The Akai S1000 represents a significant advancement in digital sampling technology, following the success of Akai's 12-bit S900, which had established itself as the studio-standard sampler. Released in late 1988, this new 16-bit stereo sampler aims to set new standards in sampling hardware for professional studios.
Design and Physical Characteristics
The S1000 comes in a 3U-high 19" rack-mounting format with Akai's distinctive light-grey coloring. Weighing 9.5 kilograms, it features a user-friendly interface with a 320-character (8x40) backlit LCD display window with contrast control. The front panel includes two infinite rotary knobs for parameter selection and value adjustment respectively, eight dedicated Mode buttons, and eight Function softkeys for accessing sub-pages or activating specific functions. The sampling inputs are conveniently located on the front panel, providing both balanced XLR and jack inputs with three selectable input levels (-58, -38, and -18dBm) and additional record-level control.
The rear panel is well-equipped with a slot for Atari/Supra or SCSI hard-disk interface cards, MIDI In/Out/Thru connections, stereo audio outputs plus eight individual audio outputs with dynamic polyphonic voice assignment, a mono send/stereo return effect loop, stereo headphone output, footswitch input, and a slot for Akai's AES/EBU digital audio interface card.
Memory and Storage
The 16-voice S1000 comes standard with two megabytes of sample memory, expandable to four, six, or eight megabytes. An eight-megabyte system can record approximately 95 seconds in mono at the 44.1kHz sampling rate. The sampler supports both 2DD and 2HD 3.5" floppy disks for storage, with 2HD disks providing roughly double the storage capacity of 2DD disks.
Sound Quality and Sampling
The S1000 delivers extremely clean and dynamic sample quality, notably free from noise in traditionally problematic areas like sound tails. It offers two sampling rates: CD-standard 44.1kHz and 22.05kHz (providing 20kHz and 10kHz bandwidths respectively). Like some other advanced samplers of its time, the S1000 employs an interpolation algorithm for sample playback that maintains resolution when samples are transposed downwards, resulting in cleaner, brighter sounds compared to samplers using traditional variable-rate sample playback.
The sampling process allows users to choose between stereo or mono sampling, select bandwidth, specify a root note for original pitch playback, and set recording duration. The sampling can be triggered by audio input level, MIDI Note On command, or footswitch.
Sample Editing and Processing
The S1000 provides comprehensive sample editing features including trimming, looping, and splicing. Up to eight loops can be created for each sample, with durations specifiable to millisecond resolution. The Loop screen displays amplitude envelopes of both the overall sample and segments at the beginning and end of loops, with zoom functionality for detailed examination.
To assist with loop creation, the S1000 offers auto-looping and crossfade functions. Auto-looping searches for optimal loop points, while crossfade helps smooth transitions between loop end and start points by fading specified sample segments.
Digital filtering is applied to samples in real-time using an 18dB/octave low-pass filter that can be programmed for each Keygroup within each Program. Filter cutoff can be dynamically controlled via MIDI velocity and aftertouch, and key-follow settings allow brightness adjustment based on key position.
Organization and Program Structure
The S1000 can store up to 200 samples in memory, organized into Keygroups which are further organized into Programs. Up to 100 Programs can be held in internal memory, each identified by a user-assigned name. Programs function as keyboard maps of samples, with Keygroups as the mapping mechanism.
Each Program can contain up to 99 Keygroups with customizable keyspans. Keygroups can overlap as needed, with optional crossfading between overlapping groups. Within each Keygroup, MIDI velocity-response ranges can be specified for up to four samples, again with optional crossfading between overlapping ranges.
Individual samples within Keygroups can have their own tuning, loudness, filter-cutoff, and individual-output offset parameters, as well as absolute pan values and playback modes. This allows for versatile treatment of identical samples.
MIDI Implementation
The S1000 offers three primary MIDI modes: Poly mode (single channel), Omni mode (any of 16 channels), and Multi mode (multi-timbral operation on up to 16 channels). In Multi mode, Programs can be assigned to specific MIDI channels and patch numbers, with the ability to layer multiple Programs under the same MIDI patch number.
Voice allocation in Multi mode is dynamic across Programs and channels, but users can specify polyphony limits for individual Programs to prevent unintentional voice-stealing. Programs can also be assigned priority levels (low, normal, high, or hold) to determine voice-stealing behavior when polyphony is exceeded.
