MPC LIVE II vs Maschine Plus vs Akai Force, DAWless Showdown

This week I'm finally comparing the MPC LIVE II, Akai Force, and Maschine Plus in a head to head my commenters have wanted for a while now!
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MPC LIVE II: bit.ly/perfmpc
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#maschine #akaiforce #mpc #dawless

[@DylanParisMusic]

If you enjoy my videos please consider listening to my album and letting me know what you think in the comments / sharing with your friends if you dig it. Thank you! open.spotify.com/album/6HCemxzxzH49z9vXIOjgug?si=LTonR2KMTtS3qEbUUD4qiA

[@heffe4257]

Maschine plus is like my wife I divorced but realized what I was missing and rekindled with/found that magic again with. It’s not perfect, but nothing comes close. Mpc live is the mistress I’ve had for years who’s really good at one thing (sampling and getting a quickie, I mean a quick beat done and exported) And the beat bangs, no pun intended.

[@alp6181]

😂😂

[@buschovski1]

Did u actually divorce and rekindle with a wife? Just curious. you dont have to answer this...😏

[@devel-man]

Which "wife" would you recommend for me for the first time? I have Circuit tracks and rhythm (both) and realize that was an idiotic solution to bought it both. So, I would like to change that to some more functional or two in one at least.

[@heffe4257]

@@devel-man Probably mpc live dude. It’s like a swiss army knife, and this is coming from someone who started making music with maschine in 2010. I hardly ever use the maschine plus. Feel like I wasted money since I had the mk3. Mpc live with the new plugins is all you need.

[@PoboyMusic]

I have the live 2 and the force. I like the live to for the portability and speaker, but I love the ableton-like features of the force. really easy to put things together on the fly.

[@DylanParisMusic]

Agreed, they do have really different strengths that make them both really cool

[@avace917]

The only reason I'd choose the MPC Live 2 out of these is because it's the workflow that I know best besides Reason. Next year will be 30 years since I learned how to use the MPC60II

[@hovermotion]

Superb comparisons. I just picked up a good used Mpc one after looking at all the Mpc machines as one was way cheaper then a live 2 or force . For me the live 2 is huge compared to my Deluge for portable use. I also really like the way the Mpc one is layed out. My desk top studio compiles of a Deluge as the master clock, microfreak, td3, keystep 37 controller, ) L12 Zoom mixer and a Gfi specular tempus. the Mpc one is going to be used solo for trying out and coping up vinal from the Technics sl1210. thanks jim.

[@lrkx_]

Nice comparison, very handy for someone looking to buy one of these for the first time. Despite the weaknesses of each, I agree we’re living in a golden age. You can do so much with each it’s almost irrelevant which you choose. Just enjoy making music. :)

[@DylanParisMusic]

Exactly! Hard to go wrong right now, excited to see what the future holds for all these lines

[@nubopgritty634]

Once I accepted that the Plus is not a MK3 I could see the Plus as an amazing groove box. I have an MPC live 2 too . To me a Maschine is like a Mac and a MPC live 2 is like a PC. The Maschine is a much more intuitive workflow.

[@DylanParisMusic]

That’s a good analogy I think

[@Drrolfski]

I got an MPC Live 2 myself because I couldn't use my Ableton Push 2 as a standalone in the open. Now every afternoon, when the weather allows it, I take my MPC out to a bench overlooking the canals of Amsterdam and enjoy making beats with it. And that feeling is just liberating and priceless. Sure, the MPC workflow is definitely a bitch when coming from Ableton or any DAW. But when you get the hang of it, there's basically nothing it can't do compared to a DAW, which is just hugely impressive for a mobile standalone device. Also, it's extremely fun to use when hooking up to a turntable for sampling. It really reinvigorated my good old crate-digging passion.

[@DylanParisMusic]

That sounds like such an awesome vibe, making songs in Amsterdam with an MPC 🙌🙌🙌 thanks for sharing!

[@djlucasd]

How about that new Push 3? :)

[@Drrolfski]

@@djlucasd I will definitely check the Push 3 because it is the device I wanted Ableton to make in the first place.

[@monsirto]

MPC Live has a "song mode" too it's just kinda hidden away. An absolute must for all the MPC's is an external midi controller with a few knobs and buttons and at least 8 sliders. Once you get your head around the sequencer it's as good now as the QY70 was back in the day (ie: peerless). Great video BTW!

[@DylanParisMusic]

Thanks for watching and sharing your insight!

