E-mu Virtuoso 2000

Price Paid: 540 (£)

Ease of Use: 7
OS v 2.26 (i think). The diplay is reasonable informative. The lack of knobs on the front helps as does the easy ability to scroll through the patches by either number or type. Never tried editing patches. Tried to get the effects working at one point on an individual patch. Couldn't gave up.

Features: 9
As mentioned already polyphony, midi, effects, and expansions are all present and correct. There's also an excellent audition button which generates the midi files to get you started. Also there's the random patch generator, which is cack to be honest, but like hey it's there. There's plenty there to keep you going.

Expressiveness/Sounds: 6
O.K. this is where is counts. What does it sound like. To my ears out of the 1000 or so patches the best are the strings (mass strings is my favourite). All of the other patches are usuable in some way or another, brass is a bit weak, but i have still managed to find a use for it. There's no way these sounds are going to convince anyone that you've got an orchestra in your room, but then i don't so there.

Reliability: 10
I tried putting the pop collection rom in there and nowt happened, so i took it (the rom) back. Otherwise it's very reliable.

Customer Support: 6
Didn't bother with email when i couldn't get said rom to work. Instead i rang them up. They told me that they were working on a OS upgrade. I decided not to wait. They weren't rubbish, neither were they lovely.

Overall Rating: 8
I've waited over a year before rating this fella. You see i got it fully stocked with the phatt and tech roms and i use some part of this unit on nearly every track i make. It is pretty much the corner stone of my studio. This doesn't mean that i use all 32 channels for everything. I like it. I've got good results out this and it has help to improve the overall sound of the music i make. It hasn't got flashy warm analogue soundscapes, but if you use right it can provide you with a good set of usable sounds. I've making music for around 16 years and i've got a nova a station, waldorf xt, an ER1 and a virus classic rack. Given the price of these fellas i'd probably get a proteus and stock it with orchestral rom 1 instead.

Submitted by Rich at 01/28/2004 04:40

Price Paid: US $1,000

Ease of Use: 4
The ugly duckling of the Emu line and for good reason. It "looks" like no one has bought this synth since 2002, at least according to Harmony Central, but that can't be right (though I wouldn't blame anyone for NOT buying it).

Editing patches is impossible. Who has the time? Even Emu could only come up with a handful of effects patches. Now, compare how many cool effects patches are in the old Proteus 2 (the original orchestral box). This is lame city!

Features: 9
128 polyphony, 32 channel, one-rack box. NOW WE'RE TALKING! You simply can't say the V2K doesn't deliver on features. And I have to admit that since Emu lowered the price, there are enough quality acoustic patches in this bird to make it a reasonable buy. Plop a couple of Emu's other quality boards in the two remaing slots (nothing could be easier to do and they're very affordable) and BAM, you've got a synth to be proud of!

Expressiveness/Sounds: 4
I'm only guessing, but I'd say Emu had high hopes for the V2K when they were bought by Creative Labs which said: Pop, Rock, Rap, Period!

And so the V2K was an orchestral orphan not too long after it was introduced. As was said elsewhere, a new patch set was promised, but that was a company LIE as it never happened (how hard could it be to put a cracker-jack programmer on this baby and churn out 128 or 256 knock-em-dead patches in a couple of weeks? Probably would have doubled sales!

I agree with what's already been mentinod: quality percussion, some good strings, harp, a few good brass patches. BUT the velocity on some patches, especially the p/m/f are just TOO "p." You have to hit any keyboard I've tried with a jack hammer to get any of these patches to play musically!

Oh, and the timpanis SUCK!

I also have to say the Emu's idea of patch categories leaves EVERYTHING to be desired. Hey, EMU, it's an orchestral module. Keep ALL OF THE orchestral instruments in their proper categories. Why on earth do you scatter strings, brass, winds, percussion pretty much randomly among the banks? Why? WHY?

Reliability: 8
It works. Though the outputs seem to have gotten dirtier on this module than only product I've owned sinc Ensoniq. WAIT! Didn't Emu buy Ensoniq?

Customer Support: 1
In the past three weeks I've e-mailed Emu FIVE times (that's "5"), both from my e-mail program and from their site with what I feel would be a fairly generic question for ALL of their modules. Responses? ZERO!

I'm of the opinion that Emu is on its last legs (and perhaps Creative Labs, too?). I would certainly never invest any BIG money in any of the company's products.

Overall Rating: 3
You know, at the current new prices, I still think it's somewhat of a bargain. The available add-on boards have a lot to offer.

Still, there's the nagging feeling that you're investing in a sinking ship, er, synth.

Submitted by Anonymous at 09/25/2003 20:01

Price Paid: US Not bought yet

Ease of Use: 9
I was impressed to write a review on it because many people are unfair with this module. I was impressed when I heard it, and you should use some good speakers to do so. I am just a kind of shocked how people badly treat this unit. I personally think it's unfair. But I appriciate the rights of the people to have they say. I heard one. I want one. And this is not an advertising. I am man from Eastern Europe not affiliated with EMU or it's eventual branches.
You will need to do some editing to make the thing better sound, thats the point for some sounds - and it's very important. And if people dont know what editing means, than let them learn, its not so hard. Also, have some good 76-keys (or 88) electric piano or a keyboard with good piano because this board does not have one.
I can not say much about manual, editing and so on because I do not own one. But I tried it and want to buy one, for sure.
But, what I can write about are the presets. I was impresed how natural some of the presets sound. People have lost today the touch with the natural instruments if they play ROMplerss or similar for a certain time. But you got to have ears to discern- and Virtuoso really does a very good job there. More about the sounds in the Expressivnes/Sounds section...
I searched the Internet for more infos about this unit and I never found a review that has treated this unit so bad. There were fair remarks and pretty good ratings. Search for yourself and see.

Features: 10
Absolutely amazaed with it's features; it has something that the "big ones" are ofering ass novelty nowadays although the unit was realeased a couple of years ago. It has 128 polyphony, that's what I am talking about. The other thing - equally excelent - it works on 32 Midi chanels. What ajoy and comfort to use!
Effects are usable, they blend with the sound well, but haven't checked that thoroughly. Haven't noticed them, means they are at least OK.
You can expand the board with two other expansions (think about Sidlaczek, good stuff on it) which is very good. No sequencer and no keys (it's a module) but fairly easy to be used. Has a small display, but fair enough for anyone accountable and possesed of reason.

