Akai MPC One & MPC Live II £639/£1040

The reinvigorated MPC range gains two new hardware devices and a software update. Si Truss dives back in…

- Si Truss

CONTACT WHO: Akai Professional WEB: akaipro.com KEY FEATURES MPC Live II – I/O: 6x jack out, phones out, 2x jack in, phono out, 2x MIDI out, 2x MIDI in, 4x stereo CV out, 2x USB A, 1x USB-B, ethernet Link, SD card MPC One – I/O: 2x jack out, phones out, 2x jack in, 1x MIDI out, 1x MIDI in, 4x stereo CV out, 1x USB-A, 1x USB-B, ethernet Link, SD card

Back in 2017, Akai made something of a U-turn with their iconic MPC range. Following several laptop-reliant iterations – MIDI controllers designed for bespoke software, effectively equivalents to NI Maschine – the company released a pair of MPCs that once again took things out-of-the-box with built-in CPUs that allowed them to operate as completely standalone, DAWrivalling production tools.

The behemoth-like MPC X was the flagship, but the MPC Live was the standout. Equipped with a rechargeable battery for completely wireless operation, the Live really nailed the balance between self-sufficiency and versatility – stripped back enough to allow users to free themselves from the shackles of their studio computer while powerful enough not to leave them hankering after their DAW.

While several software updates have brought new features into the mix, 2020 is the first time in a few years we’ve seen any new hardware in the MPC range. Announced within six months of one another, the second generation MPC Live and MPC One both sit at the smaller and more portable end of the range. So what sets these two apart?

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