Samplers

Introduced commercially in 1978, the New England Digital Synclavier was a pioneering computer-controlled digital synthesiser developed from research at Dartmouth College. Built around New England Digital’s own 16-bit ABLE computer and dedicated digital sound-generation hardware, it combined real-time digital synthesis, FM capabilities, programmable sound memory, magnetic storage and computerised performance recording. Its architecture became the foundation for the substantially expanded Synclavier II and the later Synclavier digital music production systems.

The Fairlight CMI, launched in 1979, was the world’s first digital sampling synthesiser and a pioneering music workstation. Evolving through Series I, II, IIx, and III, it introduced sampling, graphical sequencing (Page R), and advanced audio editing. Favoured by artists like Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush, and Herbie Hancock, it shaped the sound of the 1980s. Despite its high cost, it revolutionised music production, leading to modern sampling and DAWs. A 30th-anniversary model, the CMI 30A, was released in 2011.

Introduced in 1980, the New England Digital Synclavier II was a professional computer-controlled digital synthesiser built around additive synthesis, frequency modulation and New England Digital’s Partial Timbre Method. Its architecture allowed as many as four independently programmed partial timbres to form a single sound, with up to 24 harmonics available within each partial. A 61-note keyboard with 128 illuminated programming buttons, real-time performance controls, disk storage and an integrated 16-track digital memory recorder made the Synclavier II considerably more than a conventional synthesiser. Its expandable architecture and later Sample-to-Disk option also established the technological foundation for the increasingly comprehensive Synclavier systems that followed.

The E-mu Emulator was an 8-bit polyphonic digital sampling keyboard offering four or eight voices, approximately 30kHz sampling, 128kB of RAM, two independent two-octave keyboard sections, floppy-disk sound storage, sample truncation, sustain looping, filtering, reverse playback and real-time pitch and vibrato control. Later development added a sequencer, multi-sampling, expanded sound libraries and external control options. As one of the earliest commercially available dedicated sampling keyboards, the E-mu Emulator helped establish the practical architecture and workflow that would become fundamental to professional hardware sampling throughout the 1980s.

The Publison Infernal Machine 90 Stereo Audio Computer was a French 16-bit dual-channel digital processor introduced in 1984. It combined delay, echo, independent pitch-shifting, stereo reverberation, sampling, time compression and time expansion in a programmable and expandable system. MIDI, optional SMPTE/EBU synchronisation, computer control, digital audio interfacing and a dedicated remote allowed the Publison Infernal Machine 90 to operate as both a studio effects processor and an early digital audio workstation.

The E-mu Emulator II was a professional polyphonic digital sampling keyboard that greatly expanded the capabilities of the original E-mu Emulator. It combined up to 17.6 seconds of sampling time, eight channels, a five-octave velocity-sensitive keyboard, extensive sample editing, programmable splits and layering, four-pole analogue filters, VCAs, envelopes and LFOs with floppy disk storage, MIDI, SMPTE, RS-422 computer interfacing and an integrated multitrack MIDI sequencer. Its combination of sampling, synthesis-style processing, sequencing and expandability helped establish the E-mu Emulator II as a major professional sampling instrument of the mid-1980s.

The Ensoniq Mirage was one of the pivotal instruments in the transition of digital sampling from high-cost professional systems to equipment accessible to working musicians and smaller studios. The Ensoniq Mirage DSK-8 keyboard combined eight-voice 8-bit sampling, a velocity-sensitive 61-note keyboard, analogue filtering, envelopes, modulation, MIDI, floppy disk storage and an onboard sequencer for an advertised price of $1,695. The 1985 Ensoniq Mirage DMS-8 transferred the same core sampling architecture into a 2U rack-mount format for MIDI-controlled studio use. As Ensoniq’s first commercial musical instrument, the Ensoniq Mirage established the company in the professional electronic instrument market and helped make sampling a practical part of mainstream music production.

The Akai S612 Sampler provides synth enthusiasts with affordable sampling technology. Offering 12-bit resolution, 32 kHz bandwidth, and 6-voice polyphony. With the Akai S612, you can sample a variety of audio sources like voices, instruments, or any analogue or digital signal, and play it back on any MIDI keyboard within 8 seconds.

The Akai S900 is an 8-voice digital sampler with up to 32 sampling points and a frequency range of 7.5 kHz to 40 kHz. It offers up to 63.3 seconds of sampling time, advanced editing features, and supports MIDI mono mode multitracking. With a 20 kHz frequency response and extensive MIDI connectivity, it’s ideal for both studio and live use.

The Roland S-550 is a 16-bit rackmount digital sampler released in 1987, offering expanded features over the S-50 keyboard version. It provides 16-voice polyphony, up to 2.0MB memory (allowing 28.8 seconds of sampling at 15kHz), and eight individual outputs for flexible routing. The S-550 includes a 3.5-inch Quick Disk drive and supports Roland’s extensive sound library. Its standout feature is an RGB monitor output with graphical editing via the optional RC-100 remote and mouse.

The Akai S700 is a 2U rackmount 12-bit digital sampler released in 1987, offering up to 8 seconds of sampling per voice, multi-mode looping, auto-splicing, and MIDI integration. With expandability, front-panel playback, and velocity-sensitive filtering, it provided powerful sampling features in a compact, affordable format.

With its unique Dynamic Digital Filtering system, 32-point stereo sampling at rates of up to 50 kHz, voice layering capability, and a robust 1.5 MB internal memory (expandable to 3, 4.5, or 6 MB), the Yamaha TX16W stands out among other samplers in its class. It offers all these features in a sleek rack-mountable unit with a built-in 3.5″ floppy disk drive.