[@briansherling5515]

I own a Force and maschine plus. The power of the Force is hard to argue with and it is true that the sound content of maschine is way better than force. I don’t care so much because I have quite a nice collection of great synths and prefer to record them as clips. I use the two plugged into a Roland MX-1 mixer and I love it! I considered two Force connected with Ableton Link but I really like the plus and force as a team.

[@aloharay]

Having the Force and Machine+ form their launch dates, I can agree with all your hardware, woftware and workflow obsrevations.

[@electrorocket8379]

Which is the best for importing rerecorded backing tracks and midi tracks to play live to an audio output and a few usb midi and midi syhths?

[@mrrafsk]

Really balanced and accurate review. Thanks. For me the sample management & chopping workflow and tools are far better on the akai boxes. The audio and midi routing on the Akai boxes is very flexible, unlike the machine. The pads on the mpc are made for hammer fingers, and the isomorphic pressure sensitive keyboard I hear is great on the force. I really hope that the machine expands it’s Kontakt and Reaktor instruments, but even without this the NI ecosystem of expansions is shoulders above AKAI. If you wait for the sales, the discounts you get purchasing Komplete as a M+ user is amazing. None of them have conditional trigs 😢.

[@DylanParisMusic]

Thank you! I totally spaced mentioning the file management system for samples, you're totally right on that. Aka is way beyond NI when it comes to large sample libraries, the 2 folder limit is a real pain on the Plus.

[@drillgirl718]

does the maschine plus have any half-time/gross beat half speed type effect?

[@davide2.07]

Hey Dylan- two things. I want to share I think you are a great communicator. The second, since you are such a fan of Ableton and have an MPC Live II, do you ever use Ableton Live Control on the MPC Live II in standalone mode? That was a big selling point for me in deciding to upgrade from my MPC One (it's not available on it) and am curious to see if you are using it.

[@DylanParisMusic]

Thank you for the kind words! I haven't tried that setup yet, I have a Launchpad Pro Mk3 which is one of the best ableton controllers but I might look into the MPC as an Ableton controller

[@salvaponti]

Hi everyone… does MPC live 2 could be used as a Daw?

[@microwavablegiants]

I'd like to explore what the Maschine + has to offer. I already have the MK3 and it's my favorite midi device and the sound selection is astonishing. I just wished it had a higher RAM and a built in battery because for the price, Akai MPC Live 2 is the better standalone DAWless device. Great vid brother

[@DylanParisMusic]

Thank you! Yeah I think an updated model with like 2x or 4x the RAM, a beefier CPU, and more storage (plus potentially a battery) would be amazing.

[@AboutHouseMusic]

I guess you'll have about 2 weeks to decide whether you like it? The return policy is always there if you need it.

[@FullFledged2010]

Did you put a master boot record (mdr) on your ssd? That might be the reason your force drivebay doesnt work. Atleast that was the issue for me 🤷‍♂

[@seanmatthews5279]

Thanks for the comparison. I was pretty much trying to decide between the Live 2 (after watching one of your own videos) and the MPCX, but the Maschine+ has thrown a real spanner in the works! The Maschine+ looks like the better option for my style of working, but there are SO many bad reviews on it, especially regarding the CPU throttle. I need a bigger bank account!

[@Niko80s]

just disable fx's (that are often preloaded by tons on chosen sound) and it'll be fine

[@MauroT.]

Great videos about the Force and the Live II, have been very helpful! Any thoughts on both of them working together?

[@DylanParisMusic]

Thank you! Honestly I think using both together might be redundant. The only reason I would do it is to power vocals and a few plugins on one, and then use the other as the main device for music performance playback. Ideally you'd be able to have a constant vocal track going while loading songs but that's not currently possible with a single device by itself.

[@MauroT.]

@@DylanParisMusic You're absolutely right, I have the Force and the MPC One and both of them have things I like and I'm trying to figure out a good way to have them set up together. The arranger on the Force is amazing, the extra knobs and buttons plus the fader, great for keygroups multiple inputs/outputs and XLR. On the other hand the One have some exclusive plug ins (Flavor i.e.). a quick af workflow to get hands on quickly and a imo a better sampler sofware and even a tuner. Wish I had a way to have the best of both quickly available without taking a computer into consideration. Great videos on all the Akai products btw!

[@antonmatviichuk4787]

Nice shelves on behind. Very clean look. Hope you don't mind I steal that interior idea for my audiokitchen ;)

[@DylanParisMusic]

hahaha go for it, sadly I had to leave this space and my current one is a bit less aesthetically pleasing (also lacks a wet bar but not a dealbreaker lol).

