Akai AX-80

Robert L's Analog Synths

Akai AX-80

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Akai AX-80 is an analog synthesizer with great technical specifications, many parameters to control, and renowned Akai quality of production. It features eight voices of polyphony with two DCOs and one sub-oscillator per voice, nice analog filter (one VCF per voice), ADSR envelope (one per voice), and even three LFOs (Low Frequency Oscillator). Two of them are meant for modulating the two oscillators, and the remaining one for the VCF. You won't be in a shortage of the modulation sources, that's for sure.
Akai AX-80 is one of the synthesizers that is really under- estimated, and didn't become very popular for several reasons often hard to understand. Yes it's true that the effort of the constructors in putting several LCD displays and the digital type of editing instead of dedicated sliders and knobs, from

nowadays standpoint comes as completely counterproduc- tive, but then, Roland and Korg synths from that time were build the same way, with only exception of having just one display! Also, the fact that it does sound different from other synths only means that it has its own character, and will offer a new palette of sounds. It offers a special texture sound, excellent for warm analog basses, pads, brasses and rather nice effects.
The peculiarity of the AX-80 comes as a challenge for a serious synthesist looking for new timbres in analog synthesis. The fact that it can be bought for the money of technically inferior machines, only adds to the attractiveness of its purchase for analog fans and collectors (send your email). (The picture is gratefully taken from Vintage Synth Explorer).