The MPC Sample is my new favorite portable beat maker

Back to basics. | Image: Terrence O’Brien / The Verge Akai MPC is one of the most storied names in music history. But over the last decade, it's strayed pretty far from its roots as a humble sampler. The modern MPCs run virtual synthesizers, have complex arrangement tools, and sport large touchscreens. They have more in common with your computer running a DAW than they do with the original MPC60. The MPC Sample is both a return to basics and Akai's triumphant foray into the growing market for...