Comments on: The Emu Emulator II http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2009/03/10/the-emu-emulator-ii/ Synthesizer and electronic music news, synth and music software reviews and more! Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:14:44 -0500 hourly 1 By: luigiform http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2009/03/10/the-emu-emulator-ii/#comment-141571 luigiform Fri, 18 Sep 2009 05:36:02 +0000 http://www.synthtopia.com/content/?p=12461#comment-141571 I had my first emulator 2 in 1998 i got it from a guy who worked at a music store, i was asking him if he ever seen one come through there and he said he had one in his home studio that died on him and would sell for 500 bucks saying all i had to do was get a disk drive for it, that turned out to be impossible and i ended up giving it away to a friend who of course got it fixed for free! finally i traded an emax 2 for a working emulator 2 and i have to say was really worth it, the thick sound those machines create is just amazing. after a year of having it IT DIED and i gave it away too, now i have the emax keyboard version and its good enough, STILL works fine!!!! I had my first emulator 2 in 1998 i got it from a guy who worked at a music store, i was asking him if he ever seen one come through there and he said he had one in his home studio that died on him and would sell for 500 bucks saying all i had to do was get a disk drive for it, that turned out to be impossible and i ended up giving it away to a friend who of course got it fixed for free! finally i traded an emax 2 for a working emulator 2 and i have to say was really worth it, the thick sound those machines create is just amazing. after a year of having it IT DIED and i gave it away too, now i have the emax keyboard version and its good enough, STILL works fine!!!!

]]> By: Emu nerd http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2009/03/10/the-emu-emulator-ii/#comment-138603 Emu nerd Sun, 28 Jun 2009 11:00:35 +0000 http://www.synthtopia.com/content/?p=12461#comment-138603 Did Orbital use this? I have an old issue of Keyboard Mag where Orbital, Aphex Twin, VapourSpace (Mark Gage?), HipHop and ElectroAcoustic/Musique Concrete artists discuss sampling. The Hartnolls talk about their Emax II.. No Mention of the Emulator. Did Orbital use this? I have an old issue of Keyboard Mag where Orbital, Aphex Twin, VapourSpace (Mark Gage?), HipHop and ElectroAcoustic/Musique Concrete artists discuss sampling. The Hartnolls talk about their Emax II.. No Mention of the Emulator.

]]> By: ECardenal http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2009/03/10/the-emu-emulator-ii/#comment-134837 ECardenal Fri, 20 Mar 2009 22:36:42 +0000 http://www.synthtopia.com/content/?p=12461#comment-134837 I had the opportunity to play an Emulator II in a local store. They know I couldn't afford one but they used to let play synths to certain people (like me) just to attract potential clients. Now all that is lost: "Please, don't touch!" :( I had the opportunity to play an Emulator II in a local store. They know I couldn’t afford one but they used to let play synths to certain people (like me) just to attract potential clients. Now all that is lost: “Please, don’t touch!” :(

]]> By: BABYLAND http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2009/03/10/the-emu-emulator-ii/#comment-134537 BABYLAND Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:26:07 +0000 http://www.synthtopia.com/content/?p=12461#comment-134537 I had always wanted one of these as a teenager - and I finally picked one up last year on craigslist for $600 (Emulator II ). The minute I turned it on I was inspired - incredible sounds and sample character. I used it right away all over a remix for Combichrist ("Prince of Evil") and it's now my go to secret weapon on tracks. It's found a great home with my Emax and Emax II. I had always wanted one of these as a teenager – and I finally picked one up last year on craigslist for $600 (Emulator II ). The minute I turned it on I was inspired – incredible sounds and sample character. I used it right away all over a remix for Combichrist (”Prince of Evil”) and it’s now my go to secret weapon on tracks. It’s found a great home with my Emax and Emax II.

]]> By: Talos http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2009/03/10/the-emu-emulator-ii/#comment-134531 Talos Wed, 11 Mar 2009 12:50:05 +0000 http://www.synthtopia.com/content/?p=12461#comment-134531 Great to hear these sounds, thanks. I remember most of them. Emu always created the best sound librarys for their samplers. I owned an Emulator II, an EMAX, Ensoniq Mirage and EPS and later the Emu ESI. Not all at once of course, I'm not Peter Gabriel. ;) I've never found anything that replaces the sound of the Emulator. Klive, I don't remember Emu ever producing a 24bit sampler all these early ones were 8 to 12bit. Great to hear these sounds, thanks. I remember most of them.
Emu always created the best sound librarys for their samplers.
I owned an Emulator II, an EMAX, Ensoniq Mirage and EPS and later the Emu ESI. Not all at once of course, I’m not Peter Gabriel. ;)
I’ve never found anything that replaces the sound of the Emulator.

