The S3000XL's clever sibling: the same beloved 16-bit Akai sampling engine with a CD-ROM drive built into the front, so you drop in a sample disc and load straight off it. No external reader, no fuss. Floppy drive, big display, analog and digital sampling inputs, and the full back-panel I/O round it out.

FEATURES & PROS:

• Built-in CD-ROM: Load the huge Akai sample-CD library directly, no separate SCSI reader needed.
• S3000XL engine: 32-voice, 16-bit/44.1 sampling with the classic Akai filter.
• It Samples Too: Analog and digital inputs plus direct-to-disk recording, so this is a true sampler, not just a player.
• Full I/O: Eight individual outputs, digital out, SCSI, and full MIDI.
• Self-contained: A complete sampling station in a single rack box.

GENRE / USE

• Studio and live sampling for electronic, hip-hop and pop production
• Instant access to the vast Akai sample-CD library, plus your own sampling via the analog and digital inputs
• Multitimbral playback of drums, loops, pianos, strings and basses through the classic Akai filters
• Direct-to-disk recording and Standard MIDI File playback for self-contained sets

THE WORD: Sound on Sound's Paul Ward called the CD3000XL a superb sampler with all the editing and synthesis facilities expected of Akai, praising how it couples CD-ROM speed with flexible floppy-based setups as a winning combination. Read the Sound on Sound review.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Stereo CD-ROM sampler, 16-bit / 44.1kHz
• 32-voice polyphony, 8MB RAM standard, expandable
• Built-in quad-speed CD-ROM and floppy drive
• Analog and digital (S/PDIF) sampling inputs; direct-to-disk recording
• 8 individual outputs, digital out, SCSI, MIDI In/Out/Thru
• 3U rackmount