[@theneurologist1]

This was an AWESOME comparison of the three devices! Thank you! Ive been using FL Studio since 2003 and still looking for that one standalone device that has more of the FL workflow than the Ableton since i have zero experience with Ableton. Do any of you have a good suggestion? Any info is helpful,even if it is to buy Ableton first then buy the "x". Thank you!! 😁👍🏻

[@DylanParisMusic]

Thank you!! It’s been a long time since I used FL but you’ll probably enjoy the MPCs or the Maschine Plus vs the Force if you want a more FL style workflow. That said FL is pretty linear and all of these devices are more clip based. The Maschine Plus has a pretty comprehensive linear song mode though so that could be what you’re looking for

[@stringsnare]

does the maschine + have a looper? what about exporting midi? can you record audio and how many audio track limits? tough call. i really like the akai force but i dont use ableton, enver want to use it, and i use Native instruments a lot.

[@hvhvgitaar]

Maschine has looping functionality. There are lots of KZbin posts showing that. It also supports audio recording and the only limit is CPU, and audio isn’t very cpu intensive so you shouldn’t get into trouble, if you are clever about not duplicating FX chains. Midi export is standard on the Maschine software but I am not sure if you can do it standalone. You may need to plug your M+ into a computer and use the (free) Maschine DAW software.

[@BassBajo]

I love all 3 but I ended up keeping the +. When I first got it I was going to return it within the first 30 mins of use. It was so ridiculously buggy and unstable but I updated it to the latest firmware right away and man it has been rock solid. The workflow is a breeze even without a touchscreen.

[@DylanParisMusic]

Yeah it was in rough shape when it dropped but it's probably my favorite piece of gear now

[@falazarte]

Same here, although I kept my Force and this new 3.2 update is amazing!!

[@ace0225]

Keep making videos with each update of Maschine Plus

[@maximerobin9950]

Hi , great review . I m ableton live user . I just need sketch ideas and export . I know mpc 1000 many years ago .. but i only use ableton . Please what s the best to me ?

[@DylanParisMusic]

Probably the force cause it has the same workflow and can export tracks to Ableton format. The MPCs can also export to Ableton format but the workflow when using them to make music is very different.

[@babysunn2]

The Live 2 Speaks Heavenly Music To Me... The Touchscreen Inspires... Also I Think Its Portability Is SOOOooooo Underrated Its Ridiculous. I Can Grab It It In The Middle Of A Session And Take It To The Bathroom And Finish Or Continue My Creations, Or If I Take It On A Flight To Chicago From LA, I Can Complete Multiple Industry Compliance Songs Which I Could Master Later... Its Work Flow Maybe Slower, But For US Outgoing Types Of People, There Is NO Comparison... The LIVE 2 Is The DO ALL Product For Anywhere Within Its 6 Hours Of Internal Battery Life Span... NO PLUGS ALLOWED! That's What I Call A True STANDALONE.

[@alexmax9832]

No arrangement mode, workflow slowly

[@MrFunktone]

The one feature you didn't mention on was the touch screens on force and live? Good video though thanks

[@DylanParisMusic]

True! I think the way the Live and Force UI is designed, the touch screen is necessary. Because the Maschine is designed to not have one, I don't miss it on the Maschine.

[@MusicWizard85]

Out of the box I'd say Maschine Plus has the best sound quality but it really needs a computer to work at full potential. I used to like Force but after doing some digging I realized the workflow isn't really for me and complaints of audio in noise. I like the MPC Live 2 or MPC X because the sampling is the best and you can still run audio in from other gear. I don't mind if the MPC sounds aren't the best quality because I write a lot of music where it's a mixture of internal sounds from the groovebox or keyboard combined with external audio from other gear (guitars, keyboard, synths, bass guitar, mics etc).

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks for this video! It confirms my conclusion : there is no better fitting box for me than the 707 is at this moment. MPC + Force feel like they won't give me the sounds I'm after with the plugins (I so far have not been a sample kinda person). MPC has my love for it's formfactor and battery + speaker. But that is not a very rational reason to get it since I will be using it in the studio the most. The Force seems to have the better layout for me, mainly for jamming. (which is what I do most on my hardware setup) I have not really seriously considered the M+ since it feels too limited to being a studio centerpiece in my setup with very little IO available and the lack of a performance oriented layout like the 707 has. (but I could be wrong) So..... I will keep my trusty 707 for now that has (almost) everything I need, but is not 'the best' at anything. (this is valid untill GAS kicks in again)

[@DylanParisMusic]

Yeah the 707 is a really good machine, I’ll always regret selling mine and now I have too many other groove boxes to really justify getting another

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@DylanParisMusic Yeah, I would not recommend it for anything that should be 'productive' (like making tracks). For me it is really a nice place to have fun and jam the .. out of it. Although I usually can use the end product as backing tracks for my video hobby.

