Akai LPD8

The AKAI LPD8 Pad controller features:

• 8 velocity sensitive pads
• 8 pots (NOT endless rotary)
  
• Button to switch up the midi-programming
• Button to choose from 4 banks of your presets(assignable in your DAW)
• CC button which functions as a shift like button when held down

You can either use it for production controlling your drumracks/effects or use it for DJ'ing where you can map it to a program such as Traktor to control various effects and whatnot.



Usage
The pads can wear out your fingers after a while of playing, but taking a break, using actual drumsticks or hitting the edges of the pads instead of the center solves this minor issue. Otherwise the pads feel great and their velocity sensitive functions works good. The pads are also backlid by an orange light when hit, nice for working in dark areas.
The pots also feel and work nice, they arent endless rotary though and they can feel kind of short for people with large hands such as myself.

Quality
The controller appears to be more of a toy when shipped due to the packaging, but the controller itself feels and plays very solid. AKAI released this pad controller shortly after KORG introduced their nanopad and nanocontroller devices. This controller, while cheaper than the KORG, feels more solid than its competitor which feels kind of plasticky. I have yet to have mechanical problems with it while I previously had two nanopads which broke down after a couple of months.

Ease of use
Literally plug and play on PC. Switching through presets and programs is easy.

Price
Around €49,- or $ 69,-


Pros:
Cheap
Easy to use
Usable in varrying ways

Cons:
Pads can wear out your fingers after long use
Knobs a bit short