Update: 6/30/07 Architecture's patch data uploaded
The AX-60 is a CEM chip based VCO synthesizer made by Akai in 1985. Some refer this to a VCO equipped JUNO, which couldn't be further from the truth. The AX-60 can sound really close to a lot of Sequential Circuits Prophet keyboards, due to some of them having the same CEM chip as the AX-60 (Prophet 600, Multi-Trak, six-trak).
AKAI AX60 (1986)
For each voice the AX-60 has 1 VCO 1 VCF and 1 VCA. The VCO has Saw, Triangle, Pulse, and Saw + Triangle.
What makes the AX-60 even more unique is the PWM can be used on every waveform in the VCO, not just Pulse.
The VCF is known to be exceptionally harsh in tone, the very opposite of the Juno. The filter I believe is a 12db/oct resonant analog filter. While on the Juno you have to crank up the resonance to the max, you would only need 20-30 percent on an AX-60 for similar results. With the VCO Mod and Resonance set to max, you have one of the most unusual distortions ever heard. Think FM distortion on Crack. The Filter also has a ADSRD Envelope, unlike the Juno.
Included with this keyboard is an Arpeggio with CV sync and multiple modes, 64 patch memory and 8 performance memories, Midi I/O/Thru, Unison Mode, Tape in/out for saving patches, Keyboard split (making it bi-timberal) and a 2 mode Chorus, which is notorious for being noisy.
The LFO, unlike the Juno, has multiple waveforms such as Ramp up/down, Pulse, Triangle, and Random. One feature that was very unusual for an analog keyboard in the 80Ős was VCO Mod. This was a feature that was very similar to FM, and therefore was able to do decent DX7 bell emulations.
This is one of the few keyboards that allow you to run the sounds of an Akai Sampler into the keyboard, and use it as a second oscillator. The S612, S700, X7000, S900, S950, and up to the S1000 samplers have this special output. You do this by running a 13 Pin DIN cable through the Sampler Input of the AX-60, midi the two together, match the midi channels, and set the S-612 to mono. These two together give you the best of both worlds, expanding each other's power immensely. A VCO Juno you say, more like an affordable Poly Evolver Keyboard.
Here are some .mp3 examples of AX60.
All sounds are recorded without external effects.
Appregiated Square Wave (616KB)
AX60 and the sampler S612 are combined by AX's Sampler Input.
AKAI S612 (1985)
New .mp3 sounds are added by Architecture.
Here's Architecture's patch data for AX60. To load the patches;
Press Tape
Deep Synthesis: Home11. 6. 2005
11. 8. 2005 Update: AX60+S612 combo .mp3s
11. 29. 2006 Update: AX60+S612 new .mp3s
6. 30. 2007 Update: Architecture's patch data added