Still have mine! Paid 5k in 2012. In 2019 I had it fully upgraded to SSD drives, i9 motherboard and 64gram $950. It literally blows out anything on the market today. NI, omnisphere, serum...I run everything and it runs quick...rock solid. You dont see many for sale because people hang on to them💯
Man I don’t usually comment on videos but as soon as I seen this I had to click.. this thing played a special place in my history man... I wanted that timbaland edition ... couldn’t afford this thing when it came out but now I can and I would still get if for the nostalgia..I appreciate what you do! Keep it up!
Mimik was not KIND OF A SAMPLER. You could hook it up to a keyboard like a Motif or Triton, etc and completely sample all the sounds/patches off them. That was crazy! I did it to my dad's Motif and he was in shock. Seriously, he was speechless. And I sat there laughing.
@@TML0677 I dig the idea..A pc in your keyboard..But I just think it cost alot of money..It didn't really have software that was specific to its operation.
It is not urban legwnd. It is the truth and lives. It really is a fancy computer case but I mean that in every way. I switched to an I9 with 32g ram and could go higher if I want. It really runs circles around anysetup out there where ypu either suffer inferior keys or an inferior PC. Hell you can even hackintosh it if you want.
I still have my Miko Timbo edition maxed out 16gb, 6TB and had it upgraded to Gen6 specs. I didn't go deep into the comments but one particular aspect about OLABS is that they had a proprietary version of Windows that had been optimized for music production uses I virtually tried to crash a project once running 64 tracks simultaneously and still was only 58% cpu usage which was and still is very impressive. One bit of caution though never try to do a Windows update on these machines because the drivers for the keyboard are nowhere to be found.
@@nuconsumerservices8276 do you have all of the drivers available for sale? I’m in the process of upgrading my Miko right now. How do I get in touch with you?
You should do a video on Cool Edit Pro!! I still use it to edit, chop, quantize and timestretch samples. Underrated DAW for recording and mixing as well.
Apollo Brown uses cool edit pro to make his beats to this day. It looks super hard and time consuming but he’s done it for so long it’s his wheelhouse. Crazy.
@@FuntClaps101 Yes! Making beats in Cool Edit is actually really fun and a totally different approach than any other DAW or beat machine. You literally have to either copy and paste drum samples on grid in the editor, or drag and drop them in the multitrack window. It's what I grew up learning how to do so I'm quick at using it. I wish Protools had a wav editor and oscilloscope like Cool Edit lol.
@wnb Because they were heaving and bulky, took up way too much desk space, the CPU speeds are drastically outdated for today's Vsts, and the Operating Systems were Windows XP or Windows 7 depending on which which unit you got. A midi controller, computer and soundcard combined was a good idea at the time
I know a guy who bought one of these when it first dropped and he still uses it to this day. He just updates all the hardware and software. He records songs and mixes in this thing like it's nothing. It's so weird though. Lol. Every time I go over there you just see this giant ass keyboard thing that probably weighs 30+ pounds. I asked him why he never sold and upgraded, he said "Nobody wants it and I paid almost 4k for it. I'm using it until it doesn't work anymore." LOL. I personally never wanted one, but the concept was pretty cool.
@wnb the beat thang always looked so janky to me. 😂 I've seen a few controllers these days try to mimic that look, but the machine itself never really caught my attention. Didn't they have Pete Rock or someone make a beat on it but he was only able to use stock drums and samples? Set my man up for failure. I was like 🤦🏽♂️ lol
I have the last XXL Openlabs made and still rely on it daily for composing TV cues (see my other post). I was told it couldn't be upgraded to Windows 10. How did you do that?
The one thing you didn't mention was the concept behind their Mimik tehcnology was you could hook the Neko up to a synth module/production keyboard like and it would sample entire patches. So you could basically jack all of the patches from a Motif or Fantom and have them on your Neko. That's the one thing I thought could have been a game changer for this unit.
My friend owned one these and maaaaaaaann did it have issues. I remember him bringing the whole unit over to my house because he didn't have a PC and needed to update the firmware to get it to work with Pro Tools, and guess what.. It failed to install. OPEN LABS was over hyping this thing like it was gonna be the future of production. Lol. That didn't last very long now did it
Love these vids. I actually remember one aspect of what was going on at the time PC / Mac were crashing like crazy. Many were looking for a solution to the crashing and also better tone for live. Similar to Muse Box concept. They were also starting to realize that the GIGA samples and very large and complex Daw based sounds were starting to eclipse the "workstation" sounds. So it was the last hoorah for the battle of workstation style synths. Korg Oasys, Triton, Yamaha EX5/Motif, Roland VSynth....Computers completely took over and people just started gigging with laptops/tablets in the background for these deeper sound and sequencing needs. Looks good as an all in one studio ha....no setup, hardware controls / turnkey...come to think of it, can I borrow about 6k. There were places like Sweetwater making turnkey DAW computers at the same time as well. My playing, mixing, composing, singing, producing skills are all shite but this box should fix that based on the brochure. :)
I knew you were going to cover this one! I didn't realized that it came out 2004, which I thought it came out earlier than 2004... When I saw Neko products line for the first time, I immediately realized that it was basically a Window PC with MIDI interfaces integrated. It looked very clunky to me, even back then. Those units are huge!
I had seven of these dating back to the open synth. These were the ish except they were built with inferior products but customer support was the best in the game. In ‘05 this worked for me because I was new to computer programming and this was a great intro.
I was one of the few to have a Neko in Italy, back in the mid 2000s. It was an amazing instrument with some hardware related issues that made me sent back to the seller after for repairing, and they sent it back to me with the issues solved. I used it at some rehearsals and gigs until 2009, and everyone was sort of "wow, what's that"
I had no idea the company was out of Austin Tx. I used to drive from my home in Salado Texas to Austin Tx to visit guitar center and I remember seeing the Neko and thinking how amazing it was. I ended up getting a Korg Radias instead. What I REALLY wanted was a Virus TI Polar.
I remember going a convention in NYC where they had this thing and even then I thought it was too big, too expensive and just looked like a midi controller with a screen on it. It just seemed weird to boot up the machine and see Windows XP boot up. Funnily Korg released their workstation the OASYS and that was built similarly with PC hardware but it ran a custom Linux OS. So they at least didn't just give you Windows with some VSTs and call it a day. These machines were ahead of their time. The tech just wasn't there yet and so they were big, expensive and the user experience just wasn't great imo.
Been having one for 10 years. It now has 32g ram an i9 processor and 26TB storage. It has every sound under the sun and can use any VST. The controllers still work through win11 and are lightning fast. I have an MPC X with it but can leave the MPC off and use the Neko by itself pads and all.
@@MeneTekelUpharsin yes. Standard windows machine upgrades. Full size motherboard, the slots line up, the cooling fans work fine. Just do a machine with 125w or less. Get a quiet cpu cooler.