[@sinewaymusic]

@@tricks-and-tips This is what I love about the MPC: it's really designed to let you finish making tracks down to the final mixing stage. I haven't used the 707 though so can't compare, but if it's anything like the MC-101 that I own, it seems far more live jam oriented than production oriented.

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@sinewaymusic Yes, I think the 707 shines in that part. Not as a production station. It is a multi role centerpiece for a small to medium sized setup. With the MPC I did miss the jamming fun (yes, it could be done, but the 707 is more immediate) I feel the Force is somewhere in between, but also a lot more complicated than the 707. So this combined with the nice sound of the 707 makes me keep it in favor of the MPC or Force for now. All are machines with a purpose and shine in their own way, the 707 happens to fit my brain and needs the best right now.

[@slowdivisionmusic]

I am leaning toward the mpc one because i just want to use it to programm drum and i feel like nothing beats the drum expansion of the MPC. I know i could take one shot out of pack but i really want to benefit from the kit (the professionnal sample selection is impressive, far more for me than what is done for the maschine expansion)...a bite lost...wonder what is best if you don't indented to sample anything, just want to finger drum and benefit the mpc expansions quality (i know some people will say that the quality of maschine kits is big and i agry but i really think it is not on pare with some of the mpc. In fact, as a lofi producer that don't use sample (i make guitar and bass), i want an mpc one just for the neo sunset expansion (and the ability to program drum oustide of a daw). Anyone as a thought about buying such a piece of geat just to finger drum ?

[@mrrafsk]

Yes the hip hop choice is better in the MPC community, but do not underestimate the quality of the NI packs, and they cover a wider variety of gendered and are more modern in their sound design. The pads on the m+ are far more sensitive, also it works easier with multi-velocity >4 layer drum kits. If you want to do lots of chopping up of your own samples the MPC is more immediate. But if your wanting to finger drum, the main thing is just practice. Not the kit. Personally I do most of my practice with a MPC218, on an iPad.

[@sammadden5540]

Would you ever consider grabing a mashine jam to use with the mashine plus and then compare it to the force?

[@DylanParisMusic]

If NI dropped a new version of the jam and officially supported it I would definitely check it out

[@sammadden5540]

@@DylanParisMusic does the current one not work the M+?

[@DylanParisMusic]

@@sammadden5540 I believe it works but it's not a currently in production device they have future plans for

[@sammadden5540]

@@DylanParisMusic oh wow, I didn't even realise it was discontinued

[@michaelheath1194]

@@sammadden5540 It does work with the Maschine+. I purchased a Jam not too long ago after confirming that it did work :)

[@digitalhillbilly8863]

I have the Live II and whomever programmed it does not think the way I do. Bought the Force hoping it would fit me better. I still feel like I am fighting it. Now I am waiting for an upgrade to the Maschine Plus. Hoping for a faster processor and SSD slot. That is the advantage of my Live II and Force. I have a 2 TB SSD tucked away and that is wonderful.

[@DylanParisMusic]

I do recommend fighting through that roadblock of the density and strangeness of the Akai workflow but that’s super fair that it doesn’t click as well. The force has grown into my current favorite device over time and with updates but it takes a while to learn

[@djwolfsmusicbox6956]

I own both the maschine+ and the MPC One. Both are very good controllers but one doesn’t depend on the pc for anything

[@drillgirl718]

now that its 2024, had the maschine plus got better? like with updates and does it still crash alot?

[@afxtwinreverb]

It works fine now

[@DylanParisMusic]

Agreed, it hasn’t got many new features in years but it’s been stable for me for a while

[@drillgirl718]

@@DylanParisMusic most important last question bro, would u trust it for a live show performance or what would u trust more?

[@musiccraftjp388]

Good Job Dylan 👏👏👏

[@DylanParisMusic]

Thank you!

[@Th3rdFloor]

Synthstrom's 'Deluge' is a major contender in todays market and would most certainly give every one of these featured devices a real run for their money in terms of features ,sequencing and overall music production!

