Akai MPC 60-II (1991)
The Akai MPC60-II came out in 1991 as a refinement of the original MPC60, the Music Production Center that changed how rhythm tracks were made. The "II" didn't reinvent the concept - it tightened it. Mix Magazine (September 1991, p.101) called it an updated version of the original MIDI Production Center. That's about right: same idea, faster and more polished.
Sampling was 16-bit at 44.1kHz. The sequencer offered 300-note polyphonic capacity across 100 sequences and 99 songs, with an 88 ppqn clock resolution. That was tight enough for the hip-hop and house production of the era. The machine had eight individual audio outputs plus a stereo mix, four MIDI outs and two MIDI ins, which gave it plenty of routing flexibility in a hardware-centric studio. The interface centered on a 2×16 character backlit LCD and the pad bank Akai had established with the original MPC.
Polyphony is a sore spot. Sources conflict, with one listing 32 voices and another 16 from the same reference. That spec stays unsettled here. A service manual or a direct inspection would sort it out.
The MPC60-II landed after the original MPC60 had already changed the game. It didn't need to be revolutionary. It needed to be reliable, responsive and road-ready, and producers used it through the early 90s.
- Sampling: 16-bit, 44.1 kHz
- Sequencer: 300-note polyphonic, 88 ppqn
- Songs / Sequences: 99 songs, 100 sequences
- Audio Outputs: 8 individual outs + stereo mix
- MIDI: 4 outputs, 2 inputs
- Display: 2×16 character backlit LCD
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