I wouldn’t expect any less from AKAI’s MPC department. You can connect a USB MIDI keyboard to complement the pads, control modulars from the 8 CV/Gate outs, sequence external MIDI gear, sample into the unit from the line input there’s lots you can do before hooking the One to a computer for tapping into further production power with the included MPC2 software.Īs the unit itself is standalone, you get to add your own sounds through the SD card or USB port and use a suite of virtual instruments and effects processors made by AIR Technology.Īll in all, the MPC One Retro is a looker and a fitting tribute to the MPC’s legacy. The MPC One is still a mean machine packing 16 RGB-backlit pads for note input, 4 touch-sensitive macro knobs, a 7-inch multitouch screen, and respectable connectivity (USB, MIDI DIN, Link, CV/Gate, line input, SD card slot). So it makes sense that AKAI handled things on the safer side.

Rad as it is, the vintage aesthetic could have turned some aspiring producers off. With its own drum samples and loop library, the MPC One Retro features dynamic sounds and samples from industry-leading artists and designers.

For many younger producers, the MPC One sitting on a store shelf or online listing is their first time looking at an MPC. Not all of the One’s customer base is aware about the MPC’s legacy. They have a good reason for holding onto this beauty until today, though. The Retro looks great on the picture and I get why you’d be thinking that AKAI should have released that instead of the original MPC One.

Akai professional mpc one retro edition