Akai S612 - The first and best sampler Akai ever made - Demo/review/tutorial

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When the Hi-Fi home system producer Akai entered the music tech/gear business with the Akai S612 sampler, and the Akai AX80 and AX60 back in 1985/86, no one new what to make of it. Not even Akai themselves. I don't think they knew how successfull their samplers would be in the years to come after this.
This was also the only sampler they'd ever produce that was in black.

The 612, in essence 6 delay lines with sampling functions, was streamlined the year later with the grey S700.
Both have a analog filter, non resonant, but where the S700 is a menu driven sampler, the S612 uses knobs and faders for adjusting parameters and that is very, fast, intiutive and simple. No Akai sampler for many years after the S612 did this.

Unfortunately it does not comply to the "standard" Midi Sample Dump protocol so with a fawlty Quick Disk drive like most of these has today, you have to use some old Atari or MAC to transfer sounds to and back from a computer. Or fix your quick disk system.

The demo track I start off with (Tell Me) is made entirely of sounds coming out of the S612. I've multi tracked it of course and additional effects are being used.
It has that 12-bit, slightly gritty sound I love.

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Growing up I listened to so much synth-pop and it's only natural that my own music takes inspiration from many of the acts I loved back then. I still love them and listen to them!

Howard Jones, Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, New Order, Erasure, Thompson Twins, Tears for Fears, The Human League, Propaganda. FGTH, Ultravox, OMD, Eurythmics, Duran Duran, Giorgio Moroder, Jean Michel Jarre, Jan Hammer, Alphaville, A-ha as well as loads of artists doing what is now called Italo Disco. And many more great acts like Nik Kershaw, Spandau Ballet, Wham, Dire Straits ++

[benjaminaustnesnarum]

I found this in my parent's basement; it works perfectly! There was also an Oberheim Matrix-6R, and an Akai S1100 there. (Both in need of repairs, though)

[HowlingMoonCinemas]

My God... That awesome growl and warm, gritty, low-fi, full, rich sound... Absolutely amazing. I haven't heard anything nearly this good in today's sound.

[laszlovona]

that editing functionality with the faders is so intuitive and straightforward, and covers so many scenarios with the least interaction possible 👍 something I really like in 80s stuff, especially japanese.. so many thoughts and adequate design before manufacturing.

[lab-by-the-sea]

Funny how times are changing, a few years ago nobody wanted it to buy for 20 bucks and now more expensive than an S1000! :-)

[briankehew]

I love these. The fader Attack/Release is just brilliant and unique to this sampler - someone ought to replicate this with a controller for software samplers. The lowpass filter is AMAZING on anything. And to make this an unbeatable monster - find the KEYBOARD they made to go with it - the AX60. You can then assign the samples to be "oscillators" within the synth, used modulation and individual ADSR/Filtering etc. That combination is astounding, but rare!

[McNstyFilth]

Really enjoyed the overview and the demo. The "lo-fi" quality these vintage samplers give and their unique filters make them worth checking out!

[distant]

Bought mine about 3 years ago for 50euro! still use it and love it!

[mikeconquest]

hands down the best most fun and instantly satisfying sampling machine I've ever owned, should have never sold it... only thing i missed on it was a resonant side to the filter, however it sounded so good that you pretty much never missed it... absolute classic...

[SSGO]

Love the sound on the Terminator theme. Superb

[xpplayer]

My local store was big into these Akai samplers. As a youing drummer, I marveled at a then new Yamaha PTT8 electronic kit MIDI’d up to this S612. Seemed like a dream setup at the time.

[mariusmitrea]

GREAT TOOL !!....like everything that was made in the 80 s !!!... great demo and explicit...!!

[NPrescott]

Damn this thing sounds amazing at 4Khz! Perfectly fit for the Terminator sound track! :D

[AndersEngerJensen]

Oh yeah baby! Now we're talking happy synth pop! I may have to steal some licks from you now! :D

[marvingonzalez]

WOW my first sampler. Wish I still had it

[VinTagebeats]

Dope !! The first real digital sampler I ever bought since the SK-1 Casio keyboard. Bought it at the pawn shop. The best buck I ever paid for it. Wish I never sold it back to them but was rough times for me back then.

[NicholasBryantBonzaiSequoias]

One trick I've learned using mine - resampling in overdub mode. When you play MIDI notes whilst overdub is on (even if you do not add any new sound) they get recorded into the sample - but be careful as overload can happen fast.

[mikeuniverse]

There's nothing like the 80s sound. I'll always be a fan.

[mantriccaravan]

Just look how well built these things where real metal nice sturdy knobs and best of all durable! I had one a very very long time ago and thought nothing of it but after watching the video its a great piece of vintage kit! Nice job Espen!

[mcdosia]

Finally snagged one of these babies!! Thanks for the tutorial! It got me up and running:)

[discern]

I've never seen this one, it looks good and sounds nice n gritty I especially love that it has analog filter. Cool vid man you nailed that terminator theme.