akai are back to standalone

o.w.t.m · Post by **o.w.t.m** » Sun Dec 25, 2016 10:44 am

https://www.google.dk/amp/s/www.gearnew ... lge&espv=1

sauce · Post by **sauce** » Sun Jan 08, 2017 1:19 am

Good news; thanks.

WestLondoner · Post by **WestLondoner** » Thu Jan 12, 2017 12:25 pm

If it's the same one which has got "an internal, rechargeable battery which we are told has a battery life of up to 5 hours" then that's very unimpressive for this user.

Batteries should be easily replaceable - and what use will its portability be two to three years down the road after constant charging and discharging? Nowhere near its fresh capability, that's for sure!

Korg's allowing us to easily and cheaply replace batteries in their portable units, is the better way for all of us. Methinks one of these years, nothing is surer than that the powers above us will one day ban internal batteries which cannot easily nor cheaply be replaced.

Meanwhile ten years on, my E2 will be every single bit as portable as it was on the day I bought it, but what use will those "5 hours" of battery life be by then!!? Perhaps as much as 40 minutes before needing a recharge. That'll be useless.

Musical instruments of any kind, must be built to last, and not guaranteed to worsen, barring an expensive and cumbersome (send it back to manufacturer & wait...) process, as the years wear on.

Loudest · Post by **Loudest** » Fri Jan 13, 2017 10:59 am

I fully agree with the remarks concerning the battery

That said, the Akai MPC Live seems a lot more powerful than the E2 series ....

And for the price of the E2 + E2s we have something far superior ...
Korg should have made the whole on the same machine, from the beginning...
They wanted we buy both, but...

we end up with two very limited products
while the Akai MPC Live seems to be the modern groovebox everyone expected
(with modern specifications/features...)

sl23 · Post by **sl23** » Sun Jan 15, 2017 8:55 am

Thanks for the heads up. To think I was actually considering buying a second hand e2s! Now I can finally rid myself of my e2 and be done with korg's fake polyphony, crap updated sequencer, poor use interface, and all those bugs!

Though, from what I hear, akai are just as bad with regard to bugs, but at least it's a quality piece of kit costing less than both tribes, yet can do far far more! More proof of over pricing by korg!

apapdop · Post by **apapdop** » Sun Jan 15, 2017 1:37 pm

sl23 wrote:Thanks for the heads up. To think I was actually considering buying a second hand e2s! Now I can finally rid myself of my e2 and be done with korg's fake polyphony, crap updated sequencer, poor use interface, and all those bugs!

Though, from what I hear, akai are just as bad with regard to bugs, but at least it's a quality piece of kit costing less than both tribes, yet can do far far more! More proof of over pricing by korg!

Does that mean you'll finally f**k off from here now?

sl23 · Post by **sl23** » Sun Jan 15, 2017 1:51 pm

No fuckin' way!

Blue Monster 65 · Post by **Blue Monster 65** » Sun Jan 15, 2017 11:17 pm

sl23 wrote:... it's a quality piece of kit costing less than both tribes ...

Not quite. US price is $1199 - the Tribes cost $399 each. Elsewhere may be slightly different, but the European prices I've seen are compatible to these as well.

No plans (that I have seen) for any sort of VST integration as of yet, but there are 8 tracks of stereo audio available (standalone), which means you can record your own synth (and other instruments) in alongside whatever samples you're using.

I've never been an MPC user, but this looks interesting to me. Would it replace my EMX? I don't know ... nothing has yet, so we'll see ...

sl23 · Post by **sl23** » Mon Jan 16, 2017 4:17 pm

Uk e2 release price was £435 e2s was also £435. Total for both £870
Akai release price £799

I made the mistake of selling my original ER-1 and EA-1. I won't be selling my EMX-1 or ESX-1, just that shitty new tribe that shouldn't be called an electribe. The whole point of the electribes was ease of use, the new gen are nothing of the sort.

I've used it so little because it's so uninspiring to use that I don't even know how to edit gate times properly! On the old tribes you simply select gate time and adjust the length. On the new ones each pad represents length but I think you need to actually change each pad's gate time to lengthen the note. How is changing note length on anything up to 64 pads easier than selecting each note? Korg have some fuckin' weird ideas!!!

Blue Monster 65 · Post by **Blue Monster 65** » Mon Jan 16, 2017 4:50 pm

£435? Wow - that seems high.

However, at their current price of £335 (Thomann UK online) each, they do come close to the MPC. That seems a shame. I was never privy to Korg's pricing schemes outside of the US, so I have no idea why the discrepancy.

I thought the new Electribe was fairly easy to use, even with some of the arcane choices Korg made. For myself, it didn't bring anything new to the party, so I returned it in with 30 days. I am impressed with those who stuck with it and have made interesting music. As for me, though, I'll stick with my EMX. Sorry to hear you sold your ER-1 and EA-1; those were fun machines back in the day. It's nice to know they're still being used!

sl23 · Post by **sl23** » Mon Jan 16, 2017 7:03 pm

They were £435 on release, obviously prices drop. As will the Akai's.

Only reason I kept the e2 was for use as a controller. I did mess about with it a few times but it's just not as intuitive for me as the first 2 gen's.

1_inch_punch · Post by **1_inch_punch** » Tue Jan 17, 2017 2:11 am

From those posts criticising the ES2 you made - it was clear you never had one and yu never had a F*cking clue.

Now you can go have no F*cking clue with an Akai

sl23 · Post by **sl23** » Tue Jan 17, 2017 10:51 am

Ooh! Someone's got their knickers in a twist. But then that's all you can expect from people on this forum! I've had so much of it for speaking nothing but truth about how korg utterly f***ed up the new tribes.

By the way, you're very observant, I already stated I didn't have an es2, but do have an e2. Muppet!

There's little difference between the two machines and I bet there's zero difference between the two sequencers. So next time you post abuse, try to read the comments beforehand and actually think,if you are able, about what's been said, instead of getting all puffed up with anger and replying in haste.

Have a good day

bladuck · Post by **bladuck** » Tue Jan 17, 2017 9:41 pm

I suppose from the hardware point of view the Akai will be more powerful compared to Electribes. BUT can you get the same workflow (minus the Electribe edit crapy mode) from akai ? Automation, grooves, instant access to any of the 8 stereo channels ?

BTW can somebody enlighten me on the effects in MPX live ? can I chain effects, how about master effects ?
Also from the demo the UX (touch interface) is not as intuitive as some IOS apps are.

1_inch_punch · Post by **1_inch_punch** » Tue Jan 17, 2017 10:48 pm

At no stage did i make a claim you *didn't* have an E2.

No idea where you got that from - maybe it's the voices...?

I suggest you consider your/their advice before replying.