Maker

Akai

Hong Kong manufacturer of consumer electronics, founded as Akai Electric Company Ltd in Tokyo, Japan, in 1946

Akai is a Japanese electronics company founded in 1929 and historically known for consumer audio; its name is also carried by music-production gear such as samplers and tape machines.

Models

  • Akai S Series

    Japan

    The Akai S series is a long-running line of professional rackmount digital samplers that became studio standards from the late 1980s onward, including the 12-bit S900, the 16-bit S1000, and the S3000XL.

  • Technical line drawing of Akai S900

    Akai S900

    Sampler · Japan

    The Akai S900, released in 1986, is a rackmount 12-bit digital sampler that brought professional sampling to a wider market. Its characterful lo-fi sound and MIDI control made it a studio standard of the late 1980s.

  • Technical line drawing of Akai AX60

    Akai AX60

    Synthesizer · Japan

    The Akai AX60, released in 1986, is a six-voice polyphonic analog synthesizer with a slider-based interface that could interface with Akai's samplers, offering warm analog sounds with MIDI control.

  • Technical line drawing of Akai SG01v

    Akai SG01v

    Synthesizer · Japan

    The Akai SG01v is a General MIDI-compatible sound module released in 1995, providing a library of sampled instrument sounds for playback from a MIDI sequencer or controller.

  • Technical line drawing of Akai S3000XL

    Akai S3000XL

    Sampler · Japan

    The Akai S3000XL is a rackmount professional digital sampler in Akai's S3000 series, offering high-quality 16-bit sampling, extensive editing, and broad compatibility for studio production.

  • Technical line drawing of Akai S1000

    Akai S1000

    Sampler · Japan

    The Akai S1000, released in 1988, is a rackmount 16-bit stereo digital sampler that set a professional standard for sampling in the late 1980s and 1990s, with high audio quality, flexible editing, and wide library support.

Sources

Categories

  • Sound Modules

    Standalone electronic sound generators without a primary performance keyboard.

  • Technical line drawing of Synthesizers

    Synthesizers

    Hardware synthesizers, synth model families, and related electronic instruments.

  • Samplers

    Hardware samplers and production workstations centered on sample playback or sequencing.

Representative model

  • Technical line drawing of Akai S1000

    Akai S1000

    Sampler · Japan

    The Akai S1000, released in 1988, is a rackmount 16-bit stereo digital sampler that set a professional standard for sampling in the late 1980s and 1990s, with high audio quality, flexible editing, and wide library support.