NOTE: I actually do not own an Ineko. I am reviewing the Alesis Akira...

The Akira is really just the rackmount version of the Ineko with some added bells and whistles.

Along with the standard Ineko "X, Y, Z" parameter controls, the Akira has independent controls for input level, effect level, and output volume.

Other improvements include a program screen, preset storage, MIDI input, etc.

It's essentially like having all the ModFX units in one, except with less control, and the effects are not as specialized as those in the standalone units.

This is especially true for units like the Metavox. By comparison, the Akira is pretty weak with its two very same-ish (and not particularly useful) "Vocoder" presets.

Good Points: -Stereo I/O

-Metal chassis

-Front panel controls, including a bypass button

-MIDI input (which is great for automation and lighting-speed effect and parameter changes not possible otherwise)

-Nice array of "digital weirdness" effects.

-NO STUPID PROPRIETARY 9V AC ALESIS ADAPTER NEEDED!

Bad Points: -No longer made

-Seemingly hard to come by and not that cheap (I really wouldn't hate having a 2nd!)

-Many of the effects are somewhat forgettable as their intricacies are often lost when used for Noise applications.

-Like a lot of digital gear, in a fb loop, it has the potential to color your signal in an undesirable way (you know, that slightly-delayed, digital air-through-a-straw sound? UGH!)

-Biggest flaw: Absolutely NO effect stacking... You can only use one effect at a time! It's really a shame, and it's whole reason I kind of want a second unit...

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so i came across this by accident when searching for other alesis equipment. course my curriosity was piqued and did a little research and found out that alesis has of course decided not to make this anymore...shame on them. what we got here is a small table top multi fx unit, but unlike most multi fx which must be programed, this little beasty has three knobs for real time tweaking, which of course you should know what that means. this does have the usual suspects of a multi ala the reverb section, some of these arent very good in a feedback loop, though i found drum room, trash can, and reverse to be interesting at times. the next section bosts delay, which all work nicely but arent this units strongest points (at least for me), the next section is more time based action, ala phase and flanger, pretty run of the mill, but not horrible in anyway really, save for the inverse flanger which makes great for metallic clanging and rhythmic structures. the fourth section has some good auto wah and resonator fun going on, with some of the other fx weilding some good results as well. the column after that has two vocoders, a ring mod, and decimator, as well as the grinder, which are all worth a mention here, and the last some intersting rec noise, tape sat, miscalany going on. for such a small box there is whole lot going on and little something for everyone. the sound quality on this is very good, albiet a little digital, but hey what do you expect from somthing the size of 1.5 dod pedals? highly recomended for the hours of fun alone, but mostly for the great power behind this thing...

Good Points: great multitude of great sounds, with no to very little quality drop...
decent lay out...
very very easy to use...

Bad Points: plasticy but this was meant for the tabel, so i dont really see this as a big issue...
not made anymore...

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48 different effects in a compact package ... most of which can generate some righteous noise with a guitar, either in or outside of a feedback loop.

Good Points: Stereo ins/outs, a bypass option, Trash Can reverb, Gated reverb, Runaway delay, Phaser type 1 (watery sounds with controls dimed), Formant Filter, Autophaz, Ring Mod, Decimator (fully tweakable!), Vocoder (Schitzo backing choir!), Grinder (super evil!), Rec Noise (contstant vinyl crackles), Fuzz (surprisingly flexible), G Garage, and Pitch/Rev (turning the knobs in real time can create swirling, crescendoing pitched static-careful-this could possibly blow speakers!).

Bad Points: A few of the other effects are blah, the bypass switch is miniscule (so it would be best to place it in a bypass looper for live use), it uses a special AC adapter, the chasis is mostly plastic, the interface consists of a grid and two LEDs (which may confuse some folks), and, most of all, it is out of production.

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