AX-80

click on AX-80 for larger photo

Akai’s first venture into the synthesizer arena. Released in 1984 for $1,395 and later reduced to $999. The unit is mono-tambral eight voice with two DCO’s (plus a sub-osc) per voice. It features a 5 octave velocity sensitive keyboard with a nice amount of resistance. Velocity can be routed to control the filter cutoff and / or the VCA, and has a nice full range of 99 steps. A spring loaded pitch bend wheel and non spring loaded modulation wheel are at the base left on the keyboard (where they belong). The wheels parameters are global and are controlled by two knobs above the wheels. The pitch wheel has a maximum range of +/- 1 octave. The modulation wheel can control the oscillator modulation and/or filter modulation.

The most interesting feature on the unit is its fluorescent display which details the parameter value of almost all parameters at once via bar graphs (only one envelope is displayed at a time). The display makes programming the unit a breeze and is very informative especially if your new to subtractive synthesis. Almost each parameter has its own switch (32 switches in all) and the parameter’s value is changed using a knob for large changes and membrane switches for +/- 1 increments. The know functions in real time so you can adjust a specific parameter as you play. In addition to the massive parameter display the unit also features a two digit and three digit L.E.D. which in edit mode displays the parameter selected for editing and its current value. Unfortunately when its in edit mode the display no longer tells you what patch you are editing. This is bad since I can never remember what patch I’m editing. When the unit is not in edit mode the unit displays the patch selected. The thirty two membrane switches are used to select the patch when the unit is not in edit mode. The unit holds three banks (A,B,P) of thirty two or 96 in total. And as you probably guess P stands for preset which are non volatile but the other 64 are volatile which is plenty of storage space. I have always wondered was with all the money Akai spent on the display they could have just put in sliders, however the display is one of the best on any synth I have ever seen or used.

The voice parameter section is quite nice albeit fairly standard and makes some great sounds. The AX-80 uses CEM chips and has a two pole filter. Each voice is comprised of two oscillators with an additional sub oscillator, VCF (high pass and low pass), three LFO’s, and two envelopes. Note: The unit has only three LFO’s in total so each voice shares the LFO’s (see below)

DCO 1 offers a frequency range of 16,8,and 4, choice of waveform between sawtooth, pulse width, and a mix of the two, pulse width control, pulse width modulation speed (which is controlled independently of the LFO!!!), and a sub oscillator which produces a square wave one octave below the frequency selected for osc 1. Its a shame that osc 1 can not be detuned except by LFO 1. Also neither osc has a noise / random waveform.

DCO 2 offers a frequency range at any half step interval between 16 and 2. In additional it may de-tuned +/- 36 steps to achieve a nice fat beating sounding when heard with osc 1. Osc. 2 offers sawtooth, square (no pulse width), and mix of the two. In addition osc 2 may be hard or soft synced to osc 1. Osc 2 pitch may be modulated by either envelope (note: the envelope may be inverted). Osc 2 may be modulated by LFO 2. Each oscillator offers it owns volume control for simple mixing. Its a shame that the mix can not be controlled by velocity or one of the envelopes.

VCF. The AX uses a two pole filter which can be a little harsh (dirty). It is very noticeable when trying to produce a good string synth sound. However for leads, basses, sweeps, synth brass, etc. the filter is fine. The filter parameters for filter cutoff, keyboard follow (99 steps), envelope depth (may be inverted), resonance, key velocity and high pass filter (which is non dynamic but 99 values are allowed). The resonance is nice and thick and the filter can self oscillate. The resonance has a bass boost circuit so the sound doesn’t fall out from underneath so quickly as it does on some other synths. When the filter is opened wide, the sound can be quite bright.

LFO. The AX has three LFOs in total for all eight voice, however LFO 1 controls osc , LFO 2 controls osc 2, and LFO controls osc 3, which allows for some very nice effects. Its great for fat leads since each oscillator can be slightly detuned using different LFO amounts, and their is still one LFO left to modulate the filter. Unfortunately the trade off of this is that every time a new key struck the LFO’s re-trigger. So if you hit the same note over and over again it will always sound the same (assuming nothing else is being used to modulate any source except the LFO) since the LFO always starts at the beginning of the waveform when a new key is struck. If you hold down a chord and play a lead on top, every time you play a new key, the LFO’s will re-trigger this affecting the held chord. Sometimes this type can be quite useful. I wish that you could select weather the LFO would re-trigger or not. The LFO section is a trade-off but is different from most other synths that I own, so I view it as a positive since it allows me to do stuff I can’t do on other units. Each LFO has the following parameter: depth, delay, rate, waveform which include sawtooth, reverse sawtooth, square, and triangle. It would have been nice to also have sine and random.

ENV. Two standard ADSR envelopes with key follow. Key follow has 99 values which is much better than off/half/on as found on some synths. One envelope is for the VCA, the other is for the filter. However the VCA envelope can be used for both the filter and the VCA (note: this is parameter 30 set to 2 (VCA-VCF mode), leaving the other envelope to modulate the pitch of osc 2. Either envelope may be used to modulate the pitch on osc 2.

The AX has midi in / out / thru (wouldn’t it be nice if all synths had all three jacks opposed to the combination out/thru or worse no thru). Unfortunately the midi implementation is quite slim. At least the unit powers is always in POLY mode and you may select any channel to receive on. Interesting enough you may then select any channel to send on, and therefore these channels may be different. Unfortunately the unit does not recognize sys-ex data, so no recording or sending patch parameter data and patches must be stored to a cassette if you want to save them somewhere else besides in the machines internal memory. No local on/off is provided.

While its unfortunate that you have to save patches on cassette. The save / load time is very quick and one of the most reliable I have used. A verify feature is provided. The back panel is angled upward making for easy access. The back pannel supports a ¼ mono output, headphone jack, sustain jack, program pedal (which can be used to change programs in an +1 upward manner), and midi jacks (as noted above). The unit also has a chord memory feature and the keyboard can be transposed upwards over a range of 11 semitones. By the way the owner’s manual makes Roland manuals look good.

A really good synth in my opinion, a few minimal flaws (no sys-ex, etc,), but very good and different sounding. I wouldn’t want to use it for string sounds, but otherwise its great. The sound reminds me a lot of the Chroma Polaris, and it couldn’t sound anything less like a Roland. I view these as positives and the AX was a welcome addition to my set up. Being different is what it is all about.

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