Which Vintage Samplers and Synthesizers Does audiocontrol.org Support?

Updated

audiocontrol.org currently offers browser-based editors for two devices you can use today: the Roland S-330 and Roland S-550. Three more devices — the Akai S3000XL, Akai S5000, and Roland JV-1080 — are listed as in development, so they are not yet usable. The project is open source and web-native, meaning no installation is required to open an editor.

Available now

These editors are live and can be opened directly in a browser.

Device Year Type Key specs Editor features noted
Roland S-330 1987 Rack-mount digital sampler 16-voice, 12-bit Real-time hardware sync, patch browsing, filter/envelope visualization
Roland S-550 1987 Rack-mount digital sampler 16-voice, 16-bit Shares the S-330 editor UI with an expanded feature set

The S-550 is described as the S-330's bigger sibling, with more memory and VGA output, but it belongs to the same family — which is why both share a common editor interface.

In development

These devices are on the workbench and not yet available. The site directs users to sign up via GitHub Discussions for updates.

Device Year Type Key specs Status notes
Akai S3000XL 1994 Rack sampler 32-voice, 16-bit MIDI-over-SCSI protocol reverse-engineered; editor under construction
Akai S5000 1999 Rack sampler 64-voice, 24-bit USB and 24-bit audio; shared parameter model with the S6000
Roland JV-1080 1994 Rack synth module 64-voice Patch editor and librarian in early exploration

How to choose what to expect

  • If you own a Roland S-330 or S-550: an editor is ready now — open it in a browser and connect to your hardware.
  • If you own an Akai S3000XL, S5000, or Roland JV-1080: no editor is available yet. Follow the project's GitHub Discussions to track progress.
  • If you own a different vintage sampler or synth: it is not listed on the site, so there is no stated support or timeline.

Where to follow progress and get help

The project lists three community channels:

  • GitHub — source code, issues, and discussions for every editor.
  • Discord — chat with maintainers and other users.
  • YouTube — demos, walkthroughs, and teardown videos.

For devices still in development, GitHub Discussions is the stated place to sign up for updates.