Is my old Akai DPS12i still of any use or just a Paperweight?

I'mNoGuru

I'mNoGuru

New member
Hi...

So 5 months ago after a 10 year gap from music making, I bought Native Instruments Maschine & a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2

Still learning the Maschine (and at present running the 1.8 software) but learning it fast and coming to a point where I'm starting to work with MC's & Singers to add vocals to my beats... I really need to pick my game up and do more in terms of mixing... Using a Lite version of Ableton at the moment...

Here's the skinny...

I have an Akai DPS12i from the days when I was in bands and such... Is there a way I can hook it up and use it to mix and record my Maschine projects?
(I kind of like the idea of being able to physically mix my tracks as I did with the band...)
Then I can just chuck my mix back into Ableton for mastering...

I'm thinking, probably not as I don't have enough outs on my soundcard (but if I did have say 8 outs... Would it be possible?)

Advance thanks
Dave
 
If memory serves me you can hook that chunk of shit up to a computer via SCSI and use it with Akai's MESA software (which I hear still works under Windows 8) and while there are a few benefits to having a standalone recorder I think you might want to look at a MIDI controller like a BCF2000 etc, which will allow you to control your software mixer.
 
hollandturbine said:
If memory serves me you can hook that chunk of shit up to a computer via SCSI and use it with Akai's MESA software (which I hear still works under Windows 8) and while there are a few benefits to having a standalone recorder I think you might want to look at a MIDI controller like a BCF2000 etc, which will allow you to control your software mixer.
Click to expand...

yeah I MIDI controller would be the way to go!!!

-Coach Antonio
 
I think this already has some kind of a MIDI implementation, but no idea how deep it goes - but if the faders send out MIDI, then you'd already have a decent-ish mix controller right there.
 
Thanks for the replies... The DSP12i has MIDI 'in' & 'out/thru' but the manual is long gone... I never used it with MIDI in the past so this is all a huge learning curve for me... I'll delve into its sub-menus and see what I can find...
If I can use it to mix tracks from Maschine (or even Ableton) on (as well as recording) then I'll be a very happy chap!
 
The manual can be found here (straight link to PDF) - it's for the non-"i" version, but I'd imagine it's largely the same. Couldn't really figure out with a quick glance how it actually works, but of course this would be pretty easy to simply test out if you have a MIDI interface to hook it up to - then you can just see whether or not Ableton (or the Maschine) receives MIDI from the Akai's controls.
 
Thanks man... I'd actually just found the manual for the 'i' and am currently trying to decipher it...

My Soundcard (Scarlett 2i2) unfortunately has no Midi 'ins' or 'outs' ... I can use the Maschine Midi I/o's though right?! (Just a matter of correct routing I'm guessing???)
 
I'mNoGuru said:
Thanks man... I'd actually just found the manual for the 'i' and am currently trying to decipher it...
Click to expand...

hello,
i found this thread while doing research on the AKAI and i hope you can help me, seeing that you used one..
A friend died, his son has no room for his devices and put them at my house for selling them if i can.
There is an AKAI DPS 12i, with the hard drive that i try to run. I can play the music recorded inside, but i can't record, when i do what is to be done (i hope) it says DEMO MODE. I read the manual and did not find anything. I can't sell it like that, even at a small price...

(English is not my native language, i'm french..)

Best regards,
jean
 
I have a dps12i with the hard drive. U have to look in the end of the manual. There are dip switch settings. When i bought mines from guitar center i thought they sold me a broke one cause it said demo. But i opened it and saw dip switches. Just look in manual and change the dip switch settings and youll be good to go.
 
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