Expressiveness/Sounds: 9
I was very much impressed with the sound of hthis unit. Some sounds are trully inspirative. Strings are one of the best I ever heard. Clarinet is so good. I play Clarinet privately, and that's how my Clarinet counds when I am in shape. Harps and percussion are superb. Woodwinds OK, but Trumpet is somewhat week or, better to say syntetic, non-natural. I am sure you can edit the thing that it may sound decently. Horns are realy nice. Pipe organs (yes, it has it!) also very nice, rich and more natural than by other manufacturers - but can use some editing too as the matter of a personal taste.
All in all, trully inspirative.
I like the general characteristic of the sound, it just suits the taste of the natural sound.
9 and 1/2 for sounds, really.

Reliability: N/A
Can say much, I am not an owner yet.

Customer Support: N/A
Never dealt.

Overall Rating: 10
If you have one and want to get rid of it - contact me. I will buy this unit as soon as I will have means for a used one. They are underrated and you can buy one for a small amount of means - uncomparable with the used similar equipment from the other manufacturers. If I would have money, I will buy a new one. I heard other manufacturers. I like this the best. Talking as my personal taste dictates: compared to Korg Triton - Korg sounds too digital. Compared to Roland Expasions - Roland sounds a kind of a mushy-mellow. I don't like the characteristics of a Roland sound (personal taste), although a cheap XP-30 or a stuff with a new SRX expansion is not bad thing at all. Specially the new board sounds well. But Emu has recorded it all at once in one place and the sounds blend naturally. I found the Emu sound very much inspirative, so I choose Emu. Keeping in mind the droping price of about 1000 Euros or daollars for a new unit - it's a bargain. "Schnaepchen" as the German people say.

Submitted by Josef at 07/20/2003 14:24

Price Paid: US $925

Ease of Use: 1
The manual and os seems very stable but there are no usable presets. Editing patches is easy buy impossible to get a usable patch. I have played in many orchestras for years and know how instruments should naturally respond and resonate. There is nothing on this module I would ever use. I am so sorry for your loss e-mu. I was looking forward to a Great module.

Features: 1
128 Polyphony is a great feature, but like another user said, what good is the Polyhony if you have no presets to use. The interface and concept seems very sound. It is also a very easy module to program.

Expressiveness/Sounds: 1
You know, I was really surprised that this module was even released. Strings are synthy and unrealistic and do not respond to high velocities. I would rather take the string off my windows sound card. Winds do not respond realistically at all and are very badly programed. Brass is weak and Totally unusable. The percussion is it's best feature, but not does not save the module.

Reliability: 10
Got an old proteus 1xr and still is going! Very reliable.

Customer Support: N/A
N/A

Overall Rating: 1
Listen to the people here (besides the obvious e-mu promo) and don't waste you time and hard earned money. This product is a Nightmare! If you have $250 buy an old proteus 2 and you will be better off. Me, I am actually buying a roland xv-5080, the new srx symphonic strings, and add 128 megs of sample ram for the Siedlaczek Advanced Orchestra winds and brass.

Submitted by Jimmy at 02/03/2002 22:25

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: 1
Great manual! Not worth $1,000 (as it is the best part about the unit), but great.

Emu came up with a very sensible way of editing with a small screen and limited knob access. Of course,
they came up with this with the Proteus 1 about a dozen years ago. Time marches on. Emu doesn't.

Features: 9
OK, along WITH them manual, the features are outstanding! No one in these
reviews disagrees with the oomph factor of the feature set.

Expressiveness/Sounds: 2
Unlike some others, I found a few string patches that work. A few. And there is a smattering of wind and
brass that are just about OK, but truly, the Proteus 2, with its much lower sound quality has far more useful wind and even
brass patches. The solo strings aren't that bad either. Yes, why DIDN'T Emu use 128 megs for the
samples? To address what the other person kept saying about comparing it to a GIGA sampler, I agree, but here's my suggestion. First
since the GIGA does not work on a Macintosh (The Mac to PC ration of pro musicians is about 10 to 1 from my experience; Hans Zimmer can't even
read music, so who cares what he uses?).

Get an old Proteus 2. Yup. Use this for the Woodwinds. If you can't afford a full-blown software sampler (including Giga), go for one that just playsback sample. Bitheadz has
one for Mac AND PC and its reasonable. Buy Quantum Leap Brass (full set) and poke around for a good string product (there's more and more out there). Yes, it's more than a V2000, but Emu should be
ashamed of this product and either fix it or pull it post haste. Spend a bit extra and get better sounds.

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 2
Considering the whole unit and the sound being key, it's really worse, overall, than a very old Proteus 2.
I'm also familiar with the extra "orchestral" boards and they're pretty much a waste of money (though one does have
the Proteus 2 sound set). I would not buy it again.

Submitted by Anonymous at 11/29/2001 09:00

Price Paid: US $999.00

Ease of Use: 10
This is sort of a follow-up review of the V-2000. Now that the unit has been out for over a year, and I've been using it that long, I think one more review of this module is in order. Its important to remember that sometimes dissapointment over a purchase can change to enthusiasm, once one becomes intimate with a piece of gear. You can read the comments in my original review and others to determine ease-of-use. Let me just say again that there is no other module out there or ever made that is/was easier to use or understand than the Proteus 2000 line of modules of which the V-2000 is just a P-2000 with special ROMs. The small LCD is not as big a problem for setting up the unit for squencing or even programming as most other synth modules out there. If you were going to use a display like this on a Roland module, God Help you!!!!

