Experts recommend Akai Pro MPK249 more than Arturia KeyLab 61 MkII
As of 15 Jan 2025, experts prefer Akai Pro MPK249 over Arturia KeyLab 61 MkII, but both MIDI Controllers have solid expert endorsements.
As per this month's meta ranking, Akai Pro MPK249 received 2 recommendations: from Equipboard (28 Jul 2024) and Music Critic (16 Feb 2024). By contrast, Arturia KeyLab 61 MkII received only 3 recommendations from higherhz.com (2 Jul 2024), Sweetwater (15 Apr 2024) and Equipboard (28 Jul 2024).
| Rank | Change | Price | MIDI Controller | higherhz.com  | guitarandmusicinstitute.com  | Gearank  | Keyboard Kraze  | Sweetwater  | Equipboard  | Music Radar  | Music Critic  | Prime Sound  | The Guitar Junky  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | - | Check price |  Akai Pro MPK249 The Akai Pro MPK249 is a MIDI controller keyboard with 49 semi-weighted keys, a range of controls, and excellent build quality, making it a reliable choice for musicians and producers. | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 3 | - | - |
| 8 | - | $549 |  Arturia KeyLab 61 MkII | 3 | - | - | - | 8 | 7 | - | - | - | - |
Curious to see this month's entire MIDI Controllers ranking? It's here
Endorsement summary:
- On 28 Jul 2024 Equipboard ranked Akai Pro MPK249 as #1 and Arturia KeyLab 61 MkII as #7
Rank MIDI Controller #1 out of 7 Akai Pro MPK249 ... ... #7 out of 7 Arturia KeyLab 61 MkII Source: equipboard.com - On 16 Feb 2024 Music Critic ranked Akai Pro MPK249 as #3
Rank MIDI Controller Comment ... ... ... #3 out of 10 Akai Pro MPK249 Best Value... ... ... Source: musiccritic.com - On 2 Jul 2024 higherhz.com ranked Arturia KeyLab 61 MkII as #3
Rank MIDI Controller Comment ... ... ... #3 out of 8 Arturia KeyLab 61 MkII Best for music production... ... ... Source: higherhz.com - On 15 Apr 2024 Sweetwater ranked Arturia KeyLab 61 MkII as #8
Rank MIDI Controller ... ... #8 out of 12 Arturia KeyLab 61 MkII ... ... Source: www.sweetwater.com
After counting and adding up the 88 expert endorsements of the January rankings, Akai Pro MPK249 outranks Arturia KeyLab 61 MkII. This is not to say that Arturia KeyLab 61 MkII is a bad option. Like Akai Pro MPK249, it is recommended by experts, but less.
As can be seen below, Akai Pro MPK249 outranks Arturia KeyLab 61 MkII by 5 positions. This indicates that, as of 15 Jan 2025, Akai Pro MPK249 is more critically acclaimed than Arturia KeyLab 61 MkII.
| Rank | Change | Price | MIDI Controller | higherhz.com | guitarandmusicinstitute.com | Gearank | Keyboard Kraze | Sweetwater | Equipboard | Music Radar | Music Critic | Prime Sound | The Guitar Junky |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | - | Check price |  Akai MPK Mini MKII 25 The Akai MPK Mini MKII 25 MIDI Controller is a compact and versatile option for musicians and producers looking for a portable and affordable MIDI controller for creating electronic music and controlling parameters in music production software. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | - | $99 |  Akai MPK Mini MK3 The Akai MPK Mini MK3 is a highly regarded MIDI controller that offers a range of features and functionality, including 25 mini-sized keys, programmable knobs, and a compact and lightweight design, making it a reliable and versatile option for musicians and producers. | - | - | - | - | 5 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - |
| 3 | - | Check price | Akai Pro MPK249 The Akai Pro MPK249 is a MIDI controller keyboard with 49 semi-weighted keys, a range of controls, and excellent build quality, making it a reliable choice for musicians and producers. | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 3
| - | - |
| 4 | - | $109 |  Arturia MiniLab MkII The Arturia MiniLab MkII is a compact and portable MIDI keyboard controller with 25 mini-sized keys, 16 assignable knobs, and USB connectivity, making it a versatile option for musicians and producers on-the-go. | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | - |
| Show all rows | |||||||||||||
Expert reviews [6]
Total expert reviews: 6
- with a score: 1
- without a score: 5
| Highest score by midilifestyle.com | 100 |
| Average score based on 6 reviews | 100 |
| Lowest score by midilifestyle.com | 100 |
Score distribution:
| 80-100 | |
| 60-80 | |
| 40-60 | |
| 20-40 | |
| 0-20 |
No expert reviews linked yet for Arturia KeyLab 61 MkII.
From Seller:
- Pro Keyboard Performance - 49 semi-weighted, velocity-sensitive full-size keys and a premium piano-style keybed for unprecedented response and natural feel
- Beat Making Essentials - 16 RGB-illuminated MPC-style pads each with 4 banks for 64 pads - the perfect solution for triggering samples, loops, one-shots, melodics and more
- Read more
From Seller:
- THE BEST MUSIC-MAKING FLOW: Sensitive enough to accurately capture the subtleties and nuances of delicate playing, while still being robust enough to feel the energy of high-impact performances, KeyLab MkII is an easy keyboard controller that adapts to your needs, your style and your workflow, so you can make music just the way you like it. It comes with a 2-year warranty, so you can get creative safely in the knowledge that it can go the distance.
- Read more