Akai Professional MPK25 25-key MIDI Controller Reviews
The Akai Professional MPK25 USB MIDI keyboard controller makes a perfect addition to your live or home studio setup! You get a very high-quality, 25-key keyboard with aftertouch for starters; this makes the MPK25 and your virtual instruments as expressive as you want to make them! While this alone would make the MPK25 worth the price, the addition of 12 MPC-style velocity- and pressure-sensitive pads adds another dimension. an astounding 72 assignable controls make it easy to take command of your instruments and audio applications with the MPK25!
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Highest Rated Reviews
Akai MPK25
Its a great Keyboard and midi controller, perfect for Ableton Live...
Best 25 Key Controller period
This controller is so great! Great keyboard action and built like a tank. Very Portable. Everything is so solid on the keyboard, knobs, buttons, etc. The mod wheel and pitch wheel are so smooth. I use this with my Macbook Pro and Logic 9 . Display is also easy to read. Great Controller. Get yours now!
Worth every penny and then some.
Small,built like a tank and plenty of room to customize to your needs.Love the feel of the keys and the pitch bend wheel.Knobs feel sturdy with little play.All around feels well built.Like it so much I'd like to get the larger model as well.
the best
this has been the most used device in my studio. all of the controls are easy to use and the keyboard has a great feel to it. for the price i would say this is easily one of the best controllers ive used.
Get This!
Don't waste your money on less expensive controllers! This is the best for the money hands down. Even if you had a keyboard controller and a pad controller it still would compare to having both on one unit. It is pre-programmed to the most popular software instruments and even a setting for the MPC 500. It easily learns all other Virtual Instruments manually thru their built in midi learn functions.
Great little controller
First and foremost, this is my first MIDI controller. Take everything I say with a grain of inexperienced salt.
All things considered, I didn't have too tough of a time setting everything up when I got it. I had more trouble fiddling with my DAW than I did with the controller's settings.
The pads aren't the best. I personally don't care too much, because I don't care for pads to begin with. The keys feel pretty fantastic to me. A little harder to press than other keyboards I've tinkered with, but the overall feel is really nice.
My one real nitpick about the AKAI controller is that when you are using the USB cable for power, the default OUT is the USB. You have to do a little bit of a runaround through your DAW if you are trying to get a signal to a different piece of hardware (in my case, a MOOG Minitaur). Having to run Akai > Daw > Audio Interface or Akai MIDI Out > Minitaur > Audio Interface or USB seems a bit complicated to me. When using a power supply (sold separately) for the controller, you can run straight to a different device.
Long story short: the power supply (sold separately) may be worth it for most people. Overall, a nice controller.
awesome
worked great easy to use still messing around with the setting and adjusting things to my liking but over all a great controller
The best fit for any small studio
had oher controllers but this one i feel gives me the most control...
4.5 is for the the pads cause they are a little stiff, but i ordered the fatty padz from MPC Stuff.com and it fixed that problem right up...over all im a fan for life........
It's good ... but not the greatest
It may seem a little harsh giving a controller 3 stars given everyone is raving about it, but I've owned one for a couple of years now and it's not my first controller, so bear with me ...
THE GOOD:
This is a sturdy little controller suitable for the Ableton Live home studio. I like being able to easily control parameters with the free-turning control knobs, which snap to new parameter values when a new instrument is chosen. Other controllers I've used have fixed values which cause parameters to jump when a new bank is selected and a knob is turned.
THE BAD:
No on/off switch. I say again. No on/off switch. To turn this off you have to yank the cord out. What a ridiculously basic design flaw. Also the pads are typical Akai pads - you'll need a small mallet to trigger your samples as they're extremely tough. Unless you are brutally violent with your gear, to me this makes it unsuitable for live use.
The controller market is exploding with good products. For a brand-name high end controller this is good but not great, and while some may like it honestly I regret making this purchase.
Good Midi Controller
Good controller. But i had to fix it multiple times. I had the 49 then went to the 25 because the 49 bugged out on me. The MPK25 worked beautifully for about a month, but now its doing the same thing as most of my Akai equipment. "Ghost midi", "False recognition" and basic hardware problems such as pads not responding and transport buttons not working. Maybe its just me and akai but my akai products seem to fall apart on me; (Besides my LPD8) which i still use to this day. Its a nice controller but maybe it could have been made better for the price tag it comes with.
