Akai Professional gives the MPC a throwback look with MPC One Retro Edition

Back in 1988, Akai Professional released the very first version of its MPC production system. At the time, cream backgrounds, bright red square buttons and lights, and seven-segment displays were all the rage with new tech. Since then of course, the MPC and the rest of the tech world has evolved with changing trends both stylistically and internally. However, many producers still experience intense nostalgia for the look that introduced them to the MPC system in the first place. Well now those users can rest easy since Akai Professional decided to merge the look of 1988 with the hardware of 2021, dubbed the MPC One Retro Edition.

Akai Professional MPC One Retro Edition

Aside from its throwback paint and color update, the Retro Edition MPC One offers no differences from the standard. Likely because of its special release nature, satisfying the cravings of a special group. This makes sense of course — why pack a new MPC unit with tons of updates in a color scheme today’s Gen-Z producers might not appreciate? The MPC One Retro Edition sports the classic yellow back-lit buttons and dark grey rotary selectors of the original hardware piece. Additionally, producers need not worry about their full color LCD displays being backdated as well, that will stay exactly the same on the Retro Edition. Finally, all 16 drum pads will maintain their modernized color-changing border lights as well.

While the Akai MPC One Retro Edition doesn’t necessarily effect the typical 2020 MPC set up, it’s certainly a welcome visual option to many. Of course, while the new MPC edition offers a 1988 throwback, users will unfortunately not be paying 1988 prices for it. However, for all of the features the MPC One offers, the Retro Edition’s price tag of $899 seems to offer quite a fair exchange. To learn more about the Akai MPC One Retro Edition, or to find a dealer near or convenient to you, check out it’s listing on Akai’s website.