Just got one over the weekend. I played one quite a bit in the 90's. It was my favorite synth I've ever played. Been looking for one I could afford for years. So glad to have this beast again!
@JorbLovesGear
2 жыл бұрын
It really is a beast. I love it too!
@traviswolfe2160
3 жыл бұрын
Thank you for this. Picked one up at auction a few weeks ago. I’m a guitar player, but having all kinds of creative fun with the Akai!
@JorbLovesGear
3 жыл бұрын
Happy to share! It's still one of my favorites. Enjoy it!
@Anton-wc7lb
9 ай бұрын
I was just listening my to enyas Caribbean blue, and I thought, hey, I should really get a synthesizer, I stumble on a synth in my local area and do a search on it, your video is the first to show up, and then you play something sounding exactly like that, stoked. Absolutely love the sounds you manage to bring out of this keyboard, I can see a wide range of use for this, thank you so much for making the video! I think this leaves me no choose but to go buy one, feeling very excited!! 🎉
@localopenmicpodcast
2 жыл бұрын
I purchased mine new back in 1986, I was stricken with madness when I sold it about four years later. I have regretted selling it on too many occasions to recall.
@JorbLovesGear
2 жыл бұрын
Many of us have that story. You ever get another one?
@localopenmicpodcast
2 жыл бұрын
@@JorbLovesGear No, I only started to consider it in the last 10 years. I paid about $400USD for mine back in 1986. It's tough to cough up $1500 for a used one. I have an M-Audio Venom now, it's growing on me.
@alphanumeric1529
Жыл бұрын
@@localopenmicpodcast Lol, what's the chance? I've got a Venom and an AX-60. These are the synths that smoke cigarettes in the bathroom, the synths the administration gave up on. They're free, but they might also slash your tires. Derelicts. Beautiful, broken, forgotten, timeless.
@TheDigitalManMusic
2 жыл бұрын
Interesting vid Jorb and good run down on this synth. I've had an AX60 since I was about 15 - took me about a 1/2 year to come up with the $ to pay for it. I have a fondness for this one, partly due to nostalgia but also because it does have a unique sounds and place in history. I have many other, must newer and more capable synths in my studio now but I do love playing and incorporating this one into projects from time to time. I've recently pulled it out again and am in the middle of a track that it's pretty dominant in, so looking forward to posting my vid of this track when I'm ready. All-in-all, a cool, quirky underrated synth!
@JorbLovesGear
2 жыл бұрын
Cheers thanks! I've considered re-doing the video, I think it deserves it
@sudbenzer6603
3 жыл бұрын
stunning one. i'm sold.
@domenicocusumano
3 жыл бұрын
classic and relevant today
@Rollur1234
Жыл бұрын
Beautiful sounds!
@redconfetti
14 күн бұрын
This was my first synth, got it used for $300 in 1998. I had to make payments on layaway. I didn’t have a case for it and it took some damage years ago when I was transporting it in a car, hit the brakes and it went flying into the back of my front seats. I’ve replaced keys and recently sent it into Bell Tone Synth works for repair after my installation of the Tauntek upgrade failed from a weak solder joint. It’s going to be nice having it fixed up nicely, with buttons working properly and the display not sinking in.
@dmillionaire7
3 жыл бұрын
NIce we back, lets get it
@redconfetti
14 күн бұрын
This was my first synth, got it used for $300 in 1998. I had to make payments on layaway. I didn’t have a case for it and it took some damage, but I’ve replaced keys and recently sent it into Bell Tone Synth works after my Tauntek upgrade had a weak solder joint that they fixed. It’s going to be nice having it fixed up nicely.
@sssyntax
10 ай бұрын
Hey I have one of these. One of the coolest synths around. It has tons of character and is completely unique.
@nobiwon3708
3 жыл бұрын
Somehow I was able to get my own AX10 last week for $10. I love this synth and can't wait to see what creative things I can do with it.
@JorbLovesGear
3 жыл бұрын
Hell yeah, hope you keep it around
@timodeboer8229
3 жыл бұрын
I can totally see this as a addition to any studio being the weird foggy synth. If you can live with those sliders. But definitely a weird duck but good kind of weird.
@JorbLovesGear
3 жыл бұрын
Sliders are a pain, but it is a special one, I do quite like it.
@briankehew579
2 жыл бұрын
16:30 oscillator modulating the cutoff is GENIUS; used to do it on Minimoog and modular moog. It's moving the frequency up/down as fast as the osc (like 1k or 200 Hz) As it parallels what the notes are doing, it sounds quite musical and interesting. I wish ALL synths had this one feature. And someday you should buy an S612 sampler and run it inside this (use the cable) where it acts as digital oscillators alongside the analog.
