Price Paid: US $529
Ease of Use: 9
Version 1.01. This module can be easy or hard, depending on the depth
you want to go to in programming it. My goal in trying this module
out was to set it up with my A-70 controller and use the sliders
on the A-70 for drawbar-like operation. I would have made my life
much easier had I looked at the manual first, since all the functions
I needed are nicely explained. The manual is very good, but is on
CD-ROM, so you either have to print it or stay near your computer.
I'll take a point off for that.
Once I understood the displays, I realized that everything I needed
was easily available. I was able to set up a basic sound, then add
harmonics on separate MIDI channels in a couple of minutes. Setting
up the A-70 proved to be most of the work. I can't immagine a way
to make it any easier than they did.
Naturally, selecting presets is a no-brainer.
Features: 8
64-note polyphony. This is not always enough when layering and doing
multi-timbral stuff. Some of the programs I tried on Midi CH1 are
multi-timbral already, so when you add harmonics on other channels,
you start eating notes real quick. However, this doesn't have to
be a problem. The front panel control knobs can be set up to control
layers (i.e. more drawbars), and the default seems to be two knobs
for layer volume, and two to control key click. This is already
halfway to what you might need. In the end, I think I'll end up
buying the Turbo upgrade when it becomes available, simply cuz I
don't want to have to even think about note robbing.
Effects.....not a huge array, but certainly they covered all the
basics. They seem easy enough to edit. The rotating speaker effect
is pretty good, but the default spin-up/down time feels a bit too
abrupt. This can be changed, though.
Expansion: One ROM slot. I haven't seen anything from Emu that
compels me to fill it.
For the price, you get a helluva lot of stuff. It's much, much
cheaper than competing products, given that the leslie effect is
there from the start.
I rate this category on bang/buck, not total feature count. Points
are taken off for note robbing, but this may be because I haven't
worked out all the layering controls, so take it with a grain of salt.
Expressiveness/Sounds: 9
This is a ROMpler. Sampled B-3. It's gritty, there's lots of background
noise in a lot of the patches....motors, leakage, some electronic crap...
well, everything that you've come to know and love from the original.
They even got the drawbar ratchet, rotor motor, leakage, etc., all on
separate samples. If you wanted to really fool someone, set up a
MIDI channel to play all this crap in the background.
It's not sterile at all. Emu did a good job on this module.
I can't give this a 10, cuz there's nothing "pristine" about a B-3.
Effects: Of primary concern is the leslie effect. It's good, but
I haven't explored how deeply I can edit. There are some odities
about it, though. Using the mod wheel to switch rotor speeds is
real easy. However, if you use a footswitch (sustain ped on the
A-70), it controls the leslie with a toggled discrete, whith a
separate discrete for each layer. If you toggle the leslie fast for
a layer, then turn on another layer which didn't previously have
the leslie fast, the layer comes in with slow leslie. (Of course, you
can turn it on with the mod wheel, but I want to use a footswitch.)
When you hit the switch, the first layer goes slow, and the other
switches to fast. Out of sync. There are other options to control
it, so this is not such a big deal. One thing to note: A base sound
layer on slow with a high harmonic on fast sounds really, really cool.
It puts a really nice shimmer on top without going for the full-on
leslie. Interesting possibilities to explore.
Reliability: N/A
The first unit I left the store with died after about 8 hours of burn-
in. The replacement works fine. Infant mortality will always claim
some units after leaving the factory. I hope this does not bode ill
for Emu's QC department. The failure was in the output stages
somewhere. The output suddenly started to crackle, then died. The
unit still powered up, but there was no output. A converter or an
op-amp.
Time will tell, but the unit appears to be well constructed. Ask me
in a year and I'll give you a firm opinion.
Customer Support: N/A
The manual is good enough, and the store I bought it from is really
cool, so I never had to deal with Emu directly.
Overall Rating: 10
OK, I'll give it a good rating here. For the price I paid (thanks
to a store's price matching policy and the cheap price offered by
Zzounds), it was a steal. A Voce V-5 plus effects unit would easily
put you over $1000, and this unit does a comparable (not the same
thing - it'll never really be a drawbar unit, but I can get all the
sounds I want) job for much less money. Unless you're a dedicated,
hard-core B-man and insist on a duplicate of the original's
functionality, this unit can do it right. Definitely a repeat buy.
Several friends who've stopped by to play with it are running out
to buy them this weekend. (Everyone was waiting for me to do the
dirtywork of wringing the unit out.)
Submitted by Pete Schaefer at 07/01/2000 11:08
Price Paid: US $649.00
Ease of Use: 7
A little tricky at first. Each sound consists of at least 4 samples and can additionally link with another two sounds. It has a very nice pallette of parameters and once you learn those, you can do about anything soundwise.
Features: 10
Polyphony is great - but watch out for some drop outs when you put together a "large" sound. But, that happens very, very rarely - and when it has happened, it has really been my fault in how I set up the sound. I can usually get as good or better sound with fewer samples anyway. I love the effects in this - they are very good - especially the distortion - it is very, very close to the real thing. You can expand this thing too with other Emu products - although I will probably never do that - I like a dedicated organ module. Finally, it has full midi capability.
Expressiveness/Sounds: 10
Excellant sounding organ module. And, it will sound exactly as you program it - if it sounds bad, it is probably your fault. The samples are very realistic. I especially like the leslie simulation. One negative though - the output db is fairly weak. Simply turn up each sound within the module and the problem is cured. I have listened to virtually every organ module except the Voce V5. I think this is the best. I may be a little crazy in this - but I think the sampled B3 emulations are better. One time I worked with a Voce V3, Oberheim OB3sq, Roland VK-7 and a Roland 1080 with the 60's and 70's chip installed - all side by side. Later, I worked with the Emu B3. There is absololutely no question in my mind that the Roland 1080 with the 60's and 70's chip and the Emu B3 are the most superior of this group. Some people like to pull drawbars - and if that's the case, then I think the VK-7 and V3 are the best - but if you are after sound, buy this or buy the Roland 60's and 70's chip and put it in a 1010, 1080, 2080 or the new 3080. Of the Roland 60's and 70's chip and the Emu B3, I think the Emu has a more gritty realistic sound - it sounds great with my 2 watt Motion Sound rack mount leslie module.
Reliability: N/A
Haven't had it long enough to tell. But every Emu product I have ever had or seen seems very reliable.
Customer Support: 10
Emu is very accessible. Before I bought this, I called Emu and was actually connected with one of the guys who programmed this unit. He was very very helpful - try that with a big company.
Overall Rating: 10
I would buy it again - I use it with the 2 watt Motion Sound rack mount leslie module and it works great. I guess I would want to listen to a Voce V5 (I have never heard one) but I can't imagine it is better than this. And, the street price for this unit is very low.
Submitted by Peter Rhetts at 06/01/2000 11:31
