Akai • AX-80
The AX-80 has the privilege of being the first pro-keyboard produced by Akai, released in 1984. It's an eight-voice programmable analog synthesizer with a full 61-note keyboard and a series of techno-looking LCD bar-graph displays running across the top of the keyboard. Two analog oscillators per voice plus a sub oscillator provide the basis of its punchy analog sounds that can be described as similar to a Chroma Polaris or Roland Juno 106. Very good bass, brass, synth sounds, and effects are possible. However its strings are average at best.
The blue and orange florescent LCD displays use a simple and intuitive bar-graph format to show all its parameters and values, making for one of the best on-board displays ever! You have to wonder, however, with such a cool display, why couldn't they have included dedicated sliders and knobs for each parameter (see the AX-60). A decent amount of patch storage and nice enough sounds make the AX-80 a useable synth to have around, but it probably won't replace your Roland Juno. Other notable features of the AX-80 include an angled rear panel for easy cable connections, chord memory, MIDI control, and pitch/mod wheels. It's been used by Mark Bell (LFO) on Bjork's Homogenic.
can sound warm/cold. very deep Basses rocks and the pads dont talk about spacy effect you can make, Analog/digital hybrid. Sound very dak synth
a bit digital but atleast the best i heard in that price class it should be more expensive no noise thats sad . Learn to program this thing and you will never regret you bouht it so cheap i got mine for 250 bucks. i prefer my Jupiter 8 but totaly diffrent synth but this synth i lot better on bass sound than my JP-8. :P
That, and it's one of the coolest looking machines ever. Sometimes I forget I'm playing a keyboard and not flying the space shuttle...