Features: 8
128 voice poyphony. That would be a whole lot, but for the fact that you MUST layer in your programs to achieve the best results. I believe, after reading all the other reviews of this unit, that the single greatest defeat of EMU in producing this module, was to release it with INCREDIBLY wimpy voice programming! I truly sympathize with purchasers who feel burned by EMU. I do believe however that the programmers were forced to take the approach of maximising polyphony to be able to sequence an entire arrangment in one pass, over going for better realism. This is why the factory demos sound like Wendy Carlos orchestral synth pieces from nearly 20 years ago. With the juiced-up voice programming and relying on synth pad chorusing and effects, they have produced a synthy sounding orchestral module almost overwhelmingly dissapointing to even an orchestral novice type of musician. The other problems I'll discuss below. The front panel knobs, certain other parameters, and easy-to sequence with design, are hard to beat in other synths. Yes, a Roland JV isn't bad either, if you operate it from your computer!! I personally think that approach is a real pain-in-the-ass, as I have to constantly move back and forth between my module rack and computer station in my studio, just to set up the Rolands for squencing. My other modules, and PARTICULAIRLY the EMU units allow me to do multi-timbral setups from their front panels.

Expressiveness/Sounds: 8
Okay, here is where I'll settle or reconcile the V-2000. After having this unit to play with for over a year, and after re-programming TWICE after adding two other ROMs, I really think this is, at the MOMENT, the very best orchestral M O D U L E out there. I emphasize 'Module', as people who are expecting the Virtuoso 2000 to compete somehow with a 'GIGA STUDIO' type of computer-based sampler and state-of-the-art sound library, for under a grand, are just NOT BEING REALISTIC!! I can't believe how many people are thinking like that! This does bring up an issue though. Have we progressed technologically to the point now that the very IDEA of an orchestral module is old-hat? I don't think so. The GIGA STUDIO instrument has completely anihilated the hardware sampler in Hollywood scoring studios, for example. Likewise, you wouldn't dare demo even your television series orchestral mock-up with ANY module, now. You might find a couple of skimpy little parts in their demos being handled by a module, but the whole arrangment? Not if you want work again!!
All of that makes me wonder who the market for this orchestral module type of product is? Could it be simply that there are 'week-end warrior' type orchestral composers and students, who have limited means and budgets, who never the less, still need something to work up their orchestral ideas? To these people, the GIGA STUDIO and a maxxed-out PC are just to far beyond their means, to say NOTHING of the INCREDIBLY OUTRAGIOUS COST of orchestral sample libraries for the GIGA!!!! Just to cover your string parts alone will cost you just the same or more than this module, and that's if you already have a GIGA and FAST computer.
Now it's been suggested elsewhere here on this review page, that having to buy the Advanced Orchestra and Protozoa ROMs to add to the V-2000 is just an EMU marketing ploy and throwing good money after bad. Not so, I say. I have for about $1600 total cost, a module that covers the ENTIRE orchestra. Forget all those different articulations of insturments. They ARE great but you'll be waiting a long time to save-up for a GIGA!! I have persevered with this module, really getting into it's guts, and using the augmentation of the additional ROMs I mentioned, found that though EMU's sound design team may be lacking in orchestral instument knowledge or were just under corporate pressure, designers of this PROTEUS 2000 module incorporated several programming features that allow one to re-program out the flaws to an acceptable degree. Thing like modulating the chorus amount parameter with an envelope. You can very effectively approximate what a section brass like french horns does when they play together in unison. This one feature alone makes up pretty well for not having brass and woodwind sections in any of the ROM sets (well, the Advanced Orchestra has ensembles of brass and woodwind, but these are with all the different instruments playing together, like a 'brass ensemble' for instance. Never the less, still a welcome sound set for the module!!). There are other programming features I can't go into here. This also raises another issue. I have never been able to understand why people are so resistant to voice programming, particularily on this module. It's hard, sure, but wouldn't anyone with an interest in orchestral music understand the concept of getting to know your instrument, becoming intimate with it's nuances? Like learning cello. I guess most people just wan't instant gratification. Well, you can get it now-a-days, but it's gonna cost ya. Like buying the GIGA.

Reliability: 10
The reliability issue has been addressed pretty well in the other reviews here. It's EMU. EMUs really don't break. EMUs are solidly made. EMUs can be in need of software updates occasionally!

Customer Support: 10
EMU has really improved their support approach. I think they're pretty good now. Keep up the good work.

Overall Rating: 9
As to the inevitable question of whether I would replace it or not, I believe I would. Time may show that Roland beat EMU for the best orchestral library module, now that they have their string expansion out. But bear in mind that just playing a three note chord with a violin section will eat-up 24 voices of polyphony on a XV-3080 or 5080. Also bear in mind that EMU made quite a few mistakes with the V-2000, and some of them CANNOT be corrected with re-programming. Mainly the oboes and some brass. I think the decision to record samples with natural ambience was an incredible goof when the objective would have to be short loops in the aamples. This just doesn't work as there cannot be any animation in the tone with short loops. The idea of using the 'Hall' samples of instruments as some kind of ambient or surround sound effect is good in theory but I can't believe they thought they could pull that one off with the short loops they used. It's just looney tunes!!!! ( maybe they knew this at some point-of-no-return, and called one of the demos 'EMU CARTOON'!!!!!!) One reviewer here said they sounded like cheap mics were used in a bus station. He's right, but I know from my own experience with sampling, that ambient samples ONLY work with nice long loops so the tone can build in a natural way. Short loops just wind up sounding like cotton or mud. The way EMU recorded the original Proteus 2 samples made more sense, given a limited amount of ROM space. But even Peter Siedlaczak screwed-up on most of the samples in his Advanced Orchestra set. That's why we now have 'Quantum Leap' brass, choir, etc. I don't think we will see another orchestral module again from EMU, at least not for a LONG time. This unit was something of a sales dud. I hope they learned from this experience, and read the reviews here, and hope they decide not to try and mount an orchestral sampling session again by themselves. I don't think they are up to it. Better instead to contract with someone like Nick Phoenix of Quantum Leap, or even Peter Siedlaczak, or Miroslav Vitous. These men have experience with producing recordings that are specifically for sampling sessions. Had this unit been fitted out with really great samples (maybe ALL 128 megs?!) as so many of us were expecting from EMU, then it might have been a huge hit. Sadly, EMU has lost quite a bit of respect from serious musicians as the reviews here demonstrate, and they will have to work very hard to prove they CAN do it right, if they do ever again after this dissapointment. I believe the future of orchestral modules will be something like an E4 but based on their version of streaming hard disk samplers like the GIGA STUDIO. If you want to wait, fine. But if you want to start composing for orchestra NOW, and you take time to value your investment in hardware with an at least equal investment in your time, like learning a fine instrument, you will be satisfied with the recordings you can produce with this module. Expand it's ROMs as I have done, forget dreaming about GIGA STUDIOs, read EMU's EXCELLENT manual TWICE, don't be seduced by Roland's promises of expansion cards (they will produce them eventually, but why wait?), and most of all, LISTEN to what REAL orchestral insturments sound like and what they can and cannot do. Program a needed articulation, or use your sequencing software. The results may not fool James Levine or your cello instructor, but you can produce music of emotional power with this box alone. You may need to make more than one pass with your sequencer to make up for lost polyphony because the ensembles you programmed yourself use layers and/or chorus doubling, but who doesn't have a multitrack recorder of some kind now-a-days? I hope people reading this review who are thinking of buying the Virtuoso 2000 decide to take the plunge and really develope their own patch library ( and it's great at synth sounds too!). The 'instant gratification' crowd can dump thousa