"KINDA A SAMPLER!?”🤣 that was hella funny. I even looked away like “WTF, they wanted over 6g’s for that keyboard and it don’t even sample!?” Major 🚩 lol
@@OBZRV82 Yeah theirs so many things we can do with 6g’s. However, if I was down to spend 6g’s on a keyboard workstation like the Neko in that era, I wouldn’t want to hear the word “KINDA” at all
I forgot about the Neko. The only major producer I’ve seen used the Neko was Teddy Riley. But he’s big dawg status, he can afford it. I stopped giving the Neko attention as soon as I saw the price lol.
Roland MC 909 and Yamaha RS 7000 next ( ? ) since we are remembering all the flashbacks to the alternatives to escape the Akai MPC series style making beats which was hard to do.
Bro you are just the bomb,I just saw the title and I'm like ain't never see a video on this gear, Again thank you and keep em coming...if you can please do the Tempest by Rodger Linn🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🔥
Tempest was pretty much just a Dave Smith creation. He and Roger had been working on drum synth/sampler. With Dave creating the drum synth and Roger making the sampler and sequencer side. But after working on this concept for a while they decided it should just be two separate units. So Dave turned his ideas into the Tempest and sadly Roger, the Godfather of it all, never dropped a new sampler. He focused on the Linnstrument, an expressive midi controller. Im dreamin of the day Roger gives us a new sampler/sequencer. Behringer should hire him to clone the MPC.
Love your channel bro , I wish there were channels like this and synthmania around when I was 18 . I was actually thinking about your channel in work and could get what had happened was out of my head lol 😆 . Keep up the good work 💪👷
It is still the best out there. I have an mpc x with it but do not need to turn on the x as I mapped everything into the neko. Updating the touchscreen to a 17.5 4k. It still is better than every other piece of gear
Yeah, I remember my homie bought one, way back when Cubase 5 or 6 was out. I thought it was ridiculously priced at the time too. Now we all running MACs. I remember he was over this ish really quick!
@ALMIGHTY KCLAYTOVEN Almost thought you was Ghostface when I saw the thumbnails lol..Appreciate the strippers in the Almighty video Lol..All in all you doin your thang.
Reaper ISN'T free. I know what you're getting at (wit the perpetual evaluation license) but it ain't free. It's an incredible DAW that ppl should pay for when they can. That aside, great content series.
It was confusing sometimes. But it was the first DAW that allowed me to do some crazy things with audio. I was using Reason 3 with an old beat up laptop before I got my 4th Gen Neko XXL.
Shades is real down to earth. The way he explains what gearbuzz felt like when it was out. Gear can’t be hyped into legendary status. After a while cats be like nah. Mpc 3k/ ASR 10/S950/2000XL, Cats became legends on those machines. The hype was real.
Cool content you make, bro) - thanks allot!! God bless u! I agree with all your terms about Neko, and it makes me thinking, that the new Fantom from Roland - just fully realized now on great today level (with adequate price) this old, crude OpenLabs concept!..)
I had one. It was worth EVERY penny. Trust me! And the fact that it was basically a PC computer with a studio built into it, it was simple to use. And you could choose what DAW you wanted to use. It wasn't like buying a piece of gear and having to use it's built in UI/software. It's still til this day the most flexible piece of studio gear. I am SERIOUS too. Also, the 4th Gen Neko XXL is still hands down one of the sexiest pieces of studio gear EVER. And the touch screen worked great for the time it came out. Loved the pads, faders and the crossfader that came one the LX5 and Miko LXD. I wish someone would re-do this but with motorized faders. But Keep everything else the same, but in updated to date terms. When my Neko XXL showed up, I was scared to open it. But once I did, it was the greatest box I've open; still to this day... The rest was history. I know the producer makes the music, not the equipment. But I went from using Reason on an old laptop to using this thing. And it opened my music world up more and more each day.... Then it got stolen. But I bounced back. And I still would love to get another XXL and have someone upgrade it to my dream NEKO XXL parts. And run Mac OS.
Hey brother. Thanks for the videos. I'm finding em real educational. I got a question though. What had happened on the Beat Thang.? I'd really like to know. Thanks from Auckland and keep on keepin on.
Imagine spending $6000 on a gaming PC to put FL on it. If they were a couple of grand cheaper, I would have gotten one. They did come with stuff (although alot of freeware, Reaper, and samples) as well. They just had too small of a market. A typical studio user don't mind having a PC, midi controller, audio interface as separate units, but a live key player would appreciate having that in one unit. I think the units make more sense now as VSTs, DAWS have improved a good bit since the 2000s, as well as SSDs.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 KIND OF A SAMPLER !! SHIT IS HILARIOUSSSS! most people just wanted one for the "look" of it. One of those studio pieces that just made your studio look amazing. That's pretty much it because you could get all of this for a fraction of the price....not in an all in one box but still....Also this one got caught in the middle of the windows OS change. This one began on XP but then windows 7 had begun to trickle out and this had to be sent to the company to be upgraded to the newer OS --there are a few around with windows 10 or whatever but that was also one of the drawbacks.
Great job I totally don’t remember this keyboard. Until i remembered a snoop dogg teddy riley interview and teddy boasted about 1 keyboard that does everything
When I first saw it it looked so good but so expensive but now that I'm older and learned more about producing I can do without it with what Native instruments and akai have brought
Oh man, it was such a great idea, but it just wasn't ready for production. The leaders always get bloody going through the wall, but we owe a lot to this innovation, nonetheless. Unfortunately, its failure has probably scared off other companies from entering this space.. Fun story, my favorite teacher at Audio Engineering school was one of the people who helped develop (or consulted... I can't remember it was so long ago) and sell this. He was keytarist and keyboardist for P-Funk and GAP Band. All that being said, he was invited to Prince's studio to show it to Prince and his band. After getting off the plane he was literally blindfolded to be taken to the studio. I asked if he got to jam with them. He said "hell no, I'm nowhere good enough to jam with them". It baffled me because, again, HE WAS IN P-FUNK and was the best keys player, and possibly the best musician, I'd ever met. Gives you some serious respect for the talent of Prince's musicians. Anyway, as always, amazing video, brother.
Agreed. It's probably a pretty hard thing to get right though. As as software keeps evolving the units would become obsolete quicker than a standalone hardware unit.
This is actually a cool concept. I see it as a live unit. Playing in live bands, hauling a midi controller, laptop, audio interface, laptop stand is a bit of a challenge (to quickly setup). Having that in one unit is a powerful concept.
I owned the timbaland edition Miko, that was smaller and was the weight of a baby elephant. The ulternative you mentioned is actually preferable as well as upgradeable. I had the mpc 2000 XL at that time and used that more as well as bootleg version of fruity loops. Miko was just a con as stated I was one of those people that got had by the product endorsement from timbaland. I remember watching him using it at a music awards and he must have had the super edition as it was not even switched on or plugged into anything not even speakers but he was turning all these knobs and pressing keys and this music was playing. Magic miko.
