S5000/S6000 Samplers Gain USB/IDE Support

Akai debuts new USB and IDE Interface Boards at the February NAMM. Akai's USB interface board is a new method of transferring sound files from samplers to computer-based editing software. Available for Akai Professionals S5000 and S6000 samplers, users get increased speed and reliability.

With available software interfaces for both Macintosh® and Windows® users, the new Akai USB interface allows faster and more reliable file transfers than SCSI-2 based devices. Completed samples can be easily transferred to DAW software at speeds faster and more reliably than before. USB allows the transfer of data at speeds 50% faster than most parallel connections, increasing performance and user productivity. USB also offers musicians the ultimate ease in access - USB "plug and play" feature allows users to simply plug in a device and begin working and the "hot pluggable" feature lets users switch USB devices without powering down. The format allows for much easier cabling, the connectors require no terminators, memory addresses or ID numbers and USB cables are inexpensive and easily obtainable.

Included with the USB interface board is Akais newly updated M.E.S.A. (Modular Editing System) software. The new M.E.S.A. software provides complete control and editing of Program, Multi, and Effects parameters. It also provides the ability to control of one or more Akai S5000 and S6000 samplers from a central computer. The software is available for both Macintosh and Windows based computers and can also be downloaded at no cost from the Akai website at www.akaipro.com.

Akai will also unveil their powerful new hardware tool for both the S5000/S6000 and DPS12i product lines. The new IDE Interface is a SCSI to IDE Converter and allows the use of internal, low cost, high capacity IDE drives for storage and virtual sample recording. IDE drives are easily integrated into the SCSI chain, and come complete with selectable SCSI ID and termination.

The new Akai USB and IDE interfaces will be available in June, 2000.