View source for Company:Alesis

{{Short description|American audio equipment manufacturer}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{POV|date=August 2023}}}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Alesis
| logo = Alesis.svg
| type = Private company
| foundation = 1984|
| location_city = Cumberland, Rhode Island
| location_country = United States
| key_people = Jack O'Donnell president and CEO
| industry = [[Engineering:Electronics|Electronics]]
| products = Musical instruments, audio/video, electronics, computer-related products, pro audio, music recording equipment
| parent = [[Company:InMusic Brands|inMusic Brands]]
| homepage = [http://www.alesis.com Alesis.com]
| footnotes = 
}}
'''Alesis''' is an American company that designs and markets electronic musical instruments, audio processors, mixers, [[Engineering:Amplifier|amplifiers]], [[Engineering:Audio interface|audio interfaces]], recording equipment, [[Engineering:Drum machine|drum machines]], [[Engineering:Professional audio|professional audio]], and [[Engineering:Electronic drum|electronic percussion]] products. Based in Cumberland, Rhode Island, Alesis is an [[Company:InMusic Brands|inMusic Brands]] company.

==Early years==

[[File:Keith Barr 03 (Founder of Alesis).jpg|thumb|right|Keith Barr, founder of Alesis]]

Alesis Studio Electronics was founded in Hollywood in 1984 by [[Company:MXR|MXR]] co-founder Keith Elliott Barr.<ref>Home & Studio Recording (UK) September 1986 issue p11 – interview with Keith Barr</ref> Leveraging his ability to design custom [[Engineering:Integrated circuit|integrated circuit]]s, Barr's company was able to introduce technologically advanced products at prices within the realm of most project studios. 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 under-$1000 16-bit professional effects processor, the MIDIverb, which had a 12-bit [[Analog-to-digital converter|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.<ref>{{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}}</ref> 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 [[Engineering:Drum machine|drum machine]] in 1987.<ref name="Petersen2010">{{Cite web |url=http://mixonline.com/news/keith_barr_obit_2508/ |title=In Memoriam: Keith Barr 1949-2010 |last=Petersen |first=George |date=August 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}}</ref> The HR-16 was employed on the English industrial metal band Godflesh's first few releases;<ref name="reader1">{{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}}</ref> ''Loudwire'' called it "the most devastating drum machine ever employed".<ref name="loudwire3">{{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 }}</ref>

<gallery>
File:Alesis Microverb II 8105.jpg|Microverb II (1988)
Image:Alesis HR-16 circuit bent 07.jpg|HR-16 (modified)
</gallery>

==The Alesis 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.<ref name="White2002">{{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}}</ref>  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|digital recording]] solutions for home recording at the time, the ADAT was a tremendous success,<ref>{{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}}</ref> and its impact on the recording industry has been recognized by induction to the {{Proper name|Technical Excellence & Creativity (TEC)nology Hall of Fame}}.<ref>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 }}</ref>

<gallery widths="140" heights="60">
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
</gallery>

==Boom and bankruptcy==
For the next ten years, Alesis created a wide variety of products such as the QuadraSynth synthesizer, D4 and DM5 drum modules,<ref>{{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}}</ref> 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 were 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.

<gallery>
Image:Alesis QuadraSynth Plus.jpg|Alesis Quadrasynth
Image:Electronic drums alesis.jpg|DM5 with Surge Cymbal
Image:Alesis M1 & M1 Mk2.jpg|M1 Active
</gallery>

==After 2001==

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.<ref name="Petersen2010" /> In 2012 Alesis became part of the newly created [[Company:InMusic Brands|inMusic Brands]] group of companies.<ref name=about-inmusic>{{cite web|url=https://www.inmusicbrands.com/about/|title=About inMusic and Jack O'Donnell|access-date=2023-06-21}}</ref>

<gallery>
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
</gallery>

==Target market==

Alesis products are intended primarily for studio and live performance (rather than practice use){{Citation needed|date=November 2023}} and are now targeted at professional and semi-professional musicians. Alesis is known for budget equipment but has produced high-end and innovative gear such as the Alesis Fusion, Andromeda A6 analog synthesizer, Ion virtual analog modeling synthesizer, as well as the Ion-based Micron. Alesis developed equipment for recording studios during the 1990s.

==Alesis models==
*Quadrasynth & [http://www.redactedsynth.com/misc/qs.php Quadrasynth Plus synthesizer keyboards]{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
*[[Engineering:Alesis Andromeda A6|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.

<gallery>
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
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Company:List of studio monitor manufacturers|List of studio monitor manufacturers]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
*{{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}}

==External links==
*[http://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)

[[Category:Audio mixing console manufacturers]]

{{Sourceattribution|Alesis}}