In one of the worst kept secrets in years, Akai Professional has announced the MPC XL. Leaking almost a full month before its release at NAMM, the official announcement confirms everything that showed up on the interwebs, and almost comes as a letdown, but that’s what happens when stores obtain stock before the official debut. Nonetheless, the MPC XL is a big achievement for Akai, and here’s all the details.
Akai MPC XL
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This new flagship from Akai delivers new processing capabilities, expressive control, and professional I/O connectivity, all without requiring a computer. Designed to give beatmakers, producers, and musicians complete creative freedom, MPC XL puts the power of a full studio right at your fingertips. The MPC XL features a Gen 2 8-core processor with four times the processing power of previous MPCs. It also has 16GB of RAM, something that users have been clamoring for.
Integrated with MPC3 OS as an all-in-one system, the MPC XL can load up to 32 plug-in instruments and 16 audio tracks simultaneously, with support for up to 256 simultaneous voices. The 10.1″ HD multi-gesture touchscreen with tilt provides real-time visual feedback, while one-to-one control buttons ensure immediate access to every feature.
The One MPC To Rule Them All…
At the heart of the MPC XL are the new responsive MPCe pads with 3D-sensing technology. With four quadrants per pad, previously debuted with the Akai MPC Live III producers can morph, loop, layer, and control sounds and effects freely. The MPC XL also features 16 touch-responsive Q-Link knobs with OLED displays for instant visual feedback, a dedicated step sequencer with 16 RGB function buttons, an assignable performance touch-strip for tactile control, and the innovative XL Channel Command for quick access to mixing and recording parameters with dedicated OLED display and encoder.
The MPC XL is designed to serve as the hub of any studio setup with such features as quality mic preamps with phantom power, dedicated instrument inputs to handle guitars and basses, and phono inputs for direct sampling of vinyl. Eight separate outputs enable complex routing to external gear or multitrack recording into a DAW. For modular synth enthusiasts and DAWless jammers, 16 CV outputs transform the MPC XL into a command center for entire hardware ecosystems.
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Akai MPC XL Features:
- Gen 2 8-core processor with four times the processing power of previous MPCs
- 16GB RAM for running multiple plug-ins simultaneously
- 256GB internal NVMe SSD storage with SATA expansion bay for additional storage
- Support for up to 32 plug-in instruments, 16 audio tracks, and 256 simultaneous voices
- Production-ready plugins, samples, and effects included
- Responsive MPCe pads with 3D-sensing technology and four quadrants per pad for advanced expression
- 16 Q-Link knobs with performance-control OLEDs for immediate visual feedback
- Assignable performance touch-strip for tactile control of Performance FX, note repeats, and channel faders
- Step sequencer with 16 RGB function buttons
- XL Channel Command with dedicated OLED display and encoder for quick mixing and recording parameter access
- One-to-one function buttons for immediate access to every feature (Love this! —Ed.)
- 10.1″ HD multi-gesture touchscreen with tilt
- 2 XLR/TRS combo inputs with mic preamps and phantom power for crystal-clear recordings
- Two dedicated instrument inputs for recording guitars and keyboards
- Two phono inputs for connecting turntables
- Eight separate line outputs for external routing and mixing
- USB-C connectivity for 24 channels of audio I/O and 32 channels of MIDI I/O
- Eight stereo 1/8″ CV/Gate outputs for a total of 16 CV outs, perfect for modular rigs and synth setups
- Four five-pin MIDI outputs and two five-pin MIDI inputs
- No computer required: standalone hardware with MPC3 OS for a streamlined workflow
- Full-featured sampler with time-stretching, slicing, keygroup instruments, resampling, and plug-in layering
- DAW-like workflow with multi-track sequencing, clip launching, and full arrangement view
- Pro stem separation and high-quality time-stretching
The MPC XL comes with an extensive collection of plug-ins, samples, and effects including Native Instruments MPC Edition Play Series Analog Dreams and the Lone Forest Expansion. Combined with its full-featured sampler capabilities including pro stem separation, time-stretching, slicing, keygroup instruments, resampling, and plugin layering, plus DAW-like workflow features such as multi-track sequencing, clip launching, and full arrangement view, the MPC XL provides a complete musical solution that grows with every creator.
