Akai S-612

Quite possibly the simplest sampler out there. Of course, that's because it doesn't offer many features. All the important features are accessible on the front, save one-- to determine the sampling rate, you send a MIDI note event to the unit prior to recording. The manual is straightforward and available in PDF format from the Akaipro.com website.

Six notes max polyphony. No onboard effect processing, though there is a non-resonating lowpass filter and LFO-drive pitch modulation (mostly a vibrato). Interestingly, you can manually change the loop start/splice points on the fly with a pair of sliders and make some wack weird noises. Can be used with the Akai MD280 Quick Disk drive to load/save single sample patches per 2.8" quick disk side. (My MD280 was included with the sampler.)

The s612 esponds to modulation, pitch bend, and note-on velocity. I've been using mine for some gritty drum samples (8s max sampling at 4Khz). To me, the 12-bit sampling has a somewhat warm feel, though the more pragmatic might say that it's just lo-fi. I find it useful for sampling my pre-midi monophonic Moog MG-1 synth, but, really, it's a sampler; you can do whatever with it.

Built like a tank. It'll probably still work in another twenty years. The MD280 quick disk drive I'm less certain of.

Well, kudos to Akai for keeping the manual up in PDF format. Of course, I'm still trying to get them to cough up the details of the S612 sysex implementation so that I can do sample dumping and uploading via MIDI...

I'd probably seek to replace this with a S900 if it disappeared, but even so, I find that the immediacy and usability of this sampler excellent; it has great creative potential. If you see one for cheap, you might do well to grab it.. but not for much more than what I paid; there are many other fine samplers available with more to offer for very little more money (I.e.: Akai S900, Yamaha TX16W, etc.)

I'll add my two cents here, and not repeat anything below.
It's easy to use, no menus. Knobs and sliders. There is a matching disk drive that uses Quik Disks (same as Roland S-220). I didn't bother getting the drive, didn't really see the point, but the manual for both is online and easy to understand.

Gives an extra output on the fron panel, and inputs for sampling also on the front panel. Handy knobs for LFO (though not a great effect) and a low-pass filter which really functions more like a tone control. Note as you reduce the filter cutoff the volume is reduced. Nice to have sliders to control loop points etc. You can easily make the sample play backwards too. This unit also does over-dub sampling, so you could eg layer your voice a million times if you like. Interesting feature whihc I have so far not used. Overall the unit is simple to use, but doesn't have a whole lot to offer.

Very nice! it has a warm sound and can hold up to an 8-sec sample. Again the slider to set start points etc is very nice. Because the LFO is almost useless I give it a 9.

So far so good. I bought this at a second hand store for $56 US. I could have had the disk drive for the same price, but I figured they will never sell it without the sampler, so I'm waiting till they lower the price again, then I'll snag it. I discovered it takes QDs. This is the same as my Roland S220, for which I have some disks but the drive is broken. Otherwise I don't really need it.

Give it a 7 for ease of use and fun for the money, and decent sound. A Roland S220 can be had for a wee bit more and offers many more features as well as being 4-part multi-timbral. OK if you need to add a cheap and dirty sampler to your setup, but don't pay a lot for it.

Samplers don't get simpler than this! Front panel jacks for everything (thank you, Akai!) including output, mic and line inputs. Knobs everywhere! Get it with the disk drive if you can and it's even easier. There are two software versions (1.0 and 1.1 I think); the later one supports sysex dumping without handshaking (i.e. it works without fancy proprietary software - a kind of pre-SDS sample dump idea). The manual is actually pretty good, considering how lame the manual for the contemporary Akai AX-80 is.

6-note polyphony, only one sample in memory at a time. VCF and LFO built in. Supposedly you can upgrade the OS from v. 1.0 to 1.1 but I doubt Akai still has it available. MIDI velocity sensitive, also responds to mod wheel and pitch-bend (bend depth is fixed, though). Compared to modern samplers it hardly does anything, but for quickly grabbing sounds it's great! And all those knobs, what a concept for a sampler.

12-bit lo-fi sampling. Sample rate is variable from 4 kHz to 32 kHz so you can get as muffled as you like (the filter doesn't do much to 4 kHz samples, though!). Sample time correspondingly varies from 8 seconds to 1 second. Great for crunchy (short) drum loops and grungey vinyl stabs.

Seems pretty solid. On a gig - well, I'd take a more versatile sampler along. No problems so far though.

Akai said they'd mail me system-exclusive information, but they never did. At least they remember that this once existed, but basically they consider that their samplers started with the S900.

Fine for what it does. I paid very little for the sampler + disk drive + a bunch of disks, so I'm happy. It's REALLY simple to use and is great for grabbing samples from a computer soundcard (i.e. if you've been digital-audio-mangling them in your computer).

Sample and go! This is the best thing with it. You instantly get musical instead of technical. Every function has it's own button or knob. Filter, LFO, and decay controlknobs are on the front. Easier than a VCR!

It is Akai's first sampler and in those days things were different. You are limited to only one sample at a time. 6 voices though. Sample editing are basic, usual or "back and forth" looping, reverse, lowpass filter, decay control, LFO. 12 bits sampling only. The freq. is between 4 and 32 khz and the sample time is between 1 and 8 seconds. But I bought it with this in mind and if you use it for like triphop drumloops, the machine is excellent. 12bit is perfect!

This depends on how you look at it. It sounds very cool, if you don't mind a lo-fi touch. For my purposes it sounds excellent most of the time. It makes me creative.

The sampler comes with a special disk drive. (Don't buy it without the diskdrive!!!) The discs are of an odd type and I'll never get a chance to buy more. But everything works just fine. From some discs (with old sounds on) it loads incorrectly, and the sample gets crackled, but when this happens I have just reloaded and everything have been alright. I think it's reliable with a few surprises...

I have no idea how their service is towards old samplers, but hey it's Akai! I have not yet been in need for service.

I think it's lovely. Simple and fun to use. Great value for money! I bought a Yamaha SU-10 but it sounded bad and had budget features. The Akai is built like a musical instrument. It's outdated, but it's nice and cheap. It's fun to see what you can to with just one sample, one single drumloop can be a complex drumpattern if you want to. Even if I should but a newer sampler later I would keep this thing. It is something with those old machines...