The MPD 218 isn't anywhere close to that of course (remember that the MPC60 cost $5,000 in 1988 – ~$10,800 today), but it is still well-built. Some of the old MPC60s are still going strong today after years of abuse in live gigs. I seriously recommend this if you plan to carry a pad controller to your gigs or jam sessions.īuild quality: The old Akai MPCs were built like tanks. You can drop it into your backpack and it will feel like you're carrying an extra iPad around. Powering the MPD 218 is easy – you just have to plug it into a USB port.Īll of these make it one of the most portable pad controllers you can buy. At 1.6lbs, it's marginally heavier than an iPad. It's also thin – at its thickest, it's barely 1.5″ thick. It's small – smaller than a small laptop. Portability: The Akai MPD 218 scores big on the portability. Let's do a deep dive into the build quality and design. ![]() The soft edges and brushed finish of the rotary knobs looks great as well. The sleek all-black body with red tinged pads and backlights looks gorgeous. And it's completely USB powered for easy portability.Īesthetically speaking, the MPD 218 is miles ahead of its predecessor. You can lug it around anywhere – it's barely half the weight of a Macbook Air. Because this unit is slimmer, has thicker rubber pads, is backlit, and is way smaller and lighter. Overall design:The MPD 218 is completely different from its predecessor, the MPD 18. You can also see the results of a quick poll where I asked MIDINation readers to vote whether they would recommend the MPD 218 to their friends.įor the rest of the Akai MPD 218 review, read on. If you’re in a hurry, refer to this graphic for a quick overview of the MPD 218 and its pros and cons. Akai MPD 218 Review: Overall Score: 4.1/5.In this detailed Akai MPD 218 review, I'll tell you what's good about it, what's not, and whether it's worth your money. If you're looking for a pad controller, the MPD 218 is likely high on your wishlist. Since it's powered off USB and weighs barely 1.5lbs, you can take it anywhere. Or you can use it to trigger automations and launch clips. You can use it to bash out drum patterns and beats. Just like the MPC60, the MPD 218, too, is a drum machine that doubles up as a MIDI controller. It's a testament to the improvement in production technology that you can get the MPD218 for a fraction of the price of the MPC60 which was nearly $5,000 in 1988. The MPD 218 is a direct descendant of the MPC. But the MPC remains one of the greatest pieces of musical gear ever created. Dr Dre swears by them, as do Mark Ronson and Kanye West.Īkai has changed a lot in the last 30 years – it's even changed ownership more than once. Countless hit songs have been produced or performed on the MPC. There's a reason most hip hop producers are so attached to their MPCs. The pads were way easier to tap and play – even in a live setting. It also eschewed the hard, plastic switches in favor of large rubber pads. Unlike the drum machines before it (like the E-mu SP1200), the Akai MPC was portable and affordable. This was the first massively popular drum machine that ushered in the era of hip hop music. The original Akai MPC, launched over 30 years ago, changed music completely. MacOS 10.12 Sierra, Mac OSX 10.9, 10.10, 10.The MPD 218 is a great secondary controller for making beats.Īkai Pro and drum machines are synonymous. Power supply (included) and camera connection kit or USB camera adapter (not included) required for use with iOS devices Launchpad Pro will also work as a standard MIDI controller. We recommend that you update to the latest version as previous versions of Ableton Live do not include the Launchpad Pro integration. If you already have Ableton Live it must be version 9 or greater to work with Launchpad Pro. Product Dimensions (W x D x H): 260 x 260 x 29mm.Two MIDI sockets (3.5mm jack sockets with MIDI din break-out cables).64 RGB backlit velocity and pressure sensitive button grid.Sound Collective: Free and discounted synthesizers and effects available every two months, when you purchase and register any Novation product. One of four XLN Audio Addictive Keys instruments. ![]()
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