Submitted by Philip Chance at 11/16/2001 16:18

Price Paid: US $1000

Ease of Use: 1
How do the presets sound? BAD. AWFUL. USELESS. Yes, sounds can be edited. Ist hat why you want to
buy a synth that's supposed to be professional and is labeled "Virtuoso Orchestra," fixing what should never
have been released in the first place? Yes, a patch editor would make a BIG difference, as it does from other
manufacturers who provide one (thanks!). E-mu doesn't. Splat to that!

Features: 7
See other reviews. In the features department, It gets a high score, to be sure. If only the sounds
came even close to the features you wouldn't be seeing all the HORRIFIC reviews here.

Expressiveness/Sounds: 1
I could not adjust the velocity to get a smooth or accurate response from any
of the patches. It's supposed to be a synth ready for orchestral stuff, but it
ain't ready and I'm NOT ready to spend hours fixing it or paying extra for the two OTHER
orchestral cards to stick into it like another enterprising soul who reviewed here. I'm sure
Emu is thinking, We made it so YOU can edit it and fix the ANNOYING patch set-up (no rhyme or
reason to how patches are arranged); we released it, you fix it.

Reliability: N/A
Who knows?

Customer Support: 1
Never had a decent experience with these guys. I miss Ensoniq.

Overall Rating: 1
Would NOT buy it again. SORRY I bought it in the first place. One suggestion, though. On Emu's
site they have a reprint of the KEYBOARD review. It says they're working on a new set of patches
(I guess to fix the velocity clumsiness, odd keyboard mappings, and other things you'd expect in, oh
I don't know, a beta synth?). DO NOT buy this until they release that upgrade (which SHOULD be any day
now since that review was published a year ago!).

Not only would I not buy this synth again, but I'll think several times over about buying any other Emu product.
Bitter? A tad. I'm not rich and a grand means something to me. I really based my purchase (via mail order) entirely on
the Proteus 2. BIG mistake. By the time I realized how unprofessional it was, it was too late to return it. Too bad for me.

Submitted by Anonymous at 10/27/2001 11:27

Price Paid: US $999.99

Ease of Use: 10
Wow!!! Nice interface. I love the way it feels. Easy to get to instrument, easy bank set up with a computer.

Features: 9
Nice poly, nice expansion, you can add two more roms.

Expressiveness/Sounds: 1
Ok. This is were the unit fails big. I BIG FLAT "F". Although it works great it is unusable for realistic reproductions as a stand alone unit. Strings are terrible and I like my strings on my Roland orchestral II much better. Winds are unusable. There are like nuances and breaths before each note that make sustained passages impossible and well accelerated music. Brass is good for a module, but not real at all. It does have a usable toba. Perc is where this unit shines. It has nice mallets and tymp. But as a whole is come up very very short. If you plan on writting for tuba and mallets only than this is your module. Emu, you really messed up something that could have been a BIG SUCCESS. I am so sorry...

Reliability: 10
Rock solid like all emu products

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 1
I am so sorry to hear this product fail. I was expecting great things from this module. After making the proteus 2 (which was revolutionary at the time) I expected this to blow all the modules away. Emu, get better sound engineers for classical music. Obviosly your staff was not up to par for this project. My humble regards...

Submitted by Anonymous at 09/14/2001 21:46

Price Paid: US $1000

Ease of Use: 2
Presets are lame and super unrealistic... virtually unuseable... editing is simple...

Features: 1
poly is great. but if you can use the presets because they sound so unrealistc why need the poly? nice expansion. easy to use

Expressiveness/Sounds: 1
Weak. no. wretched!!!! what were they thinking. the proteus 2xr was a classic. totally useless!!!! strings are horrible, winds terrible, brass weak...tuba ok... perc...ok.... overall... a thumbs down....

Reliability: 10
emu makes good stuff... VERY reliable....

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: N/A
Flee, flee... run like the wind... avoid this trash... spend it one some good sample cds and build yourself a gigasampler machine or get a hardware sampler.

Submitted by Anonymous at 09/01/2001 00:38

Price Paid: 8500 (ff)

Ease of Use: 8
The manual is in english for all countries. It can be a problem for some customers.
The edition with the soundeditor is easy but some time of adaptation is necessary to understand the full possibilities of the patchcords and the filters. The architecture is in my opinion the most intelligent, simple and powerful of the market.
Once you are adapted, programming becomes a pleasure and becomes fantastic using Sounddiver 3. The possibilities are ENORMOUS. You can make exactly the sound you want if you are patient.
The presets are... bad, very inferior to the enormous possibilities of the module and the absence of piano and harpsichord samples is abnormal. I shall comment this later, so I give 8/10 for the easy of use.

