Is this better than the Akai MPK Mini??[solved][need both]

[chopsui]

Edit: for my purposes transport controls, channel control amd included knobs are perfect, akai knobs and velovity sensitive keys for some variation to make drums more real sounding.

Sorry for the wall of text on my last post, got carried away didnt realize how much I was writing. Won't happen again.

So my thinking is the pads on the mini are basically lit up buttons, you can turn channels off, trigger samples, etc.
The knobs... are well knobs.. then it's just mini keyboard. I'm wondering if the Korg NanoKontrol2 isn't a better companion in a laptop bag.

It has 8 knobs, 8 faders, tons of buttons for turning channels on/off, AND TRANSPORT CONTROLS!!!! only $50
The transport controls and mixer channel controls are huge for me, that removes 50% of the mouse work.

I think the most annoying thing about a laptop setup is not having transport controls, this seems like it has way more control over a DAW minus the keyboard, but I like the computer keyboard better anyway.

[JTreeZY]

All I know is that i have an MPK Mini and my only complaint is that the keys are smallish and its hard not accidentally hit the wrong key when playing it. But i think it's worth it for me at least cuz i like the way i can just throw it in my backpack and it takes up no space on my small ass table in my small ass room

[wormcode]

There's a reason it's $50, it's a piece of shit really. It works, but you get what you pay for. I'd call those 'disposable controllers'. It's better than the first Nanokontrol, but not by much. Plus they removed a couple of features and the master fader, but fixed 2 bugs. The MPK is way better quality, but if you want drum pads you're better off getting a dedicated drum pad controller like an MPD. Bigger, but otherwise with a small size and very low price expect a lot of drawbacks.

[chopsui]

It's no doubt the mini is a beast, I just have big hands and the keys aren't working for me at all.

I'm thinking if I don't want the keyboard this thing will give me more control, can use faders are knobs, etc.

Obviously the two together would be beast, if the Mini had transport controls I would have bought it already.

I wish I could compare their durability. Does the MPK Mini have banks for its pads and knobs??

[chopsui]

There's a reason it's $50, it's a piece of shit really. It works, but you get what you pay for. I'd call those 'disposable controllers'. It's better than the first Nanokontrol, but not by much. Plus they removed a couple of features and the master fader, but fixed 2 bugs. The MPK is way better quality, but if you want drum pads you're better off getting a dedicated drum pad controller like an MPD. Bigger, but otherwise with a small size and very low price expect a lot of drawbacks.

That's what I was afraid of, didnt seem solid when I saw it at Guitar Center, but if I secure it and keep it protected will it last? I need those damn transport controls!!!

Is there anything for laptop producers with transport controls? Seems like a huge loop-hole.

Tempted to just get an Oxygen25 but it doesnt exactly fit in a backpack.

[wormcode]

AFAIK on the mini you can have 2 banks for the pads, essentially giving you 16 pads. I doubt the knobs can do that though, but you might be able to program in different values for each 'program' and change the program to get a different knob bank. That probably also changes the pads though.

The Nano will last you a good while if you take care of it, but it's cheapy plastic so I wouldn't trust it too much. Especially if you want to use it live, as usually you will be pressing and sliding faders much faster and harder causing wear. Check out some of Alesis' controllers as well as the Behringer U-Control (transport, but no pads). Behringer gets a lot of shit, but it's better quality than the Nanos. Novation Impulse is the only other small one I can think of with pads and a transport. Keys might be too small though.

[jrisreal]

There's a reason it's $50, it's a piece of shit really. It works, but you get what you pay for. I'd call those 'disposable controllers'. It's better than the first Nanokontrol, but not by much. Plus they removed a couple of features and the master fader, but fixed 2 bugs. The MPK is way better quality, but if you want drum pads you're better off getting a dedicated drum pad controller like an MPD. Bigger, but otherwise with a small size and very low price expect a lot of drawbacks.

I have a nanoKontrol and it's pretty nice. Yes it's cheap and plastic-y. However, it gets the job done and hasn't broken on me yet. I've had it for approximately one year.

[wormcode]

I have a nanoKontrol and it's pretty nice. Yes it's cheap and plastic-y. However, it gets the job done and hasn't broken on me yet. I've had it for approximately one year.

Yeah mine worked until I sold it too, but he is asking for live use which is a bit different/intensive use. I wouldn't trust it for too long like that... plus the USB cable would always pop out of mine, but supposedly this is fixed in the new one. I was going to get it, but they removed the master fader I used in order to keep the cost the same :/

[Dirt Krilth]

i have the AKAI MPK MINI and its honestly the best $100 ive ever spent. definitely worth the money. yes it has smaller keys but its perfect to slip in a backpack if you wana make tunes on the go. no wider than my macbook. and my cat had tipped my bong over onto it where it was soaked for about 5 hours poured all the water out of the keyboard and it still works brand new. Akai makes quality shit!

[chopsui]

edit: Went to go make some dubstep on my laptop and realized the synthstation is a small piece of crap and I should just sell my iPod and not buy it. When I was setting the wobbles for I was itching for a knob, so I'd definitely say I need some knobs.. I drummed out the beats on my keyboard but it sucks that its always a constant velocity, I could change the velocity manually but I'd rather just get a mini keyboard so I can either play soft or hard. Also wanted some buttons to turn channels on and off. I realized what I needed was pretty much the MPK Mini or the LPD8. I like Akai and their quality, I just don't know whether I should sacrifice the small size of the LPD8 just for velocity sensitivity on keys I don't like that much, my hands are just too big.

TL;DR I'm just gonna get the LPD8 or the MPK Mini. Akai = Quality