@JorbLovesGear
2 жыл бұрын
I did that with the ax73 and x7000! Video on the channel
@mikegividen3236
3 жыл бұрын
Watched both videos. Great job. You do great taming this beast! I agree it is a beautiful sounding synth. All the trouble you went through must make it even more gratifying when nice sounds come out. Are you going to do the Tauntek mod you talked about to fix the sliders or leave it in its natural state? Kinda like do you break the the horse in so you can ride it or just watch it run in the pasture? You have a great voice and manner for making videos along with synth knowledge so keep it up.
@thehistoryofchingfordwater8933
Жыл бұрын
Amazing video. Thank you so much.
@Micah421
3 жыл бұрын
Great vid man! Really enjoyed
@sauce_aux
2 жыл бұрын
Owwie that sounds lovely.
@JorbLovesGear
2 жыл бұрын
One of my fav's
@petekesauer9449
5 ай бұрын
Hi ..... I purchased one of these in nineteen eighty four.... For another hundred dollars the music store ( Which I later worked at)... Threw in a moog prodigy [as part of the deal).. Which ,at the time, was passe'.... I still own both these keyboards. And though , I use them sparingly, I very much like these keyboards ... You might look for an AX-80 ,which I believe was eight voice and all digital control and I think on board Delay... Good videos!
@DinoSvanhvit
Жыл бұрын
Love the AX-60!❤
@thehistoryofchingfordwater8933
Жыл бұрын
10.46. That eats a juno 106 for breakfast. Only the alpha juno is close.
@Novaheart1998
Жыл бұрын
I got one fairly cheap $700 in 2021 and its in good shape, I fixed a few issues and replaced all the LEDs with blue ones and it looks so cool now! This synth has a mind of its own, its a bit squirrelly due to the weird fader range and while its a typical subtractive poly from that era it does have nice features and it sounds nice. I also have the S-612 and I have plugged the 612 into the AX-60 and that is a very cool thing. I like it but its not the best poly out there. It is a lesser known synth and hard to find cheap these days. I have no plans to sell it as it fits in well with the type of futuristic retro music I tend to do and my other vintage samplers and synths.
@veridianclub
10 ай бұрын
you can fix the fader range issue with the Tauntek firmware
@Novaheart1998
10 ай бұрын
@@veridianclub i know but so far I haven’t bothered maybe next year.
@veridianclub
10 ай бұрын
same exact situation here @@Novaheart1998 😅
@RegebroRepairs
3 жыл бұрын
As Espen Kraft points out, you can run some of the early Akai Samplers through this, which is a really nice combination. But they are getting cult-prices now so it's probably not worth it.
@JorbLovesGear
3 жыл бұрын
I just got an x7000 to try this, actually
@curitibasam
3 жыл бұрын
@@JorbLovesGearshow ... if you can do a demo ... I'm curious to see how it works. I'm after one here in Brazil too.
@qilangomedia
3 жыл бұрын
I have an AX60 I've loved since I got it in 85. Even have a S612 but don't understand why it's a cult item now!
@SacSynths_Jack_Z
3 жыл бұрын
This is an awesome video! Really great breakdown. The entire Akai AX and VX line were under rated. The audio sounds off too me when you play polyphonically. It sounds like some sort of buffeting or very minor clipping that I don't hear when you talk or play just a single note. Maybe youtube compression? Although I've never heard that cause such a pronounced effect. Regardless, keep it up! I'd love to see more videos like this one!
@SacSynths_Jack_Z
3 жыл бұрын
Could just be all of the use of the LFOs
@JorbLovesGear
3 жыл бұрын
Thank you! And thanks for the feedback, I noticed that about the audio as well. It might be as simple as the AX60 being too hot into the mixer, and that got worse with KZitem. Isn't distracting enough to re-upload, but it is something I'll be careful of in the future!
@SacSynths_Jack_Z
3 жыл бұрын
@@JorbLovesGear Oh yeah, still sounds great. I can't believe you had to deal with that repair nightmare. Your knowledge of sound design is impressive. If you need any more vintage synth technical repair help in the future, don't hesitate to reach out.
@JorbLovesGear
3 жыл бұрын
@@SacSynths_Jack_Z Do you work on old gear? I could use some pointers on testing an old realistik moog mg-1, once it's time for my bench comes around.
@SacSynths_Jack_Z
3 жыл бұрын
@@JorbLovesGear Yes I do. I'd be happy to help. Can you direct message through youtube? I am not sure.
@kaykay9959
3 жыл бұрын
thank you, 💜
@j1m1j3nkins5
2 жыл бұрын
I have an ax73, and my favorite feature is the lfo routing, non of my other polysynths can do it.
@cchavezjr7
2 жыл бұрын
Still looking for one. I have an AX73 and 80 and need the 60 to complete the collection.
@JorbLovesGear
2 жыл бұрын
I'll let you know when mines up for sale. Lol!