Former OL Tech Support here. Supporting this made me quit music for 15 years, lol. As for software, by the time we had decent software meant for the unit, the unit itself was long since obsolete. The drivers for the panels, basically bespoke usb controllers, were sketchy to say the least, and the fact it had to run windows xp added to the probability they would drop at the worst moment. It was also way to "open" to the user while being so delicate; XP loves to update, and so a musician says "oh, windows 7, eh? I'll just upgrade that myself" ( I'm looking at you, Teddy, lmao) and bam, whole studio is down for who knows how long. God help you if you have to ship that damn thing in (and you better have kept your box, lmao). And don't even get me started on the shenanigans inside the company itself, pretty sure I'd get sued, lol. Good video, definite sub
Thanks bro!..I appreciate it..Im thinking if it was under 1,000 it would probably still be here.. But that might have not been enough $ for the company.
@@DyReckProductions nah, it wouldn't have, but if you think about it, it was just somehow ahead of it's time and behind it. When I saw my first Miko, there wasn't even such a thing as an iphone. We were trying to answer questions that couldn't even be asked at that point in time, I think. I picked up an MPC One, and I see a lot of that OL spirit in that device, just better engineered and developed. Keep making music, bro (cheers)
i love these videos,im a modern producer who makes from hybrid trap ,hybrid trap rnb,90s type beats so these are so informative thank you! hardware is just as good as virtual instruments just gotta know how to use it
Yo that was a great accurate review. I bought a Miko thinking I was getting an awesome sound library. WRONG, nothing particularly great about it. Not when you have native Instruments out there making really really good stuff like Komplete
Ohhhhhhh weeeee. I remember playing with this and watching Timbaland come out with the white one meeko ? Then ⏩ to 2014 I saw one in the pawnshop in the case for $1200!!! It was running windows XP of course and no one had the password. Hahah. This was way ahead of its time to be portable studio if you will??? Maybe I should have bought it and put win7 on it??? Another dope video!!!!!!!
There was a special version of the Miko « Timbaland Edition » that looked very interesting with more Biased hip-hop et DJing with a crossfader Penny & Gilles. Of course, they were very good instruments that were still very expensive, but we must not forget that I bring it back to you almost 20 years and that even separately all the elements making up the MIKO OR NEKO were very expensive for the time, especially compared to now, where prices are Become much more affordable.
@@DyReckProductions The Muse Receptor was Hot with pro touring musicians at the time...most home enthusiasts paid it no mind. It was a 2 space rack mounted VST plugin box...synths, sampler and efx plugs ran on it...computer with midi, without looking like a computer....
I was the first producer that was endorsed by this company at the time. I had one of these, and what you said was correct…all you had to do was get a laptop , controller, and interface to equal this keyboard. But I know before Victor folded the company he was working with Apple for an official apple production station that was based around logic. The keyboard was way sleeker for the Apple project . But victor is so rich he just got into something else
I almost want to sample that line "are you cats tryna finesse me??!" It would go perfect in a house music track right before the beat kicks back in. Heavily processed of course.
I remember being a young up and coming producer (back before EVERYONE was one). I seen this thing in a Guitar Center catalog and thought I just HAVE to have it! To think how obsolete this is now and I've YET to spend $6.5 K on production equipment yet and it's been 20 years 😂. All my music computers and laptops, all the DAW Updates, several MIDI controllers, several audio interfaces, one 3 mics. All that combined would not have added up to the price of this thing that is now obsolete. I'm glad I grew out of the desire to have it.😂
I owned a Neko Qx6 it was awesome but every Neko that was made should had all the software and Sound-sets from the Timbaland Edition Neko because let me tell you that was something special amazing sounds and software !!!
I still have my Neko XXL, and I still use it to create tracks. The workflow is hard to beat even to this day using only one device. I'll admit, Open Labs was too expensive to be a mainstream product, but for those who could afford one of their products, it's no different than purchasing any other expensive piece of gear. Can you make quality music with it? That is the main question that needs to be answered, and the answer is YES... People who complain about the pricing, probably don't own a Mac computer either. Macs straight off the shelf with high end power, have always costed more than a comparable PC. My current MacBook Pro cost me north of 7 grand, should I cry because it costed so much, and I could build a Frankenstein PC for less? Or should I just use it for what I purchased it for with way less headache? My Mac just works, and so does my Neko XXL. Pros need their gear to work, even under chaotic circumstances, we pay for the reliability of a devise, as well as the versatility. Cost is relevant, but people always have, and always will purchase what they can afford.
No suprise. Its an opposite out outdated computer. The latest laptops out right now are way more powerful and cheaper than this box that was brand new at the time.
Good call since the StudioBlade was the next product of Victor Wong after he left OpenLabs (on not friendly terms, I read). Dude is a 'serial inventor'...
I was the first one to get this machine, i actually still have the video the day i got it on my page, 😂 but to fair.... It was ahead of its time, The bigger issue with this was that they used a lot of proprietary stuff that if one thing went wrong you had to send the whole thing in to be fixed which was ridiculous and at the time I knew nothing about how to build a computer , So to me this was a very expensive package in 2008 and this was ahead of its time, but this would be considered a , Rolls-Royce and anybody that knows you cannot drive a Rolls-Royce everyday and make it practical. Versus the Toyota can get you to point A and B the same way
Oh wow I just peeped the vid!!.. ruclips.net/video/F1TCQm2xgOo/видео.html..Dope video..You spent some cheddar back in 08 for this..You wasn't playin with your music production! Salute!!
Damn! Is fine looking, and the features look wonderful for composing and experimenting! But that price point is a wee too steep! Had it a robust sequencer/multitrack installed that was straightforward and good to go installed, I'd be game. But for all I spent on a Yamaha EX5 and a Roland SP-808 back in the day, and all the accessories - the Neko's not too bad price wise at that time. But considering how cheap laptops and controllers got to be, and Neko's still at that high end? Uh-uh.
Something important about the design that you didn't mention was that it was configurable with the different controller units that could be installed in the surface depending on if you wanted knobs, faders, keyboard, drum pads, etc.. So it was a cutting edge touch screen PC, $3000 with an 8x8 audio interface $2000, a MIDI interface, with a good keyboard and custom config controllers, in a metal chassis. I don't think it was that overpriced, it was ahead of it's time. A Slate Raven and an Akai MPK261 keyboard controller would do this plus you'd need a rack with the audio I/O and MIDI I/O. that could serve a similar function but would cost more now and be a chore to set up. I knew a guy about ten years ago that used a Neko for producing electronic music but since he was in Seattle, it was stolen.
I'm convinced Akai doesn't even know what the Force is or what to do with it. Biggest road block of the Force is that it's doesn't have it's own MPC 2.0 styled Software which makes purchasing not the best decision if you don't own an MPC. Take note that everyone who owns a force owns an MPC as well. You rarely find people that only own a Force. Like it's just a device to use as a vacation away from your MPC when you want to do MPC like things but not on an MPC.
