Akai's New DPS16 Digital Personal Studio

DPS16
(Click for larger picture)

February 3, 2000 -- Akai Musical Instrument Corporation is pleased to debut the world’s first affordable, professional quality 24-bit/96kHz digital personal studio - the new Akai DPS16.

Offering a host of editing, mastering, mixing and recording tools, the DPS16 is the premier digital audio solution for a wide variety of applications. From project studios to radio broadcast production to DVD creation, the Akai DPS16 sets a new standard for professional quality - yet cost-effective, digital studios.

The DPS16 features true 24-bit/96kHz, uncompressed high quality digital recording in an easy to use, compact unit. Offering 16 track simultaneous playback with full fader and pan controls on each channel and ten tracks of simultaneous recording, the DPS16 eliminates the need for complex multi-product interfacing, while keeping data in the digital domain. The DPS16 is also the world’s first digital personal studio to offer 56-bit internal signal and effects processing for lightning fast command executions and internal processing.

Equipped with a standard 10GB internal IDE drive and the ability to link up to seven additional external SCSI devices through the SCSI port, the DPS16 offers the flexibility of recording cuts of any length, limited only by the size of the selected storage medium. The DPS16 supports CD-R/CD-RW drives allowing users to produce professional quality CDs and DVDs in addition to project archiving.

Developed expressly for the DPS16, Akai’s new Qolink™ Navigation System makes operating the DPS16 a no-brainer. The Qolink system interface has been designed for quick, direct access to all major functions and provides easy access to EQ, Aux send levels and effects parameters - without the need to wade through complex menu layers. Enhancing the Q-link Navigation System are six virtual "Q" knobs located on the flip up six inch LCD. "Q" knobs offer real-time control of screen parameters including EQ, effects, aux levels and more.

The DPS16’s digital mixing capabilities are extremely flexible, and include programmable EQ, 16 assignable faders and pan pots, and a virtual mixer display allowing real time mixing control of all 16 tracks simultaneously. Graphic waveform editing features include Cut, Copy, Move, Insert and Erase and sections of single or multi-track recorded audio can be moved from anywhere to anywhere within the project. The DPS16 also offers 256 levels of UNDO.

A Timestretch function is also included, allowing phase coherent processing of stereo recordings. Incorporating Akai’s latest timestretch technology, this function offers a choice of 54 preset algorithms, providing an unprecedented variety of timestretch options.

The DPS16 also provides up to 250 virtual tracks, limited only by disk capacity. During mixdown, any virtual track can be assigned to any of the 16 physical tracks for playback. This allows the freedom of comparing multiple takes, experimenting with alternative arrangements, or combining parts of different virtual tracks on a single track -- without erasing or recording over previously recorded material.

The new Akai DPS16 will be available in March 2000. The suggested retail price of $2,695.00 includes a 10GB IDE hard drive.

For more information, visit Akai at www.akaipro.com.