Everything has been said.

UTILIZATION

I use this machine to create repeating patterns (synths, bass, etc.) that I manage and then transforms live coupled with the use of other materials.

This machine is designed with an impressive intellect, we never tire of marveling at what it can do so easily and yet with means for ergonomics at the base extremely precarious at a time when the computer music in full swing.

You can have fun with the hack as soon as you plug it. But as always for this type of machine I strongly advise you to buckle down for a day or two to read the manual from beginning to end by manipulating each of the proposed functions, even those who a priori do not interest you. This helps to understand little by little all that is possible with the beast, and very often more than we think. Moreover it is one of those machines so malleable that we can divert each basic function to get what you want: after a few years I still often discovers new ways to use it!

The sequencer is really excellent, but if you are not attracted to electronic music, or simply by the repetitive music, go your way. The interesting features are all those who play on repetition, including live editing capabilities. To compose a piece from start to finish, a sequencer on PC today will be ten times better ten times the job in less time.

For live use, some features are useful:
- Translating immediate pressing a button and selecting the value of transposition
- 8 knobs effects with two levels (ie 16 effects hacks live, 12 unchangeable and 4 that can be assigned to a large panel of effects), damage, however they are not infinite.
- Usual features of groovebox: trackmute

I put 8 because of the fact that the machine saturates fairly quickly when the accumulated effects and trickery, which means that we must either limit the hacks, either limit the number of tracks ... And as the sounds are unusable as such (see next section), it is necessary to limit the number of tracks.

SOUNDS

I have long hesitated to buy the machine there are a few years, because I was told that the sounds were very bad. So what is it?

The RM1x is also very old and it already was not famous for its output sounds. It is true that when you take them "pure", and put no effect, without editing, they are pretty disgusting (it should say what that is). They are simply impossible to use "plain" in your music without making it ridiculous.

As against the machine has so many ways to process sounds that it becomes possible to obtain results rather nice, especially impressive at times see the old view of the beast. There are ways to do something, and indeed something quite personal.

For cons: if you do not like electronic music, go your way. The only good sounds you have come to create electronic sounds. The effects of the direct RM1x generally toward either the electro rather hard (well big fat bass, synths mad, etc..) Or quite vintage ambient music.

Finally: Use the RM1x as a drum machine seems to be avoided at all costs. The sounds have changed too since. If we can get something instrumentals level, it gets really hard to have a clean result with percussion. I do not just use, preferring to synchronize with another beast for it (the MPC1000 for me)

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 4 years.

I have a Akai MPC1000, but one can hardly compare the two machines (the MPC is based sampler).

What I like most:

- The sequencer marvel of inventiveness
- Opportunities Live
- Her great backup system (simply: everything is logged into the machine continuously, we can turn it off when you want and find everything you did to relight - and you can save at any time on a few floppy seconds)

What I like least:

- It was nice to deal with midi channels, you can not play external midi channels live. You have to play each track separately, which ruined any chance to play live several VST instruments or keyboards for example ... What a pity!
- The RM1x saturates quickly and we are obliged to limit its use (unless you use the basic tools as they are, but it's impossible because they are so ugly)
- Apart from the 16 pads, buttons, rectangles are certainly strong, but too rigid. At first it goes, but after a few hours it was sore wrist.
Value for money: new it seems to me far too expensive today. But on occasion she has fallen so low that you can jump without hesitation.

With experience, I do it again this election if my budget is limited. In all cases I can do without this machine, but if I had more money I think I would take the RS700 which seems to be substantially equivalent but improved with even more live opportunities.