Features: 8
Excellent polyphony with 128 notes, good links with two midi in and 6 audio out (but only two use the effects), good sensibility to the keyboard velocity, wich can become excellent using the patchords possibilities.
The effects are OK and sufficiently various, but in multi mode it is not possible to choose individual effects for each instrument.
With only two expansion boards one is limited, but for a module which is devoted to orchestral music, the only indispensable Rom card is the "Sounds of the ZR 76" which contains the William Coakley Perfect Piano, the best acoustic piano samples of the market, and the only harpsichord samples of Emu.
The second board can be occupied with the "Protozoa" card which contains other orchestral sounds, which complete those of the Virtuoso, and excellent samples of acoustic guitars. These two Roms bring also a great variety of modern instruments with 512 patches by card.
The large number of user presets (512) is excellent and one can create very complete personnal banks (see later).
I give 8/10 because one or two supplementary boards would nevertheless be welcome.

Expressiveness/Sounds: 9
The most important for a module : how are the sounds ?
1) The 512 orchestral presets are... bad and very deceptive, the seem "lazy" and are only good for pads,
2) The samples are multisamples and every note is individualy excellent but, at the sample change on the keyboard, the change in tone is displeasing and it is also the case for the "Protozoa" and the "Sounds of the ZR76".

This explains why some users are decepted with the virtuoso, BUT :
3) The soly strings (violin, viola, cello, bass, harp) and the percussions are excellent,
4) The samples are very various, especially the strings with solo, little formation, big formation for separate violins violas celli and basses, with legato, spiccato, tremolo and pizzicato samples,
5) Using the great programming possibilities with patchcords, transposition, coarse, pan, filters, effects... fonctions, with 4 layers in a patch, with the possibility to link 3 patches (for having 12 layers in a sound), and with combining the sounds of the 4 cards (the two "Orchestral", the "Protozoa" and the "Sounds of the ZR76")
you can make your own bank of 512 patches and create very realistic and beautiful orchestral sounds. I have now magnific strings, winds, organs, acoustic pianos.

After tens and tens hours of programming, I have obtained a module which sounds really as a quartet, as a string orchestra, as a chamber orchestra, as a symphonic orchestra. If I compare with Korg (Trinity and Triton) and Roland (SRJV Session and Orchestral cards) sounds, the Virtuoso is better after improving the patches in variety and quality. I have heard MP3 samples from the Roland XV 3080/5080 and I think that only the SRX cards of Roland can compete with the Virtuoso possibilities. With a XV 3080 and SRX02 and SRX04 cards you have the equivalent of a Virtuoso with "Protozoa" and "Sounds of the ZR76" Roms. The prices are close and the true differences between both configurations are a) the Virtuoso has much more user presets (512 for 128) b) the Virtuoso presets need to be improved c) The Virtuoso has two midi in.

So I give 9/10 for the Virtuoso and the "Sounds of the ZR76" (not 10/10 because of the necessity of reprogramming).

Reliability: 10
No problem since 10 monthes

Customer Support: 9
I have not need technical support but Emu has allways answered to my emails within a week.

Overall Rating: 10
I could no more play music without my Virtuoso and the "Perfect Piano" of the ZR76 Rom. If you like classical musical or acoustic and orchestral instruments, I think that you have only two choices in sound modules : Roland XV or Emu Virtuoso. If you like programming, buy the Virtuoso. Il you have difficulties with sounds synthese buy the Roland XV3080. If you are rich, buy the Roland XV5080 with the 4 available SRX cards !

Submitted by Christian FRERE at 08/17/2001 06:05

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: 1
Are you joking? BIG BIG BIG BIG Disapointment!!!!!!!! I was eagerly awaiting the arrival of my Virtuoso and it was the worst orch module out there. Don't buy it!!!! Nothing sounds realistic or even good for than matter. I would hear "honk and squeeeeeek" o a general midi sound card. Buy 2 Jv1010's and get yourself orch 1 and 2 for about the same price...

Features: 1
What good are the features if it doesn't include any usable sounds?

Expressiveness/Sounds: 1
Horrific!!!! It's really that back!!!!! Thumbs up for tuba and harp... and big thumbs down for EVERYTHING else... No usable string, winds, brass, but some perc. is o.k... I programmed it for 2 weeks and gave up... Not one out of the box usefull sound!!! Don't dare buy this if you have any ambitions as a classical musician...

Reliability: N/A
Worked fine...

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 1
Get yourself 2 jv-1010's with orch 1 and 2 for about the same price for a much more realistic orchestra... Stay fa from this module... I wouldn't pa $99.99 for it... Emu.....What were you thinking? Your proteus 2 keyboard and module years ago was Fantastic!!!!! It even has usefull sounds on it today... What happened to the Virtuoso?

Submitted by composer at 06/20/2001 23:32

Price Paid: US $750 used

Ease of Use: 8
The Proteus 2000 hardware, operating system, and maual are excellent. Many of the presets stink, because the samples are really surpisingly bad.

Features: 10
128 voices. 32 midi channels. As I said above, hardware is great.

Expressiveness/Sounds: 1
This is extremely dissapointing. I am shocked that Emu would sell a module with such poor sounds. Some of the sounds are just embarassing, including most of the wind and brass sounds. Some of the string and percussion samples are ok, a few good. Harp, non-pitched percussion, solo pizz. stand out as the best ones. But I consider all of the following unusable, and many don't even sound like the instrument they are supposed to be:

trumpet, trombone, horn, xylophone, flute, alto flute, pic., oboe, english horn, clarinet.

Reliability: 10
I'm sure the hardware is completely reliable.

Customer Support: 7
Emu tech support in general has always been very good.

Overall Rating: 5
Its hard to give this module an overall rating. The hardware is fantastic. A single-space module that has 32 midi channels, 128 voices, excellent filters and effects, and great modulation routing controls.

But the samples they put in this box are just terrible compaired to the best 16bit orchestral samples out there today. Some of them sound worse then sample players made over 10 years ago. Emu really screwed up, because if they put in genuinely good samples this would be a fantastic product. But I am thinking of selling it because I can't use most of the samples.

Submitted by rs at 05/27/2001 16:33

Price Paid: US $999.00

Ease of Use: 5
This latest, and unfortunately not greatest, release of the Proteii family is a shock to this boy's system. The presets are less than stellar and in some instances, particularly the winds, are scary. I heard that the samples were recorded in a stone church in Seattle. It sounds like it. If you're doing a gig/album that requires strings and winds that are peaky in the 500 - 1000KHz range and have no life, here's your source. To be fair, editing patches is extremely easy and a few of the tones in this box ARE more than adequate. The manual is effective and helpful in most instances.

