Overview
- Akai’s MPC Sample, announced Tuesday, is available now for $399/£349/€399 from authorized retailers.
- The handheld unit features 16 RGB velocity pads with poly aftertouch, a 2.4-inch color screen, 2GB RAM, 8GB storage with microSD expansion, and up to five hours of battery life with a built-in speaker and mic.
- Core tools include Instant Sample Chop, real-time timestretch and repitch, internal resampling with effects, four FX engines with 60 effect types, and more than 100 factory drum kits.
- Connectivity covers USB-C for power, audio, MIDI, and file transfer, plus MIDI In/Out, 1/4-inch stereo ins and outs, a 1/8-inch headphone jack, and sync out for easy rig or DAW integration.
- Early reviews highlight an intuitive MPC workflow and strong chopping tools but flag smaller pads and limited resampling, placing the device as an accessible entry in a crowded field that includes Roland’s SP-404 MKII, Teenage Engineering’s KO-II, and Elektron’s Model:Samples.