S3200XL Overview

For over a decade, in major recording studios, in post-production facilities, in project studios and in the hands of individual creative artists all over the world, the "S" Series samplers from Akai have consistently established the standard for professional digital sampling. Now, Akai introduces the S3200XL, a new sampler that adds powerful new capabilities, new ease-of-use and new expandability to the "S" Series.

New Functions of the S3200XL

The latest generation of the "S" Series samplers adds power, flexibility and expandability. Incorporating all the capabilities that have made the S3000 series the world standard for professional sampling, the new S3200XL adds features like a powerful MultiMode for ease of layering and multitimbral sequencing. Like a Multi-effects card that provides four independent channels of studio-quality digital effects. Like RAM expansion with readily available SIMMs. Like optional Flash Memory boards that allow you to store your favorite programs, ready to play immediately upon power-up.

New MultiMode

Akai's new Multi Mode makes it easier than ever to set up your sampler for multitimbral sequencing. A Multi setup provides 16 "parts," each of which can be assigned a different Program and can be set to respond to a different MIDI channel. Each part also has its own Level, Pan, Tuning, Transposition, Output Routing and Effects Send (with EB16 Multi-effects processor board). This allows one Program to be optimized in different ways for different sequences without the need to copy and modify the original Program. Each part can also be assigned a Voice Priority (Low, High, Norm or Hold). In the event that a complex sequence exceeds the sampler's polyphony, this lets you ensure that important parts are never "stolen" by less important parts.
Most importantly, Multi Mode allows you to edit the Multi setup while a sequence is running, so you can immediately hear the effect of any changes in the context of all of the parts.

New Multi-Effects

The S3200XL comes standard with Akai's new EB16 (SampleVerb in the US) Multi-effects processor. The EB16 is a true four-channel, studio-quality effects processor which offers two multi-effects channels with up to six simultaneous effects each and two additional reverb channels.

The multi-effects channels provide distortion, EQ, ring modulation, a choice of modulation effects that includes chorus, phasing, flanging, pitch shifting and rotary speaker emulation, as well as echo/delay and reverb. The reverb-only channels add two additional reverbs for a total of four independent reverbs.

All EB16 effects are extensively editable and custom multi-effects configurations can be stored in 50 effects presets. An additional 50 presets are reserved just for reverbs.

Although the EB16 can add spectacular effects to single programs, its true power becomes evident when it is used in Multi Mode. Here it is configured as four processors, each with its own effects bus. Each Multi Mode part can be routed, with its own independent send level, to one of the processors. In this way, an entire multitimbral composition, complete with mix and effects, can be executed entirely in the digital domain and routed through the digital outputs directly to DAT or to an Akai digital disk recorder. With the EB16, the S3200XL truly functions as a digital studio in a single box.

Flexible envelope generators combine with resonant filters for versatile program editing

In program editing, you can assemble your samples for playback. When you do, you can split a keyboard into a number of "keygroups" and allocate up to four samples to a keygroup for effects such as layering, velocity switching and fading and stereo sample playback. Overlapping and crossfading makes transition from one keygroup to another smooth and natural.

In a keygroup, the sample may be passed through resonant filters for tonal modification to create a sound similar to an analogue synthesizer. Moreover, the S3200XL has a second LSI which includes other types of resonant filters such as High Pass, Band Pass, Low Pass, etc. With this LSI, you can create some very interesting synth sounds.

You can also apply modulation from two LFOs (Low Frequency Oscillators) with three waveforms (triangle, sawtooth and square), for vibrato, tremolo and filter modulation. Mono legato emulates the styling and phrasing of solo instruments such as flute and oboe, to give each sample more expressive power. It also replicates a monosynth bass and leadlines.

In addition to a standard ADSR envelope generator (ENV1), there is a second (ENV2) with eight rate and level parameters. Together they permit fine tuning in creating new sounds as well as old classic sounds. For your convenience, there are a total of 25 preset envelope templates which you can directly access and fine adjust if need be. They include Piano, Electronic Organ, Strings/Vox, Brass, Short Percussion, Dry\Drum, Synth Bass, Invert Filter, Swell Attack, Rise Release, etc.

APM: flexible manipulation of acoustic samples

APM (Assignable Program Modulation) lets you choose any modulation source (mod-wheel, pitch bend, aftertouch, velocity, key position, LFO1, LFO2, envelope 1, envelope 2, definable external MIDI controller) to any control input (filter cut off frequency, LFO rate, LFO depth, amplitude, pitch and pan position). This adds to the flexibility when editing samples of acoustic instruments. For example, you can route the modwheel to open the filter in a brass program for swells and growls. And you can route aftertouch to control the panning's LFO speed to emulate the sound of a rotary speaker speeding up and slowing down in a classic rock organ sound.

Direct recording on hard disk

With the S3200XL and S3000XL, you can directly record and play back a sample on a hard disk or an MO disk.

The random access capability of a hard disk comes in handy especially when editing samples. You can easily cut the start or end of a sample, change pitch, make copies, control MIDI notes and play back on the internal clock or in sync with an external SMPTE time code-tasks that would be time-consuming with a tape machine. Moreover, while you record and play samples, you still retain access to the versatile functions of the sampler, so you can add live vocals or guitar sounds during automatic play from a sequencer. Both sampled data and direct recordings can coexist on the disk side by side.

New options ready to expand with your needs

As powerful as the "S" Series samplers are in their basic configurations, they have been designed to be expanded to meet the requirements of many specific applications. The S3200XL already comes standard with the EB16 and IB304F as well as a SMPTE reader/generator, AES/EBU and S/PDIF digital I/O and 16 MB of RAM. Expansion options include Flash Memory and an internal hard disk or 650 MB Magneto/Optical drive.

S3200XL RAM memory expansion

The following are the possible S3200XL RAM configurations:

Standard memory (on board): 16 MB + Slot 1: 4 MB = 20 MB
Total Memory Standard memory (on board): 16 MB + Slot 1: 16 MB = 32 MB Total Memory