Akai Professional MPX8

This is a sample player.
You load the samples on an SD card, the machine reads them. It's simple, but that is exactly what I needed for me not lugging a computer on stage.
It could have been awesome BUT: the samples are played louder or softer depending on the strength of your hits on the pads, which is cool to have fun, simulate a drum ... but UNUSABLE to read samples in live situations.

I was hoping Akai adds a feature to disable the pad sensitivity, but their "technical representative" told me that it was not in the agenda.

UTILIZATION

Very simple. No need for the manual.
It is easy to have fun with.

SOUNDS

Transparent. No problem.
Warning: unbalanced jack output so = ​​You need 2 DIs for use on stage!

OVERALL OPINION

I used it for 4 months.

THE BIG PROBLEM:
No option to disable the pad sensitivity.
Specifically, in live situations, when I trigger a sample (2 or 3 times per song, at the very most): I never know if the volume is going to be too loud or not loud enough because it depends on the way I hit the pads (which varies! because no, I'm not a machine!).

Result: the sample is either too loud or not loud enough. Working with the sound engineer for 1 hour will not change anything because the volume varies despite all my efforts to be as regular as possible.
= The sound engineer goes crazy.
= The MPX8 stays sleeping in the closet, I no longer use it. And I don't recommend it to anyone as long as Akai does not provide a firmware update in order to have the possibility to play samples at fixed volume. (Which is not going to happen according to J. Sandeen, their "Technical representative")

audio output, headphone

midi in, out mini-din jack (included) channel 10

supply usb

8 samples of a total of 30MB per kit
99 kits per SD card

UTILIZATION

extremely simple and intuitive.
remember to update the firmware .... result, stereo sample playback and up to 48kHz, 16 bit.Chargement slightly faster kits from the SD.
Exactly, for me, is the biggest worries .... The time of loading a kit for 30MB, properly abused !!!
what a shame, frankly, for the price, mpx8 is really not bad at all!

SOUNDS

its quite decent, reverb, for against, is in my opinion to avoid.

for the rest, impeccable.

for the sake of speed, well EVERY samples set to the desired maximum velocity. it simplifies the game a bit in live and limit large height differences.

OVERALL OPINION

the mpx8 to join my studio there some months, not more expensive.
Frankly, I like it but it is clear that it is unmanageable for the live, again because of those pesky loading times!

Mr Akai, a new firmware optimizing loading, it would be possible ???