[@DylanParisMusic]

The Deluge seems really neat, unfortunately my eyes are kind of weird and I can't really look at its LED button layout without getting major eye strain and focus issues

[@mega-spinz]

Thanks for the video. I like the workflow of Akai Force and my opinion the drums hit harder than MPC. Good Showdown

[@DylanParisMusic]

thanks for watching!

[@michelvondenhoff9673]

The MPC is great as a guitar practice amp as well.

[@DylanParisMusic]

Agreed!

[@MyMusic-mt9gj]

Little late to your video. Can the maschine load all of NI software? I've got a ton with regular Maschine. I wouldn't want to get the plus if I could only run what it comes with?

[@DylanParisMusic]

In standalone it runs a limited selection of plugins vs what can be run in controller mode, one of the trade offs of not having to use a computer

[@MyMusic-mt9gj]

@@DylanParisMusic I guess my question was does it let you switch between plugins. For example I have the play series from NI, could it run that instead of something it came loaded with?

[@DylanParisMusic]

No it only runs what it comes with in standalone, on a technical level so far it literally can't run anything else

[@MyMusic-mt9gj]

@@DylanParisMusic Bummer. Thanks for the info. I'll stick to the computer and the controller.

[@DylanParisMusic]

Totally understandable

[@Viibe_4422]

For some reason this video made me get the force when I really wanted the mpc live 2 I’m getting rid of the force

[@Supadope_sd]

Do you do a giveaway donation with equipment you don’t use anymore or do you trade/sell them back

[@DylanParisMusic]

In the past I’ve sold and traded gear but I’m planning to do some giveaways in 2023

[@sairbashir9784]

What are your thoughts on MPC-X vs Maschine Plus?

[@DylanParisMusic]

I think the X looks cool but it’s essentially a whole different category of device due to the price. I think they should include any new plugins for free with that one.

[@dwaynemusik]

What is the purpose of spending money on equipment that basically does the same thing then collects dust

[@BrentODell]

I have the Live II, and while I agree the interface is a bit intimidating at first, I feel like I'm getting the hang of it now. Also, I've never used Ableton, so I have to imagine the Maschine Plus would have also involved a learning curve. I DID get the plugin bundle, but I also like all the I/O to control other gear. I think the sequencer on the MPC is amazing.

[@DylanParisMusic]

Heck yeah!

[@Ast3rixMusic]

I watched the interview on Sonicstate and there was no mention of the relationship with Ableton or that they were making the force more of a standalone device. What Andy did say is that they are paying attention to the community and that they added features that people have been asking for and more. Which is the type of relationship you should expect from a company like Akai. I wish that more of the bigger companies like Roland, Korg, and Yamaha would listen to us. The workstations that they make while they offer many innovative features have really bad workflows. The force really was innovative in that they built something that mimics the workflow of a DAW.

[@DylanParisMusic]

To me this part here suggests they're done working on the Ableton integration which is a shame cause it is not quite right yet: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eajEXoxoZ5xkZ7M That said I really like the force and made a track with it this week I'm really happy with, still wrapping my head around all it can do.

[@Ast3rixMusic]

@@DylanParisMusic No, I think you misunderstood the direction he was going with what he was saying. He said that because people loved all the existing features of the unit and it's integration with Ableton that people want to be able to use it like a DAW. People want a standalone machine that is outside of the computer that can do everything the computer can do. If what you said were legit he would have gone way deeper into why that was so. He was very clear in that this update was the driven by the community of people using it period. It wouldn't make any sense for them to step backwards after putting this much investment into a machine that has more than 4 years of R&D. This is highly unusual period... Akai is still in the business to make money. While this machine did have a terrible start. It looks like the plan is to further develop it to make it even more of a pentacle of the studio. Which means they can start to raise the price of the machine... which means more money for them as long as they keep the material costs down.

[@viviansutherland2169]

Is reaktor really on the Maschine+ ?

[@DylanParisMusic]

only a small selection of factory ensembles is officially supported on the M+ currently

[@pommedapi3847]

Is maschine + able to act like a mk3 if you hook it up to a computer? The workflow of my maschine mk3 is just "logical" to me, the ui the buttons and the 2 screens just makes sense without needing to dig into the manual really (without knowing the hardware much) on the other hand I got a mpc one also, with a battery hooked up, it´s form factor and touch screen would be perfect but i just can´t understand the workflow, the ui looks bad, so many level to dig to get what you want, it just doesn´t make sense to me. Should I pursue the MPC quest as it is apparently worth it when you finally understand it or should I just keep digging into maschine? Too bad they really missed the cpu and ram part of the +, it was obvious from the beggining that it was too low.

