Akai MPC Live III Music Production Center

Redefine Your Workflow with the Akai Professional MPC Live III Music Production Center

Akai built the MPC Live III for producers who move fast. It is packed with dynamic production tools, responsive controls, sounds designed by the industry’s top sample makers, and the fastest processor of any MPC to date. From basic beatmaking to advanced music production and the most demanding live-performance workflows, the MPC Live III redefines the power of standalone.

• Expressive pads: 16 MPCe pads with 3D-sensing technology for flexible music production and expressive performance
• 16-step sequencer: Dedicated controls for groovebox-style workflow
• Built-in microphone: For those moments when inspiration strikes
• Direct sampling via USB-C: Grab sounds from your computer or smartphone to expand your palette
• 8-core processor with 8GB RAM: The most powerful processor ever put in an MPC
• 24-channel audio interface: With 32 channels of MIDI for seamless DAW integration, via class-compliant USB-C connection
• Classic MPC-style beatmaking and programming tools: All the essentials
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth: To enable wireless collaboration and file transfer
• Ableton control mode: Connect via USB-C to use MPC as a controller for Ableton Live
• MPC Pro Pack: Powered by next-gen MPC3 OS and enhanced with new MPC Pro Pack features like studio-grade time-stretch, clip-launching, expanded CV control, and new pro plugins
• Standalone operation: Create freely and without distraction — no computer required
• 7-inch multi-touch display: Intuitive layout and easy navigation, stay in the zone and in control
• Touch-strip and four rotary encoders: Add tactile control for dynamic real-time performance
• Rechargeable 4hr battery life: Run your session off the grid or on the plane
• Clip Matrix: Clip launch workflow for enhanced song arranging and performance
• Powerful stereo monitors: For instant playback
• Included sounds and samples: Access over 1,000 MPC-ready drum kits and instruments, along with a collection of premium plugin instruments for instant inspiration

Akai Professional's MPC has been at the heart of modern music—powering iconic records, shaping genres, and defining the sound of a generation. The brand listened closely to the creators behind that legacy, taking in what they need to stay inspired and keep creating.

MPC Live III is the result: a genre-defying, boundary-breaking production machine built for wherever music takes you. It honors the past, drives the present, and empowers artists to shape what’s next.

Unbelievably Fast, Undeniably Slick

Powered by the fastest processor Akai Professional has ever put in an MPC, this complete standalone system gives users all the production, mixing, and performance capabilities expected from next-gen Akai Professional hardware, while unlocking the full potential of the MPC3 operating system.

Experience dynamic features like Pro Stems Separation and the ability to load up to 32 instrument plugin instances and 16 audio tracks seamlessly. This is creative horsepower without bottlenecks—it is flow, uninterrupted.

The Classic MPC Pad, Reimagined

MPC Live III debuts the new MPCe pads: 3D-sensing, ultra-responsive, and designed for more nuanced expression and performance. These pads enable X/Y control of one-shot layers, seamless sample blending, and dynamic note repeats and articulations for more ways to perform and produce with feeling.

Standalone, Portable, Designed to Adapt

MPC Live III is built to break out of the studio. With onboard battery, speakers, and microphone, plus deep MIDI and CV control, a full setup goes wherever inspiration hits—no laptop, no limits. Whether programming beats, sampling grooves, layering stems, triggering clips, or sequencing a whole track from scratch, MPC Live III’s got the range to keep up.

Expanded Workflow for the Perfect Drop

For the first time ever in an MPC, clip launching, step sequencing, and assignable performance buttons empower new ways of working—beyond the classic production toolkit. Trigger clips that land on the one. Lock in basslines and grooves that form the backbone of electronic styles.

Whether building a live set or dialing in the perfect drop, this MPC is for modern performance.

SPECIFICATIONS

Digital Audio System

• ADCs: 24-bit at 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz
• DACs: 24-bit at 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz
• Digital Signal Processing: 32-bit floating point

Mic Inputs 1–2

• Type: (2) balanced XLR and 1/4-inch TRS combo jacks
• 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

• Type: (2) balanced XLR and 1/4-inch TRS combo jacks
• 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

• Type: (2) unbalanced RCA
• Dynamic Range: 92 dB (A-weighted, 135 mVrms at 1 kHz, -1 dBFS, 20 Ω source)
• SNR: 79 dB (A-weighted, 4 mVrms at 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

• Type: (6) impedance-balanced 1/4-inch 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

• Type: (1) 1/4-inch 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

Controls

• Pads: (16) velocity- and pressure-sensitive with 3D-sensing technology, (8) pad banks
• Knobs: (4) 360° touch-sensitive Q-Link knobs, (4) knob columns, (1) 360° push encoder, (1) 270° volume control
• Buttons: (60) dedicated function buttons with red, amber, or green backlighting

Display

• Size: 6.9-inch diagonal (5.9 x 3.7 inches / 150 x 93 mm)
• Type: Full-color LED-backlit touchscreen

Internal Hardware

• Processor: Quad-core ARM processor
• RAM: 8 GB
• Storage: 128 GB internal, expandable via SATA

Connections

• (2) 1/4-inch combo XLR/TRS inputs
• (6) 1/4-inch TRS outputs
• (1) 1/4-inch stereo headphone output
• (2) RCA inputs
• (2) 5-pin MIDI inputs
• (2) 5-pin MIDI outputs
• (4) Stereo 1/8-inch 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-inch SATA drive

Power

• Via adapter: 19 V, 3.42 A, center-positive (included)
• Via battery: Rechargeable lithium-ion, up to 3 hours with typical use

Dimensions

• Inches: 17.2 x 10.1 x 2.6
• Millimeters: 435.9 x 256.0 x 67.1 mm

Weight

• Pounds: 8.6 lbs
• Kilograms: 3.9 kg

We are Musictoner Musictoner

Since 1958, Chuck Levin’s Musictoner has been the trusted destination for musicians and audio professionals across Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Family-owned and operated, our legendary music store delivers Everything in Music®—from instruments and recording gear to pro audio, rentals, and repair services.

Our team of musicians and industry experts lives and breathes gear, helping you build the perfect setup for your next performance, studio session, or installation. As an authorized dealer for top brands, we also offer our award-winning CHUCKSCLUSIVE line—exclusive, limited-edition instruments and collaborations recognized with the NAMM Top 100 Dealer Innovation Award for redefining what a music retail experience can be.

Chuck Levin’s isn’t just a store—it’s a community built by players, engineers, and creators who share a lifelong passion for sound. Stop by our legendary Wheaton, MD showroom or contact us anytime for expert advice, product questions, or the best possible deal on your next piece of gear.