MORE ARTICLE WITH Akai MPC XL

21. January 2026

SPARKY

AKAI MPC XL: Andertons Synths, Keys and Tech Drop a Standalone Bomb

© Picture: Andertons Synths, Keys and Tech (YouTube)

AKAI MPC XL: Andertons Synths, Keys and Tech Drop a Standalone Bomb

The AKAI MPC XL has landed, and Andertons Synths, Keys and Tech are here to show us why this beast is more than just another MPC. Jack Duxbury and Andy Mack get their hands dirty, tearing through features, flexing the new expressive pads, and showing off workflow tricks that would make your DAW cry. If you thought standalone production was already wild, the XL just turned it up to eleven. This isn’t your dad’s sampler – it’s a rave bunker in a box, and Andertons’ no-nonsense approach means you get the real story, warts and all. Ready for a proper

21. January 2026

SPARKY

MusicRadar Tech’s MPC XL Review: Studio Heavyweight or Overpriced Dinosaur?

© Picture: MusicRadar Tech (YouTube)

MusicRadar Tech’s MPC XL Review: Studio Heavyweight or Overpriced Dinosaur?

MusicRadar Tech have dragged Akai’s new MPC XL into the bunker for a first look, and let’s just say, this thing isn’t here to play nice. With double the RAM, a heap of new controls, and those expressive MPCe pads, the XL is gunning for studio dominance. But is it a true upgrade, or just a big, expensive brick? We break down the key features, the workflow tweaks, and why you might still want to grab an MPC Live instead. If you’re after a portable groovebox, look away now – but if you want a centrepiece that could anchor your

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16. January 2026

RAUMKLANG

musotalk deconstructed: Akai MPC XL, AI Collapse and the Return of Real Musicians

© Picture: musotalk (YouTube)

musotalk deconstructed: Akai MPC XL, AI Collapse and the Return of Real Musicians

20 years of MusoTalk – and not a bit quieter: The roundtable with Non-Erik, Mogulator and co. kicks off the year by dissecting the patch geometry of the Akai MPC XL, pondering the ethics of software subscriptions and AI in music production, and discovering Tonalic as a new approach for human accompaniment in the digital studio. Between workflow debates and machine ethics, there’s room for ironic asides and the realization that vintage synths at Berlin’s museum aren’t just behind glass, but right in the middle of the sound space. If you want to know how the future of music production

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