All user reviews for the Akai APC40

If you are an Ableton Live user then you need to go out and buy the AKAI Professional APC 40 as soon as you can, it is a USB based controller that has a total of 109 different buttons! 9 different faders and a cross fader and it is compatible with Macs and PC’s. This is the best performance controller for Ableton Live by far in to me.

The APC 40 is made to use with performing, if you need hands on control over Ableton Live then you must have the APC40, there is also an APC 20 which is about 100 dollars cheaper but it is missing some pretty key functions. On the APC 40 there are a total of 40 clip triggers a cross fader, tap temp and 16 knobs. The APC40 is easy to set up and its plug and play so if you are a live performer you will have no problem showing up, plugging in and start rocking the house effortlessly. Because this is made for Ableton Live the set up process could not be quicker, it basically does all the work for your when installing.

Outside of all of the cool features of the APC 40, there is a huge issue with it. The problem is that it is not well built at all. The knobs are very cheap and will break off if you use it a lot and travel with it a lot. I don’t see this unit lasting someone who uses it a lot and travels with it, more than 6 months without it falling apart. If you do lose a knob or two it will not make the APC40 stop working but it will or could affect your performance and most definitely the look of the APC40 with missing knobs. Also the “nudge” button isn’t well but. Seems like if you put a little to much stress on it changing tempo’s then eventually it will come off and not hold up for you.

The APC 40 is a must have but use it with caution and don’t be surprised if you take it somewhere to perform and come home with missing knobs and buttons.

The Akai APC40 is a unique MIDI controller that's designed for use with Ableton Live. Ableton is a DAW that's becoming more and more popular and for good reason as it's really intuitive and easy to use for creating music in the box. The APC40 makes this process even a little bit easier as it gives you access to controls in the DAW on an external piece. It's perfect as a controller for live shows if you're using your laptop on stage. I only recently got to try out the APC40 with Ableton, and while Ableton isn't my main DAW since I don't do all that much music creation in the box, it's a great tool for those who are using Ableton on a daily basis. You can control pretty much everything in Ableton using the APC40, as it's got nine faders (including a master), buttons for clip control, knobs for track and device controls, as well as transport and channel controls. It's pretty in depth with everything that it can do but if you know Ableton Live well, I don't think you'll have a hard time adjusting. Since I don't use Ableton all the time, it'll take me a little more time to get used to using the APC40, but I think those a bit more experienced will feel pretty comfortable with it. The price is about right for the APC40 considering all that it brings to the table and it's nice build. Of course for it to be worth it you should be using Ableton a lot as this doesn't work with other DAW's that I'm aware of, or least it's modeled after Ableton and wouldn't really translate over. For those who do have Ableton Live, definitely check out the APC40 for hands on control of your DAW.

used for 5 ans.bon quality / prix.je repeat the same thing because live is very convenient.

for 2 years now, strong enough even the plastic seems very fragile. The fader knob and worn but malgrès heavy use it holds up.
I used to drive my Ableton Live. We can even bracher pedal.
I had one before and APC20 knobs part of the PCA 40 is vriament well.

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I use APC for almost a year.
I have long sought a controller with bcp opportunities, faders, knobs and pads in large numbers.
This is a truly versatile machine with habit and mastery of different DAW can use with everything to do anything ...
I find it unfortunate or that I like least is that the faders are too short so I is not precise enough, and we find ourselves quickly need more knobs to really control all the effects and synths but I quibble.
I used to run with live clips, but mainly in fl studio 11 (oh yeah?) Perf fl for apc mode has been very well designed (launch clips, play opportunity on two banks of 16 pads, saw- meter, setting vst knobs and faders and assignable to infinity!).
I also made a mapping 2/4 decks for deckadance2, it helps out when your plates are down or not at home ...
You can also Maper on software like resolume or arkaos VJing and mix live video, large field of possibilities!
well mapped so it proves convenient to vj / dj, mixing or performance, the choice is a multifaceted controller to the vast opportunities provided that tames ... ie well organized sessions for not that it is a mess!
for the 350th one has a controller that meets all expectations about, we buy to control his Ableton and you used to everything, it's great. The ideal is to couple it with other controllers (a master keyboard, matrix knobs / faders, etc ...) and you will not miss anything, it's a great base to control your favorite app!
I remake this choice without hesitation, the machine really helps out for everything.

I use it for about 3 months, but these three months are not far behind. Before the APC40, while staying at Akai, I bought a Akai MPK mini, nice but too Toy .. Then I switched to a master keyboard Alesis, perfect quality. APC is really an intuitive MIDI controller for Ableton, more numerous rev are present on the internet to use it more or less native. Anyway, the good thing is its ease of use and the negative is that it is not a native controller, but it is still possible to use a MPC brand that is not rest either.
Level quality / price ratio, for a price of € 340 it is a bit expensive, but nowadays the price of a MIDI controller with a certain ease is not given.
I would do this choice without doubt, however for non-followers of Ableton, go your way to pass an MPC of the same brand and impeccable quality.

I use the APC40 for about 1 year.
By then against my use is not really for live performance, but rather for mixing sauce sound engineer not DJ, so my opinion concerning this use.
In this part of the mix, it's not bad, but not giant. But I think it was designed for that. I wished a machine that would help me get my mouse to the mix, just fiddling with buttons and fader. And the big gap for this application mix is ​​the motorized faders. And also dedicated for setting the EQ / Compressor controls. After that, it is true that you want the control of a strip console while the concept of frozen strip does not exist in Live, I quibble a bit
In all cases it is doable rather well using the 8 buttons dedicated to racks and just make a rack channel strip house with her favorite macros to be controlled with the APC40.
In the end, it's still pretty convenient, it requires some customization, but not good if you want to spend more than $ 1,000 in a control surface, there 's really no other choice ...
I also used to get ideas of arrangement, and there on the other hand, I find it more appropriate
I think remake that choice to finance equal, but if I had a much bigger budget I probably will direct to a surface mix with motorized fader.

I use it for 2 years and I'm really disappointed! I really recommend it! This is THE controller for Ableton Live, anyway it is done and feels really use! Really perfect for liver as I do! The price is a bit excessive, but I think its well worth it! Once purchase is a purchase of time and you'll never use another controller! So as I said I really recommend it!

I use it for a year.

Before I worked with a UC33 + Nono control until korg or UC33 planted me seriously concert.

The advantage is plug and play dedicated to Ableton, but it is also his unseemly. To a specific configuration must enter the python script, they could develop a little app to stamp the pots Annex and pads as you want directly.

Finish a little cheap, I lost over a knob at the end of a month.

Otherwise very good controller with faders, rotary and pads, the 3 in 1 on a single USB port plus 2 foot switches.

I remake the choice but I hope I do not have to buy right away.

Lao experiment