Akai Pro just unveiled the MPC One, a brand new device in its MPC line of beatmaking devices. It’s a standalone music production unit that’s got 16 velocity-sensitive drum pads, a 7″ hi-res touchscreen display, and transport controls, knobs and buttons all housed in a portable enclosure.
It’s got the MPC digital audio workstation software onboard, which means you can produce, make beats, and even record and sample audio on the machine itself, no need for a laptop.
It also has USB and SD card slots, 4GB of hard drive space, Midi In/Out and CV/Gate jacks for connecting to other synth and modular gear, an 1/8″ headphone jack, 1/4″ master outputs and 1/4″ inputs, a USB jack for connecting your laptop, and an Ethernet Link port. It ships with 2GB worth of sounds so you can get started straight away.
We’re loving the standalone production devices Akai Pro has been putting out recently: the Akai Pro Force is an absolute beast both in the studio and onstage, and the MPC Live and MPC Touch are fantastic beatsmithing devices for modern DJ/producers.
The MPC One continues in that tradition, while having a more full-featured interface aimed at beatmakers and performers – it’s also a nod to classic MPCs like the MPC1000 which has a similar layout and compact form factor, but of course with the addition of a touchscreen.
Check out the promo video and photo gallery below.