Akai Professional has released the MPC XL, a new flagship MPC featuring an upgraded processor, advanced pad technology, and extended connectivity for studio and DAWless workflows.
Akai Professional has introduced the MPC XL, a new flagship standalone music production unit positioned as the most powerful model in the historically significant MPC line. Designed to be your central studio unit, the MPC XL features seriously upgraded hardware and connectivity for those wishing away computer connectivity.
The release extends Akai’s standalone MPC series, offering a substantial hardware upgrade with a new processor, expanded memory, a larger screen, and enhanced control features. It caters to both studio-based and DAWless workflows, with comprehensive and much sought after new I/O and integration options for modular, digital, and analogue setups.
Key Features
At the heart of the MPC XL is a second-generation 8-core processor offering four times the processing power of previous MPC models, paired with 16GB of RAM. This supports up to 32 plugins, 16 audio tracks, and 256 simultaneous voices. The unit runs MPC3 OS and operates entirely without a computer.
The XL also includes a 256GB NVMe SSD with an expansion bay for additional storage. A 10.1" tiltable HD touchscreen provides visual control, while dedicated one-to-one buttons are designed for direct access to key features.
Expressive Control & Studio Connectivity
One of the key additions is the new MPCe pads (unveiled back in October with the MPC Live III). Quick recap, they feature 3D-sensing technology and four quadrants per pad, allowing multidimensional control over samples and effects. It's ok to be confused so you can see it in action below but if you're a dedicated MPC user or a Machine user looking for something far deeper, the MPCe pads are genuinely awesome.
In the video, Akai deliberately showcases it being used for techno, which is great to see. The MPC has serious dance music heritage (Kenny Dope and Masters at Work, for example), yet in recent decades it’s become almost entirely associated with hip-hop. The XL’s multi-track sequencing approach feels like a genuine opportunity to rebalance that narrative — and potentially pull the MPC back into the centre of electronic music production.
Additional touch control comes via 16 Q-Link knobs with OLED feedback, a touch-strip for live effects and modulation, a 16-button RGB step sequencer, and a dedicated XL Channel Command encoder.
The MPC XL is designed to stay in a studio and is designed as such. It offers a wide array of connectivity options. Inputs include XLR/TRS combo jacks with phantom power, dedicated instrument and phono inputs, and four MIDI DIN ports. Outputs include eight line outs and 16 CV/Gate ports for modular setups. USB-C connectivity allows up to 24 audio and 32 MIDI channels to be transmitted over a single cable.
More & More But At What Cost
It includes a full-featured sampler, clip launching, multi-track sequencing, and an arrangement view similar to a traditional DAW. Additional tools include pro-level stem separation, time-stretching, slicing, and plugin layering.
The unit comes preloaded with production tools, including Akai’s own effects and sounds, as well as select content from Native Instruments, such as the M