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.