Features: 8
Polyphony... no problem here! The built-in FX are ok...if you've got good outboard FX units, don't mess with the built-in - with the exception of some of the custom specialty preset fx. Editing capabilites are extensive and easy to comprehend. Most without the manual. EMU stayed fairly consistent with their editing architecture. Good features here.... Just a number of plastic, scratchy "orchestral" sounds, sad to say.

Expressiveness/Sounds: 4
After heavily utilizing a Proteus 1, 2, 3 and FX in my studio for a number of years... and then a Proteus 2000 for a while, I was chomping at the bit ready to work with my new Virtuoso. Boy was I disappointed! In being a studio engineer for almost 20 years, my requirements for good presets and ease of editing was paramount. This box has a phenomenal amount of tweaking capabilites, but when two thirds of the samples sound like they were recorded with a Shure Sm58 in a bus station, no amount of tweaking will bring home the bacon. My first night, while incorporating the Virtuoso into a mix, I spent 1 1/2 hours tweaking in search of a believable oboe. I scratched my head in disbelief. It just wasn't there. I wound up using the Protozoa Proteus 1/2/3 expansion card in the Proteus 2000 (Proteus 2 oboe). Ahhhhhhhh.....now THAT's what an oboe sounds like!.... screw the Virtuoso. I MUST say that the harp, tymp, and a few other percussion presets were extremely fine, as well as some of the brass - trumpet and tuba in particular.

Reliability: 10
In my 11 years of working with Proteii, I have yet to experience any kind of breakdown or intermittent problem.

Customer Support: N/A
Never had to give the guys a call.

Overall Rating: 4
This unit won't be stolen because I shipped it post haste right back to whence it cameth. I went out and bought a Kurzweil K-2000 with all the trimmings. Although it wound up costing me twice as much as the Virtuoso, the K-2000 delivers faithful reproduction and I don't have to make excuses to justify it's existence.

Submitted by Barry K. Krueger at 02/09/2001 22:40

Price Paid: US $999.00

Ease of Use: 9
Emu has a very good reputation of building user interfaces that work quite well given a tiny LCD. Once you get use to it, you may not want to use editing software. You can be up and running with this unit in no time. Producing good orchestra may tax your patience though. Spend alot of time with this unit, and you will find it can be fun.

Features: 7
With 128 voices, you might think this unit has the orchestra covered, but you will have to layer sounds to get anything close to the orchestra. The reverbs have been tweaked to work with the sounds in this module, and the use of even high quality outboard reverbs will bring out a problem with this unit's sound: The brass and winds sound muddy/boomy in the lower midrange when more than a little reverb is applied. This could be because the loops in the samples just sit there when you sustain a sound like french horn. The loops should really have been longer so the sounds have a little animation for sustained passages. Also, I've concluded that all woodwind samples should be taken with medium vibrato and sharp attacks, which can be adjusted to suit with emu's excellent envelopes and filters. The programming that emu claims makes the trombones realistic really doesn't, but it helps.

Expressiveness/Sounds: 7
Okay, does it sound like an orchestra? In a word, no. Did you think it would? My first impression in listening to the factory demos on emu's website, just before the unit was released, was just how much they sounded like Wendy Carlos' Digital Moonscapes album from over 16 years ago! And she didn't even use sampling! I had thought that we had come further in that amount of time. But this is not really a bad thing. You CAN get very good results with this unit, but you will have to program. In fact, my advice is to start programming imediatly, as emu's factory programs are rather ridiculous. I suppose they were obligated to make use of those front panel knobs, which really aren't of any practical use to an orchestral arranger. I also must say again that emu chose to make the loops too short for the brass, in particular. Without any movement in the tone, the loops just sit there buzzing. I think they should have forgot the multi-dynamic samples, and used the memory space for really strong sustains at a solid forte. The excellent filters can be programmed to simulate the change in tone at the quieter dynamics. I have had the unit for a few months now, I bought one of the first to come out, and have spent the last three months programming. I've found that you can get suprisingly good results programming if you are familiar with how the real instruments should sound. The Strings are quite good and you can even program a decent sordino with the filters. The woodwinds are certainly the best sounds in the box, but you will spend alot of time creating convincing vibratos, but don't give up! The brass, again, could have much better, and you cannot compare them to A sample library. But even though there are no section samples, if emu had made the loops long, you could have layered them. It would work even better if they had more than one instrument of each type sampled. This would have allowed you to layer, without worrying about the flanging sounds that occur when two identical loops play against each other. You can get around this too somewhat by using the samples in the ZR-76 ROM, and layering them with the Virtuoso stock sounds.
The other problem with some of the samples, is that they are not bright enough, particularly the pizzicatos! I like more pluck and character in these kind of sounds, which can be adjusted with programming. The harp on the other hand is terrific! At last, emu has given us harp that you can actually gliss with! Too many other harp samples have to much pluck in the attack, which makes glisses sound too phony, even comical. In a real harp, you don't hear the individual attacks like that in a gliss or arpeggio.
The percussion is outstanding for a module. I wish they had spent the same degree of care on the brass.
The solo strings are not too bad for a module, and they are quite useful for layering with the string sections for an espressivo effect.
It is not really realistic to expect emu to include much in the way of playing techniques for the various intruments, and this points at the problem in using modules for realistic orchestral simulations: you just cannot beat a good assortment of CD-ROMS and a good sampler, such as emu's own E4 Ultra.
Having said that, I do wish that emu had shot the wad and dedicated all 128 MB to the soundset. Then they could have included brass sections and mutes, and alternate woodwinds with toungued attacks. I also wish they could have included soft strings with a little bow noise, similar to the very excellent Siedlaczk full section strings in the original ORCHESTRA CD-ROM, now paired down and available in the Roland Orchestral II expansion card. These were among the most realistic strings ever sampled, and have actually fooled several well trained ears I have played them for!
I really think emu has shot themselves in the foot by offering this unit with such wimpy voice programming, with unrealistic things like lfo panning! Since when do the mem

Reliability: 10
No complaints here, emu has always built a solid product, and this one is no exception! Be careful when installing SIMMS though, as the little plastic tabs can break so easily.

