AKAI Professional APC 40 Mk2

all controllers are "tweakers" or "launchers-triggers" or "keyboards". This one tries to cover all.
As a Keyboard Akai APC 40 Mk2 is not good. Pads are not velocity sensitive - not nice for recording drums or instrument parts - but still you can do it at on-the-go conditions.
As a "Launcher" - I personally find it very nice. 8 channel scenes is cool. When I work at the live sport events I need a variety of samples at my fingertips - Akai APC 40 Mk2 just shines here! I created my own template based on the default one.
As a Tweaker Akai Apc 40 Mk2 offers you 8 knobs-per-selected channel + 1 knob on the top - These knobs are endless spin with a nice travel. But it is often not enough. When Dj - I use a different Template and here I need an extra "Tweaker" to expand tweaking abilities of the device (I use DJTT Twister which is an amazing tweaking device) and for the reset (quick set-to-default) feature.

Mechanically Akai APC 40 Mk2 seems to be proof enough. Not a single issue while using it for 2 years (carefully but intensevely)
Faders and knobs are reliable not flimsy. I would recommend a plastic cover to lingering the lifetime of the device.

so Pro's:
- Universality and functionality within live or studio conditions
- Great launcher (Trigger)
- Fair Tweaker
- Made quality
- light weight
- Well thought Templates available
- Keeps your eyes away from the computer screen
- Foot controller switch functionality
- USB powering
- Price for all that

Con's:
- Not for a Keyboard-ing or Drum Pad-ing
- Not as compact as you may think (not a Con for me though)
- Volume faders a bit tricky to spot on the "0" level (I use fabric tape)
- Triggered clip is indicated in green weakly pulsing (I avoid green color when colouring the steady clips and miss hard pulsing)

I would recommend it for Ableton users as a "Launcher" ("Trigger") controller to pair it with some other "tweaker" deviceand keyboard if needed for a beautifull setup !

I've bought it 4 years ago.

Pros:
It is very steady, very easy to use with ableton live, superb if you use it for triggering clips, mixer and fx processing.A very good daw controller.
Good for live shows and studio. Very nice light buttons colored function. It helps you understand without looking on the screen which clip is playing and what you can choose next. It is a plastic but solid enough hardware.

Limitations/Cons:
Fx knobs: The fx functions are following a random appearing order on the dock, depending on the specific effect you want to manipulate. So you have to customize sometimes.
Not easy to use the volume faders, if you want control more than 8 channels.
The volume faders are not reacting according to the values / (fader position in the software) of the new channels.
If you move them a bit the track volume can change rapidly in to an extreme high or low position.

Problem:
Until few months ago it worked perfectly well.Then a problem with solo buttons occurred. The buttons suddenly stopped working - also no lights on -. AKAI told me there was maybe a problem with the usb connection/power system.
Thanks to thomann warranty and the great work of thomann service team it now works as new.

I recommend it even though the cons and the solo buttons problem.

I’ve been using the AKAI Professional APC40 Mk2 for a while now, and honestly—it’s one of those pieces of gear that just clicks with how I work, especially in Ableton. From the moment I plugged it in, everything was just... there. No fiddling with settings or custom mappings. It auto-bound to Ableton beautifully and felt like an extension of the software right away.

What really blew me away is how versatile it is. Of course, it shines in live performance mode, launching clips, controlling effects, and navigating the session view with ease. But I actually ended up using it a lot as a mixing console during production. Faders are smooth, knobs are responsive, and there’s this feeling of control that you just don’t get with a mouse and keyboard.

One thing I didn’t expect was how well it works with VST synths—specifically Massive X in my case. The top row of knobs basically turns it into a kind of hardware synth controller. I find myself twisting knobs and stumbling onto sounds I wouldn't have come up with otherwise. It really sparks creativity in a way that's hard to describe until you try it.

Build-wise, it feels solid. The knobs have a good resistance—not too loose, not too stiff. The buttons light up nicely and are easy to see even in low light. The only small downside for me is the plastic front panel. It’s a bit glossy and picks up fingerprints and reflections. A matte or more textured finish would have looked a bit more pro maybe, but that’s really nitpicking and more about personal taste than anything else.

All in all, if you’re an Ableton user and you like having that physical connection to your music—not just clicking around—this is a fantastic piece of gear. Whether you're mixing, jamming live, or just tweaking sounds in the studio, the APC40 Mk2 delivers. If it fits your budget, I’d definitely recommend giving it a go.

The AKAI Professional APC 40 Mk2 is widely considered the gold standard for tactile control over Ableton Live. It bridges the gap between software and hardware perfectly, making it an essential tool for both live performance and studio arrangement.

Why this controller is a must-have:

Deep Integration: It is pre-mapped to Ableton Live out of the box, meaning you can plug it in and start performing without any complicated setup. Its controls correspond 1:1 with the software interface.

RGB Clip Grid: The 5x8 grid features bright RGB LEDs that mirror your clip colors in Ableton, providing instant visual feedback on whether a clip is loaded, playing, or recording.

Intuitive Layout: Akai improved the design by moving the channel knobs to the top of each track, creating a much more natural, "in-line" workflow.

Powerful Mixing Tools: With nine reinforced faders, eight device control knobs, and a dedicated A/B crossfader that can be assigned on the fly, you have total hands-on control over your mix without touching a mouse.

Highly Portable: The Mk2 is sleeker and lighter than the original, and because it is fully USB bus-powered, it is incredibly easy to take from the studio to the stage.

Creative Freedom: The "User" mode allows you to re-assign controls to suit your personal style, turning the unit into a completely customizable instrument.

If you want to move away from clicking a screen and start playing your Ableton sessions like a real instrument, this is the best investment you can make.

Setup was such a breeze that it was almost counter-intuitive. I?m so used to having to download remote scripts for Ableton, that I spent ten minutes trying to figure out where to download one, before I read the manual and found out it was already installed. Go figure... Once I?d chosen the APC40 MK II from the list of hardware, I was up and running. And, I have to say I was impressed from the start.

Construction-wise, and like all of the current Akai controllers I?ve seen come around in the last few years, the APC40 MKII is nicely put together. The pad/buttons feel and look really nice. There is also high level of LED goodness, here, too. As soon as you?re in Live, cued scenes and the clips, therein pulse green, slowly within the APC40 MK II?s own grid of buttons. And, to be honest, out of many of the controllers that I?ve looked at, I?d have to say that the way the LED default color assignments are set up would have to be one of my favorites. The default color assignments of the LEDs, for me, were very helpful in guiding me in to trying new things, with the APC 40 MKII.

Just intuitive in every single step and way.

I bought it for live use with Ableton and Traktor. The unit is very slim and lightweight so it fits perfectly in my laptop bag, while still being really sturdy and good build quality. It works with Ableton straight away, and takes very little time to learn. I haven't used the mk1 version, so it's all new to me. Mapping it to Traktor is a bit more challenging, as Akai hasn't published specific midi implementation charts which would help e.g. with assigning different LED colors, but for the most part it seems very easy to setup to any software.

I'm really looking forward to actually taking it to gigs and I'm sure it will perform really well.

Deciding between this and the Push is simply a matter of needs - if you need something to actually make music with, buy the Push. If you need a controller for performing, this seems to be the best at the moment.