Akai MPC Live III Retro – Standalone Music Production Workstation
SOME INSTRUMENTS SHAPE MUSIC.
OTHERS SHAPE CULTURE.
MPC Live III Retro honors the innovation and influence of music‑making machines that do both. The original MPCs of the late 1980s set the visual and creative foundation for modern beatmaking and hip‑hop culture, helping to define the art of sampling.
The Foundation of Beatmaking
With expressive pads, a hands‑on workflow, and a clean layout, these machines shaped how music has been created and celebrated for nearly four decades. MPC Live III Retro pays tribute to that legacy, reimagining the soul of the originals through the lens of a powerful new standalone MPC, finished in the classic Akai Professional colorway. Vintage attitude meets modern performance in a special retro edition built for today’s creators.
BORN FROM THE
MPC LEGACY
From early hip‑hop studios to bedroom setups, MPCs have always been more than music production tools. Their look is unmistakable, their workflow legendary, and the culture they represented when they first came on the scene set the stage for a whole new lifestyle built around the artist experience.
Digital Audio System
ADCs
24-bit @ 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz
DACs
24-bit @ 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz
Digital Signal Processing
32-bit floating point
Mic Inputs 1–2
(2) balanced XLR+1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS
Frequency Response
20 Hz – 20 kHz (+0.2 / -1.2 dB)
Dynamic Range
110.0 dB (A-weighted)
SNR
101.8 dB (1 kHz, +4 dBu, A-weighted)
THD+N
0.002% (1 kHz, +4 dBu, -1 dBFS)
Preamp EIN
-131 dBu (max gain, 40 Ω source, A-weighted)
-127 dBu (max gain, 150 Ω source, unweighted)
Maximum Input Level
+13 dBu (XLR-Pad ON), -1 dBu (XLR-Pad OFF)
Sensitivity
-46 dBu (XLR-Pad ON), -60 dBu (XLR-Pad OFF)
Gain Range
59 dB
Line Inputs 1–2
(2) balanced XLR+1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS
Frequency Response
20 Hz – 20 kHz (+0.2 / -1.1 dB)
Dynamic Range
110.6 dB (A-weighted)
SNR
98.6 dB (1 kHz, +4 dBu, A-weighted)
THD+N
0.002% (1 kHz, +3 dBu, -1 dBFS)
Maximum Input Level
+16 dBu
Sensitivity
-20 dBu
Gain Range
36 dB
Phono Inputs
(2) unbalanced RCA
Dynamic Range
92 dB (A-weighted, 135 mVrms @ 1 kHz, -1 dBFS, 20 Ω source)
SNR
79 dB (A-weighted, 4 mVrms @ 1 kHz, 20 Ω source)
THD+N
0.002% (1 kHz, +3 dBu, -1 dBFS)
Maximum Input Level
+16 dBu
Sensitivity
-20 dBu
Gain Range
36 dB
Line Outputs 1–6
(6) impedance-balanced 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS
Frequency Response
20 Hz – 20 kHz (+0.03 / -0.18 dB)
Dynamic Range
113.8 dB (A-weighted)
THD+N
0.003% (1 kHz, -1 dBFS)
Maximum Output Level
+12 dBu
Output Impedance
100 Ω
Headphone Output
(1) 1/4” (6.35 mm) stereo headphone
Dynamic Range
111.2 dB (A-weighted)
THD+N
0.006% (1 kHz, -1 dBFS, 10 mW/channel into 32 Ω headphones)
Frequency Response
20 Hz – 20 kHz (+0.03 / -0.19 dB)
Maximum Power Delivered
+50 mW (<1% THD, 32 Ω headphones)
Maximum Output Level
+11 dBu
Output Impedance
32 Ω
Pads
(16) velocity- and pressure-sensitive pas with 3D-sensing technology
(8) banks accessible via Pad Bank buttons
Knobs
(4) 360° touch-sensitive Q-Link Knobs
(4) Q-Link Knob columns accessible via Q-Link button
(1) 360° encoder for display navigation and selection via push
(1) 270° volume control
Buttons
(60) dedicated function buttons; red-, amber-, or green-backlit
Display
6.9” / 176 mm (diagonal)
5.9” x 3.7” / 150 x 93 mm (width x height)
Full-color LED-backlit display with touch interface
CPU
Processor:
8 x Core ARM® processor
RAM:
8 GB
Storage:
128 GB, expandable via SATA connections
Connections
(2) 1/4” (6.35 mm) Combo XLR/TRS inputs (1 stereo pair)
(6) 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS outputs (3 stereo pairs)
(1) 1/4” (6.35 mm) stereo headphone output
(2) RCA inputs (1 stereo pair)
(2) 5-pin MIDI inputs
(2) 5-pin MIDI outputs
(4) Stereo 1/8” (3.5 mm) CV/Gate outputs
(2) USB Type-A ports
(1) USB Type-C® port
(1) SD card slot
(1) power adapter input
(1) drive bay for 2.5” (635 mm) SATA drive
Power
via power adapter:
19 V, 3.42 A, center-positive, Included
via battery:
lithium-ion, rechargeable, up to 3 hours of battery life with typical use
Dimensions
17.2” x 10.1” x 2.6”
435.9 x 256.0 x 67.1 mm
Weight
8.6 lbs.
3.9 kg
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