The Akai X7000 – One Of The Coolest Vintage Sampling Keyboards
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Akai X7000 Keyboard Sampler
This was the first sampling keyboard that I owned, and what a blast it was! I must have sampled everything within ten miles of my house and all my friends and relatives too!
If you can find this vintage piece (street price around $300 – $400) I know you’ll have a lot of fun as well. There are a few things to watch out for though.
It uses an outdated 2.8″ format disk drive that records to Quick Disks. If the drive is broken or wears out it could be very hard to find a replacement. As for finding blank disks, a quick search on Google didn’t turn up much. There were some hardware word processors that used this same disk format so that might give you some leads.
Also, the keyboard itself wasn’t very heavy duty. I’m a hard player and I had to replace the entire keyboard assembly every sixteen months or so.
However, you have to keep in mind that I was gigging and rehearsing five to seven nights per week, so it saw a lot of use and abuse. In your studio environment that probably wouldn’t even be an issue.
Other hardware samplers you might like to look at would be the Ensoniq Mirage and EPS, the Emu Emax and the Roland S10.
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hey i picked up the x7000 just a few hours ago at a yard sale for $10 and my only question is
how do i get different tones? i tried messing with different bottons but so different sound.
please reply
Hey Mike,
Congratulations! What a great find at that price.
When you first power it up the RAM is empty as there are no samples loaded. To load samples you’ll need 2.8″ Quick Disks that have Akai sample set files on them.
When you turn the power off the unit will dump the RAM and the next time you turn it on you’ll need to load in the sounds you want again.
I would keep my eye on ebay and craigslist for someone that has library of disks for this machine. It probably wouldn’t hurt to locate a forum dedicated to vintage synths as well. People out there still have these lying around.
Happy hunting!
Hello!
I’m looking at buying one of these, mostly because i have so much fun with my mpc1000. Is this going to be fun? I like to sample things and I guess this thing can record anything you plug into it? How much does the keyboard change the sound? I’m hoping it really gives them a new voice.
Thanks for having this website, this is crazy.
‘Turn it up!’
Yes, this can record anything you plug into it! It’s slightly lower sample resolution than today’s gear, but I think it has nice sound to it.
This Akai X7000 is one of the last purchases I made before I left the music scene 25 years ago…I never used it. My IT career required me to begin travelling alot as well as putting in a lot of hours. My interest in music has recently been renewed and I found this covered in a corner of my old music room. I am now trying to figure out if I can load samples to it from a PC and where do I get the samples. Does anyone know? I have checked the internet but have not been able to come up with anything. I don’t want to really sample any sounds myself … I don’t think I have the know how or patience for that anymore. Does anyone know where I can find some samples for my mint Akai X7000 or is it useless to me now? I have emailed Akai but have had no reply.
Thanks!
Wolly
Hey there Wolly!
The only way I know of to get samples into the X7000 is via the disk drive with 2.8″ Quick Disks. I think your best bet is going to be watching ebay and Craigslist for someone that’s selling their collection, or offering to make copies. Also, I’ll bet there’s a forum somewhere that has trades or copies available. Maybe someone has even figured out how to interface a computer and/or a standard hard drive. Please let me know if you find something like this that I can share with the community here.
I have a library of akai x7000 disks available for sale. I use my x700 regularly in a reggae band * love to use it has my lower organ….Due to one Hammond B3 disk…All the rest i can sell if any of you are interested…I have about 40 or so…John @ 801-637-7014
I have a library of akai x7000 disks available for sale. I use my x700 regularly in a reggae band & love to use it has my lower organ….Due to one Hammond B3 disk…All the rest i can sell if any of you are interested…I have about 40 or so…John @ 801-637-7014
Hi everyone
Please help! Some of keys on keyboard X7000 does not work. I would try to find new keyboard but i have no luck. Does enyone know where to buy new keyboard or how to fix the problem. Please mail me
Many thanks
I have an X-7000, and I loved it, but I haven’t used it for quite a while – the last time I did, the E key, just left of center, was dead. I play in E a lot, so that’s a problem. Anyway, I have a bunch of the quikdisks, with factory and homemade samples. I used an Atari ST with a librarian program, so I have hundreds stored there. Haven’t fired that up for ages, either. I wonder if the Atari emulators for Windows (or I believe Mac as well) would run the librarian proggies, so then the samples could be shared freely. I really must power up the old Ak, and see how she’s doing.
Let us know if you get one of those emulators to work as you describe.
Hey all.
I recently inherited an X7000 keyboard. I don’t really need it. Looking to sell.
I don’t have any quick discs with it to test loading and unloading of sounds.
Upon pwering up, the disc drive comes on and is noisy…waiting or a disc i assume.
Lowest C# and D# keys seem to be a bit askew.
Otherwise, this thing is in beautiful shape.
Anyone interested can email me:
I might ebay this but thought I’d try the target market here!
Hope someone can enjoy this piece.
I have an Akai X7000 Keyboard Sampling Synth that I will give free to the first person who contacts me and (first preference) arranges to pick it up or (second preference) pays for shipping. I live in Floyds Knobs, IN (near Louisville KY). I have not used it in years, I recall that the disk drive does not work (but from reading here that sounds like a simple fix). This was used in a local small-time recording studio before I bought it in 1989 or 90 and used it for several years in my home. I also will throw in a bunch of factory and custom disks – some from the studio (if I can find them). rayhortonATinsightbb.com
One can find the manual for the X700 here:
http://www.vintagesynth.com/akai/x7000.php