I actually bought the last Neko XXL Openlabs made for $5668 upgrading from my Neko 64 Windows XP model in 2013. I'm still using it daily for making tv cues. I was sent photos as they were putting it together. I hate that they stopped making it since I can't upgrade past Windows 7 but it's still hanging in there and at least I had them install SSD drives when they were putting it together. No longer having support for it means once it really dies that's pretty much it. Everything is right in front of me. No twisting, no turning , no reaching.I will hate the day this thing finally quits.
What had happened was that neko software side become Stagelight then Roland bought it two years ago and renamed it to Zenbeats. It's full crossplatform (works on everything aside a blackberry lol) and now with subscription you have even access to Roland cloud Zencore synths. So you can get A LOT for an iPad or iPhone or comaptible ANDROID tablet or WIN MAC... linux probably not but hell yeah... I will love to see other companies offering that.
Victor had the vision and idea and in the end he was right because everyone has the concept now with a lap top and midi keyboard and sound card in their "studios" now. He just couldn't get the timing of release and the price down. But he was right in the concept of the all in one and the interface which we all can get now and take for granted. This was 2004 don't forget. Too bad Victor.
I don’t know if you take requests, but I’ve always been curious as to why Native Instruments Maschine studio (the larger machine) is less expensive than most out there. Would it be good for a beginner? Thanks!
@@middknight5202 Maschine is still a midi controller with a software application so alot of its functionality is done on the computer with the software..Software applications are mostly always cheaper than hardware.
The Neko ran on Microsoft Windows CE/XP. An embedded version of the MS OS. Teddy Riley used to use this machine in his production. It's really just a DAW, Mixer, keyboard and MPC in one machine. It was definitely a forward thinking machine but I agree it was seriously over priced.
I had that same black one showed. Only reason I don’t have it is because I fell on hard times otherwise I would still have it. I usually like these series but I don’t think this was done justice. It was essentially and all in one piece. Hook up a mic and you could do everything including vocals. IT ABSOLUTELY CAN SAMPLE! I did it all the time. I had reaper, pro tools, Abelton, Reason on mines! Mimick was software you could copy other keyboard presets to have as your own. It was the 🗯
I feel you Doug I try not to diss anyone's gear cause I got some I love and that people dont like.. like the 500..And I be like if you just understood it you would know why I like it so much..The only thing I felt was off about the Neko was the pricing and them not having a fully developed specific application for it who knows they might have been getting there.
i remember wanting one of these sooo bad...then jus all of sudden...didnt.
Lol.
LOL..Same Here!
U lucked out, lmao.
@@wwlittlejOfficial looks like i did
fax
Still have mine! Paid 5k in 2012. In 2019 I had it fully upgraded to SSD drives, i9 motherboard and 64gram $950. It literally blows out anything on the market today. NI, omnisphere, serum...I run everything and it runs quick...rock solid. You dont see many for sale because people hang on to them💯
Oh ok no doubt.
Those of Us who know. My XXL is I9 32g and I cant make it choke with omnisphere keyscape and all the greedies.
Can you tell me where you got it upgraded?
@@bowtiedon8153 I had a computer company in my city clone the hard drive to an SSD and then do all the ugrades
You don’t see many for sale because owners tried their hardest to forget.
Man I don’t usually comment on videos but as soon as I seen this I had to click.. this thing played a special place in my history man... I wanted that timbaland edition ... couldn’t afford this thing when it came out but now I can and I would still get if for the nostalgia..I appreciate what you do! Keep it up!
Thanks fam..Its not a bad piece..I like the keyboard..It was just the price was crazy.
Get one. If you are computer driven this would be the ultimate rig.
thats a lot of dough for some nostalgia lol
Mimik was not KIND OF A SAMPLER. You could hook it up to a keyboard like a Motif or Triton, etc and completely sample all the sounds/patches off them. That was crazy! I did it to my dad's Motif and he was in shock. Seriously, he was speechless. And I sat there laughing.
Hey yo the Neko was the Neo Geo of music equipment. Shit was an urban legend.
Lol..Neo Geo!
LOL, I like thAT... LOL Hahahah
@@TML0677 I dig the idea..A pc in your keyboard..But I just think it cost alot of money..It didn't really have software that was specific to its operation.
It is not urban legwnd. It is the truth and lives. It really is a fancy computer case but I mean that in every way. I switched to an I9 with 32g ram and could go higher if I want. It really runs circles around anysetup out there where ypu either suffer inferior keys or an inferior PC. Hell you can even hackintosh it if you want.
I still have my Miko Timbo edition maxed out 16gb, 6TB and had it upgraded to Gen6 specs. I didn't go deep into the comments but one particular aspect about OLABS is that they had a proprietary version of Windows that had been optimized for music production uses I virtually tried to crash a project once running 64 tracks simultaneously and still was only 58% cpu usage which was and still is very impressive. One bit of caution though never try to do a Windows update on these machines because the drivers for the keyboard are nowhere to be found.
Oh ok good to know..Sounds like you got alot out of the machine.. And 64 tracks at the same time is really good.
Can you record vocals on it?
Oh we have the drivers. And people are up to win11 on these. Comment here if you want to get your Device up to date.
@@nuconsumerservices8276 do you have all of the drivers available for sale? I’m in the process of upgrading my Miko right now. How do I get in touch with you?
Ngl, that sound shady seeing as how OL's as a company doesn't exist. How would drivers exist?@@nuconsumerservices8276
Daaammmnn. I remember wanting that Timbaland Edition so so so so Bad man. Woow i forget about that. Thanks for the reminder. 👍🏽
You should do a video on Cool Edit Pro!! I still use it to edit, chop, quantize and timestretch samples. Underrated DAW for recording and mixing as well.
Your right alot of people have been mentioning Cool Edit.
Apollo Brown uses cool edit pro to make his beats to this day. It looks super hard and time consuming but he’s done it for so long it’s his wheelhouse. Crazy.
@@FuntClaps101 Yes! Making beats in Cool Edit is actually really fun and a totally different approach than any other DAW or beat machine. You literally have to either copy and paste drum samples on grid in the editor, or drag and drop them in the multitrack window. It's what I grew up learning how to do so I'm quick at using it. I wish Protools had a wav editor and oscilloscope like Cool Edit lol.
I got one at a pawnshop 5 years ago for $600....They didn't age well at all
@wnb Because they were heaving and bulky, took up way too much desk space, the CPU speeds are drastically outdated for today's Vsts, and the Operating Systems were Windows XP or Windows 7 depending on which which unit you got. A midi controller, computer and soundcard combined was a good idea at the time
I know a guy who bought one of these when it first dropped and he still uses it to this day. He just updates all the hardware and software. He records songs and mixes in this thing like it's nothing. It's so weird though. Lol. Every time I go over there you just see this giant ass keyboard thing that probably weighs 30+ pounds. I asked him why he never sold and upgraded, he said "Nobody wants it and I paid almost 4k for it. I'm using it until it doesn't work anymore." LOL. I personally never wanted one, but the concept was pretty cool.
