Akai Professional MPC Live II – Battery Powered Drum Machine, Sampler and Beat Maker With Speakers, Drum Pads, Synth Engines, Touch Display, and Native Instruments Integration

I came from rack-mount samplers. So the MPC is a steep initial learning curve if you’re new to pads, like me. But learning is made easier because it's an instrument that you will want to pick up and use. It’s tactile. There is a gorgeous rubberised coating across the top of the MPC, which means it’s not cold to the touch. Great design. The speaker is good too, with excellent punch.The benefit of this instrument is it’s very flexible. Can be part of a small studio set-up, can match with a DAW, can stand alone, can be used as a sketch pad or for serious work, and if you’re a working producer it can travel with you. It’s got heft, but still portable.When you buy one, just one tip for the impatient user: closely follow the battery charging protocol for first use and give it a long life. Read the basic instructions. Then get MPC Bible if you need (and wait till MPC3 software version if you can hold on).I would ideally like to see Roger Linn's signature on MPCs - even if it’s just for Special Editions - and his contribution. His name not being on the front plate is the one thing that disappoints at this price point. But in every other way, it’s well designed and made. I have no buyer's remorse, and would recommend this instrument from Akai.

First of all, I've been producing hiphop for over 20 years. I've got an Roland MV8800 ( incredible machine even now it's dated ), FL studio, and have used the MPC one, MPC ren.This MPC X SE is really special, 4GB over the 2GB of the original, retro colour scheme, has £500 of plug in/instruments included, BURR Brown converters for even better sound. MPC 3.0 currently is amazing, it turns the MPC into a real DAW like FL or the MV8800.Special thanks to Amazon for putting this up brand new, ( all peels intact, never used, or registered) for half price, yes half price!! Amazing deal for a 10/10 sampler.

Am still getting to grips with fully how to use, but it's such a great versatile machine.The sounds are great, it's pretty easy to get started, portable as you can run off batteries, and the built-in speakers are pretty good.Lots of Expansion possibilities, Buy it, you won't be disappointed

Expensive but brilliant

First of all it is great that I can buy an expensive machine on interest free monthly payments. I see this as value for money. This Akai MPC x se is a high quality performance machine with exceptional sound quality when paired with the right speaker system. Onboard memory has been ramped up and you can install an onboard storage drive allowing you to store more. Once you get into the workflow it is an easy machine to use.

Device loaded with the error message 'No internal audio device could be found!'. The buttons and pads were not responsive. Going to the info screen, it reported it's serial number was invalid.

Excellent build, clear, bright screen, nice buttons. Software installation on pc etc with licensing add ons and different files for pc and standalone and adding internal drive and getting the right disk format etc is all a bit complexOverall a nice bit of kit with great audio processing power

It's impossible to tell you how good this product is. Akai are amazing and the price is bang on. Just the best thing I've ever bought.