Akai S900

The S900 sampler was Akai's first truly professional sampler, released in 1986. Its sampling specifications were pro-quality at the time: 12-bit stereo sampling, 7.5kHz to 40kHz variable sampling rates and a maximum of 63 seconds of sample time at 7.5kHz. Up to 32 samples can be created and stored to disk along with any edit settings. This was one of the first rack-mount samplers to use a built-in disk drive. Although the drive could load sounds while you play, it was still a very slow process.

Editing and programming the S900 is a very good precursor to the advanced S3000 series. There are lots of advanced edit capabilities for looping, truncating, velocity crossfading, tuning and even analog-like parameters to control. Individual outputs for each of the eight voices, stereo mix out, stereo input, MIDI and trigger inputs round out this machine as a professional vintage-status sampler that still proves to be very useful even for today's musicians!

Akai S950

The S950 soon followed the S900 and offered increased memory and sampling rates. The sample rate was now variable from 7.5 to 48kHz and it could hold up to 99 samples in memory. Memory could be expanded from 750KB to 2.25MB. The S950 is used by Fatboy Slim, Moby, Skinny Puppy, Depeche Mode, Future Sound of London, Sneaker Pimps, The Bomb Squad, Dr. Dre, DJ Premiere, Prince Paul, Vangelis, Digable Planets and A Guy Called Gerald.

mrpigeon

April 17, 2013 @ 9:13 pm

I now own two of these beasts (950) what this thing does to drums and breaks is incredible and no software clone/pluggin/emulation has ever gotten close. Pluggins resampled a sound into a psuedo bitrate - hardware samplers actually sample at that bitrate live through its converters. Plus the s900/s950 will let you overdrive the input for even more crunch. Cop one quick before prices get silly!

Sunny Bob

October 23, 2012 @ 4:33 am

Picked one of these up a couple of months ago an dim very happy with it. I have an MPC4000 and wanted some 12 bit sound but didnt want to get an MPC60 - so got this instead. The sound is remarkably cool (and I dont make hip hop). Really makes kiks, snares, and hats chunky and fat sounding. But its even better on bass sounds. Sample a VST bass note and the difference is incredible vs the super clean and lifeless VST. The MPC4k and the S950 are really a perfect match together. Im very glad I didnt go for an MPC60 which I would have had to pay a lot more for features (sequencer/pads) I dont need

Master David

October 12, 2012 @ 4:42 pm

I have two of these under both of my Emu Sp 1200's fine machine.

Klaus

September 30, 2012 @ 1:02 pm

Picking up a pretty fresh S900 next Saturday. Any suggestions on how to hook it up with my 707/727 ? Could be nice to be able to trigger the samples from the different pads of the TR, would it work via midi or should I look into getting hold of the trigger-inputs expansion?

Will

September 20, 2012 @ 9:22 am

Ed, what you do is use a keyboard or sequencer to control it via MIDI.

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