LED LCD display kit for Akai S900 and S950 sampler + photos

Hey folks,

I have been working on these displays for a while. I already make backlights for the S900/S950 but there is only so far you can go with a replacement backlight - a new backlight can really help readability but it can't make the contrast stronger. The original displays are good old displays but it is almost 30-year old display technology. So here's something special

This is a total replacement display kit for the S900/S950. It needs no soldering, and you don't need to make any alterations to your sampler to fit this.

You can remove the existing display and inverter together, without the need to cut or desolder a single wire (ok, it is a lot faster and easier if you cut/desolder the 2 wires to the old backlight).. So you could go back to the original display at any time in the future without the need for a soldering iron.

The displays are bright (some colours are brighter than others) and beautifully easy to read. Most importantly for me, the contrast is very good. They have very uniform lighting, and they are crystal clear - it almost looks surreal in the 950, it's just very, very cool indeed.

The contrast knob works normally as you would expect.

As the existing backlight inverter is totally bypassed/removed, it will work perfectly on a sampler with a faulty inverter.

The photos show the displays working in the S950, it has been confirmed by MPC-Tutor (thanks mate!) to work in the S900 in exactly the same way. Installation is the same in both machines.

Other colours will also be available very shortly, I am really impressed with these though. Right now these colours are possible:
- green text on black
- white text on black/blue (midnight blue)
- black text on orange
- white text on blue (ocean blue)
- red text on black
- orange text on black
- black text on white (arctic white)

I will take some pics of the other colours soon.

Which colour do you folks think goes best?

Matt


White on black/blue (midnight blue):


Green on black:


Black on orange:


White on blue (ocean blue):


Red on black:


Orange on black:


Black on white (arctic white)

that first one is my fav.. the second one is nice too..

well done. so are these ones you are currently working on and are selling?

just take my money..... 2 X

mr_debauch wrote:that first one is my fav.. the second one is nice too..

well done. so are these ones you are currently working on and are selling?

Hey folks, yes these are the ones, I have a few more colours to go through but these negative, light text on dark displays are looking good. I'm glad you like the look of them

I'll upload some much more detailed pics at some different lighting conditions soon. They'll be ready very, very soon, a couple of days at most. Everything is ready, I'm just deciding which bolts to ship with. Because these displays are thicker than the original display, the whole display sits behind the existing screw-mounting brackets, so it needs a nut+bolt mounting to keep it totally secure. It's very easy to fit though, I'll show pics of how it fits very soon.

Thanks for the feedback folks!

Matt

That looks great! Definitely keep us posted

I am interested in a couple.

Would like to see full range of colours.

These are dope, nice work Matt!

I like the first two pics you posted best. Any ballpark pricing for us Brits?

Do something similar for the MPC60 MK1 and I'll put you in my will...

Much easier to find a compatible 2 line text based LCD replacement, than a larger graphic display like the MPCs use, from what I have found in quick searches, unfortunately.

They look amazing Matt! Love the green one.

If there was a LED backlight modification for the later S-Series I'd have a heart attack now ahahah

Just to chime in guys,I just had one fitted ( the white letters on black background )by Matt himself.I couldn't be happier,super bright and looks great!

they look awesome... easier to read as well. great work.

i'd like to know if they do work on a s900 though... i may be interested in getting one if so...

crossings wrote:they look awesome... easier to read as well. great work.

i'd like to know if they do work on a s900 though... i may be interested in getting one if so...

Matt lives round the corner to me so we're going to try it in my S900 - I'll write up a review as soon as I can.

Clint wrote:Do something similar for the EMU SP-12 and I'll put you in my will...

Thanks for the kind words folks, it's great to hear you like the look of these:)

Clint wrote:These are dope, nice work Matt!

I like the first two pics you posted best. Any ballpark pricing for us Brits?

Ballpark, it's going to be about £50 ish for the kit, postage included, as an introductory offer. Some colours will be a little less. I have some other interesting colours to show you very soon too. I'd agree that the first two shown above are personal favourites. They will all be a major improvement on the readability of the standard display.

You don't need to worry about switching off your sampler to save the display brightness either, these displays will not fade.

Also If you do hear a whining noise from your inverter at the moment, that will disappear after these displays are fitted, as the inverter will no longer be powered.

As soon as I finish up the instructions and finally decide on the best bolts for the fitting, they are ready to go.

And we'll know about the S900 shortly.... I'm confident it will be just fine.

Do something similar for the MPC60 MK1 and I'll put you in my will...

Now that's an incentive Clint!

As Simon says about the MPC60 (and I know Simon's had his head in the schematics, in detail) it's a lot more difficult. It's possible though, a whole lot of work needs to be done, and I am actively looking into a couple of possibilities for the older MPCs.

Thanks all!

Matt

Keen to see the red on black, when you get a chance, thanks.