Akai CD3000

If you're not already used to using outboard samplers, it takes a bit to get used to working with the knobs and with the tiny LCD screen. Once you get used to it you'll find that the CD3000 is very powerful. The manual is very helpful - you can get one from Akai for ~$30.

RATING: 4(unless you have the "i" version with a computer and software - 8). Although this is a "sampler" in as much as it will play sampled sounds, the CD3000 HAS NO AUDIO INPUTS. It was meant to play samples loaded from a CD or floppy. This is really lame, EXCEPT if you have the CD3000i(the "i" stands for "SCSI"). The "i" version allows you to connect the sampler to a SCSI-ready computer(ie an older Mac, or PC with a SCSI card). You can pick up an old PowerPC Mac-compatible for nothing these days(around $200) - you don't need anything super fast. Get yourself an old Mac or compatible with SCSI, a copy of Steinberg's ReCycle, a hard-disk recording program(Cubase, Digital Performer, etc.)and you can record straight into your Mac, or pull sounds from audio CD or MP3's, chop them up in ReCycle, and load them into your sampler. Kick-ass. Obviously, this adds a bit more to the cost, but if you already have a Mac with SCSI, you'll be just fine. 32-voice polyphony, 16/44(CD) quality audio, 8 mono outputs and a mix left and right out(10 outs total). I think this thing holds a max. of 16Mb of RAM, which is good for about 4 minutes of CD-quality samples. If you add a cheap external SCSI drive(it can only see up to 500Mb), you can store all of your samples on hard disk - much more convenient than having a bunch of floppies. The one expansion option is an optical S/PDIF input card(?). I don't know if they still make them though.

Sounds great. Responsive. It recognizes all the standard MIDI info(ie aftertouch, velocity, etc.). Standard effects, timestretch(not real-time, though) are included - nothing special really. I think they first came out in 1993. Check out FatBoy Slim's You've Come A Long Way Baby - the f'ed up vocal samples on "Acid 3000" and "Rockafeller Skank", as well as on FBS's remixes of B. Boys "Body Movin'", Cornershop's "Brimful of Asha", were made with Akai S950's and an S3000, both of which are similar in capability to the CD3000. Also, check out the vocals at the beginning of the Chemical Brothers' song "It Doesn't Matter" on "Dig Your Own Hole". Wow.

Very reliable. I would not heistate to use it live - many bands already do.

Awesome!! The AKAI reps always respond to my e-mails within a few hours. Likewise on the telephone, they are very helpful.

This is my first sampler - I've tried software samplers, but they do not even come close to the hands-on feel and the responsiveness of a dedicated outboard sampler. Akai samplers are the best, an industry standard. I would pay up to $600 for one, but only if it had the max memory(16Mb) and the "i"(SCSI).
I wouldn't buy one if I didn't already have a computer with SCSI. Again, without both the SCSI port(CD3000i) and a computer, this sampler is only good as a slave, limited to playing samples loaded from floppy and sample CD's. If you already have a computer with SCSI and software, then this sampler is AWESOME!

This is a very easy sampler to use. The manual is one of the more helpful ones I have used. It is pretty easy to edit samples even if you are a beginner. I have heard MESA is really good put I dont have windows 95 so i can't comment on it yet. And the CD-Rom is very easy to use.

The Cd3000 has 64 note polyphony. It can be expanded to 16 and I have heard it can go up to 32 if you buy a expansion for it. It has your basic midi in through and out. The effects are good but you will have to use a external reverb for it because it doesnt have reverb built in. The built in CD-rom is great and you can use a nifty tag feature to save memory. It also has a scsi input so you can hook up a hardrive or jaz drive etc.

Like all samplers it sounds as good as what you put into it. The effects are very cool chorus flanger, it has 50 effects variations. It reacts nicely to velocity and aftertouch.

I have never had a problem with it stalling or crashing.

I have called akai about memory upgrades and the service people were very knowledgable and friendly.

If it were lost or stolen I would definetly buy another one it is a great sampler. I use as a real time and a sort of "studio" sampler and it works great. Besides no reverb this is a great sampler.