankfully the kid at Guitar Center didnât know they are on sale.
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I believe you and am pleased for you.
I can reproduce the issues Iâve experienced. Whatâs odd is audio export varies between attempts! There are undoubtedly bugs, and Iâve reported them to Akai in the MPC 3 beta phase.
I donât buy the implied slur of a DAW in a box. Why not? At least there is a physical interface that tightly integrates with all the features. So much better than faffing with a computer, upgrades, cables and configuring controllers.
Well at least on paper, but currently the MPC reminds me of a car that doesnât start on a rainy day. Great on a sunny day, but no fun when it doesnât get you where you want to go.
I recently returned to a shelved live project on the Analog 4. Itâs like a lateral thinking creativity puzzle in contrast to the Microsoft Excel thrills of the MPC and sounds wonderful, works and is so much more fun.
Tempting as do-it-all boxes are, in reality more tightly focussed boxes seem to be more reliable and enjoyable.
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