Klive, I don’t remember Emu ever producing a 24bit sampler all these early ones were 8 to 12bit.

]]> By: Fred http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2009/03/10/the-emu-emulator-ii/#comment-134522 Fred Wed, 11 Mar 2009 04:07:57 +0000 http://www.synthtopia.com/content/?p=12461#comment-134522 I owned an Emulator II in the late 80s. It came with a Macintosh Plus and Digidesign software to edit samples. It was just a great piece of equipment, In hindsight you gotta love all the limitations which forced you to be really creative. Sampled drums sounded great and it had analog filters which I din't realize until I sold it in the 90s for about $500... bummer I owned an Emulator II in the late 80s. It came with a Macintosh Plus and Digidesign software to edit samples. It was just a great piece of equipment, In hindsight you gotta love all the limitations which forced you to be really creative. Sampled drums sounded great and it had analog filters which I din’t realize until I sold it in the 90s for about $500… bummer

]]> By: Failed Muso http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2009/03/10/the-emu-emulator-ii/#comment-134515 Failed Muso Tue, 10 Mar 2009 22:45:32 +0000 http://www.synthtopia.com/content/?p=12461#comment-134515 I would dearly love to get hold of this entire library in a more "up to date" format (.exb would be cool) or even something like Akai. I have about 8 sounds (Choir, Shaku, Waterphone, etc) from my work with Hollow Sun but would love to get my mitts on the entire library. Anyone know if anything like this exists? I have the Emax, EIV and ESI32 Libraries from Digital Sound Factory which are very good. I would dearly love to get hold of this entire library in a more “up to date” format (.exb would be cool) or even something like Akai. I have about 8 sounds (Choir, Shaku, Waterphone, etc) from my work with Hollow Sun but would love to get my mitts on the entire library. Anyone know if anything like this exists? I have the Emax, EIV and ESI32 Libraries from Digital Sound Factory which are very good.

]]> By: BlueBrat http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2009/03/10/the-emu-emulator-ii/#comment-134514 BlueBrat Tue, 10 Mar 2009 21:22:38 +0000 http://www.synthtopia.com/content/?p=12461#comment-134514 I ended up with a Yamaha sampler in the long run because it as cheaper, but I wanted to get one of these about 7 or 8 years ago and it was still very very costly! I ended up with a Yamaha sampler in the long run because it as cheaper, but I wanted to get one of these about 7 or 8 years ago and it was still very very costly!

]]> By: Klive Humberstone / ITN http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2009/03/10/the-emu-emulator-ii/#comment-134511 Klive Humberstone / ITN Tue, 10 Mar 2009 18:29:51 +0000 http://www.synthtopia.com/content/?p=12461#comment-134511 Fond Memories - thanks for the posting. We used the Emulator II quite a lot in the mid 80's. You can hear the distinct sounds scattered across many of our recordings from that time - especially albums like 'Stormhorse' & 'Koda'. We couldn't afford to buy one, so always hired a machine for the studio sessions (never wanted to give it back at the end!). use to love the 24-bit 'scrunched but meaty' sounds. I remember going through the catalogue of sounds, loading the big floppy diskettes one by one, waiting to see what 'gem' would be spread across the keys. We went on to buy our own Emu Emax II HD keyboard, which was great, but not quite the same as the Emulator. The Emax cost us 2k at the time - wish we could have an Emulator today - it really is an excellent example of an Uber Sampling Keyboard. Fond Memories – thanks for the posting. We used the Emulator II quite a lot in the mid 80’s. You can hear the distinct sounds scattered across many of our recordings from that time – especially albums like ‘Stormhorse’ & ‘Koda’. We couldn’t afford to buy one, so always hired a machine for the studio sessions (never wanted to give it back at the end!). use to love the 24-bit ’scrunched but meaty’ sounds. I remember going through the catalogue of sounds, loading the big floppy diskettes one by one, waiting to see what ‘gem’ would be spread across the keys. We went on to buy our own Emu Emax II HD keyboard, which was great, but not quite the same as the Emulator. The Emax cost us 2k at the time – wish we could have an Emulator today – it really is an excellent example of an Uber Sampling Keyboard.

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