The Akai MPC2000XL Production Center is an expansion on one of the classic beat machines of the 1990s, sporting a throwback feel and plenty of power in one chassis. Sharing the same 32 voices of polyphony, floppy disk storage, and 64-track sampling capacity as its predecessor, the XL incorporated a slew of new features like four onboard keys for quick bank access, multi-program playback, and the intuitive Next Sequence key to quickly kick in a new section. A classic that’s been used by artists from DJ Shadow to Kanye West, the MPC2000XL is a worthy addition to any home producer’s rig.
