Fairlight1979 (historically pivotal through the 80s)8-bit / ~24kHz (original Series I/II)Workstation$$$$Collector-Grade($3,000+)
Fairlight CMI
Collectors and institutions wanting the actual instrument that launched digital sampling as a music-production technology.
Find on ReverbUsed-gear listings, graded conditionCheck prices on eBayBroader inventory, live auctions
No MIDI on the Fairlight CMI? Here's how to bridge it
Free tool — see exactly what kind of converter connects it to a modern MIDI setup.
Strengths
- Widely considered the first commercially available digital sampling instrument, genuinely launching the entire sampling era of music production
- Its distinctive light-pen touchscreen waveform editing was decades ahead of anything else available at the time
- An extraordinarily significant piece of music-technology history — few instruments changed production as fundamentally as this one
Trade-offs
- Extremely limited sample time and crude 8-bit resolution by any later standard, a genuine product of its pioneering moment
- Astronomically rare and expensive today — this is a museum-piece acquisition, not a practical studio tool
Full Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Brand | Fairlight |
| Model | CMI |
| Era | 1979 (historically pivotal through the 80s) |
| Typical Price Tier | Collector-Grade ($3,000+) |
| Sample Rate / Bit Depth | 8-bit / ~24kHz (original Series I/II) |
| Max Sample Time | ~1s |
| Sequencer Tracks | 8 |
| Pads | None |
| Storage | 8-inch floppy disk |
| MIDI Equipped | No |
| Onboard Filter/Effects | No |
| Polyphony | 8 voices |
A relative used-market guide, not a live quote — real prices vary by condition, region, and timing. Check the Reverb/eBay links on any item for current listings.
Similar Workstation
Match Score Explorer
Weight what matters to your workflow. Every deck is re-scored live against your priorities, benchmarked against the Fairlight CMI.
50
50
50
50
This deckFairlight CMI
Match38
Audio Fidelity35
Flexibility55
Ease of Use30
Tonal Neutrality30
Ranked against 39 other decks
- Akai Z8Match67Audio Fidelity82Flexibility70Ease of Use48Tonal Neutrality68
- Akai S5000Match66Audio Fidelity80Flexibility68Ease of Use48Tonal Neutrality68
- Akai MPC5000Match66Audio Fidelity78Flexibility85Ease of Use45Tonal Neutrality55
- Akai MPC3000Match65Audio Fidelity85Flexibility85Ease of Use52Tonal Neutrality38
- Akai MPC2000Match65Audio Fidelity80Flexibility82Ease of Use58Tonal Neutrality40
- Akai S3000Match65Audio Fidelity84Flexibility76Ease of Use48Tonal Neutrality52
- Akai MPC2000XLMatch65Audio Fidelity78Flexibility82Ease of Use55Tonal Neutrality45
- Akai S1000Match64Audio Fidelity82Flexibility75Ease of Use50Tonal Neutrality50
- Akai MPC1000Match64Audio Fidelity68Flexibility78Ease of Use58Tonal Neutrality52
- Yamaha A4000Match64Audio Fidelity78Flexibility68Ease of Use45Tonal Neutrality65
- Roland SP-404Match63Audio Fidelity65Flexibility68Ease of Use75Tonal Neutrality42
- Akai MPC60Match61Audio Fidelity75Flexibility80Ease of Use55Tonal Neutrality35
- Ensoniq ASR-10Match61Audio Fidelity78Flexibility82Ease of Use38Tonal Neutrality45
- Akai S2000Match60Audio Fidelity74Flexibility65Ease of Use50Tonal Neutrality52
- Kurzweil K2000Match59Audio Fidelity76Flexibility78Ease of Use28Tonal Neutrality55
- Roland W-30Match58Audio Fidelity74Flexibility78Ease of Use35Tonal Neutrality45
- Ensoniq ASR-XMatch58Audio Fidelity68Flexibility70Ease of Use55Tonal Neutrality40
- Yamaha SU700Match58Audio Fidelity70Flexibility68Ease of Use45Tonal Neutrality48
- E-mu ESI-32Match58Audio Fidelity70Flexibility62Ease of Use48Tonal Neutrality52
- Ensoniq EPS-16 PlusMatch58Audio Fidelity65Flexibility68Ease of Use45Tonal Neutrality52
- Ensoniq EPSMatch57Audio Fidelity72Flexibility74Ease of Use40Tonal Neutrality42
- Ensoniq ASR-88Match57Audio Fidelity68Flexibility68Ease of Use45Tonal Neutrality45
- Roland S-760Match56Audio Fidelity68Flexibility58Ease of Use45Tonal Neutrality52
- E-mu Emulator IIIMatch56Audio Fidelity68Flexibility72Ease of Use32Tonal Neutrality52
- Boss SP-303 Dr. SampleMatch55Audio Fidelity58Flexibility55Ease of Use78Tonal Neutrality30
- Roland S-550Match55Audio Fidelity62Flexibility55Ease of Use48Tonal Neutrality55
- Akai S900Match54Audio Fidelity68Flexibility55Ease of Use48Tonal Neutrality45
- Akai S20Match54Audio Fidelity62Flexibility45Ease of Use62Tonal Neutrality48
- Casio FZ-1Match53Audio Fidelity58Flexibility55Ease of Use58Tonal Neutrality42
- E-mu Systems Emulator IIMatch52Audio Fidelity70Flexibility72Ease of Use32Tonal Neutrality35
- Korg DSS-1Match52Audio Fidelity65Flexibility75Ease of Use30Tonal Neutrality38
- Yamaha SU10Match50Audio Fidelity45Flexibility35Ease of Use78Tonal Neutrality40
- Audio Fidelity55Flexibility70Ease of Use25Tonal Neutrality48
- Peavey SPMatch49Audio Fidelity55Flexibility40Ease of Use60Tonal Neutrality42
- Ensoniq Mirage (DSK-8)Match44Audio Fidelity52Flexibility60Ease of Use35Tonal Neutrality30
- Casio SK-1Match41Audio Fidelity25Flexibility20Ease of Use85Tonal Neutrality35
- Akai S612Match41Audio Fidelity38Flexibility35Ease of Use68Tonal Neutrality22
- Akai S01Match40Audio Fidelity30Flexibility42Ease of Use68Tonal Neutrality18
- Casio SK-5Match36Audio Fidelity20Flexibility25Ease of Use85Tonal Neutrality12
Maintenance & Supplies
As an Amazon Associate, Analog Specs earns from qualifying purchases.