@cchavezjr7
2 жыл бұрын
@@JorbLovesGear Haha thanks
@LordoftheBadgers
2 жыл бұрын
I once came across one in a cheap gear shop in the late 80s - never got to buy it because I was feeling extremely ill (turned out to be a stomach bug). Haunted by what would've been my first synth proper..
@btrain2385
3 жыл бұрын
Best AX60 breakdown I've seen. Glad I bought mine when they were selling for $350...blows my $250 Juno 106 out of the water ;)
@JorbLovesGear
3 жыл бұрын
Cheers thank you! Killer deals on both tbh. I've been cooking up a video on other 80s, 6 voice, 1 oscillator synths. "more than just the juno" or something. So far its sixtrak, PolySix, and my boy the ax60.
@btrain2385
3 жыл бұрын
@@JorbLovesGear I can't think of any others with a single oscillator but the Prophet 600, Kawai SX-240, and Matrix 6 were also competitors of the era.
@alphanumeric1529
Жыл бұрын
@@JorbLovesGear In an underfunded quest for an 80's ana poly, I first scored a six track for decent price, one voice chip was bad, seller lied, he had to pay to ship it back, and used every expletive I've ever heard on me. The beginning of the end of eBay for me. Then I got the AX-60 right before prices went cooccoo. Love it, hate it. Will never sell it, want to sell it to buy a Behringer pro-800. Then got the Alpha Juno in Home Synth attire. Didn't notice it at first, but one of the buckets of the bucket brigade chorus is bad, get a cyclical ptfff which just drives me crazy. So far, my quest has been fraught. I'm to the point where I'd really like the Hydrasynth in keyboard form, new, just so I don't have to deal with broken 80's shiz. I just don't have the money for repairs... I also don't have the money for the Hydrasynth... lol! But boy, I would trade my ax-60 for a Hydra flat out.
@Tape_Echo_Player
3 жыл бұрын
First. Sounds great! I want a vintage synth.
@JorbLovesGear
3 жыл бұрын
There's more options than there seems, and it's pretty hard to go wrong. Is this the front runner yet? Lol
@alphabeets
3 жыл бұрын
It would be fun to mod that synth.
@JorbLovesGear
3 жыл бұрын
Totally agree, what would you do to it?
@cryingjordan8842
Жыл бұрын
Got one of these several years ago before prices skyrocketed (esp recently tikes) and sold it for the exact same issue with the faders which you show resolved in another vid. Seeing that gave me a bit of the old GAS but I've got a prophet rev2, Juno60, Juno2, and a Matrix6R kicking around so I'm wondering if theres really anything the old AX60 can do that I'm missing out on or if I just love this video you made hahahaha.
@thehistoryofchingfordwater8933
Жыл бұрын
This was akais best synth right? Actually better than the ax 80. In theory, you could program Roland alpha juno sounds on this? Not available on any other Roland juno, or akai.
@rickymangum8977
2 жыл бұрын
Have you installed mod yet? I love my AX-60. I want to do mod but not anytime soon. Waiting on JX-P3 to arrive. I hate gear. Lol.
@JorbLovesGear
2 жыл бұрын
Yup! kzitem.info/news/bejne/pmaCv2R7oIaEl3o
@thomascook9032
3 жыл бұрын
Love my AX60 but have had issues with the arpeggio sync. I believe it’s s-trig instead of CV/Gate and I don’t have any gear that generates that signal. But I always wondered if the sync signal went to the LFO section as well because the down-slope wave on the filter is *chefs kiss*
@JorbLovesGear
3 жыл бұрын
I dont think it does go to the lfo, i cant remember if the LFO can be synced after the Tauntek mod either, but maybe!
@alphanumeric1529
Жыл бұрын
Man, I forget where I left off on this... I had a sync cable running through my patchbay to the ax-60. Then forgot about it, and I can't recall, I had no sound, or no LFO, whatever it was, I was apoplectic for a minute there, a minute being a day or a week, can't recall. Lol, was so relieved to find that sync cable, pulled it out, and the crazy bird sang again. Can't recall where I got with the sync. I think I just sent an audio pulse from my daw, no modular shiz. I think I was successful with the test then got distracted by some other issue/song, then just forgot about it... Afterwards, I've just sunk by ear.
@infindebula
2 жыл бұрын
I got an AX60 a few years ago and I love it. But I really, really dislike having the same set of controls for two different envelopes - I always find myself wanting to tweak both envelopes at the same time, but the controls end up being in the wrong position every time I switch between the two envelopes, or else I keep tweaking the wrong envelope.
@JorbLovesGear
2 жыл бұрын
Totally agree. At a minimum, a switch for changing both at once, and then if I wanted to deviate switch back. Actually sort of surprised that isnt part of the tauntek firmware!
