The most powerful MPC yet brings studio production anywhere you need it.
Akai Professional has launched the MPC Live III, the most powerful standalone MPC to date. Building on the success of the Live II, this latest iteration pushes beatmaking and live performance capabilities into new territory – and best of all, with no computer required.
Screen fatigue is real, and plenty of producers are ditching the laptop in favour of hardware. The problem is, most standalone units force you to choose between power and portability. The Live III doesn’t play that game.
Catch up on all the latest news here.
The MPC has been at the heart of modern music for decades. First released in 1988, the original MPC60 filled a gap in the market and offered musicians an affordable and user-friendly all-in-one music production centre that significantly influenced hip-hop and electronic music. From Dr Dre’s work on The Chronic to DJ Shadow’s Endtroducing, and its influence beyond hip hop into Latin music, electronic and bedroom pop – the MPC has had a huge impact, and continues to do so, with modern makers Metro Boomin, Kenya Grace, Jermaine Dupri, Machine Gun Kelly and Papatinho working on the MPC.
Enter the MPC Live III – the result of Akai Professional listening to the creators behind those legacies, and putting forward what producers need to stay inspired and keep creating.
Designed for producers who move fast, the MPC Live III is packed with dynamic production tools, responsive controls and sounds designed by the industry’s top sample makers. Not to mention – it’s the fastest processor of any MPC to date.
As part of the Live III launch campaign, Akai enlisted legendary finger drummer J Black and self-produced songwriter Kenya Grace (whose viral hit “Strangers” topped charts globally) to showcase the instrument’s creative possibilities. Additional content features production bigwigs Jermaine Dupri, Bryan Michael Cox, Tricky Stewart, Mike WiLL Made-It, Song Digital and C-Note sharing their first impressions of the new MPC.
According to Andy Mac, Creative Global Marketing and Artist Relations Manager at Akai Professional: “The MPC Live III is more than a product—it’s a movement. For decades, Akai Professional has shaped how music is made, giving artists the tools to create outside the bounds of traditional studios. With Live III, we’re meeting the demands of a new generation of creators—those who want power, portability, and expressive control in one device. This is the future of music-making and live performance: fully standalone, fully untethered, and fully in your hands.”
This standalone system gives users all the production, mixing, and performance capabilities you’d expect from next-gen Akai Pro hardware, but now with an MPC3 operating system that unlocks its full potential.
MPCe pads: beyond aftertouch
At the heart of the Live III are the new MPCe pads – ultra-responsive 3D-sensing technology that goes way beyond simple aftertouch. These pads track X/Y movements, letting you manipulate one-shot layers, blend samples and add dynamic note repeats and articulations on a per-pad basis. It’s the kind of expressive control that closes the gap between tapping pads and playing an actual instrument.
For the first time in MPC history, Akai has added dedicated 16-step sequencer controls. Say goodbye to menu diving and screen-dependency. This new unit offers direct, tactile programming that feels intuitive whether you’re sketching ideas or performing live.
MPC3 OS and the Pro Pack
Running on the new MPC3 OS, the Live III unlocks exclusive features that weren’t available on previous models. The optional MPC3 Pro Pack (included with the Live III, but sold separately for other MPC3-compatible units) adds heavyweight processing options: AIR Reverb Pro and AIR Visual EQ4 deliver studio-quality sound design while Pro Stems Separation lets you extract individual elements from existing tracks – invaluable for sampling or remixing on the fly. AIR Fabric Select and AIR Utility round out the effects package, giving you professional-grade tools right in the box.
The new Clip Matrix transforms how you approach song arrangement and live performance, offering intuitive clip launching that’ll feel instantly familiar to anyone who’s spent time in Ableton’s Session View. Record and trigger MIDI and audio loops of different lengths in any combination, all in real time without interrupting your flow. Follow actions, row launch tempo controls, and snapshots add another layer of performance possibilities. Ableton Live set import means you can bring existing projects straight into the MPC environment.
For modular enthusiasts, the enhanced CV Playground feature opens up a whole heap of possibilities for controlling your Eurorack setup directly from the MPC. Eight CV/Gate outputs mean you can sequence external synths and modules without needing a separate MIDI-to-CV converter – a Q-Link envelope follower and LFO sweeten the deal further.
Connectivity that doesn’t compromise
Class-compliant USB-C handles 24 channels of audio and 32 channels of bi-directional MIDI for computer or iOS device connectivity, making the Live III a legitimate audio interface with serious I/O. Two dedicated MIDI ports (both bi-directional) support connections for up to 32 MIDI devices, so you can build out a comprehensive hardware setup without running into bottlenecks.
The performance touch-strip adds another dimension to real-time control, whether you’re pitching samples, manipulating effects parameters, or adding expression to synth lines during a performance. Combined with the MPCe pads’ enhanced sensitivity, it’s the kind of feature that becomes indispensable once you start incorporating it.
True portability
Portability remains a priority for this iteration. A built-in condenser microphone captures vocals and field recordings without external gear, while discrete ultra-compact stereo monitors deliver studio-quality punch and low end for instant playback. The four-hour rechargeable battery means you can produce anywhere – hotel rooms, the backseat of the car, or even park benches if that’s your thing. Two XLR/TRS combo inputs handle everything from condenser mics to turntables to line-level synths, with six line outputs giving you routing flexibility for external processors or mixers.
Storage won’t be an issue either: 128GB of internal memory comes standard, expandable via SSD or SD card when your sample library inevitably grows beyond that. An 8-core processor (split between four performance cores and four efficiency cores) paired with 8GB of RAM keeps everything running smoothly, even when you’re stacking up to 32 simultaneous plug-in instances across 16 audio tracks. The Super Timestretch algorithm handles tempo and pitch manipulation with desktop-quality results.
Intuitive workflow
Navigation happens through a 7-inch multi-touch display and four touch-capacitive knobs that respond quickly and accurately. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity enable wireless file transfer and collaboration so you can share projects with collaborators or sample from your phone without cables getting in the way.
iPhone and iPad users can sample directly via USB-C, streamlining the process of pulling material from your iOS devices into your MPC workflow. Ableton Live users will appreciate the dedicated Control Mode for tighter integration with their DAW, though it’s worth noting the Live III is powerful enough that you might find yourself leaving the laptop behind entirely. Direct sampling from your computer is also supported, making it easy to migrate material from your existing library.
The combination of XLR/combo jack/phono connectivity on those two input channels means you can accommodate virtually any source without adapters or external preamps. Six audio outputs give you flexibility for routing different elements of your mix to external processors, mixers, or separate monitoring systems.
Designed for immediate playability, endless experimentation, and precise recording, the MPC Live III represents the most complete standalone production solution Akai has built. Four times the processing power and memory of its predecessor means this genuinely earns its title as the most powerful MPC yet.
The MPC Live III is available now from Akai Professional and authorised dealers. For Australian enquiries, head here.
