32 pad version w/ rechargeable lithium ion battery and no option to install additional ssd storage…
1 Like
I’d bite, and I’m surprised they haven’t done it already…
SSD is kind of essential for the disk streaming.
what about the sd, no streaming for that?
I stream off a standard HD in my Force with no issues. - 500gb ssd is cheap nowadays and that’s a ton of storage.
Likely to have better performance with an SSD, Akai recommends it.
If they make it portable something is going to have to go.
can you stream from an external, no need for internal?
@Daspetal, is there anything you like better about the force over your mpc besides the mixer and the 64pads?
and what do you like about your mpc over the force?
I also ditched the MPC and went all Force + external battery. It is a bit unfortunate how humongous it is, but it’s so powerful, even compared to the MPC.
1 Like
Ha, I like
Akai recommends an installed SSD for best performance. Can you disk stream from an attached USB external, SD Card, or USB Stick? Absolutely, but YMMV. Also, one of the biggest causes of file corruption and lost data on the Force is people disconnecting attached storage without properly software/OS-ejecting it first from the Force browser, so there’s “that”. Just be careful.
1 Like
Unless I’m misunderstanding linear time again, it’s not exactly accurate to say no changes have been made to Force in the 1-2 years since it’s release.
Effects were added, synths were added, disk streaming was added, audio interface support was added, the MIDI Multi thing…
@Gat - make sure you’re using a high-quality USB cable and try a different USB port on the iConnectivity. I have the ICA2+, and I only get artifacts when I push my iPad. Korg Gadget wouldn’t even work with it until I changed the buffer size to something the ICA2+ was happy with.
SCG
Their question was directed at changes with how automation is handled, and to my knowledge that hasn’t really changed over the past 1-2 years.
My bad… I could’ve sworn OP said “fx racks in particular”.
That’s what I get for not watching the video.
You can also add macros for the Fx that combine lots of different parameters, even involving multiple different fx, all on one knob, and as many as you’d like. The bus and master fx can now be recorded, you can save entire FX Rack presets now, and there are lots of new Fx like halftime, granulizer, the vocal suite, etc.
incredible, just imagine if this was the size of the polyend play 
well I’ve come to that fabled point in one’s life when one must decide to come down off the fence and get a Force, a polyend play, or remain the gargoyle on my block for another yearrrrr
sigh
what is akai going to do about tempo automation though, it’s a troubling omission especially since they’ve been making great use of tempo per pattern on mpcs for forever
To date, tempo cannot be automated on Force. Seeing as how it’s been asked for since launch, it’s anyone’s guess (I’m wagering it won’t happen anytime soon if ever). They’ll probably push people to the MPC platform for that.
If tempo automation is a deal-breaker there isn’t much you can do, but for everything else the Force is ludicrously capable. If it was announced at this year’s Superbooth it would arguably steal the show (but then so would the Digitakt, I’d say). Streams, samples (in stereo and with polyphonic playback), has an arranger, recordable & programmable automation, a grid/clips mode, a looper, step sequencer, piano roll MIDI, is a USB host, soft synths on board, very extensive macro mode, effects everywhere, Bluetooth & WiFI, 64 pads, touchscreen for wave editing & performance… it pretty much has everything people note as being missing from other gear, except tempo automation and battery power. And it is big, but I guess the screen and 64 pressure pads make that unavoidable.
I haven’t bought any new music gear since the Force, and I only wish I’d bought it at launch because I could have avoided several other purchases - for me, it’s very much been a GAS solution, and it’s helped me straighten out my setup to a core of a few items with the Force at the centre (guest analogues, one modular case, some Elektrons for more esoteric sequencing). Mixer sub feeds its inputs until I crack and buy a multichannel interface, meaning I can instantly send any channel to it for sampling, looping or recording.
It’s unwiedly and it’s a little ugly, and I get the desire for a more compact option, but I have absolutely no regrets with the Force; it brings joy, and it helps me focus my attention on the other gear that does the same.
8 Likes
To be fair, the Force at launch was a pretty crippled product. The lack of Arranger made it impossible to record your performances - it was strictly a live performance machine and only had Clip Mode. And then there was the limited MIDI control, and a variety of other missing features that slowly trickled in over the years.
But I do agree - today - TODAY - Force is still an amazing machine that would absolutely steal the show.
3 Likes