@wnb the beat thang always looked so janky to me. 😂 I've seen a few controllers these days try to mimic that look, but the machine itself never really caught my attention. Didn't they have Pete Rock or someone make a beat on it but he was only able to use stock drums and samples? Set my man up for failure. I was like 🤦🏽♂️ lol
I bought mine at a pawn shop for $175 thinking about selling for gear.
@wnb I got the Beat Thang too...smh
Kind of a sampler got me crying. I love this content. Keep em coming .
I still got mine and upgraded it, windows 10 and four 1 terabytes hard-drives. Its the centerpiece of my studio
Who did you get to upgrade it? Mine is still running Windows 7. My LX5 is my centerpiece 💪🏼
I have the last XXL Openlabs made and still rely on it daily for composing TV cues (see my other post). I was told it couldn't be upgraded to Windows 10. How did you do that?
SALUTE!!!!
@@jc3isfree858 I used a cpu store in my area, I’m in central Ohio. Once it’s open it it’s just a regular PC
@@ctatrains I just used my local CPU maintenance repair shop, they did it for me
The one thing you didn't mention was the concept behind their Mimik tehcnology was you could hook the Neko up to a synth module/production keyboard like and it would sample entire patches. So you could basically jack all of the patches from a Motif or Fantom and have them on your Neko. That's the one thing I thought could have been a game changer for this unit.
Yes. I loved that feature too. I went to my dad's house and Mimikd his Motif. He was like "WTF.. How did you do that?" Haahahaha
I didnt know thaT, Now but how close was the sound quality???
Thank goodness Akai has the forethought to add the AutoSampler latest MPCs.
Now I would just use the Akai Key 61 and do the same thing.
As good or better. 96k converters.
My friend owned one these and maaaaaaaann did it have issues. I remember him bringing the whole unit over to my house because he didn't have a PC and needed to update the firmware to get it to work with Pro Tools, and guess what.. It failed to install. OPEN LABS was over hyping this thing like it was gonna be the future of production. Lol. That didn't last very long now did it
Yeah they didn't stay open for too long lol.
Love these vids. I actually remember one aspect of what was going on at the time PC / Mac were crashing like crazy. Many were looking for a solution to the crashing and also better tone for live. Similar to Muse Box concept. They were also starting to realize that the GIGA samples and very large and complex Daw based sounds were starting to eclipse the "workstation" sounds. So it was the last hoorah for the battle of workstation style synths. Korg Oasys, Triton, Yamaha EX5/Motif, Roland VSynth....Computers completely took over and people just started gigging with laptops/tablets in the background for these deeper sound and sequencing needs. Looks good as an all in one studio ha....no setup, hardware controls / turnkey...come to think of it, can I borrow about 6k. There were places like Sweetwater making turnkey DAW computers at the same time as well. My playing, mixing, composing, singing, producing skills are all shite but this box should fix that based on the brochure. :)
I knew you were going to cover this one! I didn't realized that it came out 2004, which I thought it came out earlier than 2004... When I saw Neko products line for the first time, I immediately realized that it was basically a Window PC with MIDI interfaces integrated. It looked very clunky to me, even back then. Those units are huge!
I had seven of these dating back to the open synth. These were the ish except they were built with inferior products but customer support was the best in the game. In ‘05 this worked for me because I was new to computer programming and this was a great intro.
Bruh this vid title had me shook for a sec lmao. Good stuff
Lol. Thanks fam.
I was one of the few to have a Neko in Italy, back in the mid 2000s. It was an amazing instrument with some hardware related issues that made me sent back to the seller after for repairing, and they sent it back to me with the issues solved. I used it at some rehearsals and gigs until 2009, and everyone was sort of "wow, what's that"
It was a beautiful machine..They almost had something great.
I had no idea the company was out of Austin Tx. I used to drive from my home in Salado Texas to Austin Tx to visit guitar center and I remember seeing the Neko and thinking how amazing it was. I ended up getting a Korg Radias instead. What I REALLY wanted was a Virus TI Polar.
Open Labs had two specific pieces of software: Riff and Mimik. Plus it has Karsyn which not many companies or musicians were messing with back then.
I remember going a convention in NYC where they had this thing and even then I thought it was too big, too expensive and just looked like a midi controller with a screen on it. It just seemed weird to boot up the machine and see Windows XP boot up. Funnily Korg released their workstation the OASYS and that was built similarly with PC hardware but it ran a custom Linux OS. So they at least didn't just give you Windows with some VSTs and call it a day. These machines were ahead of their time. The tech just wasn't there yet and so they were big, expensive and the user experience just wasn't great imo.
Yeah man I feel you..Alot of potential.
Been having one for 10 years. It now has 32g ram an i9 processor and 26TB storage. It has every sound under the sun and can use any VST. The controllers still work through win11 and are lightning fast. I have an MPC X with it but can leave the MPC off and use the Neko by itself pads and all.
@@nuconsumerservices8276 You did all the updates yourself? What other gears do you have in your studio?
@@MeneTekelUpharsin yes. Standard windows machine upgrades. Full size motherboard, the slots line up, the cooling fans work fine. Just do a machine with 125w or less. Get a quiet cpu cooler.
"KINDA A SAMPLER!?”🤣 that was hella funny. I even looked away like “WTF, they wanted over 6g’s for that keyboard and it don’t even sample!?” Major 🚩 lol
Lmao..Yeah that's crazy.
Why would you think that you couldn’t sample?
It could sample. It is basically just a DAW.
With 6k you could either buy a pretty dope car. Or make a down payment on a dope ass one. 🤔
@@OBZRV82 Yeah theirs so many things we can do with 6g’s. However, if I was down to spend 6g’s on a keyboard workstation like the Neko in that era, I wouldn’t want to hear the word “KINDA” at all
I wanted this thing so baaaad back in the day
This video series is all the gear I wanted but couldn't afford in high school. I'm glad I waited lol
I forgot about the Neko. The only major producer I’ve seen used the Neko was Teddy Riley. But he’s big dawg status, he can afford it. I stopped giving the Neko attention as soon as I saw the price lol.
I feel u lol.
Timbaland and Polow Da Don Also made many hits on it. Timbo even had his own edition that they sold.
@@JewelzFin yeah I saw Timberland getting busy on the Neko after looking back to see who was using it. The Neko was a big deal when it was released.
I was just telling my wife about the Timbaland version.
Wow I didn't know there were wives that cares about that stuff.
Roland MC 909 and Yamaha RS 7000 next ( ? ) since we are remembering all the flashbacks to the alternatives to escape the Akai MPC series style making beats which was hard to do.
Bro you are just the bomb,I just saw the title and I'm like ain't never see a video on this gear, Again thank you and keep em coming...if you can please do the Tempest by Rodger Linn🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🔥
Tempest was pretty much just a Dave Smith creation. He and Roger had been working on drum synth/sampler. With Dave creating the drum synth and Roger making the sampler and sequencer side. But after working on this concept for a while they decided it should just be two separate units. So Dave turned his ideas into the Tempest and sadly Roger, the Godfather of it all, never dropped a new sampler. He focused on the Linnstrument, an expressive midi controller. Im dreamin of the day Roger gives us a new sampler/sequencer. Behringer should hire him to clone the MPC.