[@DylanParisMusic]

Maschine plus works as a mk3 when plugged in to computer but if you already have both the mk3 and the MPC one I’d say learn those unless you really don’t like the MPC and you really want standalone for the Maschine

[@pommedapi3847]

@@DylanParisMusic thanks for you answer, my question was is it really worth learning the mpc workflow, where does it shine compared to a maschine? Apparently in sample chop and great fun on the go.. I will give it another try then.

[@RalphLBaer]

Akai MPD32 + Logic Pro. That’s my set up. With the Drum Machine Designer in Logic Pro you can have a bunch of MPC’s.

[@DylanParisMusic]

nice!

[@KnowledgeOfSelf144]

If you trying to go full dawless mpc hands down. But intuitiveness and sound quality (imo) thinking about switching back to maschine

[@redviagra]

I have the MPC X, force, and Maschine.. don’t sleep on the force.. it’s a beast… Maschine is best for access to expansions… Akai is best for sound output.. it’s all about repetition.

[@DylanParisMusic]

Yeah I got wayyyyy into the force after I made this one

[@pierrefitch]

@@DylanParisMusic force is amazing with my dj gear

[@micindir4213]

You can hack mpc into being force. Most useful for live set. Tbh maschine is a bit of a cult as is mpc/force. I found that mpc works well as a linear sequencer. If you’re into writing orchestral music, piano music or ambient it’s really cool.

[@SamSilk]

If I'm correct, polysynth is actually Native's old Pro Five

[@DylanParisMusic]

That’s my understanding as well, just with a new hardware friendly interface for the Maschine Platform

[@lekkyelectro3668]

I figured out how to get rid of pops on the force

[@nickgilday8946]

Love seeing unbiased reviews/comparisons. Appreciate it! I still get so annoyed that Maschine hasn’t made time stretch/pitch modification in the sampler easier (like mpc did) or just allow for chopping/one shot in the audio unit… I do wish that there was a better integration between the maschine plus stand alone and computer software. Should be plug and play to be able to send standalone songs to the computer right in the software

[@nickgilday8946]

In regards to sound design on maschine plus, I believe blezz beats put out a patch that makes it much more intuitive in stand alone

[@DylanParisMusic]

Thank you! Agreed on those points as well! That Blezz patch sounds rad, I'll need to check it out

[@jaytee2266]

With the newest Force update didn't it really make it even more desirable?

[@DylanParisMusic]

yep!

[@AboutHouseMusic]

Let's face it, none of these products are anywhere near their apex. It's starting to feel like, dare I say, planned obsolescence? If NI is calling Maschine+ their flagship product; I find that very difficult to respond to. I expect the next product releases from both companies to be significantly improved, especially NI.

[@BuleriaChk]

Akai Force does not have time signatures (e.g. triple meter - 3/4 6/8) not to mention 5/4, 9/8 etc. Only four on the floor...

[@DylanParisMusic]

True, it's never been an issue for me but it's a limitation for sure

[@kevinbirge2130]

Would love to have the new AKAI expansions, but the Force already provides you with enough sonic firepower to do about anything.

[@Ast3rixMusic]

I agree it's got basics as far as sounds and most of us already have external gear that we use for that already. I would like to see a little more refinement by adding follow actions and fixing the Ableton Integration. It sounds to me like there's some sort of relationship issue with Ableton. I hope that is not the case because this is the by far the closest we have seen a machine be that is not stamped by Ableton.

[@SergeyCoder]

Feel the same about using M+. That's because it has no touchscreen. Yes, I know that someone think that touch enhance device capabilities, but it also adds menu hell, windows, more interface elements that accessible through touch only. That's terrible. An opposite way - no touch, you know that all functions are under the fingers, display - just for viewing, everything can be accessed through physical knobs, buttons, faders. I think NI try to create standalone for humans, Akai - move everything that we have on notebooks into separate device.

[@DylanParisMusic]

Definitely a different workflow and mentality between NI and AKAI in standalone for sure! I think both have their pros, but the immediacy of the M+ user interface is really nice

[@DanielIvan707]

Force is a beast!

[@Galacticat_]

I've used them all and for me Maschine is hands down is the best. Force is great as well though.

[@cyberphonic]

Anyone who props the gear up like pictures, is definitely a gear head.

