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http://www.akaipro.com/product... The knobs on the screen can be controlled with hardware. Some hardware also has powered knobs/sliders that can be controlled from the screen as well during playback (or manually).

MPCs?

This is what I was referring to.

Of course. As far as I'm concerned any MIDI controller + any synthesiser patch = a new instrument. Different weights of keys demand different playing technique, as well as 'alternative' controllers such as the haken continuum, axis series (based on harmonic tables), MIDI theremins, electronic wind instruments, various silly keyboard/guitar hybrids, guitars with hexaphonic pickups, pad controllers, handheld wands and all manner of magic touch surfaces.

On top of that the playing technique for a slow synth pad (requiring anticipation) is considerably different from playing a percussive part, which is different again from playing a monophonic part. (Only one note can play at a time, but there is art to the style of legato playing and retriggering. I like to play with the rate notes are moving to each other as well, throwing in another factor.) Attempting to recreate instruments like guitar and flute on a synthesiser requires some understanding of the real instrument's playing techniques, and good use of controllers to incorporate these (such as applying pressure to keys to add vibrato.)

As a result of this I am a little exasperated every time somebody combines a few existing controllers, maybe with some software to tie it all together, and it is hailed as an exciting "new instrument". MIDI has changed what that means. Yes, this looks fun. I am suitably amused/impressed that it runs linux. Other than that it doesn't seem like a huge deal. I'd rather have this.

Of course. As far as I'm concerned any MIDI controller + any synthesiser patch = a new instrument. Different weights of keys demand different playing technique, as well as 'alternative' controllers such as the haken continuum, axis series (based on harmonic tables), MIDI theremins, electronic wind instruments, various silly keyboard/guitar hybrids, guitars with hexaphonic pickups, pad controllers, handheld wands and all manner of magic touch surfaces.

On top of that the playing technique for a slow synth pad (requiring anticipation) is considerably different from playing a percussive part, which is different again from playing a monophonic part. (Only one note can play at a time, but there is art to the style of legato playing and retriggering. I like to play with the rate notes are moving to each other as well, throwing in another factor.) Attempting to recreate instruments like guitar and flute on a synthesiser requires some understanding of the real instrument's playing techniques, and good use of controllers to incorporate these (such as applying pressure to keys to add vibrato.)

As a result of this I am a little exasperated every time somebody combines a few existing controllers, maybe with some software to tie it all together, and it is hailed as an exciting "new instrument". MIDI has changed what that means. Yes, this looks fun. I am suitably amused/impressed that it runs linux. Other than that it doesn't seem like a huge deal. I'd rather have this.

As an electronic music nerd I need floppies to do OS upgrades on my samplers. A lot of second hand gear I pick up needs a boot disk, and as the original floppies are usually missing or damaged I have to find a boot disk image on the web. (You can get Akai sampler OS upgrades here if you're interested). Occasionally PCs need a boot disk too, so I hear...

... is the same thing that a few other posters have named: high-quality recording.

MIDI is cool, but I don't know much about nor use it. My musical gene is stunted;) What I /am/ interested in is recording miked sources -- a school choir, a friend playing guitar, my grandmother's voice, interesting environments ...

There are some audio-recording utilities for Linux (audiograb), but none that offer the functionality of a simple personal audio workstion like the Akai DPS12.

In fact, this could be a money maker for anyone who wants to sell it: I would really like to find a professional-quality card featuring two XLR inputs (perhaps on a breakout box) and GPLd software to access them, saving into a non-proprietary format. Better, make the interface to the computer a USB connection, and a decent laptop can become a much better tool than my DPS12.

timothy