@@earthhuman5448 The Linnstrument is also interesting, isnt like the first MPE controller?
These musical trips down memory lane are hilarious. You need to do one on the old music store Mars 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Mars was like the wal mart for musicians. I used to go in that mug and say, damn I need to rob a bank lol
Love your channel bro , I wish there were channels like this and synthmania around when I was 18 . I was actually thinking about your channel in work and could get what had happened was out of my head lol 😆 . Keep up the good work 💪👷
Lmao! Thanks fam I appreciate it.
I thought every keyboardist was going to get one of these at some point. It seemed like the perfect tool.
It had potential.
@@DyReckProductions Too damn expensive for its on good, though. I guess everyone else looked into other affordable options.
It is still the best out there. I have an mpc x with it but do not need to turn on the x as I mapped everything into the neko. Updating the touchscreen to a 17.5 4k. It still is better than every other piece of gear
Could you do a segment on Roland’s MC-909
Wondering when you was going to do this one lol
Lol. had to do it.
Was waiting on this one video. Next video suggestion: ps1 MTV music generator
Lol. Your reading my mind.
Yeah, I remember my homie bought one, way back when Cubase 5 or 6 was out. I thought it was ridiculously priced at the time too. Now we all running MACs. I remember he was over this ish really quick!
Dude, you're a national treasure !
Lmao! Thanks fam.
U should do Boss DR-5 that would be dope its my favorite drum machine
Oh ok gotta put that on the list.
The baseline right!!!! Yes please do one on that and dr660
Maaaaan My "BFF" STOLE Mine... Lml.. P E A C E...
it feels like if they were to release the Neko now then it would be a hit, especially if it was the right price. funny how times change.
Yeah if they had a software specifically for the unit it would have done alot better.
@@DyReckProductions The studio blade was a beast
@@chaseisaac9563 Oh ok No doubt.
@ALMIGHTY KCLAYTOVEN Almost thought you was Ghostface when I saw the thumbnails lol..Appreciate the strippers in the Almighty video Lol..All in all you doin your thang.
@@justinbennitt835 Yup.
Reaper ISN'T free. I know what you're getting at (wit the perpetual evaluation license) but it ain't free. It's an incredible DAW that ppl should pay for when they can. That aside, great content series.
Reaper is a beast of a program breh
It was confusing sometimes. But it was the first DAW that allowed me to do some crazy things with audio. I was using Reason 3 with an old beat up laptop before I got my 4th Gen Neko XXL.
Shades is real down to earth. The way he explains what gearbuzz felt like when it was out. Gear can’t be hyped into legendary status. After a while cats be like nah. Mpc 3k/ ASR 10/S950/2000XL, Cats became legends on those machines. The hype was real.
Thanks fam..Yeah the hype was real.
I got to know of the Neko from Mysto and Pizzi they used this alot as well.
Oh ok cool.
Cool content you make, bro) - thanks allot!! God bless u!
I agree with all your terms about Neko, and it makes me thinking, that the new Fantom from Roland - just fully realized now on great today level (with adequate price) this old, crude OpenLabs concept!..)
Thanks bro!..I feel you on that.
I had one. It was worth EVERY penny. Trust me!
And the fact that it was basically a PC computer with a studio built into it, it was simple to use. And you could choose what DAW you wanted to use. It wasn't like buying a piece of gear and having to use it's built in UI/software. It's still til this day the most flexible piece of studio gear. I am SERIOUS too.
Also, the 4th Gen Neko XXL is still hands down one of the sexiest pieces of studio gear EVER. And the touch screen worked great for the time it came out. Loved the pads, faders and the crossfader that came one the LX5 and Miko LXD. I wish someone would re-do this but with motorized faders. But Keep everything else the same, but in updated to date terms.
When my Neko XXL showed up, I was scared to open it. But once I did, it was the greatest box I've open; still to this day... The rest was history. I know the producer makes the music, not the equipment. But I went from using Reason on an old laptop to using this thing. And it opened my music world up more and more each day.... Then it got stolen. But I bounced back. And I still would love to get another XXL and have someone upgrade it to my dream NEKO XXL parts. And run Mac OS.
Hey brother. Thanks for the videos. I'm finding em real educational. I got a question though. What had happened on the Beat Thang.? I'd really like to know. Thanks from Auckland and keep on keepin on.
Polo The Don had me wanting one but i refused to pay that damn much
Lol I feel u.
Loving the series fam! 🔥 🔥 🔥
Thanks bro.
Imagine spending 6k$ just to put fl studio on your neko
Damn 🤣
Lmao!
Where them hihat packs at hahahahahahhahaha
Right
Imagine spending $6000 on a gaming PC to put FL on it.
If they were a couple of grand cheaper, I would have gotten one. They did come with stuff (although alot of freeware, Reaper, and samples) as well. They just had too small of a market. A typical studio user don't mind having a PC, midi controller, audio interface as separate units, but a live key player would appreciate having that in one unit. I think the units make more sense now as VSTs, DAWS have improved a good bit since the 2000s, as well as SSDs.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 KIND OF A SAMPLER !! SHIT IS HILARIOUSSSS! most people just wanted one for the "look" of it. One of those studio pieces that just made your studio look amazing. That's pretty much it because you could get all of this for a fraction of the price....not in an all in one box but still....Also this one got caught in the middle of the windows OS change. This one began on XP but then windows 7 had begun to trickle out and this had to be sent to the company to be upgraded to the newer OS --there are a few around with windows 10 or whatever but that was also one of the drawbacks.
I remember wanting this so bad lol..
Word.
Great job I totally don’t remember this keyboard. Until i remembered a snoop dogg teddy riley interview and teddy boasted about 1 keyboard that does everything
Yeah Teddy was pushing it hard back then.
When I first saw it it looked so good but so expensive but now that I'm older and learned more about producing I can do without it with what Native instruments and akai have brought
😂😂😂 I remember Open Labs. 8 stacks for a bunch of stuff I already had. It was the ultimate flex tho.
Lol..I feel u.
Oh man, it was such a great idea, but it just wasn't ready for production. The leaders always get bloody going through the wall, but we owe a lot to this innovation, nonetheless. Unfortunately, its failure has probably scared off other companies from entering this space.. Fun story, my favorite teacher at Audio Engineering school was one of the people who helped develop (or consulted... I can't remember it was so long ago) and sell this. He was keytarist and keyboardist for P-Funk and GAP Band. All that being said, he was invited to Prince's studio to show it to Prince and his band. After getting off the plane he was literally blindfolded to be taken to the studio. I asked if he got to jam with them. He said "hell no, I'm nowhere good enough to jam with them". It baffled me because, again, HE WAS IN P-FUNK and was the best keys player, and possibly the best musician, I'd ever met. Gives you some serious respect for the talent of Prince's musicians.
