Used on eBay right now
Akai Professional MPC Renaissance Music Production Controller w/Power SupplyUsed · Buy It Now$310
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Akai Professional MPC Renaissance Drum Machine Controller Open BoxOpen box · 0 bids$325
Akai MPC Renaissance + Yamaha MG82CX Mixer Bundle - Lightly UsedUsed · Buy It Now$450
Akai MPC Renaissance Sampler & Sequencer Pad Triggers Built-in Effects 16 PadsUsed · Buy It Now$425
Akai Professional MPC Renaissance Digital Music Production Controller AP-MPCUsed · Buy It Now$400
The Akai MPC Renaissance is the MPC that moved into the computer. Announced in 2012 for $1,299, it’s a full-size MPC controller with a built-in audio interface that runs Akai’s MPC software on a Mac or PC, with plug-in support.
Vintage modes
It shipped with “Vintage Mode” emulations of the MPC3000, the MPC60 and the SP-1200, aimed squarely at producers who missed the grit of the classics. Akai called it “the most advanced and powerful MPC ever produced, yet it retains a link to beloved MPCs of the past.” The catch, as Sound On Sound noted, was that the software wouldn’t work without the controller connected.
The hip hop connection
Equipboard lists DJ Premier, Pete Rock, the Alchemist, Timbaland and Flying Lotus among its users. Pete Rock is quoted naming it while explaining he uses hardware, not software, to make beats.
Buying one today
It is not standalone: you need a computer and Akai’s software. Check current software support for your operating system before buying. Don’t confuse it with the slim MPC Studio or the MPC Touch.
Akai MPC Renaissance videos: demos, history and breakdowns
