Supreme x Akai MPC Live II
The original behind the Supreme x Akai MPC Live II is the Akai Professional Akai Professional MPC Live II — $1199 retail vs Supreme's $1698.
Supreme vs. Original
About the original
The Akai Professional MPC Live II is a standalone music production controller with a 7-inch multi-touch display, 16 velocity-sensitive RGB pads, 16 GB internal storage, built-in stereo monitor speakers, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a rechargeable lithium-ion battery rated at six hours. It runs MPC 2 OS without a computer and accepts SATA SSD expansion. Akai Professional was founded in 1984 and the MPC line launched in 1988 with the MPC60, designed by Roger Linn. The grid-based pad-and-sequencer workflow it introduced became standard across hip-hop and electronic production. The Supreme SS2021 version is finished in red with the box logo printed across the unit's face; it retailed at $1,698 against the standard $1,199 MSRP.
About Akai Professional
Akai Professional is a Japanese-American music instrument brand whose parent Akai Electric Company was founded in 1929 in Tokyo, Japan by Masukichi Akai. The Akai Professional division launched in 1984 to focus on studio and stage equipment, and in 1988 released the MPC60 (MIDI Production Center), designed in collaboration with American engineer Roger Linn and priced at $5,000. The MPC sampler and its 16-pad layout shaped hip-hop, electronic, and pop production for decades, used by J Dilla, Pete Rock, DJ Premier, and Kanye West. Akai Professional is now owned by inMusic Brands and headquartered in Cumberland, Rhode Island. Supreme collaborated with Akai Professional on a co-branded MPC Live II sampler.
Price comparison
| Supreme retail | $1698 |
|---|---|
| Akai Professional retail | $1199 |
| Hype tax | +42% |
Questions
Is the Supreme x Akai MPC Live II just the regular Akai Professional MPC Live II?
The Supreme x Akai MPC Live II, released in Spring/Summer 2021, is based on the Akai Professional MPC Live II. Supreme collabs sometimes change the colorway or materials; the description on this page covers the original's specs and any notable differences in the Supreme version. If you want the product without the box logo, the Akai Professional MPC Live II is the one to buy.
How much cheaper is the Akai Professional MPC Live II than the Supreme version?
Supreme charged $1698 for the Supreme x Akai MPC Live II; the Akai Professional MPC Live II retails for $1199. That's a 42% markup — buying the original saves you $499, or 29% off the Supreme price. Buy the original at retail and you skip the hype tax entirely.
Where can I buy the Akai Professional MPC Live II?
You can buy the Akai Professional MPC Live II from Sweetwater or from Amazon. Retail price is $1199. The buy links on this page go straight to the product listing at each retailer.
Related items
All Akai Professional items · All Accessories · Spring/Summer 2021