Alesis#Alesis models

File:Keith Barr 03 (Founder of Alesis).jpg

Alesis Studio Electronics was founded in Hollywood in 1984 by MXR co-founder Keith Elliott Barr.Home & Studio Recording (UK) September 1986 issue p11 – interview with Keith Barr Leveraging his ability to design custom integrated circuits, Barr's company was able to introduce technologically advanced products at prices within the realm of most project studios. Barr liked the idea of the name Algorithmic Electronic Systems and came up with the name Alesis to try to convey that. Alesis' first product was the XT Reverb. Introduced in 1985, the XT Reverb was an all-digital reverb that carried an unprecedented low price of $799. Barr recruited Russell Palmer as Operations Manager and Robert Wilson (Vice Chairman) to handle international sales so that Barr could continue to focus on engineering.

In 1986, Alesis produced the first 16-bit professional effects processor priced below $1000, the MIDIverb, which had a 12-bit A/D converter and MIDI control. It was joined later in the year by the Microverb, which lacked MIDI but had a 16-bit A/D converter.{{Cite journal|last=White|first=Paul|date=December 1986|title=Alesis Microverb (MT Dec 1986)|url=http://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/alesis-microverb/207|journal=Music Technology|issue=Dec 1986|pages=34}} After enlisting the expertise of Fast Forward Designs, co-founded by veteran Oberheim Electronics designers Marcus Ryle and Michel Doidic (who went on to found Line 6), Alesis introduced the MMT8 hardware sequencer and the very successful HR-16 drum machine in 1987.{{Cite web |url=http://mixonline.com/news/keith_barr_obit_2508/ |title=In Memoriam: Keith Barr 1949-2010 |last=Petersen |first=George |date=August 25, 2010 |website=Mix Magazine Online |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120709060338/http://mixonline.com/news/keith_barr_obit_2508/ |archive-date=July 9, 2012 |url-status=dead |access-date=2018-07-29}} The HR-16 was employed on the English industrial metal band Godflesh's first few releases;{{cite web|last=Cimarusti|first=Luca|title=Artist on Artist: Justin Broadrick of Godflesh Talks to Producer Sanford Parker|url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/justin-broadrock-godflesh-streetcleaner-interview-sanford-parker/Content?oid=13015316|work=Chicago Reader|date=April 8, 2014 |access-date=25 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171214124918/https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/justin-broadrock-godflesh-streetcleaner-interview-sanford-parker/Content?oid=13015316|archive-date=2017-12-14|url-status=live}} Loudwire called it "the most devastating drum machine ever employed".{{cite web |last=DiVita |first=Joe |title=Top 25 Industrial Rock + Metal Bands of All Time |url=http://loudwire.com/top-industrial-rock-metal-bands/ |work=Loudwire |access-date=25 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180726201802/http://loudwire.com/top-industrial-rock-metal-bands/ |archive-date=2018-07-26 |url-status=live }}

File:Alesis Microverb II 8105.jpg|Microverb II (1988)

Image:Alesis HR-16 circuit bent 07.jpg|HR-16 (modified)

{{main|ADAT}}

At the 1991 Winter NAMM Show, Alesis introduced the ADAT digital tape recorder. Alesis created the File Streaming Technology (FST) proprietary disk file system for their ADAT HD24 recorder.{{cite web |last1=White |first1=Paul |title=Alesis HD24 |url=https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/alesis-hd24 |website=www.soundonsound.com |publisher=Sound on Sound |access-date=16 August 2020}} Each ADAT could record 8 tracks of 16-bit audio on an S-VHS videocassette tape, and up to 16 ADATs could be connected together to record 128 tracks of audio simultaneously. With the same digital resolution as an Audio CD and a price that was a fraction of the other digital recording solutions for home recording at the time, the ADAT was a tremendous success,{{cite web |last1=Yelton |first1=Geary |title=Gear Geek: Alesis ADAT |url=https://www.emusician.com/how-to/gear-geek-alesis-adat |website=Electronic Musician |publisher=Future plc |access-date=8 January 2019}} and its impact on the recording industry has been recognized by induction to the TECnology Hall of Fame.1991 Alesis ADAT, TECnology Hall of Fame, Mix Magazine Online| http://mixonline.com/TECnology-Hall-of-Fame/alesis-dat-multitrack-090106 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714103214/http://www.mixonline.com/TECnology-Hall-of-Fame/alesis-dat-multitrack-090106/ |date=July 14, 2011 }}

