Akai S700 (1987)
12-bit rackmount MIDI sampler with 6-voice polyphony, built-in QuickDisk drive, and expandable memory, made in Japan.
Overview
The Akai S700 MIDI Digital Sampler is a 12-bit rackmount sampler released in 1987 as the rack version of the X7000 keyboard sampler. Made in Japan, it was part of Akai's follow-up to the S612 and a smaller sibling to the S900, marking the beginning of Akai's tradition of S-prefixed beige samplers. It supports mono sampling at up to 40kHz and features 6 standard voices, expandable to 16 with the optional ASK70 flash memory board. The unit has a user-friendly interface with 19 buttons, a data wheel, and a 16-character backlit LCD, and includes dedicated mic- and line-level inputs, MIDI In/Out/Thru, and a 13-pin DIN socket for six independent voice outputs.
Specifications
| Bit Depth | 12-bit linear |
| Sampling | Mono |
| Maximum Sampling Frequency | 40kHz |
| Polyphony | 6 voices (16 with ASK70 expansion) |
| Sample Memory | 128 KB (expandable to 256 KB) |
| Storage Media | QuickDisk (2.8-inch) |
| Rack Size | 2U, 19-inch rackmount |
| Weight | Seven kilograms |
| Outputs | Line-out, 13-pin DIN multi-voice output |
| MIDI | In, Out, Thru |
| Filter | Low-pass with velocity-modulated cutoff, no resonance |
| LFO | Sine wave with speed, depth, and delay controls |
| Looping | Includes 'alternate' looping |
| Editing | Trim, re-sample, overdub |
Design
The S700 boots its operating system from ROM and uses non-dynamically allocated memory, with each of the six samples limited to one sixth of total RAM. It features a fixed-waveform LFO (sine), a velocity-sensitive low-pass filter, and release-time envelope control mappable to key velocity. The architecture favors short percussion samples unless bandwidth is reduced to extend sample length. The unit includes a built-in QuickDisk drive for sample storage and can load S612-formatted disks. The S700/X7000 series are light grey/white in color and include three knobs for recording, monitoring, and master volume.
Context
Introduced in 1987, the S700 followed the S612 and S900, serving as a more capable successor with six simultaneous samples, a built-in disk drive, and support for individual voice outputs. It offered near professional-quality sampling at a reasonable price and was praised for its bomb-proof design and warm, lo-fi 12-bit character, especially for drums and analog-style sounds. Unlike the S612, it allowed multisample playback and expansion via the ASK70 board.
Market
The QuickDisk drive is known to be unreliable and often requires belt replacement; QuickDisks are now hard to find. Common issues include failed drive belts and sampling input problems. Maintenance requires specific ICs (BA6110, D41464C-12, PC900) and power cords. Market value remains low due to limited memory, obsolete storage, and reliability concerns.
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