Musikmesse 2009: Like tiny synths? Vocoders?
Then Akai’s got you covered.
The Akai Miniak is the first synthesizer from Akai Professional developed in partnership with the Alesis synthesis team. The Miniak is extremely compact and portable, but is also a powerful instrument for creating sounds for performance and production.
Description:
The Miniak lets you create programs with up to eight multi-timbral voices, each with three oscillators. The Akai Miniak comes with more-than-600 preset sounds. You can create complex sounds using the Miniak’s two multimode filters, three envelope generators, two LFOs, stereo effects and 40-band vocoder with gooseneck microphone. The Miniak also has a comprehensive sequencer with step and dynamic real time phrase sequencing, a drum machine/rhythm sequencer and an arpeggiator.
The Miniak also contains high-resolution, 24-bit balanced quarter-inch inputs and outputs and a 37-key semi-weighted keyboard with velocity sensitivity. It can also be used as a sound source for MPCs, computer software and keyboards via MIDI.
The Akai MINIAK will be available from musical instrument and professional audio retailers Q3, 2009. No pricing has been announced.
This is the first synth announcement out of Musikmesse to get me excited. Let me know what you think of the Akai Miniak in the comments!
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19 Responses to “Akai Unveils Miniak Micro Synth, Vocoder”
Please Wait
This looks ultra-sweet, as long as the price is right.
It looks a lot like the microKorg – but Akai’s controllers have a lot better feel and Alesis synths sound a lot better, too.
What’s with the three mod wheels, though?
The panel design is pretty much identical to the Alesis Micron in terms of types of controls. The actual layout looks a little nicer, though. Should be $399.
This actually is a rebranded Alesis Micron.
If it’s based on the Micron, the hardware still looks like it will be a major improvement.
The Micron sounds nice, but feels sort of cheesy.
Yeah, basically looks like Micron II. Which is a good thing – I heart my Micron. I look forward to hearing it.
Akai and Alesis? I sure hope this isn’t some sort of bad omen. The only synth I ever liked from the Alesis camp is the Andromeda (big surprise). The fact that Akai is relying on Alesis to make them a knockoff of the Microkorg could be a bad sign. I’ve played the Micron, not a fan.
The MINIAK is just an Alesis Micron with a microphone. Compare the specs and you’ll see. But it will probably cost more because it has the Akai logo, sad!
And it’s NOT “the very first synth to carry the Akai name” as many sites are saying!!! I can think of at least three other Akai Synths, the AX-60 AX-73 and AX-80.
Bob
Have you used the Micron? They cheaped out on the hardware.
This looks like it will be much nicer.
There isn’t much information yet about the MINIAK, but I don’t think it’s quite identical to the Micron because the Micron is 4-part multitimbral and the MINIAK is 8-part.
We also don’t know whether it uses the same MIDI signals for control, or whether there will be an editor.
micron is more like 8 parts if you count the rhythm section.
Anyone know how the MINIAK compares to the Micron size- and weight-wise?
Can they share patches?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOD4DZUhd4A
It's here!!
THE mICRON ROCKS!
hope they fixed some of the software issues. The Micron yahoo forum made a list for them. no one listens to us no one no one
I often toyed with the idea of buying the micron, but always wished Alesis had fitted it with three mod wheels just like the Ion. And guess what? The Miniak has them! Now as long as Akai hasn't screwed up the original design in some way, I think I know what I want for Christmas.
I just got one of these in the mail and i am very impressed. It seems far more user friendly than the micron and has the same rich, punchy analog sound to it. Both the modwheels are very easy to use while playing creating constantly shifting sounds that warp and bend at your will and the third wheel is for pitch bending which is also fun to combine with the others. The miniak also actually looks like a proper synthesizer, while the micron looked like it belonged in a child's toy box. It seems like a definite improvement on the micron, maybe not an enormous leap forward but it was already an amazing product to begin with. I challenge anyone to find a better sounding new synthesizer.
I recently got my hands on one of these superb little Synths and love it. I’m very impressed with the sounds and level of control, and love having that extra mod wheel, as Mod 1 is usually assigned to vibrato, whilst Mod 2 to Filter Cut Off. My only gripe is that when using the X, Y and Z assignable knobs, as soon as you stop turning them the LCD instantly reverts back to displaying the Program name or Multi name. Also when edit a Program but don’t store it, if you reselect the sound it plays the editied version. You have to go to the Edit page and select the Revert to Stored option to invoke the original sound.
There is some confusion as to multitimbrality, as although the specs might state 8 part, that is made up of 4 Program (Synth Sound) parts and 4 Rhythm parts.
Never used the Ion or Micron, but apparently the sounds are compatible. The Miniak’s user manual even has mistakes refereing the “Micon”, clearly a mispelling of “Micron” that slipped through the ‘Find And Replace’ utility in the word processor.
One major difference between this and most synths is that it does not rely on a fixed number of banks, like say 128 sounds in Bank 1, etc. Instead you can delete sounds and create new ones by taking copies from existing ones, so can hold up to 1,000 sounds.
Sonically it is very flexible, with some great unique filter types. I love the choir type sounds the Miniak can produce. The filter offers modellings of the Minimoog, ARP 2600, Oberheim 2 Pole and Jupiter 8, etc, but instead of sounding exactly like a Minimmog is more Minimoog-esque. The filter types try to capture the spirit of their famous synth, some will sound closer than others depending on what sound you set up. which is impossible in an Virtual analogue as the oscillators, amps and envelopes in each of the synths they’ve modelled are different to those in the Miniak. I’ve owned Moogs, ARPs, Rolands and Oberheims so have a good idea what they sound like.
There was no voice editing software included with the Miniak, but I await a response from AKAI on the availability of one. The existing Micron/Ion software editor may work fine for the Program Sounds but not the Multis (Performance in Yamaha speak or Combination in Korg speak).
Overall this is a great, very playable, tweakable little synth, and the Vocoder is great fun too!
I will write a more detailed review, after playing more, but if anyone has any immediate questions I’ll try and answer them.
Is it possible to layer synth patches over the rythyms on the Miniak? That's an important for feature for myself. Thanks so much in advance.
Is it possible to layer synth patches over the rythyms on the Miniak? That's an important for feature for myself. Thanks so much in advance.
Is it possible to layer synth patches over the rythyms on the Miniak? That's an important for feature for myself. Thanks so much in advance.