Customer Support: 5
I have found emu to be no worse in this regard than many other companies. I suggest emailing them if you need faster action. They sometimes give conflicting info, depending on who you talk to and when! They are getting better about this though.

Overall Rating: 8
I feel I must take points off the rating because of the brass loops. They are very smooth, but too short. I also think some of the woodwinds sounded better in the Proteus 2! I miss that great english horn. I would have enjoyed the strings more if they had a little expressive swell to them. I like the down bows, but it would have been neat if they had UP bows as well. I have tinkered the brass into fairly useable instuments, but Roland still has more realism in their Orchestra I and II cards. I also like the woodwinds now, particularly the bassoons. I pretty much like the percussion for sounding so Hi-Fi. I love the harp. You must try glisses with it.
I like more balls in the Piatti and Timps, and the Tubulars could be better but they sound much better than Proteus 2. The solo strings sound good layered, and have decent attacks. My advice is to add the Sounds of the ZR ROM as soon as possible, to get alternate brass samples to layer with (the French Horn Section is one of the best you can get in a module, and the Solo Horn is better than the Virtuoso stock horn sample). I also look forward to adding the Advanced Orchestra ROM when it becomes available.
So does eight times the memory of a Proteus 2 equal eight times the realism? I wish it did. I remember thinking that it was amazing that emu squeezed the whole orchestra into eight megs. 64 MB sounds like a whole lot in comparison, but I guess you really can't do the orchestra justice on anything less than 128 MB. I have an 'Orchestra' that I load into my E4 comprised of Samples from all the libraries that are available, and it works well towards creating a convincing sound. The Virtuoso works along side to fill in the gaps, as does my JV-1010 and JV-880. But you know, you can do quite well with just the modules, and I have done that on quick projects.
Would I buy it again? Before I programmed my own sounds for it, I would have said no, but now, I don't think I will part with it. It resides in my rack right above my Proteus 2, another synth I won't part with for a long time. Buy the Virtuoso and be prepared to do some heavy programming, and you won't really be dissapointed. It is definitly worth the price, if you need it. If you own Roland modules, then you may want to pass if your on a tight budget. You will miss the contrabassoon and flutes though.

Submitted by Philip N. Chance at 01/30/2001 16:21

Price Paid: US $999

Ease of Use: 9
It plugged and played with my Cakewalk no problem. However, finding an instrument definition is proven to be challenging. A particularly cool feature is the ability to audition sounds, and changes the sounds while auditioning. This has been helpful to me for finding the right sound.

Features: 8
The features are good (see above), and pretty much just what I expected. I'm a plug and play guy, I don't like getting into the guts of the system: when I want a sound, I want a sound! So I haven't used all of the whammo knobs on the left side.

Expressiveness/Sounds: 8
The sounds are pretty good. Not having a sampler other than my soundblaster, I was quite happy with having 16 channels of instruments I can deal with. Although compared to a real orchestra, there's a lot of work to do if you want to make this pass as one.

Reliability: 10
No problems so far. My PC has been MUCH less reliable, but then I suppose that's a given...

Customer Support: N/A
Haven't had to try it yet, knock wood...

Overall Rating: 10
I'm definately glad I added this to my studio. As a budding composer and grad student, I need something with instant feedback to test my compositions. This definately fits the bill...

Submitted by Kev at 01/21/2001 16:40

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: 4
The manual is excellent, and I'm speaking as one who has written dozens of manual myself. Why they didn't give the person credit is a crime. There are a few flaws in the manual, but this can most likely be blamed on last-minute OS or design changes (again, I speak from experience).

The V2000 sports E-mu's now ubiquitous tiny display, only slightly larger than that found in its first generation Protei family of a decade ago. Hey, E-mu. It’s the year 2000 (check the name on the synth, if you’ve forgotten). That display is toooooo small! When I look at my Mac's two monitors, one 20 inch, the other 17, liberally sprinkled with open windows, programs, dialogs, etc., and then look at E-mu's guppy-sized readout, I find it totally lacking, nay, in the age of modern, cheap computers, down-right insulting.

A computer program is the only way to go and I can’t imagine that between E-mu’s 2000 family, enough of the inner workings aren’t similar enough they can’t make and include (or sell) an editor librarian for Macs and PCs. I e-mailed this suggestion to E-mu, mentioning that Alesis, for one, includes a third-party Mac E/L with its synths. E-mu finally responded that, to put it bluntly, they could care less; I might be willing to pay for one, but that doesn’t mean anyone else would (imagine the marketing muscle that must have gone into that foolish reply). Heck, they don’t even supply patch lists in text format, and considering there are hundreds of patches, this mean you either type them in yourself or wait for a third-party developer to supply them. The manual alone would give this synth’s rating a “9” here, but the lack of supported E/L software, not to mention E-mu’s tardy and tart reply, lower this.

Features: 8
Out of the box, this is 128 note, single-rack machine, with a slick-silver and black face, four real-time control knobs, headphone jack, nice-sized data wheel, and a smattering of buttons. Round back you have MIDI In/Out/Thru, another set of MIDI In/Out so you can use this on 32 channels, Digital connection, as well as 6 stereo pairs. The V2000 comes with a healthy 64 megs or samples and room to add more of E-m’s growing library or ROM upgrades for everything from organ, dance, world, to entire other synths like the ZR76. Unfortunately, I can’t find where or how adding these cards is supposed to be done which makes me nervous I have to have E-mu do it (unlike how sister Ensoniq handled its cards). Lots of filtering and effects options, but if you know E-mu’s other 2000 series, you know pretty much what this can do.

Expressiveness/Sounds: 7
OK, this is why anyone buys a synth: sound. My current roster includes an E-mu Proteus 2 (that’s their first all-orchestral box), a Korg 03R/W with Orchestra card (see a pattern?), Alesis QSR with Sanctuary and Latin cards, an Ensoniq MR Rack, Kurzweil PCmx, and BitHeadz Unity and Retro software. What I was hoping from the V2000 was instant orchestral gratification (or IOG). I was half ecstatic and half disappointed.

