Akai MPC X Standalone Sampler and Sequencer

Whether you’re a composer writing music, an artist recording it, or a producer mastering the final product, the MPC X from Akai Professional’s Music Production Center series is the ideal addition to any studio. This standalone sampler and sequencer delivers hard-hitting, high-quality audio right out of the box, and features a ton of software and integration capability that gives you all the tools you need to make your sound your own.

Configure its 8 built-in CV ports to send pitch, velocity, and gate CV to external analog synth sources, drum machines, and more. Using its 16 fully assignable, touch-capacitive Q-Link knobs with dedicated OLED displays, you can easily monitor and control every parameter and add expressiveness to your sound. An adjustable, full-color 10.1” multi-touch screen and 16 velocity- and pressure-sensitive RGB pads round out the user-friendly control interface, while 16 GB of internal storage provides plenty of space to save your work.

The MPC X includes pre-installed software such as The Vault 2.0 with its 10GB of radio-ready sounds, as well as Ableton Live for instant performance and production setup. You’ll be able to connect to Ableton Live’s clip launching, mixer, and instrument macro controls either wirelessly via WiFi network (Ableton Link), or by using a USB to ethernet adapter.

Declare untethered independence from your computer with the MPC X’s 2 USB slots that allow you to use it as a MIDI controller. A 2.5” SATA drive connector provides additional storage via an SSD or HDD hard drive (sold separately). Plug in a thumb drive or SD Card loaded with tracks to access more library sounds.

Connectivity is key for the MPC X. Its back panel includes 2 XLR + ¼” TRS inputs for microphones (including those needing 48V phantom power) and 2 ¼” TRS line inputs, while the front panel boasts two more ¼” TRS inputs. Achieve analog control over modular gear by connecting classic synths and drum machines via CV/Gate outputs.  Two RCA phono inputs with RIAA preamp allow you to accurately sample vinyl.

While it’s great as a standalone piece, the MPC X is also ideal for scaling your studio and integrating seamlessly into any setup. Use MPC2 to integrate internal MIDI routing and multitrack recording across tracks, MIDI-compatible synths, drum machines, and sound modules, placing the MPC X at the heart of your studio. You can connect and route all MIDI gear in your studio (including class-compliant USB keyboards, MIDI interfaces, and USB/CV modules) to expand your I/O capacity. (Note: All external gear sold separately.)

Akai Pro designed its MPC series to offer a wide palette of sonic features, including its premium software, MPC2. MPC2 helps you take your projects to the next level, such as audio track recording, improved time warp, audio and MIDI drag and drop, and enhanced Q-Link control. Other built-in features include a plugin emulation of a Mellotron Tape Synth keyboard, as well as the advanced multi-engine Hype synth plugin, and over 100 more plugins from AIR Music Tech.

Akai MPC X Features

• New graphical interface
• Audio track recording
• Real-time time-stretching and pitch-shifting
• Clip Program mode for clip launching workflow
• Reimagined mixer layout - resizable faders, an adaptive channel strip, a dedicated audio track
• Editing window, resizable waveform view
• Advanced signal routing capability - submixes, FX returns, multi-output plugin support
• More efficient and streamlined MPC workflow
• Audio and MIDI drag and drop

• MPC X Standalone Sampler and Sequencer1

• Pads
  • (16) velocity- and pressure-sensitive pads, RGB-backlit
  • (8) banks accessible via Pad Bank buttons
• Knobs
  • (16) 360° touch-sensitive Q-Link knobs for parameter adjustment
  • (1) 360° encoder for display navigation and selection via push
  • (7) 270° knobs for gain, mix & level adjustment
• Buttons63 dedicated-function buttons
• Display
  • 10.1” / 257 mm (diagonal)
  • 8.5” x 5.5” / 216 x 139 mm (width x height)
  • Full-color LED-backlit display with touch interface
• Memory
  • RAM 2 GB
  • Storage 16 GB (user storage, 10 GB pre-installed content), 4 GB (MPC operating system)
• Connections
  • (2) XLR+1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS inputs (Input 1/2)
  • (2) 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS inputs (Input 3/4: 1 stereo pair)
  • (2) 1/4” (6.35 mm) TS instrument inputs (Inst 1/2)
  • (2) RCA inputs (Input 3/4: 1 stereo pair, phono- or line-level)
  • (2) 1/4” (6.35 mm) TS footswitch inputs (FS 1/2)
  • (2) 5-pin MIDI inputs
  • (8) 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS outputs (Main L/R, Outputs 3/4–7/8: 4 stereo pairs)
  • (4) 5-pin MIDI outputs
  • (8) 1/8” (3.5 mm) CV/Gate outputs
  • (1) 1/4” (6.35 mm) stereo headphone output
  • (1) 1/8” (3.5 mm) stereo headphone output
  • (2) USB Type-A ports (1) USB Type-B port
  • (1) SD card slot
  • (1) power adapter input Power via power adapter (19 V, 3.42 A, center-positive, included)
• Dimensions (W x D x H)
  • 19.9” x 16.7” x 3.4” / 50.5 x 42.4 x 8.7 cm (display flat)
  • 19.9” x 15.3” x 8.4” / 50.5 x 38.8 x 21.4 cm (display upright)
• Weight12.57 lbs (5.66 kg)