Akai have extended their MPC line once more with the MPC Key 61, a keyboard variant of their iconic sampler brand. Martin Delaney reviewed the device for MusicRadar and had high praise for it:
Workstation keyboards used to rule the roost, and there’s still a number out there from the big players – see our sidebar. Akai brings its sampling expertise, the pads, the accessibility and the interface experience from the previous MPC models. It’s probably more user-friendly than its rivals, where their undoubted power is reflected in their complexity, and it’s also much more affordable.
The truth is that with the wealth of onboard content, and the sampling, you could create any type of music with this. Could you do a whole album with the MPC Key 61? Definitely. Could you do a whole live show? Yes. The Akai MPC Key 61 is a do-everything box
High praise indeed. The Akai MPC Key 61 will be out on 20th September.
Do you want to get a MPC Key 61 or have you tried one yet? Let us know in the comments.