Product: Akai MPD16
Price Paid: UNKNOWN
Submitted
04/03/2009
at
02:12pm
by
Jon the Cheapskate
General Features
:
5
16 velocity sensitive pads with aftertouch, I think. 2 banks, one slider, a "full level" button to make everything the highest velocity, and a "16 levels" button for 16 velocities of one pad sound.
Everything is assignable.
USB powered/9v powered
USB out/MIDI out
WAS for VST drum programs...
Additional Controls
:
No Opinion
This is the base model from Akai for MIDI pads. They discontinued it in 2008 if I remember correctly.
Connectivity
:
1
1 MIDI out, no MIDI in, 1 USB out. It's MAC and PC compatible if you aren't using Vista.
I am using Vista, so it's definitely NOT compatible. If I plugged to unit into my notebook via USB, I would get a blue screen in about 30 seconds. I consulted Akai's website for driver updates, and apparently they are not supporting either the MPD16 or the MPD24 in Vista, so...I grabbed a MIDI cable with integrated driver and a 9v power cable and was able to get some function out of it. Unfortunately, the handy program package that allows you to edit the pads, pad sensitivity, etc. doesn't work with the general MIDI driver, only the Akai driver....so.....no modifications on the computer. A 100 dollar waste of money.
Additional features
:
No Opinion
Overall Rating
:
3
This product worked great on my very old XP machine, but crashes my Vista machine when operated properly. If I had a Mac or an XP DAW, I'd probably be using it right now.
The pads need to be sensitized? You really need to swat them on the stock setting, and this isn't a drum-stick machine.
I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. People who are like me and are cobbling together music on a Vista machine can't use it, and people with a dedicated DAW probably already have something better anyway.
If I had to do over again, I would buy an M Audio two-octave keyboard. Either that, or wait for the Korg Nanopad, though I don't know if those support Vista either...
