Akai S3000

Category: Products / samplers / akai samplers
Added: 09-May-99 | Author: admin
New price: n/a | S/H price: ?? -
Company Link: Akaipro.com
Company Link: Akai archive downloads
Company Link: Akai manuals & OS page
Akai S3000
Next up from the S1000 & S1100, we go to the first 3000 series - still 16 bit samplers, but with an improved OS, better filters - (with optional second filter upgrade or fitted), Balanced XLR L/R in/out added to the usual 1/4" un-balanced L/R in/out ..... 8 polyphonic outs.... & some basic added fx too !!....The S3000 was the standard with all the extra stuff as optional, the 3000i, (as usual for all Akai samplers suffixed with 'i'), added s/pdif as standard, but the rest optional...
All models except the 2800's could take a hard-drive internally or in the case of the 3200, (see 3200 page) - it came fitted... also, the 3000 & 3200 could do direct to h/d recording... standard on the 3200 & optional on the 3000 & 3000i....
There was also the CD3000i , (see it's own page) - which offered the idea to load samples from it's internal cdrom only, thus providing a sample-library playback unit.... but ....no ability to sample... (yup - it doesnt sample)... & 1/4" un-balanced connectors all round....
Finally, they released a cut-down cheaper 3000 series - The 2800's - These had reduced features, and can be a bargain if picked up cheap & fully expanded.....
main thing to watch with all these older 3000 models, is the use of the Akai sample ram boards which are NOT standard simms.... so unless the sampler comes s/h WITH this extra ram fitted, it is hard to find, and bloody expensive when you do find it... (8mb retailed new at 300 quid !!)..... So... here's the spec's for the S3000 & S3000i....
S-3000
Sampling System | 16 bit linear |
Sampling Rates | 44.1 kHz / 22.05 kHz |
Memory | 8 MB (standard) / 32 MB (expanded) |
Polyphony | 32 voices |
Maximum Samples | 255 |
Maximum Programs | 254 |
Recording Gain | HI = -58 dBm / MID = -38 dBm / LOW = -18 dBm |
Filters | Digital moving low-pass filter (-12 dB/octave with resonance) |
Envelope Generators | 2 (1 multi-stage) |
LFOs | 2 |
Hard Disk Recording | IB-304F 2nd LSI board (optional) |
Effects | Echo/Chorus/Pitch Shift/Delay |
Display | Back-lit 40 x 8 characters (640 x 240 dots) |
Help Pages | Provided |
Storage Devices | 3.5-inch 2HD/2DD floppy disk |
3.5-inch hard disk (optional) internally mountable | |
Standard Inputs | XLR (balanced) x 2, 1/4-inch phone jack (balanced) x 2 |
Standard Outputs | XLR (balanced) x 2, 1/4-inch phone jack (unbalanced) x 2 |
Assignable Outputs | 1/4-inch phone jack (unbalanced) x 8 |
Headphones | 1/4-inch stereo phone jack x 1 |
Footswitch | 1/4-inch phone jack x 1 |
MIDI | DIN-5P IN x 1, OUT x 1, THRU x 1 |
SCSI | IB-301S SCSI interface board (optional) |
AES/EBU Digital In/Out | IB-302D digital interface board (optional) |
SMPTE Reader/Generator | IB-303T SMPTE board (optional) |
S-3000i
Sampling System | 16 bit linear |
Sampling Rates | 44.1 kHz / 22.05 kHz |
Memory | 8 MB (standard) / 32 MB (expanded) |
Polyphony | 32 voices |
Maximum Samples | 255 |
Maximum Programs | 254 |
Recording Gain | HI = -58 dBm / MID = -38 dBm / LOW = -18 dBm |
Filters | Digital moving low-pass filter (-12 dB/octave with resonance) |
Optional upgrade to an additional hi-/band-/low-pass filter | |
Envelope Generators | 2 (1 multi-stage) |
LFOs | 2 |
Hard Disk Recording | IB-304F 2nd LSI board (optional) |
Effects | Echo/Chorus/Pitch Shift/Delay |
Display | Back-lit 40 x 8 characters (640 x 240 dots) |
Help Pages | Provided |
Storage Devices | 3.5-inch 2HD/2DD floppy disk |
3.5-inch hard disk (optional) internally mountable | |
Standard Inputs | XLR (balanced) x 2, 1/4-inch phone jack (balanced) x 2 |
Standard Outputs | XLR (balanced) x 2, 1/4-inch phone jack (unbalanced) x 2 |
Assignable Outputs | 1/4-inch phone jack (unbalanced) x 8 |
Headphones | 1/4-inch stereo phone jack x 1 |
Footswitch | 1/4-inch phone jack x 1 |
MIDI | DIN-5P IN x 1, OUT x 1, THRU x 1 |
SCSI | Provided |
AES/EBU Digital In/Out | IB-302D digital interface board (optional) |
SMPTE Reader/Generator | IB-303T SMPTE board (optional) |
So... The S3000 & S3000i - great old workhorses, and preferable if the price is right to newer models like the S2000 as you get the 8 poly outs as standard, the same ram - (32mb IF already expanded when you get it s/h), and even some included fx...... User comments please !!....
Product Manuals or Files

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User Comments
Product: Akai - S3000
Name: Flavio Bos-Designer and producer
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 04-Oct-02
Hi,
I'm looking for the instruction manual of the s3000i...
could you please give me some infos about...
thanx
Flavio
Product rating out of 5: ![]() |
Product: Akai - S3000
Name: admin
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.akaipro.com/consumersite/manuals.asp?
Activity: Professional
Date: 04-Oct-02
there's the akai page of manuals on akaipro site. There is no specific s3000i manual but there is s3000 others and an s3000 adendum. it might help anyways.
Product rating out of 5: ![]() |
Product: Akai - S3000
Name: patrick
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 18-Dec-02
where can I get a manual for the S3000?
NOT S3000 XL!
Product rating out of 5: ![]() |
Product: Akai - S3000
Name: SySteMic
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 10-Oct-05
I have been using an S3000i for many years now. As I understood it the i was for the hard drive, I have no cd drive. The 16 bit sampling gives some great oomph to kicks and bass and the configuration options between the 2 filters, 2 LFO's and three envelopes make some real weirdness possible. They are going for next to nothing now but, really, make sure you got the memory in there. I've got 10 meg and with carefull handling I've only run out once but it's a pain. The cost of RAM is so stupid that you could buy a fully expanded one for less than 8 meg. Get the extra filter board if possible, these machines can be highly creative synths. To use them just for sample playback is a waste of some vast power.
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Last added comment
Product: Akai - S3000
Name: Flamprider
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 03-Sep-13
I have had a S300i for about 10 years now, I bought it second hand, this is a brilliant sampler which still works 17 years after it was made!
A lot of modern equipment just doesn't have the build quality of these.
They have 3 internal sounds built in, sine wave, saw tooth & pulse which are very usable for sub style bass, especially in conjunction with the filters.
They just sound so much phatter than a DAW.
I have nothing but praise for this classic piece of hardware.
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'Akai S3000'
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