Price Paid: US $500 used
Ease of Use: 10
The Emulator I is very easy to use as all the controls are hardware ! No LCD, even the sequencer is hardware controlled. The Operating Systems is 3.6 I think, but there is no easy way of telling. The factory sample disks are of a high quality, and their are some really good acoustic and choir sounds. The manual is around 30 pages and is very good for 1981,although this was before spell checkers arrived ! Dave Rossum was one of the authors.
Features: 6
The original sampler for E-mu Systems has 8 voices (some were 2 or 4 voices) split into two 2 octave zones across the 4 octave keyboard. With 128k bytes of memory, you get two 2 second samples. 12bits companded down to 8 for storage on a 5.25" diskette, this means the sound is crunchy. With a SSM low pass filter (no VCF) on all voices, this sampler has a very distinct and quality sound. Not unlike an EII.
Expansion includes a MIDI interface and sequencer. But no memory upgrade. Multi Sampling was an option.
Expressiveness/Sounds: 5
This is not the sampler for 32M byte Grand Pianos in total accuracy. The Emulator is about distinctive acoustic sounds, with obvious looping. There is no aftertouch or even velocity. The main onboard effect is a noisy power transformer, but that doesn't affect the audio output. You can chorus, by loading the same sound into both zones and detuning. Listen to some Depeche Mode from the early 80's to get an idea of what it can do.
Reliability: 5
This a classic sampler which weighs in it 30kg with a rolled steel case. You would crush a keyboard stand, and damage the band van.
So keep it in the studio. Its reliable if you take care of it. It is built like tank, so it lasts. Good job as it has $5000 of electronics inside.
Customer Support: 5
E-mu Systems no longer support this ground breaking instrument. However you can get full support from The Emulator Archive at www.emulatorarchive.com. You will find the manual as a free PDF download, and full details on upgrades, repairs and how this sampler works. Finding one for sale is the biggest problem.
Overall Rating: 7
The Emulator is a great instrument, it is so easy to sample, loop and play around with. Yes it has many limitations, but creating music is about using creative instruments. The sound is unique, a digital Mellotron. Take a Harley motor bike, sample its engine running, then play it back two ocatves down. Heh, Black Celebration !
Submitted by Rob Keeble at 10/23/1999 05:06
