Akai Z4

Latest OS as of 4.28.05 (1.45). If you're familiar with Akai, nothing much has changed. Some of the folder browsing (NOT using AkSys) isn't very intuitive, and it would be nice to have a bigger screen (like the S5000), but using AkSys negates both of those concerns. The manual is pretty understandable, but you probably won't need it.

The specs (while impressive) are everywhere, so I'm not going to regurgitate them here. One unexpected surprise is the flexibility that USB provides. It reads my compact flash card reader with no problem, my USB CD rom, and it will even sees my MPC1000 as a drive too. Needless to say, this makes swapping .wav files around nearly effortless. Using AkSys makes it even easier, and makes managing my two Z4s simultaneously simple. The off-the-shelf Z4 is crippled with one pair of stereo outs, so the expansion board is a must. The optional effects board, however, is terrible, and your $200 or so would be better spent on outboard effects. The MIDI implementation (controller recognition) is much better than the previous Akai samplers.

Comparing recordings between those I made with my Z4 and those made using softsamplers, I find the Z4 to sound crisper, snappier... just plain *better*, even using the same samples. This could me because my soundcard (Audiophile 24/96) is terrible, but I don't know. I really love the way that it sounds (except for the FX board, which sounds so bad I think it might be broken).

I have a Z4 without an FX board, and one with. On the one without, if you're in multi mode attempting to assign the Q-link knobs, and accidentally select "FX" (easy to do), the sampler will spontaneously reboot. Other than that, I would trust it. I had an S5000 previously, and it was very dependable... I've had, overall, very good experiences with Akai gear.

I've not contacted them regarding the Z4.

I'd buy it again. I didn't A/B it with anything else as I knew what to expect from Akai and am not disappointed.

Quite easy to just jump right in with ak.sys and the sampler's own interface. The manual is great, it covers every aspect of the machine quite clearly and its a great reference.

Love the # of voices, the sound quality, and the filters. The main panel has pretty much any feature you'd expect from a sampler, aside from an actual sample editing interface, but ak.sys allows you to tie in with an external editing program pretty well (when you hit save it detects that and uploads the file back to the sampler). It can be expanded with a handful of different cards, though they seem to be getting hard to find. The memory and internal harddrive can be upgraded, but I'm doing okay with what it came with.

Since this is a sampler, it's only as good as you program it to be, but it definitely has all the sort of features you'd expect to help you do so.

The sampler itself has been rock solid. I usually leave it running for extended periods of time and regardless of ak.sys's state it keeps plugging away.

However, it seems like ak.sys has some issues, it occasionally crashes for no reason and I have problems copying stuff to the internal harddrive so I can't really use that as much as I'd like to. This is especially frustrating because when it works, ak.sys is very useful! Hopefully future upgrades will address this.

Haven't had to deal with customer support yet.

If it were lost or stolen I'd probably get one again, I might consider a Z8 instead though for the detachable panel. The one thing that makes me feel a little slighted is the flaky ak.sys, but when it comes down to the sampler as an instrument the sound quality is just fantastic and I enjoy working with it.

Very easy to use. After 2 weeks i was zipping around on it like crazy.
Software that works with it via the computer is so GREAT! Working with this sampler is extremely fast and easy.

It has FX options. I do not have the FX options, so i dont know how they are.(i use TC electronic M one XL's) I have the 8 out option which is beautiful. Midi capabilities are wonderful. No sequencer, but i use cubase for that. Also came with 272 ram and a 60 GIG hard drive! Also the Q link knobs are great for tweaking the EXCELLENT filters although i wish i had the Z8 cause i need more than 4 knobs!

Well, what you put in you get out. Its a sampler. The 96khz sampling rate sounds clean and mean. Velocity sensitivity is great.

Very satble. Never crashed. I will never take any of my gear out of the studio, but if i were gigin i would backup the HD.

Akia usually gets back to you after a week of sending an email. They could be a bit more responsive, but i am sure they are very busy with all the great gear they sell!

Superb SAMPLER. I have only owned an MPC 2000XL before and this sampler is the future. HARDWARE controlled and edited with software. I can literally drag wave files from my computer to the sampler in a single bound via the software and USB connection. It is so fast and easy to work with. It's great because i can actually work instead of fussing with the gear. It doesn't hold me back at all.