Akai S2800

S2800i v2.0

This one of the most used items in my set-up, partly because its part of my MPC-60 percussion chain. I also own four S3000XLs but use these for orchestral sounds. Basically, they're the same instrument, except the S2800i has a reduced number of outs and half the memory which isn't really a problem if you use it in a similar way as myself - that is for loops. Basically, I create percussion sequences using the MPC-60 and a variety of other instruments, then feed the result into the S2800i for repeated triggering. The MPC triggers the newly looped notes in the S2800i and allows me to layer new stuff over the top again. Its all extremely quick and easy and in this way, the S2800i has served me well for almost a decade now. Sure, Kontakt and Gigastudio have been my main workhorses for orchestral and big library music for quite a while, but for percussion the S2800i is still used daily and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Its pretty straightforward to use and much easier than the old S1000 thanks to the multi mode. The screen menus are very well thought out and logical although I wish the soft keys matched up precisely with their relevant options. It always takes a moment to get the right one, although its got the point now when I can almost operate the machine without looking at the screen.

Sampling is the easiest thing to do on this and, to my mind, that is what these things should be used for, NOT just as a straightforward sample playback machine. There's just so much potential and the recording quality is absolutely pristine. It captures the MPC60 and accompanying gear perfectly and I actually prefer the end result to running them into Kontakt via my UA-1000. In fact, I often use the S2800i and 3000XLs for vocal and acoustic recordings (with a Rode NT2000) because they sound so clean.

16mb RAM max (more than enough for loops), 32 note polyphony with basic effects built in. The delay is pretty good and I often use it in preference to using outboard FX. The S2800i has SCSI as standard (unlike the 2800) which is handy for fast sample transferring to wavelab for editing. The wave editing screen is excellent considering the size of the LCD and the waveform actually seems to be bigger than the one on my S6000!. Its very simple to use the multiple loop and X-fading etc so if you're an editing freak then you'll like this feature.

The re-sampling feature is excellent. The algorithm really retains as much of the quality as possible so memory is spared, not something always found on other gear.

As I said above, I mainly use it for loops although if I need extra space for my orchestral samples then I can easily load up a good Vitous string section or whatever, so its very able to handle more complicated multi-sampled libraries. The Kirk Hunter strings and Zimmer guitar libraries are well programmed and sound particularly good.

There are plenty of routing options for midi gear so its all very controllable. I like the filter - its not a powerful moog device, but its great for treating loops or as an aid to brass swells. Bear in mind the S2800i is also very much a synth and has plenty of potential here.

An engineer at Akai was obviously on a high the day he thought about the backlight problem that plagues the akai samplers. Simply press the contrast switch on the front panel and it switches the light off. That has meant it still glows as brightly as the day I bought it and the whole unit has never caused me any problems. No crashes, no lock-ups, nothing.

In fact, I think its a credit to Akai that I've been using their gear for years and not one unit ever has caused me any problems. These things are built to last and I know that Akai are known for being useful when it comes to obtaining components and accessories. There are also plenty of stores who stock components unlike other manufacturers who have long died a painful death.

Still never had to deal with them.

Well I've owned it for quite a few years and still use it daily. Its a workhorse that has earned its keep a thousand times over so there's nothing to complain about. My only non-Akai hardware sampler is the ESI4000 and, although the latter has a much greater sample capacity, it is a far lesser machine than the S2800i. The recording quality is really very poor which renders it ineffective for the task it should be able to do - sample. I thought I'd cite the ESI4000 for comparison because they seem to fetch about the same price on the second hand market and, for my purposes, there's simply no contest.
Similarly, Akai's own S2000 is a much poorer instrument IMO despite more RAM and the option for more outs. The lack of a decent display is irritating and I found the sound quality to be lacking - needless to say I sold it shortly after purchasing it!.

Anyway, to cease rambling, the S2800i is a great sampler and anybody interested who sees one under a hundred and fifty squiddies will be in for a treat.

For the recorded: I own 3 shuttle PCs loaded with softsynths like the Korg Legacy collection, ImpOSCar, Bosendorfer 290, the EastWest Symphony orchestra and Gigastudio with the VSL orchestra, a rack of akai samplers, a Yamaha SY99, an MPC60II, QX1, Orbit v2, Proteus 2500, 2 & 3, Memorymoog, Emulator II and an SP-12

Easy and very flexible to operate. The latest OS is 2.0. The manual is great.

The S2800 was a budget version of the S3000. The big differences are 2 separate outs on the S2800, not 8 like the big brother and the S2800 is 2 HE, like the new S3000XL. Only unbalanced inputs, no SCSI interface from the beginning, 2 Mb Ram. This thing is quite useless if you don't have SCSI and a Zip drive attached to it.

32 tones polyphony, 2mb expandable to 16mb (32 with an extra slot, sold by third hand), digital resonant 12db filter, can hold 255 samples in memory.

What you sample is what you get. 16 bit stereo. No noise at all. You can sample in 22/44 khz and downsample. I think a sampler can be used in all types of music. I use mine in dance music projects mostly. The S2800 has a built in effect unit with echo, pitch shift, chorus and delay. They sounds okay but you can only use one effect at a time. The resonant filter does not sound warm but is useful anyhow.

It's over ten years old but solid as allways.

Akai have the O.S and the manual for download.

pros:
price, memory, stability, polyphony, the big display
cons:
only one effect at a time, too few outputs

If you are about to buy one, make sure it has at least 10 Megs of ram, SCSI card interface and that the LCD's backlight is still glowing (if not, you can get a new one for about $30). Overall this is a very dependable piece of studio equipment which will stay in my rack for many years to come.