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Akai S-950

 

 

 

 

akai s950 sampler

info Country: Japan
Weight: 11 Kg
Dimensions: 482,6 X 132,6 X 410 mm
audio demo trend price : 300€
manual demo video comments

Akai S-950
Midi Digital Sampler (1988)

 

Rackmount sampler, a super revamp from legendary Akai S-900 keeping same sound character.

In the same year, Akai in collaboration with Roger Linn developped the AKAI MPC-60 founder of the desktop line

s950
akai s950 replacement

info RACKMOUNT 3 units. Main panel features a 2 x 40 lines display, 28 buttons, 3 knobs and a rotary encoder.

Back panel terminal connectors:
- 8 individual jack outputs
- stereo main out
- Midi interface
- custom voice connector to link Akai VX or AX synths.

Front panel terminal connectors:
- mic input
- line input
- pedal trigger rec / play.




editSAMPLING
core based on a 8-bits CPU NEC manages 8 digital voices polyphony.
The monophonic sampling engine works at 12 bits resolution with a variable recording frequency range from 7,5 to 48 kHz - DAC BA9221
STRUCTURE: A single sample can be stretched up to a maximum of 6 octaves thanks to legendary Akai algorithms and can be modified with various edit functions:
- automatic loop points
- backward loop
- alternate loop
- Xfade smooth
- timestrech.

 

akai s950 functions


ba9221

 

edit EDIT a single or more samples must be placed in a keygroup and once mapped they make a program. Each Keygroup features individual edit parameters:
- Midi channel
- keyboard zone assignment
- EG amplitude
- LFO amplitude
- VCF cutoff
- volume gain
- velocity switch.

structure

 

edit SAMPLE IMPORT it is possible to sample dump handshake over Midi which is NOT compliant to standard SDS protocol and requires special dedicated software. It is also possible also to use the S-232C parallel port with old communication software.
TECH: s950 is retro compatible with S900 and loads S1000 series disks.

 


filter FILTER a 2-poles non-resonant filter based on a MF6CN a switched capacitor VCF hybrid analog-digital. VCF also features a keytrack function for keyboard note tracking.

 

MF6CN


VCF

 

lfo LFO a delayed single triangular modulator vibrato with special desync option that emulates acoustic vibration feeling - the LFO can be triggered by CC1 wheel or assigned to aftertouch.

LFO
VCF

 

adsr ENVELOPE 2 main EGs with same ADSR structure:
- EG1 amplitude for each element in keygroup (+ global BIAS)
- EG2 filter for each element in keygroup.
The special positional crossfade tracks amplitude up to +50% values.


adsrVCF

 

adsr MIDI all keygroups can have a different Midi channel assignment.
The S-950 feature a basic implementation with velocity and modulation.


 

edit MEMORY:
- 99 samples
- 198 programs.
- 750 Kb sample RAM upgradable up to 2.25 Mb using 1 or 2 custom modules EXM-006.
STORAGE floppy disk drive format 3.5 DD/HD 1440 /720 Kb capacity with auto-boot.
Floppies formatted in Akai proprietary file system: beware! S950 is not directly Ms-DOS compatible.

 

akai s900 memory boardmemory os


adsr MAINTENANCE inverter NEL-D3243 power supply gets faulty and darken backlight, as replacement you can adapt a standard display for few bucks.

NEL-D3243



adsr AKAI S-950 EXPANSION BOARDS
:

memory expansion EXM006 memory expansion.
Up to 2 modules can be fitted (the slot is under the sampler)
ask-90 board Marion Ms9c upgrade board to 16 bits resolution.
Ib 105 Ib 105 interface for Atari with digital I/o and Atari HD interface
Ib109 Ib109 more common SCSI interface.
Needs EPROM OS update to 1.20B MANUAL
Akai ME35T Akai ME35T not really an interface but a standalone rack for drumming purposes, converter analog trigger IN to Midi IN signal VIDEO


 

editAKAI S SERIES RELATED FAMILY OVERVIEW:

akai s612 S-612 (1985) the legend started here

akai s900

S-900 (1986) previous model with less memory, 720DD and 1 EG.

