From robls@digidesign.comSun May 28 22:45:03 1995 Date: Fri, 26 May 1995 16:22:45 -0700 From: Rob Lodes To: analogue@hyperreal.com Subject: emu emu bird run There have been several posts about the emu samplers lately so I thought I'd try to set some info straight for ya'll. Emulator ======= There was the Emulator. I don't know much about this one. Oingo Boingo had one. I'm pretty sure it was 8 voice. Emu saw the Fairlight and said hay we can do that for $10k, and they did. Emulator II =========== Then their was the Emulator II. This machine was 8 bit. But the wacky guys at emu did some magic with it. As it sampled it analyzed the input, scaling it so that it always used a lot of bits. With a linear sampler (like the ones we have today and DAT and digi stuff etc.) if the signal get low they use fewer of the bits that are there. With the Emulator II more bits were used. At the output stage it would be rescaled thus giving the dynamics back. This resulted in a very "clean" 8 bit path. The filters were analog but I don't know what they used. Emax ==== The Emax was made to compete in the lower end. It was a 12 bit linear system. So it was better then the Emulator II in that it had more bits but because it didn't use the magic it wasn't quite as "cool." The Emax was 8 voice with resonating analog filters. There were many variations of this box. With HD, with special software for modulating one sample with another sample (this program made it to the Emulators with the EIIIx) this could sound very cool but took a very very long time. I remember it being 16 part multi-timbral when in "SuperMode." Trent the Reznor used Emax's all over Pretty Hate Machine. Emulator III ============ The EIII (Emulator III) was their first machine to go 16 bit liner, it had expandable memory (that cost way more then the market value, read: REAMAGE!!!) It was 16 voice with 16 separate outputs (you could only get one voice per output). It was the last emu to use analog filters. It use a 68000 for it's cpu. Emax II ======= This puppy was another big jump, before it came out emu had brought us the Proteus. In the Proteus (it's heart) was the G-chip. This is a custom voice processor that the wizards at emu came up with. They use a special version of the G-chip in the Emax II (one that can play from ram rather then from rom, for some reason the G-chip looks at them differently). There was another new chip in Emax II. The H-chip. I believe this is the baby of Dana Masse (sp?). He is a true wizard if there ever was one!! The H-chip is a digital filter chip. It's designed to be ganged together to get more capability. The Emax II only got one H-chip and thus some what whimpy filters. They are 2 pole low pass resonating. The Emax II was 16 voice (true stereo!!) with digital filters. I don't remember the name of the cpu in this puppy but it's the same as in the EIIIx. The Emax is 16 part multi-timbral (via supermode) and it is very lame in the timing department (the triggering via midi sucks). Even thought the Emax II can playback (just about) any sample rate (it does realtime conversion, that's part of the G-chip) it's best sampling rate was something like 39kHz. (This was another one of those winning marketing examples). Unfortunetly for emu many companies came out with 16 bit 44.1 machines and eclipsed the EmaxII. The Emax II also had the cool modulate a sample with another sample program. The Ram was expandable and some third party companies (like PS Systems) made kits for the Emax II but emu promptly changed the os so that these third party systems didn't work. Yes emu had some true winning decisions. Things have changed and I get to that... EIIIx ===== This machine almost never saw the light of day. It was canceled something like 3 times. I don't know who the people were that stuck to their guns to keep it alive but they should be praised and looked at as role models for all of us. The EIIIx is the Emax II done right. They made it 32 stereo voices. They put in two H-chips, digital in (both spdif and AESEBU), if you got the analog add on it could sample at 44.1 or 48 (this input is better then anything I've used to date, it sounds awesome). The put in all kinds of very cool software including realtime sample rate conversion (go digital in an what ever sample rate and it comes out the digital outs at 44.1) and a host of other dsp code. These guys can write the killer dsp. It's 16 part multi-timbral. The filters "model" the EIII's filters in that they are 4 pole low pass resonating. The modulation capabilities are decent (but not up to xpander levels). They put in very good SCSI support. You can even hook it up to a Macintosh a transfer sounds back and forth. It's expandable to 32 meg that's user expandable. Over all it's one of the best sounding samplers you can get your hands on. Newer Emus =========== I'm going to be short on this since you can still get information on these puppies. They are all based on the EIIIx to some extent. The best value is the ESI-32. For all intents and purposes it's an EIIIx. There are some differences. You need to add the digital out, SCSI and extra outputs. I believe it goes up to 32 meg. With out a doubt a great buy. If you are low on funds and looking for used do yourself a favor spend twice as much (you should be able to get a base machine for around $1200) and get one of these. You'll be very glad you did. The EIV and the new E64 are killer boxes. I don't have enough time with these to know for sure what they have. The EIV is 128 voice (I believe that they are stereo but I dan't know for sure), expands to 128 meg and has all the cool stuff. The E64 is a 64 voice box and I'm not knowing as to how much ram you can put in it. Emu has come a long way (they must have hit their marketing people in the head with a bat). They now use standard Mac simms for memory so you can DIY it, they have made the machines very cool and to my ever watchful eye didn't make any "marketing" decisions that hosed out these new machines. Synths ====== I've not touched much on their synths. Emu has done some great work with synths. For the most part they do samplers but they do have a great synth out there for you analog lovers. It's called the Morpheous. If you think about some of the things you really like about synths you'll find them in the Morpheous. Tons of modulation routings. Killer filters (there are almost 300 different filter modes in this box!!!, and you can "morph" from one filter state to another creating a totally diffirent sound). It can make sounds that no other box does. It's got a character of it's own (something missing in this M1 world we live in today). And Hay it's got FOUR (count em) H-Chips!!! (The super Proteus has the same software but fewer of the cool synth samples) If you are into filters check this box out. Well that's enough for now... -Rob-