Akai Professional LPK25 Reviews

4.1/5.0 based on 14 customer reviews

Sweetwater Advice

Carson McClain

I had a chance to play one of these at Summer NAMM and I have to say I really like the feel of the keys. The keys on the LPK25 are like the keys on the classic Casio SK-1.

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Customer Reviews

Keith
from Murfreesboro, TN, United States
January 25, 2012Music Background:
Live Sound Engineer

Just what I needed

If you've never owned a MIDI controller before, the Akai LPK 25 is a great one to start with. It has really expanded my musical creativity, allowing me to use virtual instruments and trigger samples with ease. In addition, it is really inexpensive, and its compact size makes for easy travel. The LPK is also one of the few MIDI controllers that comes with an arpeggiator, which can be a lot of fun. Be sure to disconnect the USB cable after use though - the port is fragile.

Alles Media Mix
from
August 30, 2011Music Background:
Producer and musician

Wow!!!

Great!!!!!!!

WHITEb0X
from seattle, wa
July 7, 2010Music Background:
house/tech house/electro/dnb/dubstep/hip hop/rock

Perfect controller for your macbook pro

the reason I love this controller so much is because I travel all the time. A talented producer can make hit songs with this! Traveling is a great influence on anyone's music. If you need a controller with MIDI dimms then read the box before purchasing people. 5 stars

Jaeqoo
from Nashville, TN
April 25, 2010Music Background:
Recording Engineer, Music Producer, Student

The LPK 25 is amazing!

I got mine when it first came out so I've had my LPK25 for 4 maybe 5 months! It's super portable so my studio follows me where ever I go, not sure if that's a good or bad thing anyway! Great solid build quality it's held up very nice as I have really put it through it's paces in the last 4 or 5 months! It feels great for it's size don't expect it to be super comfortable! It gets the job done!

Steve Hebert
from Hoboken, NJ
November 7, 2011Music Background:
Hobbyist

Awesome!

I've been absolutely delighted with this purchase. I have a MacBook Air and this little guy fits right in my 15" computer bag with all my other stuff. It's light weight, thin and performs very well. It's so small I can record my ideas comfortably anywhere -- even in a coach seat on an airplane. I highly recommend the LPK25 for performance on the go!

Matthew
from Montgomery, Vermont USA
February 3, 2010Music Background:
hobbyist

Extremely Useful

Amazing portability....less than a pound and about a foot wide. Though hard to use if you are actually playing piano (obviously only 25 keys at a time)it is phenominal to have as a rap producer. FANTASTIC!!

Tyler
from Ballwin, MO USA
August 18, 2012Music Background:
Computer Musician, Hobbyist

Fantastic!

Got this little guy for my on the go recordings, and I have a feeling this guy is going to work perfectly. I love how light and slim it is, it will fit perfectly in my laptop case for traveling! I wish the keys would be less springy, but nevertheless, this is a great product for getting ideas down the go!

Lucinda Luvaas
from CA
December 8, 2011Music Background:
composer

Akai Professional LPK25

Works great as an addition to my set up.

Robin Johansen
from Auckland, New Zealand
August 29, 2011Music Background:
Hobbyist

Excellent value

This keyboard is excellent value for musicians on the move who need to travel light. The compromise is small keys and short key travel, but that is well offset by the neat arpeggiator as a standard feature and four programmable memory banks.

Another plus here is that the keyboard does not require a separate power supply.

I am using this in conjunction with an iPad and the combination re-defines portability.

Will
from Tucson, AZ, USA
August 22, 2011Music Background:
Hobbyist

Just what I was looking for

Even though I'm a guitarist, I still like to noodle around on keyboard instruments every once in a while. I was looking for a simple, inexpensive MIDI controller that would allow me to add some basic keyboard parts to my songs. The LPK 25 fit the bill perfectly. It integrated seamlessly with Logic Express 9 right out of the box and has been very handy for adding that little something extra. I have to admit that I was a little worried about the key size when I ordered it, but I have found the keys to be very comfortable, however I have smallish hands, so if you have large hands you might want to look elsewhere. My only real criticism is that the keys seem to be a little too velocity sensitive and sometimes I wish I could find a way to lock the velocity (there may well be a way to do this in the software, but there is no button for it on the controller). Overall I would say that this is a solid product and pretty much impossible to beat in the price range.