Additional MIDI features include a note PPM display for all 16 channels, a data receive monitor, and a matrix-styled data-filter display for selectively enabling/disabling response to various MIDI controllers per channel. SysEx communication supports transfer of programs, samples, and drum settings, with both standard MIDI Sample Dump format and an S1000-specific protocol available.
Compatibility and Expandability
A notable feature for S900 owners is the S1000's ability to load and translate S900 samples into its own format, preserving loop points though requiring reconfiguration of amplitude envelope settings and keyboard mapping. Akai also planned software updates for the S1000, with time-stretching (allowing adjustment of sample duration without altering pitch) being one promised feature.
The S1000 includes a special Drum mode designed to work with Akai's ME35T trigger-to-MIDI unit, allowing the sampler to store trigger conversion parameters for the interface via MIDI SysEx, effectively providing programmable memories for the ME35T.
Variants and Conclusion
Akai also announced the S1000PB (a playback-only version at a lower price point) and the S1000HD (with an onboard 40MB hard disk). Overall, the S1000 is a powerful and worthy successor to the S900, set to become the new workhorse of professional studios despite minor issues like a background whine and somewhat cumbersome Keygroup mapping procedures.
Akai S1000 Technical Specifications
General
- Format: 3U-high 19" rack-mounting
- Weight: 9.5 kilograms
- Display: 240x60px 320-character (8x40) backlit LCD window with contrast control
- Interface: Two infinite rotary knobs, eight Mode buttons, eight Function softkeys
Audio Specifications
- Sample Resolution: 16-bit linear
- Audio Channels: Stereo
- Polyphony: 16 voices
- Sampling Rates: 44.1kHz and 22.05kHz (20kHz and 10kHz bandwidths)
- Sampling Method: Uses interpolation algorithm for sample playback
Memory
- Standard Memory: 2 megabytes
- Expandable to: 8 megabytes till 1990 (EXM002 cards), 32 megabytes after 1990 (EXM008 cards)
- Maximum Recording Time: ~95 seconds mono at 44.1kHz (with 8MB)
- Sample Capacity: Up to 200 samples in internal memory
- Program Capacity: Up to 100 Programs in internal memory
Inputs/Outputs
- Audio Inputs: Balanced XLR and jack inputs on front panel
- Input Levels: -58, -38, and -18dBm (selectable)
- Audio Outputs: Stereo out plus 8 individual outputs with dynamic polyphonic voice assignment
- Effects: Mono send/stereo return effect loop
- Other: Stereo headphone output, footswitch input
Storage
- Disk Format: 3.5" floppy (2DD and 2HD supported)
- Hard Disk: Optional interface for Atari/Supra or SCSI hard-disk
MIDI
- MIDI Ports: In, Out, and Thru
- MIDI Modes: Poly (single channel), Omni (any channel), Multi (up to 16 channels)
- MIDI Features:
- Voice priority settings (low, normal, high, hold)
- Programmable polyphony limits per Program
- MIDI note PPM display
- MIDI data receive monitor
- Selective MIDI data filtering per channel
- SysEx support (MIDI Sample Dump Standard and S1000-specific format)
Sample Editing
- Editing Features: Trim, loop, splice
- Loop Capacity: Up to 8 loops per sample
- Loop Aids: Auto-looping, crossfade looping
- Digital Filtering: 18dB/octave low-pass filter (no resonance control)
- Dynamic Controls:
- Filter cutoff controllable via velocity and aftertouch
- Amplitude envelope with velocity-sensitive attack and release
Program Organization
- Keygroups: Up to 99 per Program
- Samples per Keygroup: Up to 4
- Velocity Zones: Programmable per sample with optional crossfading
- Sample Parameters: Individual tuning, loudness, filter-cutoff, output routing, pan position
Expansion Options
- Digital Interface: Optional AES/EBU digital audio interface card
- Memory Expansion: Up to 8MB total
- Hard Disk Interface: Optional Atari/Supra or SCSI card
Other Features
- Drum Mode: Special mode for integration with Akai ME35T trigger-to-MIDI unit
- Backward Compatibility: Ability to load and translate S900 sample disks
- Software Upgradability: Via floppy or hard disk
Available Variants
- S1000PB: Playback-only version
- S1000HD: S1000 with onboard 40MB hard disk (factory)
The S1000 represented a significant step forward in sampling technology with its 16-bit stereo sampling, expandable memory, and sophisticated sample organization system. Its ability to load samples from the earlier S900 model ensured backward compatibility with existing libraries while providing improved sound quality through its interpolation algorithm for sample playback.
