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From: ewa@sdcc3.UUCP (Eric Anderson)
Newsgroups: net.music.synth
Subject: Re: Akai AX80 info wanted
Message-ID: <3042@sdcc3.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 20-Oct-85 15:54:51 EDT
Article-I.D.: sdcc3.3042
Posted: Sun Oct 20 15:54:51 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 21-Oct-85 06:16:50 EDT
References: <10716@ucbvax.ARPA>
Reply-To: ewa@sdcc3.UUCP (Eric Anderson)
Distribution: net
Organization: U.C. San Diego, Academic Computer Center
Lines: 28

In article <10716@ucbvax.ARPA> c50-1dk@ucbfranny.UUCP (Andy Lieberman) writes:
>I am very interested in upgrading from my Juno-106 to the Akai AX80.
>I would appreciate any comments about the Akai.  I will mostly be
>using it with my Atari ST, so I am concerned about getting all of the
>midi specs.  Does the manual included with the synth have any
>information?  Is the information available anywhere else?

The manual that came with my AKAI has absolutely no useful information
regarding the MIDI capabilities other than a picture of where the jacks are
(in case you can't find them on the back...) Most of the manual is rather
non-informative, but operation is so simple and obvious that this isn't a 
problem. I have seen the AX80 used with the AKAI sampler through MIDI, and
it passed pitch bend and other data along with the notes so I suspect the
implememtation is fairly complete. AKAI claims you can dump patches over MIDI
too.

Now for the opinions: I love my AKAI, I think it's a great machine. Much more
usable than some others with smaller keyboards, or more complicated editing
operation. Editing on the AKAI is a breeze. Press one button for the parameter,
and turn one knob to adjust (plus a fine tune button if you don't have the
magic touch.) The sampler is great too, its sound reproduction quality is
remarkable. It is 6-voice, while the keyboard is 8-voice. It also allows you
to overdub samples, and to play them backwards or starting at any point. It
has a LFO on board too. (sine wave only.) And, of course, there's a disk drive.


Eric Anderson, UC San Diego         {elsewhere}!ihnp4!ucbvax!sdcsvax!sdcc3!ewa
Home: (619)453-7315       Work: (619)586-1201       White House: (202)456-1414