[@falazarte]

I have the + and the Force. The Force was purchased out of spite of the M+ and its buggy software. After the updates, I calmed down and I still love to use it but keeping the analogy of a commentator here (@Heffe), it is like a wife that cheated on me and now I don't fully trust her. I love her, but I don't trust her. Still crashes every so often, but at least she asks for forgiveness with the recovery function. That means that I cannot take her out in public. No way! But I trust the Force 100%, and with the new 3.2 Update, and its plugins (although expensive) it is really a force in the electronic music universe.

[@henriqueamorimleal7222]

Any thoughts about thr Roland Verselab?

[@djfreaknique1587]

I love maschine I just hate the piano roll. Mpc live is great but then the sounds. I guess I love both lol

[@DylanParisMusic]

They each definitely have their own strengths

[@HatchetHarry]

The more i see the MPC One and MPC Live get things for free that the Force doesn’t like the MPC software, instruments ect the more i think about putting it back, come on AKAI think about the community.

[@DylanParisMusic]

Force is catching up now, but I’m not sure it will get a desktop app to go along with it ever

[@Iredidv]

A neat trick you can do with maschine plus and an akai mpc, one in my case is: make your clips and scenes in idea view in m+ Link scènes to midi channel 16, and snapshots to midi channel 15. Choose notes not program change. Then connect usb from mpc to maschine via usb. Then you can sequence the sections on channel 16, and the snapshots on 15 from the mpc (make 2 midi channels 15 and 16 on 2 separate tracks on the mpc). Wich solves 1 thing I have been asking ni since the beginning, a dedicated snapshot lane in maschine sequencer. Try it out, great fun instead of using machines arrangement 🤩

[@aleksanderhalbina9379]

Eee, just route that internally in maschine?

[@aleksanderhalbina9379]

Cool trick tho

[@substance90]

I agree about the sound quality of the NI stuff in general but Akai's drum synth is miles better than any of Maschine's drum instruments! I have both the Force and M+. Insanely well prepared comparison btw! I can tell you've really used those machines.

[@DylanParisMusic]

Thank you for watching! Yeah the Akai drum synth is awesome! I will say my thoughts on these three have shifted a bit since I made this, with all the new Akai Force updates it's my current top pick.

[@granolakitti8521]

I hope NI fixes the bugs, i don't want a sampler with touch screen

[@DylanParisMusic]

I haven't encountered many bugs since around early 2022

[@Allogettingmoney]

Akai has the worst time stretching of all the devices on the market

[@DylanParisMusic]

brutalll, yeah that is an area standalone can struggle with cause of processing

[@pedrogomezdelasheras8090]

En modo controlador también prefiero la Maschine, por el programa en si, que no llegando a ser un DAW por sus muchas limitaciones, está un paso por encima de Mpc 2. Respecto al Hardware discrepo contigo, tanto el Force como el Live 2 son muy superiores en modo independiente, básicamente por su acceso real a cualquier parte de la pista que estés haciendo, es decir si estás cambiando parámetros en un sintetizador , sabes en todo momento que estás haciendo, con Maschine, no tienes acceso a todos los parámetros del sintetizador, ni puedes manejar igual las envolventes, ni muchas cosas. Yo también tengo las 3, como mucha gente imagino, si no no diría nada. La Maschine es una gran Máquina, pero en modo independiente se siente más difícil hacer un tema completo, muy fácil para plasmar ideas rápidas, para mí más rápido que en el Mpc Live, pero más lenta que en Force. Respecto a los sonidos, lo de siempre, los de Maschine van cargados hasta el culo de efectos, la mayoría de las veces, hay que quitarlos todos y empezar a ponerlos tu al gusto del tema que estés haciendo para que suene como quieres. Tengo muchas más expansiones de Maschine que de Mpc, simplemente porque llevo mucho tiempo con Maschione y solo 2 años con Force y 1 con Mpc, pero no diría que suenan mejor, simplemente abusan más de los efectos.

[@CXtheproducer1]

They are all samplers, don’t buy a sampler for its sounds. Sample your own it’s what it’s used for. I remember MPC’S didn’t come with sounds.

[@DylanParisMusic]

Disagreed, at this point they include plugins and are sold as an all in one package. They may have been only samplers in the past but I review things as they're sold to us, not as their forefathers once were

[@nubopgritty634]

Dude spent so much on gear that he can’t afford sleeves.

[@DylanParisMusic]

It’s true 😞

[@TheEtbetween]

What are you talking about!! Maschine is plug-ins are expensive ! The sound are very expensive too.

