Bad Gear - Akai S2000

Become a Patron and get access to music clips from the show, additional content, Bad Gear samples and even more AudioPilz madness

Welcome to Bad Gear, the show about the world's most hated audio tools. Today we are going to talk about the Akai S2000 Stereo Sampler. Is there still some use for this 90s sampling workhorse or has it been surpassed by newer plugins and grooveboxes? Is it really that boring?

Chapters:
00:00 Intro tune
01:10 Overview
04:59 Hate
05:26 Jam 1
06:24 Jam 2
07:22 Finale
07:53 Verdict
8:56 Patreon "Vocoder" Shoutout (more like vocal mangling shoutout;)

[Halfpipesaur]

The menu diving in this thing has defeated me. Now the only purpose of the S2000 in my setup is to make other small gear sit 9 cm higher.

[pianoyam]

I've posted a number of comments before where I marvel at your editing and music production skills, but man I want to sincerely thank you for making the funnest synth videos I've seen. I struggle with depression (and the resulting lack of motivation), but whenever I want a little pick-me-up that can also maybe get me motivated to screw around with music, I know I can always count on your channel, Florian. Even if I still can't get going, I know without a doubt I'm gonna at least feel better while I'm enjoying your work. I'm broke as shit, or else I'd be putting my money where my mouth is. It's priceless, what you deliver, but I'm at gear-selling levels of destitute right now (DFAM just sold ;-( ...Mo-32's next), so I hope you can at least really sense what I'm trying to say here. Thank you.

[kildogery]

Your visual references are so unique. I love it.
There's no one else on YouTube who would feature a clip from Terry Gilliam's Brazil and a picture of Zig and Zag, in the same video.

[roberttodd]

The second track you made with the amen break was really nice. Not really due to the sampler but just because it was a good track. The sampler itself has more features than I'd have imagined. I bet if it had a more hands on interface like s612 it wouldn't be so bad...

[orincat]

I bought one under the impression that I'd like the workflow. Boy was I wrong.

[vinyljunkie]

So many classic albums were made with this affordable sampler back in the day, one of my favourites is probs the Avalanche's Since I Left You . It's basically a S-3000XL with the cut down face plate and some other minor bits (They use the same mainboard) You need to fux with it more to get it's lo-fi goodness out of it, there are tricks to get the gritz out hahah

[user]

Your insight about products now being designed to be social media friendly is spot on, imo.

[brotharobmusic]

My dad had one when I was coming up in the 90s(I'm 38). It's was good for what it was designed to do. Now he has a Akai MPC 61, Roland juno, Yamaha Motif 6, Roland drum machine and so much more!

I remember when we would make songs and he would record us on his ADAT with the vHS 8 ch tapes. So long ago, man those was good times!

Me, myself only use MPC BEATS with A MPK249. The beats I have on my channel was made with FL studio with a cheap Casio. We both use Cubase to record tho, I might stay with MPC Beat and FL studio for now on!

Dope channel! I love the content! BTW he still has Akai Sampler

[NgaTaeOfficial]

The S2000 was from an era when touring acts would have multiple maxed out Akai’s in racks to cover all the parts. It was envisaged that you’d use the big brothers in the studio and take these smaller, cheaper units out on the road with you. If you were tempted to buy one for the much lower price to use as your main machine… well… caveat emptor and good luck! 😵‍💫 I still own and love my S3200XL, the filters and fx board are still awesome! It was my main “synth” sound design tool for over 20 years.

[NSW-yexw]

The S2000's limitations is what made me get the best out it. I had the effects and 8 outs boards installed and managed to make my best ever tracks on it!

[mudia]

This episode was a real banger!
Please review more samplers, I like how you sample the voice and demo the sampler's feature like this while narrating!

[xsm]

the best Akai ever made.
You forgot about the 'resample' function which does actually add a bit of dirt!

[superchroma]

I think a lot of people needed this video today.

[_DRMR_]

It is actually also possible to create a kind of "highpass filter" by putting the same sample, with both the phase and filter response inverted, in zone 2.
One of these tricks that people used to squeeze a bit more functionality out of these machines :)

[asms_music]

This sampler changed my musical trajectory back in 1999. I had a SCSI interface that allowed direct editing and sample transfer, and had no idea about its limitations. To me it was pure inspiration. One of those Wile E Coyote "Don't look down" phenomena. And the chorus FX is crazy

[autecheee]

Your penchant for subtle visual artistry & detail is superb, you even synch the blinks light of the USB flash drive in your groove from this plaque stained discarded paperweight.
To think that I was considering getting behind on my rent and bills to purchase one of these back in my foolish youth days. Reality dawned on me the following day!

[andyread]

I got a S3200 a few years back to see if I could get THAT SOUND again. I forgot it took about 200 key clicks, massive neck and knee ache crouching down trying to read that screen, but hey, after 10 minutes I'd loaded up a drum kit!

[artisan]

Nice timing. I'm re-archiving my KLF collection while watching this. I realized they credit using an Akai S900. I had always thought it was an S1000, but the liner notes tell me I'm wrong.

[dustincassidy]

I got an S2000 for 5 dollars from a junk shop and when I got it home released why. You need an OS disk to actually use it. It took me a year to find one, then I started using it and realized it’s a nightmare. I thought it would be fun for getting into an “old school workflow” but there really was no upside to the pain it gave me. Still though, good to have that experience and realize why software samplers completely took over. Somebody could have told me but I wouldn’t have listened until I went through all that.

[klassik]

Last year I bought an S2000 with CD-Rom-Drive in flawless condition for 100€. This is a really beautiful sounding sampler, I like it a lot. The menu diving is the actual problem which provides this AKAI from being a cult item. Soundwise it would have the potential for it.