: Ensure the faders slide smoothly without "ghosting" (sending MIDI signals when not touched). Where to Buy

: Check that the blue backlit LCD hasn't started to dim or lose lines of pixels.

: The go-to for musicians; usually offers better quality control and buyer protection.

It was 2008 when the Akai MPD32 first hit the scene, and for a generation of bedroom producers, it was a revolution. At the time, if you wanted that legendary "MPC feel"—those thick, velocity-sensitive pads that defined hip-hop and house—you usually had to shell out over a thousand dollars for a standalone workstation. The MPD32 changed the game by stripping away the internal computer and focusing entirely on being the ultimate MIDI controller.