Akai Introduces USB and IDE Interfaces
for S5000/S6000 Samplers
February 17, 2000
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 Professional’s 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 Akai’s 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.
For more information
visit Akai on the web at www.akaipro.com | 
