Akai MPC One G2 is the second generation of its entry-level MPC groove workstation with four times more power, better connectivity, and more.
Standalone MPCs are popular and frequently used in DAWless setups. The most affordable hardware for exploring the MPC world with plugins and other features is the MPC One.
Comparing the One to current MPCs, you can tell the former is from a different era in terms of performance. Good news, there’s an upgrade. In addition to the MPC Key 37 G2, Akai has also released the MPC One G2 today, with a significant performance boost.
Akai MPC One G2
The MPC One G2 is the second generation of the entry-level standalone MPC groove workstation. Considering the red MPC One+, it would actually be the third generation, but why it’s being ignored here is beyond me.
The Akai MPC One G2 is blue. Goodbye, black and red. You can get all the colors you want, as long as it’s blue. According to Akai, it’s inspired by the iconic blue colorways of the classic MPC4000 and MPC1000. Not the best color, but definitely better than red.
Looking at the interface. It remains unchanged, with the same 7-inch full-color multitouch display, pads (16), and the number of Q-knobs and buttons. Inside, however, there’s a major upgrade.
At the core of the MPC One G2 is an 8-core processor paired with 4GB of RAM (2GB in the predecessor), delivering dramatically faster load times, greater project capacity, more plugins, and smoother standalone sessions.
It supports up to 32 simultaneous plugin instruments and up to 16 stereo audio tracks in standalone, giving producers the headroom to build full, professional productions entirely in standalone.
The internal memory has also been significantly expanded. Where the MPC One+ had 16GB, the Gen 2 now boasts 64GB of internal storage. Even though the MPC Live III or MPC XL are significantly more powerful, it’s a very welcome hardware upgrade for the MPC One.
MPC 3 + Plugins
The new Akai MPC One G2 ships with the MPC 3.9 OS for its standalone production platform, featuring a full linear arranger, expanded arrangement workflows, integrated synthesis via a built-in oscillator engine, and deeper DAW interoperability.
An optional Pro Pack unlocks Pro Stems Algorithm, Super Warp Time-Stretch, Clip Matrix, and other pro-level plug-in effects on the new MPC One.
Buyers of the new One also receive a large package of MPC plugins and sounds. It ships with the Native Instruments Analog Dreams MPC edition at launch, featuring a premium collection of analog-inspired cinematic sounds.
Alongside this, it includes 11 instrument plugins, nine curated expansion packs, and over 20GB of production-ready content, giving producers a complete professional palette from the moment they power on. The following plugins are included:
- NI Analog Dreams MPC Edition (free, included at launch)
- Bassline
- Electric
- Fabric Select
- Hype
- Mellotron
- Odyssey
- Organ
- Solina
- Tubesynth
- Drumsynth
And these are the expansion packs: Acoustic Tools, Classic Drum Machines, Apollo Retro Kits, Percussion Tools, ATL Song Starters, Macro Polo Lo-Fi Boom, Welcome to ATL Kits, Welcome to ATL Melodics, and Producer Essentials.
Expanded Connectivity
Everything on the back (main stereo in and out, 8 CV/gate outputs…) is unchanged except for the USB-C port. This and the CPU/RAM upgrade also enable new, expanded connectivity.
It introduces 24×24 multi-channel audio streaming, expanded to 32 MIDI I/O channels, and full host and device support over a single cable. A highlight is the ability to sample directly from phones, tablets, and external devices via USB-C.
Further, Ableton Live Control Mode and seamless Ableton project import/export make either machine a natural bridge between hardware creation and DAW finishing. Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz/5 GHz, 802.11ac) and Bluetooth 5 are also on board.
First Impression
The MPC One upgrade was expected, but the question was when. I didn’t expect it to be so quick, but it’s a welcome sight. So, you can enjoy the new performance level of the new MPCs for a little less money.
Akai MPC One G2 is now available for $799/£729/€849 through authorized dealers and select music retailers worldwide.
More information here: Akai Pro
Available from my partners
this blue is a bad as the red
i love both!
have the Red Key 37 and a mpc 500.😃🤘
These bright white buttons suck :/
Stop being a hater it looks fly dope….. and why do you 🫵🏾care you’re not getting it? 🤣🤣🤣🤣😱😱
Wtf is wrong with you?
4gb of RAM is laughable
its also really sad
don’t compare 4GB of RAM in a custom OS to a Windows or macOS system.
2GB of RAM with a way weaker CPU worked fine for people for last 5+ years.
Milking the old cow in typical inMusic fashion I guess. Jack O’Donnell is still a bastard and inMusic is still a greedy monopoly that will start milking the legacy of Native Instruments any day now.
the brand killer, is his nickname..
The stuypid thing is that he could have built gen1 with far more memory, but surely he knew he could do less and “tadaaaa, here are the gen2 with more power” but now that the tech giant (AI ones) are sucking the memory market, JOD is forced to increase the price of the mpc series, most of the community will pass on it, it’s prob. better to get an X in the second hand market than a one Gen2 for 900 bucks..
I had the MPC One briefly, then sold it. Rather than a DAW-less setup, it felt fully like a DAW, but stuffed into a really slow computer with a tiny screen. Maybe the G2 is a bit faster, but that screen …