Reply-To: eps@oak.oakland.edu

eps-digest                 Saturday, 22 July 1995       Volume 01 : Number 462


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From: WBroadway@aol.com
Date: Sat, 22 Jul 1995 17:57:11 -0400
Subject: Re: Ensoniq

> Hi i've heard that the guys who designed and founded ensoniq, have made
> the VIC-20 (some years ago :-), does somebody know if this is true.
> 
> It was my first computer ever, and now i'm going to buy their ASR-10.
> 
> 
> Grtx...

That's true. Except it was one guy. He designed the VIC-20 and licensed it to
Commodore. He was then the youngest person ever to be hired by Commodore. His
next project was designing the C64. Afterward he began working on an
audio/video chip for Commodore's next computer, which was to be an upscale
addition to the C64/128 product line. That computer was cancelled before
development was complete, to begin developing the Amiga. Commodore apparently
did not know how sophiticated the chip was, because they allowed him to take
his designs with him when he left to start his own company. The Q-chip (the Q
in Ensoniq) was the company's first product, and Apple immediately licensed
it for use in the Apple IIGS. (Somewhere in here he also designed hearing
aids, which apparently kept the fledgling company alive.)

The first musical instrument he designed was the ESQ. The prototype shown met
with a grat deal of disinterest. But one potential investor said, "There are
dozens of affordable synths out there. A new synth from an unknown company,
no matter how good, wouldn't stand a chance. Now, if you could come up with
an affordable sampling keyboard, you'd an overnight sensation." Over the
weekend, he made some minor modifications, kludged together an operating
system, and brought it back to the investor. The investor became his partner
and business manager, and the company's new musical instruments division
released the Mirage shortly afterward. It sold like wildfire and won numerous
awards. Any time you see a magazine like Electronic Musician or Keyboard run
an article like "Ten most important inventions of the last 25 years," the
Mirage is right up there with the MiniMoog and the DX7.

The ESQ was released shortly afterward, and all their musical instruments
have developed from these. Supposedly the innards of the original Mirage (and
ESQ) are essentially two modified C64's with Q-chips. The Q-chip was
abandoned in later instruments in favor less expensive off-the-shelf
components (such as Motorola 68000-series microprocessors) driven by special
software. This made for easier and cheaper upgrading and modification, as
well as less expense for R&D, thus keeping later, more sophisticated gear
within the same price range as the original Mirage. I think the Q-chip is
still used in hearing aids, though.

This is the story to the best of my recollection. But it has been a long time
since I attended the Mirage product demonstration where I heard most of this
story. If anyone finds errors in this, please correct them. Also, anyone who
can furnish more details, I'd like to hear them. I've always thought it was a
fascinating story.

- -Russ
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