Akai Professional SynthStation25 Reviews

Sweetwater Advice

Brian Rick

I am having a great time with my Akai SynthStation25! With this tiny, 25-key keyboard, I have created some great loops and beats that are now saved within my iPhone and easily accessible for playback and editing wherever I may be. With its amazing portability, versatility, and compatibilty with several different iOS apps, the SynthStation25 is a must-have for the musician on the go!

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Customer Reviews

Max Coyotey
from Central Coast, CA
January 9, 2012Music Background:
Licensed composer, songwriter, producer

Problem Solved!

I'm always looking to make my studio more portable, but after selling my macbook to get an imac, that became impossible. Until now. I kill 2 birds with this little thing. It's my controller for my home Digital Audio Workstation and now, it's my portable workstation. Word to the wise. Don't rely on the Akai synthstation app if you're serious about composing on this thing. Must fork out $20 to get Nanostudio. You won't be disappointed.

Alex Dickson
from Lawton, OK USA
May 27, 2011Music Background:
Hobbyist.

Perfect for what I need

Honestly this is the best tiny piece of equipment I've ever played with. My brother used to own some equipment but none as cool as this... I really like it's compact design, makes it quick and easy for me to find the Chords that sound good to my VSTi's in FL Studio.

Ali Martin
from Atlanta Ga.
January 9, 2011Music Background:
Producer, Pro Musician, Hobbyist

Hope they make a 37 or 49 key Synthstation.

This thing is amazing with nanostudio. There is no other portable rig out there that can touch this. I travel allot and am always on and off a plane. So far I'v made 73 tracks above 30,000 ft. If you use nanostudio you can import your favorite samples to a folder and use them MPC like or in one of the four synths plus you re-sample any sound or pattern you create. The synthstation 25 allows full control of the app. If they come out with a 37 or 49 key with audio and peddle inputs there wont be a keyboard synth that can touch this. Just got an I pod 4th gen and it works good with fewer glitches then my ipod 3rd gen how ever you will need to find something to put behind it as the 4th gen is super thin. I cut the strip that comes with the synthstation in half glued one side to the other and it supported it well. Thanks Akai this product is what I'v been looking for for years. Now please make the next one with audio inputs for sampling 37 keys and make an app thats more like nanostudio with more tracks and ill bye it before it hit shelf's.

Genaro Ramirez
from Los Angeles, CA USA
January 10, 2012Music Background:
Recording Engineer

Akai professional synthstation 25

the Akai synthstation 25 is excellent for composing electronic music you just hook up you iphone with Akai app and this 25 key controller becomes a full range music sequencing tool and the audio sounds great too.

Dan Howard
from Oakland, CA USA
January 6, 2012Music Background:
Live Sound Engineer, Professional Musician

Very Satisfied!

Great little keyboard controller for the ipod/iphone. Did all that I thought it would and more. Many compatible apps(midicore apps now compatible). I use it as a controller to get all of the instrument sounds off of my ipod then I run it into a multitrack recorder. You can't beat the amount of sounds you get for the price. Being able to use thumbjam with a keyboard was worth the price by itself. Also wouldn't buy it from anyone other than Sweetwater because Sweetwater has the better return policy :)

john peak
from botkins ohio
July 27, 2011

great

works great, much better than i was expecting.
work really well with FL Studio mobile.

Hector M Hance Diaz
from P.R.
May 30, 2012Music Background:
Pro musician, musical educator

Synthstation

the Synthstation is very good as a controller, but ipod but have to be the first to the third generation.

Gary Duke
from Toronto
September 13, 2011Music Background:
Musician/songwriter

good but it double-triggers with lightly pressed notes

Great feel, especially the solid mod wheel and pitch wheel. Wow.

But if you press the keys lightly it will often double trigger the notes. This kind of sucks.

But otherwise, if you press hard on the keys, it is not a problem and is fun to use.

Nathan Edwards
from Madison, SD
November 21, 2010Music Background:
Recording Instructor, Live Musician

A fantastic use of the iPhone/iPod... with the right software

The Synthstation 25 incorporates a very novel idea to allow an iPhone or iPod to be docked to the controller. It is designed to use the Synthstation software app, which will cost an additional $1.99 and is a download from the app store. I was, however, very disappointed in the Synthstation software because it does not allow real-time sequencing on the keyboard, which makes it much less useful for any kind of live performance. The good news is that I discovered the app, "NanoStudio" which is now compatible with the SynthStation 25. The app is $14.99, but is well-worth the price. It is a powerful sequencer and works amazingly for live recording. This software will take your SynthStation from being very average to excellent.
My only other disappointment is that it does not have an expression pedal output, but it does support standard USB MIDI if you want to use it as a controller with your computer. The cable, however, is not included.

Gonzo
from Dallas, Texas
April 4, 2012Music Background:
Pro Musician

DOES NOT SUPPORT 4TH GENERATION IPOD!!

I got one of these and found out after later from Akai that it does not support 4th Generation Ipod's! Only up to 3rd Generation.

inSync Review

Brian Rick
9-20-2012

I bought the Akai Professional SynthStation25 out of pure curiosity. I saw that the SynthStation25 was a very inexpensive iOS synthesizer, and I was not sure what to expect as I arrived home and had a chance to dive into its features. The packaging of the product rightfully implies how small the SynthStation25 actually is, so I was admittedly skeptical regarding the potential capabilities that it may possess. However, after plugging my iPhone into the dock, I found that Akai has fit an amazing amount of options and ability into the SynthStation25. I've been using two separate apps from the Apple App Store along with the SynthStation25 and I'm definitely blown away with how much I have created with it in a short amount of time.
One of the most obvious and useful features of the SynthStation25 is its petite stature and inherent portability. At just over a foot long, an inch tall, and 6 1/2 inches deep, the Synthstation25 can easily fit in a laptop case or backpack for the musician on the move. Furthermore, since the SynthStation25 is battery powered, and operates completely through an iOS device, it is super easy to pull out the SynthStation and use it anywhere that inspiration may strike. Based on these attributes, along with an 1/8" headphone jack, it is completely feasible to be able to use the Synthstation25 in the car, on a long flight, or really anywhere that you may find yourself with some downtime.
Another great feature of the SynthStation25 are the 25 velocity synth-action mini-keys. I will admit that I did have a bit of a learning curve in terms of getting used to the size of the keys, however it was not long at all before I felt completely comfortable with them. Because the keys are velocity-sensitive, I found it really easy to get a nice, expressive performance when recording. Furthermore, the SynthStation also includes 8 soft-key buttons for quick scrolling through patches, voices, and octaves, and features a pitch wheel and modulation wheel for added capability.
Third, the SynthStation has proven to be an incredibly versatile product for my needs. Of course, with the proper iOS app, the SynthStation can be used as a standalone device to create beats and synthesizer music within the iOS. However, the Synthstation can also be used as a MIDI controller or even a module for your DAW. There is a small USB port on the rear of the device that can connect to your computer or any MIDI device for further capabilities beyond beat production.
Finally, there is a great amount of compatibility within the device that can connect to several different apps in the Apple App Store. So far, I have used three separate apps with no problems at all, two of which are mentioned on the Akai website. As of now, my favorite application to use the SynthStation with is the NanoStudio app, but there are some fantastic sounds and drum sequencing that can be found on other compatible applications as well.
All in all, I am having a great time with my Akai SynthStation25. I have created some great loops and beats that are now saved within my iPhone and easily accessible for playback and editing from wherever I may be. The amazing amount of features included in this tiny, 25-key keyboard proves that great things really can come from small packages.