@bintangdomena
Жыл бұрын
Hi Jorb, Thank you for this video !! It really helped me feel more comfortable with some of the design features and also the nature of how the sliders work. I noticed that you have the dials above the wheels bottomed out; you are so much more advanced than I am I would love to know what your thinking is regarding increasing the influence of the wheels via the dials. Thank you again :)
@JorbLovesGear
Жыл бұрын
Not necessarily where I leave them, but just to demonstrate full range. Adjust to a comfortable range, I'd say, that let's you be as subtle as you need to be
@bintangdomena
Жыл бұрын
@@JorbLovesGear OK- Gotcha- you just wanted to take the influence of those out to demonstrate the patches and features more purely- well done and thanks again
@jimijimi5512
3 жыл бұрын
hi jorb - good work - im planning on getting one - i will try and get the Tauntek as well - the knob situation seems to be annoying - any things i should consider when buying it - the seller says its in top condition - and ill be paying 1200usd for it - caus i live in europe, there are fever of these machines here than in the states. one thing i have noticed is that there is a lot of ax60 for sale which are in bad condition , is there some reason for this i should be aware of and that i can check before i buy - sincerely
@JorbLovesGear
3 жыл бұрын
Great questions, the things that I was sort of blindsided by at first, not all of the voices were sounding when I first played it, tested with short envelopes moving up six notes in a row, listening to see if any are dropping. Every 2nd, or 3rd, etc. That, and the patch memory being corrupted, if you click through presets are they actually recalling their settings and playing sounds. I hope it turns out well, follow up if it does! Hope you enjoy it like I have.
@SamuelKaruta
3 жыл бұрын
great video, good tips, it elucidated me in some things of the "fader" that really do not respond smoothly ... I will do some tests when I get home and turn on mine. Question: 1) there is no way to send the patches via midi (same as dx7)? 2) How do I get the factory patches? continue with the AX60 tips, congratulations.
@JorbLovesGear
3 жыл бұрын
Factory patches can be loaded through the tape jack! Search around online, it will be an audio file thats actually just data. Load from tape, and play that audio file and it will verify and load that patches that way. No sysex without a mod!
@curitibasam
3 жыл бұрын
@@JorbLovesGear did you do this procedure? it's safe? because mine has some patches, some repeated, but working ...
@EmissaryRemix
2 жыл бұрын
Did you talk about the effects anywhere? Is there chorus? What is that reverb?
@JorbLovesGear
2 жыл бұрын
Theres a built in chorus, which i think i bring up at some point. Reverb is from my mixer I think, nothing special
@Kurecify
3 жыл бұрын
There is something you can do wit the sliders. They are apparently wrong. Should be logarithmic but the are linear, or vice versa. I think is on gearslutz or similar forum the instructions how to do it (it is said to be easy and quick) and what parts to get. I have ax60, I dont have any issues. Havent done the mod yet thou.
@JorbLovesGear
3 жыл бұрын
I've read about that! I would be more than comfortable changing a slider out. I've seen some aftermarket firmwares address that issue too.
@kiko1935
2 жыл бұрын
I know the keyboard does not have velocity but does it respond to velocity via another midi keyboard?
@JorbLovesGear
2 жыл бұрын
Not stock, but I believe it can after the tauntek mod
@kiko1935
2 жыл бұрын
@@JorbLovesGear right on, thanks dood
@Sebastien_2121
Жыл бұрын
My dream has always been to have an Akai AX 60/73/80, even though I have DX7, Junos, Jupiters, Korgs….
@Pamberjack_
3 жыл бұрын
Jorb! Hello there. I have a quick question. On the strength of your 2 AX60 videos I have aquired one for myself and it's in for repair right now. It's not making any sounds and the LED screen is dead. I'm not sure how much of Resonant Screams is real and how much is poetic licence, but can I ask what were the issues with yours and what was repaired to get it working again? Thanks!
@JorbLovesGear
3 жыл бұрын
Most is real! I never had a dead scree, but I do know the power supplies in these can go bad. Any word from the shop?
@Pamberjack_
3 жыл бұрын
@@JorbLovesGear the synth tech has replaced a few ic chips on the cpu board but it’s still dead. Chorus is ‘whooshing’ but that’s it. Next step is to replace IC5 (or as us non-tech peeps call it, ‘the big one on the left’) on the cpu board. Apparently the ROM is OK tho. Suggested it might have has something spilled on it… PS. The power supply seems OK.
@Pamberjack_
2 жыл бұрын
@@JorbLovesGear Synth tech has the AX working! I'm super excited. I know this is a big ask, but have you found a set of factory sounds or do you have a set of yours as an audio file? Feel free to ignore if you don't, but if you do... 🙏
@JorbLovesGear
2 жыл бұрын
@@Pamberjack_ Someone was kind enough to put them on SoundCloud! soundcloud.app.goo.gl/i2nWW
Пікірлер: 101