AKAI Professional MPD 218 Reviews

Nice

The AKAI Professional MPD 218 is a fantastic MIDI pad controller that delivers exceptional performance and versatility. Its responsive pads provide a dynamic playing experience, perfect for beatmaking, finger drumming, and triggering samples. The build quality is excellent, ensuring durability for both studio and live performances. With its intuitive layout and seamless integration with popular music production software, such as Ableton Live, it's an essential tool for any music producer or performer. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned musician, the MPD 218 offers a seamless and enjoyable creative workflow. Highly recommended!

Poor quality

You have to hit the pads really hard. People suggest sensitivity can be improved by putting tape on the sensors etc. but the reality is that out of the box this is not a very useful product. I have a Boss drum machine which must be 20+ years old and it's still much easier to play. The only pleasant surprise is that the knobs are endless rotary encoders.

Often triggers randomly

If this would be working as promised, it would be a great drum pad. However, when hitting a pad, it often sends incorrect midi data (say 1 out of 15 hits). Sometimes it triggers one hit twice, other times it cuts off the note immediately. In my opinion this renders the product unusable, because I need to correct the midi data in my DAW a lot. I should have listened to the warnings on the internet given by other reviewers. If you walk into the same trap as I did, don't say you weren't warned!

Great set of drumpads

Reasonably priced for the quality of the build. The drumpads are one of the best being the signature akai pads.

Too much velocity needed to trigger pads, even in "Full Level" mode

Unfortunately pad sensitivity was set up in a way that made the entire thing useless. After reading some reviews it seems to me that the pads on the MPD218 are either to stiff (the one they sent me had almost no sensitivity at all, I could not trigger anything but quarter notes without missing beats) or too sensitive. AKAI seriously need to work on their quality control. I will not order another one of these in hopes of randomly getting a good one, but settle for a different controller instead.

Bare bone but a quality build

I got what I expected as far as features go but I was pleasantly surprised by how sturdy and nice the build is.

Good looking, poor quality

It looks professional out of the box, but I am totally disappointed with its playability and functioning. I didn't expect it to be this bad, I guess it varies from product to product.

1. The pad sensitivity is different on each pad. Thus, Its likely that you will miss a hit. Velocity is terrible and the pads are too stiff.

2. The pads bounce and over trigger notes. I tried recording a drum beat and later I figured that there are lots of unnecessary notes on the midi line, that I didn't intended to play. Eventually, I figured that, sometimes pads trigger the same note multiple times.

3. Sometimes hitting one pad triggers the others around it. For example, when I hit the kick pad, that also triggers the snare and hi-hat.

Smoothness

Really Good when it comes to sampling!

Acceptably Passable Gear

The device is good value for money, but it's let down by its build quality and lacklustre responsiveness. Tested with EZDrummer, Cubase, Logic and Garage Band and playability remained the same and reduced the fun of using it.

Good for the price. Pads are a bit too sensitive, but its ok after I got used to it.

Does the job

Good controller. Does what it says. Good feeling pads.

Great value but not quite perfect

Great build quality, heavy and all controls feel good. Major problem is the pad's sensitivity where it doesn't pick up light inputs sometimes. However this is the case with every pad setup I've used (haven't used expensive ones) and won't be a problem once you get used to the controller.

In conclusion I'd recommend this highly, the light up pads make it very satisfying. Definitely great value for money.

Awesome

This device made drums on my demos much cooler, complex and humane. Recommended!

A Must !

this controller is perfect for finger drumming and recording midi drum, very responsive, well constructed and stable on desk

Excactly what I need

Well, firstly as this price point, I cannot complaint. Yes the light isn't RGB, and the velocity is not the best ever. But this pads just perfect for my needs. Especially I like that all the buttons and rotary knob is on the left side (not on the right as most pads I knew did).

So as my personal favorite, it helps a lot since I more enjoy to tweek anything on the left and focusing my pads playing on the right side. Simple straight forward, nice feel of touch and not as cheap as it may look and priced (trust me on this), minimalist features which is not bad at all for me cause I use this tools only for drumming and synth addition, not as my main controller.

One thing that a bit confusing is the installement of bitwig and that stuff. But not really bothered me, so I will still give 5 star recommendation for other user that needs excact tools like me.

I cannot use it properly

It doesn't react the way you would think it would. It is not sensitive. I have a hard time doing anything with it. I guess it's not for me...

Ok for the price, I guess

Mine has problems with the velocity/sensitivity. You have the chance to miss hits unless you really hammer it. I'm not 100% satisfied with this.

Beautiful Device - Versatile

This was a beautiful drum pad! Nice sensitivity and extremely versatile. The three banks were more than enough to suit my basic needs. I've actually sold my one on now as I upgraded my gear, but I was sad to see this piece of kit go! Nice and sturdy too.

poor quality

I'm quite dissapointed with this controller.

Very poor quality. The box was already opened, the pads were dirty.

But the worst thing about this one - is the pads: the velocity is very law, impossible to do some dynamic finger-drumming.

But the worst part is that the velocity of each pad is different.

Don't reccomend to buy online. You should touch and check velocity yourself before getting one.

You get what you pay for

Like I said, you get what you pay for.

PROS:

*Works

* Gets the job done

Cons:

*Cheap casing

*Pads are not very responsive to touch: they are a little bit to hard so you have to use more force than you want to, thus sacrificing velocity/dynamics