EMS Synthi AKS

The EMS Synthi A, first available in May 1971, and then in March 1972 a version of it with a built-in keyboard and sequencer, the EMS Synthi AKS, is a portable modular analog synthesiser made by EMS of England. Most notable for its patch pin matrix, its functions and internal design are similar to the VCS 3 synthesiser, also made by EMS. EMS is still run by Robin Wood in Cornwall, and in addition to continuing to build and sell new units, the company repairs and refurbishes EMS equipment.

The Synthi AKS has been used extensively by Brian Eno in his art rock and ambient albums. He particularly made prominent use of its signal-chain editing capability in order to add colour to his own voice as well as Robert Fripp and Phil Manzanera's guitar work. His early band, Roxy Music, supposedly requested that he join them after watching him tinker with the Synthi AKS for only a few minutes.

Jean-Michel Jarre featured the Synthi AKS on his albums Oxygène and Équinoxe, as well as on Oxygène: Live in Your Living Room. Pink Floyd used the synthesiser to create the electronic riff of the track "On the Run" and to play the solo of "Any Colour You Like", both from the 1973 album The Dark Side of the Moon. (The band was reported to use an EMS VCS 3 synthesizer although it actually was a Synthi). Czesław Niemen in 1975 used Synthi AKS in recording of his album Katharsis. Klaus Schulze and Pete Namlook refer to Synthi AKS in the name of their collaboration album The Dark Side of the Moog VIII: Careful With the AKS, Peter.

In 1980, American pop band The Bongos used the Synthi AKS on both sides of their debut single "Telephoto Lens" b/w "Glow in the Dark", played by Dennis Kelley. In 2010, lead singer Richard Barone again used the Synthi on his album Glow, produced by Tony Visconti. It is featured prominently on the song "Yet Another Midnight". In 2013, a Japanese artist Yoshio Machida made an album "Music from the SYNTHI". This album was made by only Synthi AKS.

When launched in 1972, the Synthi AKS retailed for around £450. There was an optional three octave (37 note) DK1 monophonic keyboard available for it, later the DK2 (Dynamic Keyboard 2) was available, this allowed independent control of two Oscillators, thus enabling the player to play two notes together.

As with the VCS3, a Synthi AKS was worth considerably more than its original price by the late 1970s.