Anyway, as always, amazing video, brother.
The devices were not the failure.
I think they need to come out with a new one that’s more upgraded and more advanced,,,,,but the price need to be lowwwww
Agreed. It's probably a pretty hard thing to get right though. As as software keeps evolving the units would become obsolete quicker than a standalone hardware unit.
"reaper is freee, are you tryna finesse meee!!!!" 😂🤣😂🤣
This is actually a cool concept. I see it as a live unit. Playing in live bands, hauling a midi controller, laptop, audio interface, laptop stand is a bit of a challenge (to quickly setup). Having that in one unit is a powerful concept.
Yeah man.
I owned the timbaland edition Miko, that was smaller and was the weight of a baby elephant. The ulternative you mentioned is actually preferable as well as upgradeable. I had the mpc 2000 XL at that time and used that more as well as bootleg version of fruity loops. Miko was just a con as stated I was one of those people that got had by the product endorsement from timbaland. I remember watching him using it at a music awards and he must have had the super edition as it was not even switched on or plugged into anything not even speakers but he was turning all these knobs and pressing keys and this music was playing. Magic miko.
You Should Do One on the Roland R-8 it was a prettt big deal in RnB and Hip Hop, artist from the Bay and LeFace swore by it
Oh ok..Got to check it out.
Former OL Tech Support here. Supporting this made me quit music for 15 years, lol. As for software, by the time we had decent software meant for the unit, the unit itself was long since obsolete. The drivers for the panels, basically bespoke usb controllers, were sketchy to say the least, and the fact it had to run windows xp added to the probability they would drop at the worst moment. It was also way to "open" to the user while being so delicate; XP loves to update, and so a musician says "oh, windows 7, eh? I'll just upgrade that myself" ( I'm looking at you, Teddy, lmao) and bam, whole studio is down for who knows how long. God help you if you have to ship that damn thing in (and you better have kept your box, lmao). And don't even get me started on the shenanigans inside the company itself, pretty sure I'd get sued, lol. Good video, definite sub
Thanks bro!..I appreciate it..Im thinking if it was under 1,000 it would probably still be here.. But that might have not been enough $ for the company.
@@DyReckProductions nah, it wouldn't have, but if you think about it, it was just somehow ahead of it's time and behind it. When I saw my first Miko, there wasn't even such a thing as an iphone. We were trying to answer questions that couldn't even be asked at that point in time, I think. I picked up an MPC One, and I see a lot of that OL spirit in that device, just better engineered and developed. Keep making music, bro (cheers)
@@ogami1972 Thanks fam!
i love these videos,im a modern producer who makes from hybrid trap ,hybrid trap rnb,90s type beats so these are so informative thank you! hardware is just as good as virtual instruments just gotta know how to use it
Thanks fam. Yeah hardware is dope!..Some of the sounds and different workflows you get out of these machines is amazing.
Actually the Open Labs unit came with thousands of VST plugins. Also mimick was a great sampler.
I was trying so hard to save up enough money to get one of these things back in the day lol
Yo that was a great accurate review. I bought a Miko thinking I was getting an awesome sound library. WRONG, nothing particularly great about it. Not when you have native Instruments out there making really really good stuff like Komplete
Lol I feel you.
😂 you crack me up.
I’m hungry, what do I want a fridge for? 😂
Lmao!
Ohhhhhhh weeeee. I remember playing with this and watching Timbaland come out with the white one meeko ? Then ⏩ to 2014 I saw one in the pawnshop in the case for $1200!!! It was running windows XP of course and no one had the password. Hahah. This was way ahead of its time to be portable studio if you will???
Maybe I should have bought it and put win7 on it???
Another dope video!!!!!!!
This channel is dope.
There was a special version of the Miko « Timbaland Edition » that looked very interesting with more Biased hip-hop et DJing with a crossfader Penny & Gilles.
Of course, they were very good instruments that were still very expensive, but we must not forget that I bring it back to you almost 20 years and that even separately all the elements making up the MIKO OR NEKO were very expensive for the time, especially compared to now, where prices are Become much more affordable.
True!
6k? Nah man, you can start a home studio for less. If you already have a studio, I don't see what would need it for. Great video man
What killed it was companys started making VSTs for DAWs making them able to do everything the NEKO can do with the convince of portability and price
I feel you.
There was a box called Receptor, it's a plugin power for your computer. It's a greenish looking box
Oh ok.
@@DyReckProductions The Muse Receptor was Hot with pro touring musicians at the time...most home enthusiasts paid it no mind. It was a 2 space rack mounted VST plugin box...synths, sampler and efx plugs ran on it...computer with midi, without looking like a computer....
@@jaswhoone I wanted one soooo badly! Never got one though (Don’t remember why…). Jordan Ruddess had one in some of his old videos.
I was the first producer that was endorsed by this company at the time. I had one of these, and what you said was correct…all you had to do was get a laptop , controller, and interface to equal this keyboard.
But I know before Victor folded the company he was working with Apple for an official apple production station that was based around logic. The keyboard was way sleeker for the Apple project . But victor is so rich he just got into something else
Oh wow thats crazy..If they gave it special characteristics to itself like its own os and brought down the price it might be still around.
I almost want to sample that line "are you cats tryna finesse me??!" It would go perfect in a house music track right before the beat kicks back in. Heavily processed of course.
I remember being a young up and coming producer (back before EVERYONE was one). I seen this thing in a Guitar Center catalog and thought I just HAVE to have it! To think how obsolete this is now and I've YET to spend $6.5 K on production equipment yet and it's been 20 years 😂. All my music computers and laptops, all the DAW Updates, several MIDI controllers, several audio interfaces, one 3 mics. All that combined would not have added up to the price of this thing that is now obsolete. I'm glad I grew out of the desire to have it.😂
Lol I feel you.
Great video King
Thanks fam.
I remember hoping that this thing was dope. Teddy pushed it hard. I recall just waiting to see if this thing picked up steam but it just fizzled out.
Yeah man..I think the price turned alot of folks off.
I owned a Neko Qx6 it was awesome but every Neko that was made should had all the software and Sound-sets from the Timbaland Edition Neko because let me tell you that was something special amazing sounds and software !!!
Thing was just conceptually ahead of its time
Yeah it was a trend setter.
and now 2022 welcome to Akai MPC Key 61 at 2000 euro
yes the price was banannas at that time....
Lol!
Man I wanted this SO bad as a kid
Akai just released the MPC Keys 61 which is shows how far technology has come.
Yup.
I still have my Neko XXL, and I still use it to create tracks. The workflow is hard to beat even to this day using only one device. I'll admit, Open Labs was too expensive to be a mainstream product, but for those who could afford one of their products, it's no different than purchasing any other expensive piece of gear. Can you make quality music with it? That is the main question that needs to be answered, and the answer is YES...
