A first look at Akai MPC-X and MPC Live

We stopped by Akai's NAMM booth to take a closer look at their new flagship MPC – the MPCX. Since Akai officially announced the MPCX and Live earlier this month with video demos, this has become one of the most highly anticipated pieces of gear to hit the floor in Anaheim.

These new MPCs have been advertised as standalone models, and Andy from Akai demonstrates a few of their vast capabilities in the video above. Notably, the realtime time stretching and clip launching that allows players to create tracks and remix both live and in the studio.

The MPCX, as he says, is "the studio hub" and is basically a DAW and a controller in one box with no laptop needed. The Live version is a standalone model as well but is a tad stripped down for portability and live performance.