akai XR-20 (2007)

[chrisNova777]

akai XR-20 (2007)
http://www.akaipro.com/product/xr20
http://6be54c364949b623a3c0-4409a68c214f3a9eeca8d0265e9266c0.r0.cf2.rackcdn.com/524/documents/xr20_reference_manual___v1.3_00.pdf
http://www.musicradar.com/reviews/tech/akai-xr20-151574

XR20 is a portable beat production center loaded with a fresh sound library that’s designed for making hip-hop and R&B wherever and whenever inspiration strikes. Over 700 sounds cover standard and electronic drums, one-shot hits, bass, and synth sounds to easily create a total mix in next-to-no time.

XR20 includes reverb, EQ, and compression to enable MC s and producers to complete their tracks. Plug in a microphone and mix vocals with your beats. XR20 runs on wall or battery power so it’s flexible and portable. In Pattern Play mode, you can trigger different patterns from each pad, so you can tailor the beats to flow with the energy on-stage. Bright blue pads light with the beat to illuminate your performances as you light up the club.

With XR20, Akai Pro puts the hip in Hip-Hop.

- See more at: http://www.akaipro.com/product/xr20#sthash.f6WCA3Hc.dpuf

[chrisNova777]

http://musicalvs.com/2016/05/16/akai-xr20-vs-mpc-500/

A lot of people are wondering whether they should go with Akai XR20 or Akai MPC500. This confusion is because of the similarity of their prices. Akai MPC500 is only very slightly more expensive than Akai XR20, so people often consider the two as equal. Each of these models can be acquired with a budget around three hundred bucks or so. So, which drum machine should we choose? Which model holds the most value for our money?

Akai XR20
Akai XR20 appears classy and elegant in a black hue. Akai XR20 is a drum machine that features over than 700 sounds that are produced by Chronic Music. Besides that, Akai XR20 also offers 99 preset patterns, and allows 99 user-made patterns. Unfortunately, it does not give you the possibility to add or sample your own sounds. Thus, you can only use the given sounds. It is solely a drum machine, so it lacks some advanced features, like the ability to sequence external instruments. At least, there are still some useful features like Drum Roll and Note Repeat for realism and expression.

Furthermore, Akai XR20 features a backlit LCD screen for a convenient control display, along with bright backlit pads that glow following the beat. Akai XR20 can work with battery as well as AC adapter.

Akai MPC500
Akai MPC500 is called as a music production center device, so it is not only a drum machine, but it also has some expandability that will allow you to do more things. It has a 2-voice drum/phrase sampler with 128MB RAM so that you can add a wide range of your own sounds and samples to the device. Besides that, it also supports external instrument sequencing, featuring a pattern-based 48-track sequencer with 16 MIDI channels. It provides a 4-way sample layering and velocity switching per pad, and its pads are sensitive to velocity and pressure, creating a very responsive, accurate, and precise controllability. It supports flash drives, comes with more I/O ports, and has some onboard effects: two stereo and one master. There is a backlit LCD screen as well, even though the size is quite smaller than Akai XR20’s screen.