Axel: I'm running OS2.0 and it hasn't crashed on me yet. Although I did have some trouble with the ram I purchased at first - that may be your problem as well... the first thing I did was maxed it out with 256MB EDO RAM. I followed the guidelines on their website and found out the hard way that even though EDO RAM is faster and it's listed to work fine, many times it doesn't. I think often times EDO RAM has a 4k refresh and that actually won't work correcly in an S5000/6000. FPM (Fast Page Mode Memory) is always 2k refresh which works perfectly with it so if you have additional memory in your system make sure its FPM. Anyhow, just something I discovered... hope that helps. Oh, also - I purchased an 18GB Seagate Barracuda18XL and it's working perfectly so far. If you want the model number it's: ST318416N

I have a question about copying files... is there an easy way to just copy the contents of a CD to a folder on my hard drive??? I can't seem to find an easy way to do that...

Shane

A emu does have slightly hyped bass but thats simply because of a boost in low end response of the converters , which you cant get rid of and in the end means by definetion ... DISTORTION !

I own , E6400 , K2000 , A3000 and S5000 (im a sampler freak) and my s5k is tighter than all three and offers better audio specs and has proved more reliable in the 12 months I have owned it . In fact It has only ever glitched once and that was at a early os version . Also imo it has the best sounding filters with the possible exception of the k2000/2500/26000 although the e4 has wierd zplane filter shit .

I also make drum and bass and jungle and timing is vitaly important to me , the s5k is the tightest hardware sampler I have used so far . If your s5 isnt , check your os , check your memory in the s5 (this vitaly important , its very picky on simms) and check your midi setup . Do not use it over a USB midi device .

Oh yea the scsi response in excelent , its use of pc fat a god send and it sits on my scsi chain perfectly .

Only possible downers , well I agree that for such a powerful sampler the os could be alot better , its the best built in lcd os I have ever used (with the possible exception of vast , but for very different reasons , with no exception to eos) but I expected something closer to a computer GUI .

So to sum up , Capacity is mindblowing , Sound Quality is beyond reproach , Timing is excelent , Filters are smooth , musical and usable . Basically I dont think you can go wrong .

When Emu give me

A - 256 meg B - Sampling to/from Storage devices

I may re-evaluate , But as it stands dont let anyone tell you this sampler is flawed or unstable , it is not and its features speak for themselves . 50/5 .

Plus side: * great, sharp sound * handles wav files fine * can hold a lot of ram * nice screen size * Akai still is working on the OS * Finally, some nice S5000/6000 specific samples are coming out commercially

Not-so-plus side: * clunky man-machine interface (it's OK to use, but seems like it should be so much better) * still some OS bugs * sample-computer interface via SCSI didn't pan out like Akai initially advertised

All in all, I still give it a 5. My only other sampler was an Emu, liked the sound on that, but favor the sound of the S5000 still.

Final comment: When the sampler first came out, there was all sorts of fanfare, apparently this thing was going to do everything and scratch your balls to boot. Well, that wasn't the case at all. Lots of pissed folks, you've no doubt read about it someplace by now. Personally, didn't have many problems at all, but know of many who did.

I called Akai and asked them what the deal was when this happened. I talked with a marketing manager for a bit, his story was that Akai lost almost have the S5/6K programmers about 3 months before the unit was released. So, beta testing still going on, but was hobbled. And, many of the programmers who would have fixed things now gone. Bottom line: Akai released the unit more or less as a beta test unit for those that rushed out to get one thanks to the pre-press. (and the pre-release press was what drove Akai to put the unit out, even though it was half-baked).

So, I have to say I love the machine, but felt Akai should have handled things much better with the initial customer base. Not so nice to take everyone to the edge of wetness. Too bad it's a trend with a lot of consumer goods these days...release it now, and we'll fix it later.

Like I said, a fine machine now, and it appears that Akai is sayings it's Hail Mary's now. So, we're cool now.

...and yes, it had the latest OS.

so, while it give at least a 4 (perhaps a 5) for the specs, because of the timing ill have to give it a 1, sorry.