Akai Pro Unveils MPC XL For Beat Making, Music Production
Today (Tuesday), Akai Professional announced the launch of the MPC XL, adding the flagship standalone music production tool to their lineup of music production equipment.
This powerful studio “centerpiece” delivers unprecedented processing capabilities, expressive control, and professional I/O connectivity, all without requiring a computer. Designed to give beat-makers, producers, and musicians complete creative freedom, MPC XL puts the power of a full studio right at the user’s fingertips.
The MPC XL can now run up to 32 plugin instruments and 16 audio tracks simultaneously, with support for up to 256 simultaneous voices. The MPC XL onboard storage is 256GB, with a SATA expansion bay for additional storage.
Revolutionary MPCe pads and hands-on control. At the heart of the MPC XL are the ultra-responsive MPCe pads with 3D-sensing technology, bringing an unprecedented level of expression to beatmaking and production. With four quadrants per pad, producers can morph, loop, layer, and control sounds and effects freely, opening up new dimensions of creative possibility. The pads can also be configured to modulate parameters by moving a finger across their X/Y axis. 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.
Connectivity for any workflow. The MPC XL is designed to serve as the hub of any studio setup. Professional-grade mic preamps with phantom power capture vocals and acoustic instruments with studio clarity. Dedicated instrument inputs handle guitars and basses, while phono inputs connect turntables for direct sampling. 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.
Loaded with inspiration. The MPC XL comes production-ready with an extensive collection of plugins, samples, and effects including Native Instruments MPC Edition Play Series Analog Dreams and the Lone Forest Expansion giving producers immediate access to professional-grade sounds and processing tools. 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.
“The MPC XL represents the evolution of everything we’ve learned from decades of innovation in music production,” said Andy Mac, Creative Global Marketing and Artist Relations Manager at Akai Professional. “We’ve created a true studio-grade workhorse that delivers DAW-like power in a standalone format. MPC XL removes every barrier between inspiration and creation, giving producers the speed, control, and connectivity to bring their most ambitious musical visions to life.”
New Spitfire Audio partnership. AKAI Professional and Spitfire Audio have formed a new strategic partnership which will provide MPC users access to Spitfire’s inspiring tools within their MPC devices, beginning with the MPC XL. Greater information surrounding this partnership will be announced at a later date.
Key Features:
- Performance & Processing Power
– Gen 2 8-core processor with 4x the processing power of previous MPCs
– 16GB RAM for running multiple plugins simultaneously
– 256GB internal NVMe SSD storage with SATA expansion bay for additional storage
– Support for up to 32 plugin instruments, 16 audio tracks, and 256 simultaneous voices
– Production-ready plugins, samples, and effects included
- Expressive Control & Interface
– Ultra-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
– 10.1″ HD multi-gesture touchscreen with tilt
- Professional I/O & Connectivity
– 2 XLR/TRS combo inputs with mic preamps and phantom power for crystal-clear recordings
– 2 dedicated instrument inputs for recording guitars and keyboards
– 2 phono inputs for connecting turntables
– 8 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
– 8 stereo 1/8″ CV/Gate outputs for a total of 16 CV outs, perfect for modular rigs and synth setups
– 4 five-pin MIDI outputs and 2 five-pin MIDI inputs
- Standalone Workflow
– No computer required: standalone hardware with MPC3 OS for a streamlined workflow
– Full-featured sampler with time-stretching, slicing, keygroup instruments, resampling, and plugin 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 is available now priced at €2,899.99, £2,499.99 and $2,899. Head to the Akai Professional site for more.