First, the strings are delicious, though, as in real life, the Violas get the short end of the bow. You’ve got your marcato, legato, pizzicato, spiccato, tremolos, for session and solo strings, with many of the velocity faded patches being particularly impressive. Jeté, muted, sul ponticello, or col legno? Nope. Nor are there successive up or down bows for that Psycho effect.

Percussion also is a stand out. Considering the specs on this synth, it’s not surprising how icy clear these sound. Plenty of tuned and untuned percussion with a nice array of rolls and oddities, including anvil and metal sheet (for thunder effects), the last two not living up to their names, but maybe if someone comes out with E/L software (there’s that suggestion again), I can fix this. Timpani are sufficiently muscular, though many possibilities weren’t included in terms of sticks. The rolls are oddly laid-out on the keyboard and some individual timp samples are louder than others.

What’s missing in the hitting and striking area? Nail files across cymbals and gongs, and bowed vibraphone, admittedly not meat and potatoes, are not unheard of effects and are missed.

I’ll group all the winds together and say they’re just about OK. The tuba is the best I’ve heard! As for everything else, they lack, in a word, “character.” This is not to say they’re “bad,” but they just seem cold, not in the same league as the strings. It’s nice to know they squeezed in an alto flute (not mentioned in the brochure), but it just doesn’t have the personality of the Alto Flute in the old Proteus 2, even though that was not based on and actual alto-flute waveform. All is not lost, though, as the wind sounds are beginning to grow on me more than when I first played them.

Since the V2000 is sold as a tool for both symphonic and scoring jobs, the winds particularly let me down here. I know there’s only so much that can be squeezed into 64 megs, but imagine John Barry or Jerry Goldsmith doing without flutter-tongued flutes, let alone bass flutes. Where are the brass mutes (I must have hand-muted horns)? Brass shakes and other effects? Nary a one. And all the above mentioned omissions from strings and percussion. Of course, E-mu could include these on a new card, but none of this has been mentioned. A completer orchestral set would make this a phenomenal, as opposed to a merely very good, tool. Heck, include saxes and sax effects while you’re at it.

Reliability: N/A
The first one I played was at Sam Ash. It didn't work and had just come out of the box. Mine has worked fine.

Customer Support: 5
E-mu is a mixed bag when it comes to this and some folks, as you may have read
in other synth critiques found them awful. For the most part, it's a very nice group
of hard working individuals, but there are a few bad apples who should be trained, re-trained until they
understand the words "customer service."

Overall Rating: 7
I'm glad I got it. It is not the be-all, end-all of orchestral modules,
but it is the best one out there, at least as clean and clear as Korg's
latest and far more affordable than Roland's. Compared to having to rely
on a sampler (or two or three) and a library of coasters, the V2000 does a
pretty good job in the bang-for-the buck department. I'd get it again (but I'm
keeping the Proteus 2).

Submitted by Anonymous at 12/15/2000 12:45

Price Paid: 900 (£)

Ease of Use: 9
Just like the Proteus 2000, this is pretty easy to use. The sounds on-board can easily be placed in the Proteus which makes me wonder why they made it at all though. Very good manual.

Features: 10
Excellent polyphony, great filters and ok reverbs. For convenience this is a very likeable and well programmed intrument. It works perfectly with my SY99.

Expressiveness/Sounds: 7
Well, this is where it falls down for me. I'm sorry but it doesn't sound much like an orchestra, and I work with them a fair amount as both conductor and composer. Sure in the background it can give a very rough approximation but I have to use my sample library sounds (Vitous, EastWest etc) to produce the real stuff. There are no brass ensembles (I'm hoping Emu release them on a seperate ROM) and an awful lot of the instruments may sound good in isolation but just blend in to an electronic collage when used in large chamber or orchestral part writing (forget dovetailing those horns, they just mesh uncomfortably). They're around the same standard as the JV1080 - functional and helpful for sketching but not for real Hollywood or symphonic scores. Even with careful midi programming the real effect doesn't travel. The percussion is, having said all this, very good.

Reliability: 10
So far, so good

Customer Support: 10
Emu have excellent customer service.

Overall Rating: 8
My principle reason for buying this machine is to cover up whenever my gigastudio runs out of notes!. In this regard, it performs admirably, especially when time is short and I need to thicken out the woodwind or brass a little. If this instrument is supposed to replicate an orchestra for you then DON'T buy it. It is not up to the task. Get a real sampler or virtual sampler instead and get the best orchestral sample cds instead (Vitous, EastWest & Kirk Hunter strings, Xsample double reed etc). I would like to emphasise that I'm not at all cynical about this instrument. I am happy with it because it does what I hoped it would.

Submitted by Trev at 12/03/2000 09:16

Price Paid: US $999

Ease of Use: N/A

Features: 10
128 Voice Polyphony
32 Midi Channels (2 midi ports)
Built in Effects are easy to use and not bad for built in Synth effects. An outboard effects processor yields better results.
Full midi capabilities.
No sequencer.
2 Expansion slots

Expressiveness/Sounds: 10
This module is called a "Virtual Orchestra". The sound quality is superb. I wish it had a tad more gain on the outputs.
The factory presets themselves are quite good, but you can edit them very effectively.
The flute, piccolo and Oboe are probably the weakest samples, but the flute is definitely better than the Roland Orchestral board's flute.
The Proteus sound engine is spectacular in my opinion regarding sound editing.
The effects aren't bad, they just aren't the best quality necessary for orchestral sounds.
The whole architecture of the proteus machines is quite brilliant in my opinion.

Reliability: 10
I haven't had it long, but I do own other Emu gear. They are always solid products.

Customer Support: 10
I've not had to call support on this product, but when I've contacted them regarding my Esynth, they have been very prompt and helpful.

Overall Rating: 10
I primarily write orchestral scores. I bought this machine to give me some polyphony while working out parts, but I have used the sounds from the machine in some final mixes. I was pleasantly surprised at the usability of the V2K.

Submitted by Guy at 11/27/2000 10:46