Akai MPC LIVE III RETRO

The Akai MPC Live III Retro is the most capable standalone beatmaking workstation Akai has built, wrapped in the cream and grey colourway that defined the original MPC machines of the late 1980s. Under that heritage finish sits a Gen 2 8-core processor with 8 GB RAM — four times the headroom of the Live II — running MPC3 OS 3.6 with the full Pro Pack included from day one.

The headline hardware move is the MPCe pad system. Each of the 16 full-size pads tracks X/Y finger position in three dimensions, going well beyond aftertouch. You can assign up to four sample layers per pad and blend between them by moving your finger, route X and Y axes independently into the modulation matrix, or use pad quadrants to trigger discrete articulations mid-performance. Alongside the pads, a dedicated 16-step sequencer gives you TR-style pattern programming directly from hardware buttons, and a freely assignable performance touch strip handles real-time parameter control without breaking your pad hand position.

Clip Matrix brings non-linear arrangement into the standalone environment — an 8×8 grid of audio and MIDI clips triggerable via the touchscreen, pads, or step buttons, all without stopping playback. Pro Stems Separation and Super Timestretch run natively on the 8-core CPU, meaning you can isolate elements from any sample directly on-device. USB-C carries 24 channels of audio and 32 channels of bi-directional MIDI for DAW integration when you need it, alongside direct sampling from a phone or computer.

Built-in stereo monitors, a condenser microphone, and an internal rechargeable battery make this a genuinely self-contained production centre — no laptop, no interface, no additional monitoring required. The Retro colourway is not a cosmetic gimmick; it is the full MPC Live III specification in a finish that acknowledges where this lineage began, built for producers who know exactly what that means.

• MPCe™ Expressive Pads with 3D-Sensing Technology: These are not standard velocity pads. Each of the 16 full-size RGB pads tracks X/Y finger position independently, letting you blend up to four sample layers per pad, trigger dynamic articulations, and route finger position directly into the modulation matrix — all in real time. Finger drumming becomes a compositional tool rather than a trigger mechanism.
• 16 RGB Step Sequencer Buttons: MPC Live III Retro is the first MPC to give you a dedicated hardware step sequencer — 16 RGB buttons running TR-style pattern programming directly from the front panel. No menu-diving, no mode-switching; you programme drums and melodic sequences the way hardware should work.
• Performance Touch Strip: A freely assignable touch strip sits to the left of the pads, mapped to pitch, filter, effects depth, note repeat rate or any parameter you route to it. It is the kind of real-time performance control that changes how you handle builds and ride-outs on stage.
• Clip Matrix with Clip Launch Workflow: The new 8×8 Clip Matrix brings Ableton-style non-linear arrangement into the standalone MPC environment. Trigger individual clips or full rows, record audio and MIDI loops of different lengths simultaneously, and restructure your arrangement in real time — all without stopping playback.
• 8-Core Processor (Gen 2) with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB Storage: Four times the processing headroom of the MPC Live II. The Gen 2 8-core CPU sustains up to 32 simultaneous plugin instances and 16 audio tracks without a laptop in the chain — the first standalone MPC with the raw power to handle a full production from first idea to finished arrangement.
• Pro Stems Separation and Super Timestretch: Desktop-grade stem separation runs directly on-device via the 8-core CPU. Isolate drums, bass, melodic content, or vocals from any sample in your library without touching a computer. Super Timestretch handles pitch-independent tempo manipulation cleanly across wide BPM ranges.
• USB-C Audio and MIDI Interface (24 Channels In/Out): The USB-C port streams 24 channels of audio and 32 channels of bi-directional MIDI to and from your DAW, and supports direct sampling from a computer, iPhone, or Android device. Track out all 24 channels straight into your session for final mixing without a separate interface.
• Built-In Studio Microphone and Stereo Monitors: A high-quality condenser microphone is onboard for field recording, vocal takes, and on-the-spot sampling. Paired with the integrated stereo monitors, the Retro is a fully self-contained production environment — headphone and speaker monitoring included, no peripheral gear required.