Atari

Atari is an American video game and consumer electronics brand, founded in 1972, whose hardware became an unlikely but pivotal part of electronic music history. The company's most lasting contribution to musicians was the Atari ST line, released in 1985 — models like the 520 ST and 1040 ST were the first personal computers to ship with MIDI In and Out ports built directly into the motherboard. ...

14 Products · Used by 77 Artists

Atari Flashback 5 Uncategorized

$59.88

1 available store

5.0 (1)

^# 40

in Uncategorized Rank

Atari 2600 Black Practice Aids

$109.99

1 available store

4.0 (4)

^# 7

in Practice Aids Rank

Atari 1040 ST Computers & Peripherals

4.5 (17)

59 artists using

Atari 1040 STE Computers & Peripherals

5.0 (9)

5 artists using

Atari 520 ST Computers & Peripherals

4.0 (5)

5 artists using

Atari Video Music C-240 Projection Effects

5.0 (1)

^# 9

in Projection Effects Rank

1 artist using

Atari 800 XL Computers & Peripherals

4.0 (1)

Atari SC1224 Computers & Peripherals

1 artist using

Atari Mega ST4 Computers & Peripherals

5.0 (1)

4 artists using

Atari Mega ST1 Computers & Peripherals

2 artists using

Atari 520 STFM Computers & Peripherals

Atari Hotz Box Synthesizers

1 artist using

Atari STacy Computers & Peripherals

2 artists using

Atari Mega ST2 Computers & Peripherals

3 artists using

Software forerunners of today's DAWs, including early versions of Cubase and Notator (which evolved into Logic Pro), were developed on the ST platform, and the machine saw heavy use in the studios of artists including Tangerine Dream, Kate Bush, and Fatboy Slim. The Berlin digital-hardcore group Atari Teenage Riot took its name directly from the computer. Earlier oddities in the catalog include the Atari Video Music (C240), a 1977 audio-reactive visualizer designed to sit in a home hi-fi rack.

Atari's sonic footprint also extends beyond its own products. The square-wave chip tones of the Atari 2600 console inspired the DIY "Atari Punk Console" circuit — a staple of lo-fi synth building kits — and the broader 8-bit aesthetic tied to Atari hardware remains a reference point for chiptune and electronic producers.

Atari has 14 products cataloged on Equipboard, including Computers & Peripherals, Synthesizers, and Practice Aids. Their gear is featured by 77 artists, with the strongest followings in Electronic, Rock, and Pop. Notable users include Wojtek Olszak, Klaus Schulze, and Graham Massey.