Akai's S01 Midi Digital Sampler. It seems almost obsolete these days. Released in 1993, this 2-space rack unit offered 8-voices of polyphony, and 1 MB (expandable to 2 MB) of sample memory for about 15 to 30 seconds of sample time. Yeah, it's pretty weak, but for the time it was an excellent entry-level sampler or even as an addition to your S-1000, S-1100 or MPC2000. Sampling specs are 16-bit and 32 kHz (not cd-quality). The sampler only records samples in mono. Built-in 3.5 floppy disk drive lets you store your samples or load from libraries (it has no SCSI interface).

The eight trigger buttons on the front correspond to each of the 8 samples you can have and can be used to trigger them. You can truncate your samples, transpose and loop and even reverse them. The S01 features two MIDI inputs, which can be switched with a switch on the front panel. There's one mono sample input, one mono output and one headphone output at the front panel and one mono output at the back. Playback and sampling can be controlled with an additional foot-switch.

Victor

July 26, 2009 @ 6:54 pm

The specs are what they are... you can do better with any decent VST instrument. But I keep mine around for the simplicity of use. Every parameter is listed right there on the front-panel... no digging through menus on an LCD or bogging down your DAW's resources trying to avoid latency. If you want complex synthesis parameters or uber-realistic grand pianos, this is not your machine. But for simple drum hits, it's a "set it and forget it" time-saver that I've come to rely on almost every time. Built like a tank, too.

Don B.

July 14, 2009 @ 9:33 am

I use mine for AC/DC Tribute band sample sounds of bell for Hells Bells intro and the cannon fire sound in For Those About to Rock! Works great!

SIKE

March 26, 2009 @ 3:44 pm

I got one of these used for $50 on Craigslist and hooked up my M-Audio Trigger Finger to it. I now have a recession special MPC.

jash

March 15, 2009 @ 11:03 am

i still use mine, i find it very useful...through use of midi cables it turns your keyboard into an excellent controller. it's a pharkin' chunk of metal from hell

Andee

March 9, 2009 @ 10:29 am

It's a step up from my S16 and X7000 ;-)

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