Hammy
from Palo Alto, Ca
November 17, 2009Music Background:
Composer

It is a USB-only controller

I needed a MIDI-connectible miniature controller for my TC-Helion M. It was only after opening the box that I realized the USB-"only" was missing from AKAI ads!
Beware, this cannot connect to anything but a USB DAW, specifically all legacy MIDI devices which have 5-DIN MIDI jacks.
Nevertheless, it is a very fun and useful potable device. Reminiscing the first Yamaha Melodica gift I got for my 5th B-day 40 some years ago.

Arvid
from Providence, RI
September 10, 2009Music Background:
Experimental Musician/Composer, Audio Product Development

Fun, Useful Little Keyboard

So far, from playing around with mine for about an hour, it seems pretty nice. Keys feel good and construction is light but durable. Velocity curve seems OK. Arpeggiator is fun - I thought I wouldn't use it, but maybe I will, since I often have to plunk out basslines at gigs and I'm not really a keyboardist by any stretch of the imagination! I like the different arp modes and the latching system.

Sustain switch is not that useful when not in arpeggiator mode, because it takes a finger to hold it down (granted the keyboard is small, so you can still use a few fingers form that hand to play). I would have preferred a jack for a footswitch (even if it had to be 1/8" to fit, you could easily use a 1/8" to 1/4" adapter). I also wish it had at least one continuous controller. A suggestion would be to use software that turns your laptop trackpad into a continuous MIDI controller. Dunno what's out there to do that, but it can be done in Max/MSP very easily.

And I wish there was some indication of how many octaves you have shifted up or down - right now the button backights if you have shifted by any number of octaves in the direction. A different color LED backlight to the button or even a blinking pattern (the cheaper solution) to indicate how MANY octaves you are shifted in a direction would be good. Also the graphics above the octave keys appear to be wrong - there is an UP pointing arrow over the octave down (left) key and a DOWN pointing arrow over the octave up (right) key… no big deal, but sorta weird.

But for the price I am very satisfied. It's fun to play and just the size I have been looking for for years. Truly plug and play and super portable.

As a Max/MSP programmer, I like how the editor software for the LPK25 was written in Max. Hey - why spend lots of dev time (and therefore charge the customer more) on proprietary code if you can do it in 1/8 the time in Max? I'm all for it.

Alex
from Ft Lauderdale, FL USA
January 12, 2012Music Background:
Home recordist, sound student, amateur musician

Great for what it is, but not an "all-purpose" controller.

For what it is, this thing is pretty cool. The keys respond nicely and don't feel cramped, it's extremely light and compact, and the rubber feet are in just the right place so the device can sit on top of the keyboard (for typing words...) on my MacBook Pro, which is very convenient when you're strapped for space. I really enjoy using this thing, and in the field of lightweight, portable USB keyboards, I give it 5 stars---the only issue in this area is that the micro USB port on the keyboard is a little loose, so the cord can sometimes be pulled out easily.

However, the reason I'm only giving this thing 3.5 stars in the review is because of the wasted potential in regards to the additional features. It gets VERY aggravating to have no pitch or mod controls on this thing. Yes, it has an arpeggiator complete with its own tap tempo button, but I have yet to find an actual use for the thing. Also haven't found any useful or even functional environment for the "program" button and four programmable musical keys. The only non-musical button that I've had success mapping to software controls is the sustain button. I would have gladly traded the arp and program keys and even the sustain button for a small pitch and mod wheel. I guess that many people who read this review might say "you should have read the box, don't buy it if it doesn't have the features you want..." and they'd be right, and that is why I'm telling you, do not underestimate the usefulness of pitch and mod wheels...

As a portable or space-saving keyboard for inputting notes on the fly, this thing is probably the best in its class. But if you're new to MIDI and you're looking for an inexpensive way to start taking control of your software sounds, this keyboard will definitely leave you wanting more. Opt for something with pitch and mod controls and maybe a couple assignable pads, knobs, or sliders, unless you already have a larger controller and are looking for something to take on the road etc.

Steve
from Omaha
December 26, 2011Music Background:
Composer, producer.

Horrific action

It's usable in a real pinch, but after having one for over 6 months, it has been used less and less (now not at all). I compose, and it's just not possible to get what I need from a keyboard when workshopping ideas. Opened it up to see what was wrong with the action, and saw the keys are actually connected to each other, not individually mounted. While they move like keys, they're no better than buttons to me. Still looking for that little laptop-attached keyboard for use away from the studio.