X3700

Back in 1986, this compact powerhouse brought Akai's sampling tech to a sleek 37-key keyboard format, making it one of the earliest affordable ways to capture and play back your own sounds with just 4 voices of polyphony.

At its core, it's a 12-bit digital sampler with variable rates up to 40kHz and 128KB of internal RAM—enough for a handful of short samples stored on Quick Disk drives. A standout programmable analog low-pass filter adds warmth, paired with vibrato, amp release controls, and basic editing like looping and tuning, all accessed via a small LCD and dedicated buttons above the mini keys. MIDI integration lets it sync with other gear, and its lightweight 5kg build with dimensions around 600x300x100mm makes it a portable relic from Akai's white-era samplers, bridging rack units like the S700 and fuller keyboards like the X7000.

Vintage enthusiasts prize its raw, lo-fi character and that hybrid analog filter for gritty textures, though the limited memory and tiny display draw notes on editing patience—still, it's a charming entry into 80s sampling history.