Yamaha's only real assault on the late-80s sampler wars, the TX16W is a 12-bit rack sampler with a character all its own: grainy, punchy, and (whisper it) arguably more pleasant than the Akai S900 it was chasing. Under the hood, a Motorola 68000, eight individual outputs, digital filters, and variable sampling up to 50kHz. It flopped commercially thanks to a famously clunky factory OS, which is exactly why it stayed cheap and became a cult favourite (Aphex Twin among them). Load the community Typhoon OS and it transforms into a genuinely usable, characterful sampler. A lo-fi weapon for anyone who likes their samples with attitude.

FEATURES & PROS:

• 12-Bit Character: Grainy, punchy sampling with a distinctive vintage grit.
• Eight Individual Outputs: Route every voice out separately for processing and mixing.
• Digital Filters: Onboard filtering to shape your samples.
• Variable Sample Rate: Up to 50kHz mono for surprisingly capable fidelity.
• Cult Status: Underrated in its day, now a favourite of left-field producers.
• Typhoon OS Ready: The community OS turns the clunky factory software into a joy.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Model: Yamaha TX16W
• Released: 1987
• Type: 12-bit rack sampler
• Voices: 16
• Sampling: up to 50kHz mono, 33kHz stereo
• Memory: 1.5MB, expandable to 6MB
• Outputs: 8 individual plus stereo
• Storage: 3.5" floppy
• Connectivity: MIDI, front-panel mic/line input