Akai don release new MPC Sample, e dey make beat for anywhere

Akai Professional don release new music gadget wey dem call MPC Sample. Dis one na portable sampler wey dey make beat for anywhere. E dey cost $399 and e resemble old Akai MPC60 from 80s, but e dey small pass and get modern features.

Terrence O’Brien from The Verge don test am and talk say e dey work well. E talk say MPC Sample na return to basics for Akai because modern MPC don dey too complex with touchscreen and plenty features. Dis new one dey simple and dey focus on sampling and beat making.

MPC Sample get 16 velocity-sensitive pads wey dey small small, 2.4-inch color screen, built-in speaker, microphone, and rechargeable battery wey fit last five hours. E get 8GB internal storage and microSD slot for more samples. E come with over 100 factory samples to start.

For connectivity, e get 1/4-inch stereo ins and outs, MIDI ports, USB-C, and headphone jack. E dey allow you record, edit, and arrange samples into patterns. The chop feature dey easy to use – you fit chop sample into 4, 8, or 16 equal parts or do manual chop.

Terrence talk say the workflow dey intuitive. “I fit sit down start make music immediately without checking manual,” e talk. “The limited features make am easy to understand. You no go dey waste time for complex menus.”

MPC Sample get effects wey include compressor, 28 different effects for pads, and 16 performance effects. The Flex Beat effects include beat repeats and scratch-like effects. But Terrence talk say some effects like granulator and comb filter no dey work well except you use am small small.

For competition, Roland SP-404 MKII dey $499.99, Roland Aira Compact P-6 dey $269.99, Teenage Engineering EP-133 K.O. II dey $329, and Elektron Model:Samples dey $349. SP-404 get better effects and pads, Model:Samples get better sequencer, P-6 fit work as granular synth, and KO-II get better re-pitching engine.

But Terrence talk say MPC Sample get the most intuitive workflow and good balance of features. “E no be the best for any one thing, but e dey above average for almost everything,” e talk. “E dey easy to recommend to people wey just dey start make beat.”

Akai Professional release MPC Sample on March 24, 2026. E dey available worldwide through authorized dealers and music retailers. The gadget measure 23.6 by 19.4 by 5.0 centimeters and get 2GB RAM.

For people wey dey look for more powerful option, MPC XL dey cost nearly $3,000 and get 16GB RAM. But for portable beat making wey no too expensive, MPC Sample dey good option according to reviewers.