People who complain about the pricing, probably don't own a Mac computer either. Macs straight off the shelf with high end power, have always costed more than a comparable PC. My current MacBook Pro cost me north of 7 grand, should I cry because it costed so much, and I could build a Frankenstein PC for less? Or should I just use it for what I purchased it for with way less headache? My Mac just works, and so does my Neko XXL.
Pros need their gear to work, even under chaotic circumstances, we pay for the reliability of a devise, as well as the versatility. Cost is relevant, but people always have, and always will purchase what they can afford.
Good point..Pros do need reliable gear that just works.
Plus....The Dbeat...that ate the mpc and mv8800 alive💯💯
Lol.
Maroon 5 had theirs up for sale a few years ago for the madd cheap
Lol dang.
No suprise. Its an opposite out outdated computer. The latest laptops out right now are way more powerful and cheaper than this box that was brand new at the time.
Are you going to talk about the Studio blade?
Lol. No doubt.
Beat Thang.....?
No. That is closely related but this was before that.
Good call since the StudioBlade was the next product of Victor Wong after he left OpenLabs (on not friendly terms, I read). Dude is a 'serial inventor'...
@@LoveMeBack He already talked about the Beat Thang. You can search on his channel for it.
I was the first one to get this machine, i actually still have the video the day i got it on my page, 😂 but to fair.... It was ahead of its time, The bigger issue with this was that they used a lot of proprietary stuff that if one thing went wrong you had to send the whole thing in to be fixed which was ridiculous and at the time I knew nothing about how to build a computer , So to me this was a very expensive package in 2008 and this was ahead of its time, but this would be considered a , Rolls-Royce and anybody that knows you cannot drive a Rolls-Royce everyday and make it practical. Versus the Toyota can get you to point A and B the same way
Oh wow I just peeped the vid!!.. ruclips.net/video/F1TCQm2xgOo/видео.html..Dope video..You spent some cheddar back in 08 for this..You wasn't playin with your music production! Salute!!
So this thing back then never came with any patches or sounds you had to still buy patches and plug ins?
are you going to talk about the Korg Oasys
Gotta put that on the list.
Damn! Is fine looking, and the features look wonderful for composing and experimenting! But that price point is a wee too steep! Had it a robust sequencer/multitrack installed that was straightforward and good to go installed, I'd be game. But for all I spent on a Yamaha EX5 and a Roland SP-808 back in the day, and all the accessories - the Neko's not too bad price wise at that time. But considering how cheap laptops and controllers got to be, and Neko's still at that high end? Uh-uh.
Yeah if they just had there own OS and a good sound I would go for it.
Something important about the design that you didn't mention was that it was configurable with the different controller units that could be installed in the surface depending on if you wanted knobs, faders, keyboard, drum pads, etc..
So it was a cutting edge touch screen PC, $3000 with an 8x8 audio interface $2000, a MIDI interface, with a good keyboard and custom config controllers, in a metal chassis. I don't think it was that overpriced, it was ahead of it's time. A Slate Raven and an Akai MPK261 keyboard controller would do this plus you'd need a rack with the audio I/O and MIDI I/O. that could serve a similar function but would cost more now and be a chore to set up.
I knew a guy about ten years ago that used a Neko for producing electronic music but since he was in Seattle, it was stolen.
You gonna have to do the akai force because the force is a convo in itself
Lol..Yeah I feel u on that.
I'm convinced Akai doesn't even know what the Force is or what to do with it. Biggest road block of the Force is that it's doesn't have it's own MPC 2.0 styled Software which makes purchasing not the best decision if you don't own an MPC. Take note that everyone who owns a force owns an MPC as well. You rarely find people that only own a Force. Like it's just a device to use as a vacation away from your MPC when you want to do MPC like things but not on an MPC.
@@187onasimp Oh ok I feel u.
LMFAO i knew you'd be going in on this episode
Lmao!
I got to here "What Had Happened Was" on this joint.👍🏿
Lol. No doubt.
I actually bought the last Neko XXL Openlabs made for $5668 upgrading from my Neko 64 Windows XP model in 2013. I'm still using it daily for making tv cues.
I was sent photos as they were putting it together. I hate that they stopped making it since I can't upgrade past Windows 7 but it's still hanging in there and at least I had them install SSD drives when they were putting it together. No longer having support for it means once it really dies that's pretty much it. Everything is right in front of me. No twisting, no turning , no reaching.I will hate the day this thing finally quits.
Oh ok I feel u..It sounds like you got what you needed out of the machine so thats good.
What had happened was that neko software side become Stagelight then Roland bought it two years ago and renamed it to Zenbeats. It's full crossplatform (works on everything aside a blackberry lol) and now with subscription you have even access to Roland cloud Zencore synths. So you can get A LOT for an iPad or iPhone or comaptible ANDROID tablet or WIN MAC... linux probably not but hell yeah... I will love to see other companies offering that.
Yeah I think I heard something about one of the developers selling Stagelight for alot of money..good for him.
I wanted this so much
I feel u..When it first came out it looked real good.
Victor had the vision and idea and in the end he was right because everyone has the concept now with a lap top and midi keyboard and sound card in their "studios" now. He just couldn't get the timing of release and the price down. But he was right in the concept of the all in one and the interface which we all can get now and take for granted. This was 2004 don't forget. Too bad Victor.
Yup..I agree it was a futuristic concept.
Reaper lmao I didn’t know this.......
I don’t know if you take requests, but I’ve always been curious as to why Native Instruments Maschine studio (the larger machine) is less expensive than most out there. Would it be good for a beginner? Thanks!
You mean less expensive than other hardware?
@@DyReckProductions yeah exactly
@@middknight5202 Maschine is still a midi controller with a software application so alot of its functionality is done on the computer with the software..Software applications are mostly always cheaper than hardware.
@@DyReckProductions The more i delve into the world of hardware the more i see my comment not age well lol.
@@middknight5202 Lol.
The Neko ran on Microsoft Windows CE/XP. An embedded version of the MS OS. Teddy Riley used to use this machine in his production. It's really just a DAW, Mixer, keyboard and MPC in one machine. It was definitely a forward thinking machine but I agree it was seriously over priced.
Yeah man..Had alot of potential..If they figured out the price thing I think they would have been good.
I had that same black one showed. Only reason I don’t have it is because I fell on hard times otherwise I would still have it. I usually like these series but I don’t think this was done justice. It was essentially and all in one piece. Hook up a mic and you could do everything including vocals. IT ABSOLUTELY CAN SAMPLE! I did it all the time. I had reaper, pro tools, Abelton, Reason on mines! Mimick was software you could copy other keyboard presets to have as your own. It was the 🗯
I feel you Doug I try not to diss anyone's gear cause I got some I love and that people dont like.. like the 500..And I be like if you just understood it you would know why I like it so much..The only thing I felt was off about the Neko was the pricing and them not having a fully developed specific application for it who knows they might have been getting there.
I think a updated new one should
Come out with wayyyy better upgrades