http://www.musiciansfriend.com/keyboards-midi/akai-professional-mpc-element

WTF is this shite?

only 149 USD and it comes with software "Essentials".

I'm skeptical.

 

I Heart Akai

 

I actually find it interesting since it has MIDI OUT and IN, not just shitty USB MIDI [YMMV]. That means it's meant for the crowd that use proper MIDI interfaces. So maybe the pads are good quality, too. For the price they should be. However, I would always rather have an all in one MIDI controller like MPK-49. Well, I'm actually eye-balling MAX-49 currently to replace my 11 years old Evolution MIDI controller. Both MPK and MAX are lots of bang and boom for not so much dosh IMHO. :D

I heart what's worth to heart, not brands. ;) For example, I love Presonus Faderport and I bought one, but I have really bad experiences with their other [unreliable] hardware. YMMV again. Every company makes some good products and some bad products, except M-audio. They only make bad products. LOL Just joking, even they have some good products like DMP-3 preamp and some mics, Audiophile audio cards.

Cheers!

 

More Pictures here:

http://www.musikhaus-korn.de/en/Akai-MPC-Element-inkl-MPC-Essentials.html

 

Looks pretty nice.

 

Having had no bad experiences with my Akai stuff.. I stand by my hearting..

and yes.. M-Audio is 95 % shite.....IMO *yes*

 

Well, i have a M-Audio Firewire 410 Audio Interface now for like 5 years, Not one problem and i'm happy with it. Even if they do not release any firmware updates anymore, it still works fine with Mountain Lion 10.8.5
And for the price that they are offering they products there is nothing wrong.

cheers

 

Seems like a fair deal to me. why is it shite?

 

Well for one, it appears to be the MPC Fly just rebranded. Maybe they are having a hard time selling the units? Second, look at the specifications.

It says it's "standalone" yet has no audio I/O. But it comes with the "essentials" software which seems like a gutted MPC Ren/Studio software. It supports vst but...only one track of sequencing? So how can this be standalone?

And I'm struggling to see how this can be useful even as a plugin.

As a controller, I guess it is fine but how would you make use of the 16 levels function (very useful) without AKAI's proprietary software?

8 banks of 16 pads is awesome, however, one track of sequencing is a serious buzzkill.

EDIT: also...I just noticed...why is there a mute track and solo track button if it comes with a software app that only supports one track of sequencing? LOL

To me, that's a dead giveaway that they are just trying to microwave the Fly. Well, that and the fact it's been removed from the site.

 

I'm sure some people have had a decent experience with M-Audio...Hence the (IMO).

Nothing but heartache for me in my earlier days of doing music on the PC tho.. and buying their stuff cos it was cheap and I didn't know how crap it was.

 

I did OK with my M-Audio Keystation....that was the first and last piece of M-Audio gear I bought

 

Who the hell still uses Akai formats these days? Anything that doesn't allow a .wav sample I hate to death. The only thing I like that ISN'T audio is Midi for synthesizers and samplers that allow .wav...

Lol, remember General Midi hahahahahahah!

 

Just hope that those pads aren't shitty as the ones on mpk series
If they are not, that might be a nice to plug with some vsti

 

Yeah, rflip, I'm looking forward to a review of this. If the pads are good quality and *responsive* enough without breaking your fingers, I might consider it for purchase. I need some kind of pads for sequencing drums. I'm not sure if I need their software, though.

 

My opinion on akai is that they are exploiting way too much the mpc stuff (they even have the impc for iphone and ipad...) and some times it backfires like mpk series(I have one mkp49). I just hope that this ain't another flop.
Probably this one will be nice, I mean they got to learn from their mistakes.

Oh and talking about the mpk49, I had a couple problems with connecting the controllers to the Daw (cubase 5), and I had to do it by hand, in that aspect the M-audio is better automapping.
but that is just my opinion and experience with the mkp49.

 

The 8 banks and proper MIDI out are intriguing....if the pads are legit, I might buy it.

I have a few hardware samplers and if I can diasy chain them with this....it would be huge.

I could use 4 banks to trigger my S612, SP505 + SP202, EPS-16 and S20. Then have 4 banks for samples. If the pads are nowhere near the MPK ones... I'm in.

AKAI also said the fully functional software (used with the Ren and Studio) will be available to the Element with the 1.5 release.

 

Funnily enough, M-Audio & (modern) Akai build quality is the same given that they are both now owned by inMusic Brands (along with Alesis, Numark, ION, MixMeister, AIR, Sonivox & Alto).

The innovative Akai of yesteryear which revolutionised music through affordable sampling, defined beat production techniques & expectations, hired Roger Linn as a long-term consultant, etc? That company no longer exists as anything but a logo.

(And yeah this is nothing more than a mildly re-engineered MPC Fly. Feh.)

 

Would be a perfect upgrade for my older midi pad unit.

 

I might roll the dice on it

 

Do it and tell us How it works