akai s700 S-700 (1987) upgrade version of S-612
also exists in keyboard version AKAI X-7000.
It seems that a model called X-3700 was a never-released prototype or a plain hoax.
akai s01 S-01 (1987) budget sampler, basic display no SCSI.
S-20 laptop version and Remix16 (and japanese 88) with improved options and memory.
akai s1000 S-1000 (1988) 2nd generation cd quality and SCSI
S-1100 boosted model comes with many optional boards and HD recording.
S-1000KB is the S-1000 keyboard version
S-1000PB playback, just plain sample reader.
akai s2000 S-2000 (1995) budget sampler between s1000 and s3000 series
akai s3000

S-3000 (1996) 3rd generation.
- S3000XL was an update with extra (SCSI, digital)
- S2800 cut-down version
- S2800I with SCSI standad
- S3200 added filter board + optional boards
- S3200XL all optional
- 3000CD includes a cd player
- 3000I with SCSI standard

akai s5000 S-5000 (1998) 64/128 voices, optional USB, digital I/O. S-6000 was even bigger with some standard option and detacheable display, last of the S series then replaced hen by Z family like Z4 and Z8.

 

 

adsr AKAI S900 vs S950 both machines sound the same.
The s950 features a better floppy drive with higher density 1.44 MB, higher sampler rate, optional SCSI and digital interface and memory can be expanded. The S-900 need OS4 for time stretch function and second EG- However the ASK-90 is a must have expansion for analog sequencer and this feature is compatible only to S-900.


s900 vs s950

 

 

effet VST PLUGIN / SAMPLED VERSION some free samples disk resources and some plugins, however there are no official PLUGIN version of S900 sampler, but some interesting related programs:

  name price link demo
akai s950 free disks OUR FREE s900 S950 DISKS FREE HERE n/a
EFM Oddse AKAIZER

FREE

Stand alone program.
It simulates the classic Akai timestretch sound.

effet AKAIZER
EFM Oddse 112db Morgana

VST COMMERCIAL (pricey)
A kind of old samplers emulation.

112  ARP Odyssey
EFM Oddse Unknown name

HELP!

I remember and old program for atari St that tranforms samples from S900/s950 to harmonics for Kawai K5 / k5m additive synthesizer.
CONTACT.

n/a n/a



demo
AUDIO DEMO

demo Disk SL-516 "Ooos" choir
demo Disk SL-515 "Glass Bell"
demo Disk PSL9046 "Hammond"
demo Disk PSL9005 "moog" with cutoff demo
demo Disk PSL9025 "Linn drum"
demo Disk SL-554 "Latin percussions"
demo Sampling with DSI TEMPEST
demo Sampling with Commodore 64
demo Sampling with ROLAND TR-909
demo Sampling with YAMAHA DX-7
demo  
demo  



video YOUTUBE VIDEO CLIP SELECTION

Akai s950 Video Manual Akai s950 filter Akai S950 with external SD Cardreader
Video Manual filter with external SD Cardreader


sampler s900


 

akai s950

 

 

 

 

 




manual
AKAI S950 MANUAL

 

 



manual
S950 SERVICE MANUAL

 

 

 

adsr

OS most common are 1.0 and 1.2A.
TECH: 1.2B is needed for optional SCSI board

 

 



manual
-OS EPROM DUMP

 

 

 

 

HISTORY: AKAI S950 PC EDITOR

akai s950 editor
One of the first PC-editor based was SAMPLEVISION for OLD PC


 

 

akai s950 scanning

 

akai s950 scanning

 

 

 

s950 custom
custom s950 black
Face - unknown designer

 

 

 

Akai S950 FOR SALE:

akai s950 for saleCHECK OUT EBAY OFFERS


 

 

akai cpu akai 950 os motherboard


manual

- 12 bits sound
- pure history

manual

- weight / dimension
- storage
- memory

- polyphony
comment

REVIEW "Cult sampler, a true classic of fine sampling. The sounds is punchy and raw."

 

 

COMMENTS

 

 

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akai s950 4.5 out of 5 based on 49 ratings. price €200