Image:ADAT-XT.jpg|Alesis ADAT XT

Image:Alesis ADAT XT LRC Remote Control.jpg|Little Remote Control (LRC) ADAT XT Controller

Image:Alesis-HD24.jpg|Alesis ADAT HD24

Image:Alesis BRC Master ADAT Controller.jpg|Big Remote Control (BRC) ADAT Master Controller

For the next ten years, Alesis created a wide variety of products such as the QuadraSynth synthesizer, D4 and DM5 drum modules,{{cite web|url=http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1996_articles/feb96/alesisdm5.html|title=Alesis DM5|work=Sound On Sound|date=February 1996|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150606080845/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1996_articles/feb96/alesisdm5.html|archive-date=6 June 2015}} and Monitor One studio monitors. In 1997, Alesis Semiconductor was formed, again taking advantage of Barr's custom integrated circuits to produce and market chips for the audio industry. A series of chips was introduced that ranged from digital signal processors for audio effects to analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters.

By 2001, however, the company's business suffered as market trends changed, and on April 27 of that year, Alesis filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In the subsequent restructuring, Jack O'Donnell acquired the company.

Image:Alesis QuadraSynth Plus.jpg|Alesis Quadrasynth

Image:Electronic drums alesis.jpg|DM5 with Surge Cymbal

Image:Alesis M1 & M1 Mk2.jpg|M1 Active

Under O'Donnell's direction, Alesis expanded into new product categories such as mixers, portable PA speakers, and other recording equipment while continuing to produce Alesis legacy products like the SR-16 drum machine.

Alesis founder Keith Barr died of an apparent heart attack on August 24, 2010, at age 60. In 2012 Alesis became part of the newly created inMusic Brands group of companies.{{cite web|url=https://www.inmusicbrands.com/about/|title=About inMusic and Jack O'Donnell|access-date=2023-06-21}}

Image:Alesis Multimix 8.jpg|Multimix8

Image:Alesis SR-16, Devi Ever OK.jpg|SR-16

Image:Alesis PerformancePad.jpg|PerformancePad

Image:Alesis AirFX.jpg|AirFX

Alesis is known for budget equipment but has produced high-end and innovative gear such as the Alesis Fusion music production workstation, the Alesis Andromeda A6 analog synthesizer, the Ion virtual analog modeling synthesizer or the Ion-based Micron.

Alesis developed equipment for recording studios during the 1990s.

• Quadrasynth & [http://www.redactedsynth.com/misc/qs.php Quadrasynth Plus synthesizer keyboards]{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
• Andromeda A6 polyphonic analog synthesizer
• Fusion 6HD, 8HD synthesizer workstation keyboard
• ION analog modeling synthesizer
• Recital, 61 & Pro stage pianos
• Virtue stage piano
• Concert stage piano
• Prestige & Prestige Artist stage pianos.

File:Alesis keyboard.JPG|Alesis QS8

File:Alesis Andromeda A6 back.jpg|Alesis Andromeda

File:Alesis Fusion HD8.jpg|Alesis Fusion

File:Alesis Ion.jpg|Alesis Ion

• List of studio monitor manufacturers

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{cite magazine|title=Retro: Alesis HR-16|page=55|magazine=Future Music|issue=54|date=March 1997|publisher=Future Publishing|issn=0967-0378|oclc=1032779031}}

• [https://www.alesis.com/ Alesis Company Website]
• [http://www.pro-music-news.com/html/01/e10824al.htm Jack O'Donnell – owner of Alesis and Numark, Pro-Music-News, 2001]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20150607072458/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan09/articles/alesissr18.htm Alesis SR18 Sound On Sound review] (archive.org)

{{Percussion instrument companies}}

Category:Manufacturers of professional audio equipment

Category:Synthesizer manufacturing companies of the United States

Category:Drum machines

Category:Percussion instrument manufacturing companies

Category:Privately held companies based in Rhode Island

Category:Electronics companies established in 1984

Category:Audio mixing console manufacturers

Category:Musical instrument manufacturing companies of the United States

Category:1984 establishments in California

Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2001

Category:2012 mergers and acquisitions

Category:Audio equipment manufacturers of the United States