[@DylanParisMusic]

The Maschine plus includes the Maschine plus selection. This includes MASSIVE, FM8, MONARK, PRISM, the MASCHINE Factory Selection and others

[@TheEtbetween]

@@DylanParisMusic something to think about when they made this unit , they never made it with the capability to be a truly stand alone! It’s real a Hybrid unit! NI make 1000’s of sounds hundreds of instrument! They gave this unit a small 4 GB of ram with only a quad atom processor! Think about that! It’s False advertising! Or misleading. It’s limited .

[@ogasi1798]

if it's beauty - maschine+ 100 from 100 if it's workflow - maschine+ 100 from 100 If it's quality of sounds and processors - maschine 100 from 100 let's face it, if cost and battery are not part of your reasoning then it's maschine+ BUT if you can get used to the fact a computer is part of your life, buy the mk3 and don't look back

[@DylanParisMusic]

💯😎

[@pedrogomezdelasheras8090]

Si es belleza, para gustos los colores, puede que también considere a la Maschine más bonita, si es flujo de trabajo real, mejor Live, y Force, calidad de sonidos, es relativo, en independiente es mejor el mundo Mpc o Force, porque de verdad controlas los sintetizadores etc... si tengo que diseñar yo el sonido, consigo muchos mejores sonidos con Mpc o Force, con Maschine tira de banco de sonidos, porque diseñarlo....

[@matthewgaines10]

Workflow is a personal preference. I find that those who work linearly are better served using a Live II/X/One versus a Force or Maschine+. Using a DAW or music *production* device for *live* performance isn’t even a thing for me. Live performance and production are two different, unique tasks, not one for me. For me, *live* performance involves an arranger keyboard. While one *can* do a thing doesn’t necessarily mean they must. I choose my tools differently. To each his/her own.

[@pedrogomezdelasheras8090]

Estoy de acuerdo contigo en lo de el teclado para la interpretación en vivo, pero no en lo de que mpc live, x o one estén mejor servidos para un arreglo lineal que Force, al contrario, Force puedes usar un clip de la duración que quieras y editarlo exactamente igual que los Mpc, pero si lo editas en la vista de arreglos es mejor, porque puedes hacer como en un Daw y ver las pistas que quieras o quepan en pantalla a la vez y editarlas una encima de la otra y ver mejor el resultado final, tanto para midi, audio o automatizaciones. Por otro lado, sin tener en cuenta los teclados, para actuar en vivo, pondría a Force en primer lugar, por su similitud con Ableton, ya que además de disparar clips, puedes dividir la máquina en 3 partes al mismo tiempo, por ejemplo, puedes utilizar la pantalla táctil para cambiar parámetros en un sintetizador, al mismo tiempo los pads para tocar una melodia, y los potenciómetros con sus pantallas led, para manejar efectos del proyecto. Un saludo....

[@matthewgaines10]

@@pedrogomezdelasheras8090Looping aren’t for Linear recordings. Taking a bunch of clips isn’t either. Playing through a piece is. Think about that for a second.

[@__teles__]

You are determined to drive yourself crazy dithering between all the groove boxes. That was me a few years ago. Have whittled it down to Toraiz SP-16 and MPC LIVE II because they both do something better than the other. I could sell the SP-16 but - dithering.

[@DylanParisMusic]

Naw I just run a KZbin channel 😎🙏

[@milk_bath]

What do you like about the SP-16?

[@effebidi9677]

To day after 1 year and within the Push 3 I think AKAI FORCE has no sense to exist anymore. Sorry , not sorry ( for Force ) .

[@DylanParisMusic]

I would say the price difference, vocal effects suite, and full arranger keep it in the conversation for sure

[@Jack-ri1kh]

Just the fact you dont have a basic sound like piano in maschine standalone. akai>maschine. The sound argument is dead for me

[@marcelochagra3307]

Zzzzzz...

[@DylanParisMusic]

🤷‍♂️

[@Asdrubale01]

in my opinion mpc one wins all over hands down it costs 300 euros less than the live2 and has the exact same functions.

[@roymoxley2587]

But the ram and the outputs plus having a ssd drive placement is a very good factor to buy

[@Asdrubale01]

​@@roymoxley2587 in my opinion it doesn’t justify the difference of price; you can add a 2tb ext drive if you really need so much space.

[@Asdrubale01]

You talk at 300bpm

[@DylanParisMusic]

😅🤣

[@Asdrubale01]

​@@DylanParisMusic In Italy we take it so easy...people here talk like turtles walk, it's very impegnative to follow you😅