Behringer Kick

Music gear maker Behringer has unveiled a $150 analog kick drum machine, while Akai announced a new sample-focused keyboard instrument, with additional DJ equipment also shown. The announcements are drawing attention from producers and electronic musicians discussing how affordable these new tools are and how they compare to existing gear from rival manufacturers.

Behringer has revealed a budget-friendly clone of the Akai MPC, priced at around $150, alongside news of an upcoming product called the Behringer Kick. The announcement is generating significant buzz among music producers, with many debating how Behringer keeps undercutting established brands and what this means for affordable gear-based music production.

Akai Professional has released a teaser for a product called Sample Key, appearing just one day after Behringer announced its open-source Kick. The timing has music gear observers suggesting Akai is responding directly to Behringer's move in the drum machine and sampling market. Details about Sample Key remain limited to the teaser, with no confirmed specs, pricing or release date.

Behringer's Kick is a drum machine modeled on Akai's MPC One, with firmware released as open source. The move lets users modify and extend the hardware themselves, continuing Behringer's strategy of offering affordable clones of well-known music gear while adding a level of transparency uncommon in the industry.