Akai MIDIMix: $99 8-Channel Midi Mixer Controller Is Simple + Brilliant

Akai has been crushing the small controller game with their AMX Serato hyper-portable mixer and AFX effects and cue/loop/Flip controller . At Musikmesse no surprise to see them coming out with yet another low-cost portable controller, the MIDIMix – this time focused just on a multichannel mixing layout.

For DJs and producers who perform live with a DAW, this is an awesome new piece of kit because it’s simple and straight forward – you get to avoid all of the additional features and clutter of a controller like the Akai APC 40MK2 and have focused controller for EQs, effects, and channel volume.

Knobs and line faders – perfect for live performers in DAWs and visuals jockeys as well..

There are eight channel line faders and one more for the master level. Each channel has three control knobs – 24 total – and is mapped 1-to-1 with Ableton Live (a Lite version is included with the controller).

Below the knobs are two banks of buttons on each channel – allowing mute, solo, and record arming to be activated quickly.

Send your entire controller state to the software with one button press.

One of the hard parts about MIDI mixers are the confusing moments that happen when your on-controller button/fader levels don’t line up with your software’s current state – and Akai hopes to solve this with a simple button to send the entire current state of the controller to your computer in one press. It’s labeled simply “SEND ALL”. It’s a pretty basic but clever solution for a controller that’s priced far too low to ever involve fancy fader motors or anything like that.

Simple single USB port on the rear

The Akai MIDImix will be available in June for $99 – but we suspect the actual street price might even be lower. We’ll be carrying them on the DJTT webstore, so if you’re keen, sign up for notification as to when they’re ready to preorder with the red button on this page.

akaiakai MIDImixapc40 MK2midi mixermusikmesse 2015
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  • Frank

    Yawn.Lately Akai seems to copy everything Novation does, just worse.The Launchcontrol XL beats this thing anytime, just as the APC Mini is a poor copy of the Launchpad.

    Besides, i totally don’t see how that “send all” button is of much use – if at all, the problem most times is to have your hardware knobs match the current DAW setting, no the other way around.A good way to solve this would have been to use *endless* encoders with LED rings..

  • Filippo EFF

    I’ll take this…. Could DJTT try if their chroma caps will fit with this controller??

    • Andre Kuzmicheff

      They won’t fit well out of the box, but you can make it work. The shafts on this unit are very short. I managed to put Chroma caps on with single or double strip of Post-it paper (not sticky parts!) about 1/4-inch wide and 3/8-inch long. I placed those rectangular paper strips symmetrically over knob holes and then put them on the shafts so they don’t slide to any side and actually sit on top of each shaft. This little trick gave the knobs the needed lock and rise so I could actually play with the knobs and not worry about yanking them off or breaking shafts which are the last things I’d want to happen, especially in live setting. Here is the photo of how my setup looks currently. Let me know if you have questions. 🙂

  • BoomDraw

    What I would really shell out my money for is a Midi Control surface such as this one that has motorized faders and a mapping software separate from my Daw’s mapping function that allows me to have my midi maps preset.

    • Toontown

      Oooh yeah! And pair it with a bank of high resolution rotary push encoders in an 8×3 configuration? If only…

  • lokey

    what these controllers need is -rotary encoders-. If you’re going to allow banking, then using potentiometers really destroys the functionality. Id spend $300 for the fader and rotary encoder section out of the original apc-40. But the only controllers on the market are fixed pots…

    • Mister36

      Agreed. Wanted this for a while myself – mixer-style controller with encoders and visual feedback. There could even be a slimmer, four-channel (or five with permanent master) version then with banking.

    • mikefunk

      Old Behringer 2000 still kicks ass. And has motorised faders and endless encoders for less than 200 usd. After all these years still best controller in this category.

    • Rob

      Could pair up 2 midi fighter twisters or get a livid instruments code to give a 8×4 rotary encoder grid.

  • Oddie O'Phyle

    This looks almost like the UC-33e that I picked when I started into Live4… 10 years ago.

  • Erik

    Bad Hardware, cheap ripoff of Novation LCXL

    • Matías J. Padilla

      It kinda does but the XL costs twice the price for some features not everyone needs from a controller like this one. The XL wasn’t the first with this layout either =)

      • lokey

        its -way- better build quality though. the apc-mini is very jittery, and once the little rubber feet peeled off, incredibly slippery. The novation xl is entirely better.

        • Garage Gary

          They both look plastic to me. Don’t expect better quality for half the price.

  • tricade

    nice ! thats a low price I like it!

  • Joe

    I have a Korg NanoKontrol2 which I really like, despite the fact the sliders do fall off it sometimes if it is knocked about in a bag. Akai’s controllers usually have a really good build quality, so definitely putting my name down for one of these!

  • Patrik

    Sadly it looks like it has knobs from LPD8, which are really uncomfortable.

    • Von Royale

      agreed, those are the most horrible knobs in the whole world!

    • Andre Kuzmicheff

      Just got my hands on it tonight. I wonder who at Akai even approved the unit with these knobs for production! I understand the damage-while-in-travel concern as the reason for the knobs being so short, but this renders them completely useless! And I don’t think I have the meatiest fingers out there. Quite the opposite actually.

      These knobs must be much taller and rubberized or made of rubber. Who in the world will need the rubber buttons if the knobs are plastic and short?! I thought to use it for eq mixing in Ableton as an addition to Push, but it seems I can’t until I replace the knobs. Akai can consider this as a shout-out to their design and engineering department to improve them. 🙁

      I was looking at the DJTT’s chroma caps as a possible replacement option, but I am not positive if any of the available models are compatible with MidiMix. Could anyone help me figure it out? I’d much appreciate it. 🙂

      • Jozev

        Any word on compatible cap replacements?

        • Andre Kuzmicheff

          Yeah, man! Check out my earlier reply to Filippo EFF for details. You can use chroma caps, but they won’t work well out of the box. I’ve used this unit with chroma caps in a few gigs, and it did a pretty good job.

          • Jozev

            Cool. Somehow I missed that. Thanks!

          • Andre Kuzmicheff

            Anytime, my man! Have a look at the photo of it in the same comment as well.

          • Jozev

            It looks like you used the Super Knobs. Right?

          • Andre Kuzmicheff

            You got it! Those are standard 0-degree Super Knobs.

          • Jozev

            Excellent! Thanks again Andre!

          • Andre Kuzmicheff

            I’m sure you’ll like those knobs a lot. 🙂 Remember not to force them down hard so as not to break the shafts. When the paper filler is property aligned, the knob goes down smoothly until it sort of locks in place. Just do it really slowly and carefully for a first few knobs. All the best!

          • Jozev

            Will do! 🙂