E-MU E4XT Ultra

Of course you can buy a software sampler that may exceed the E4 capabilities but nothing comes close to the features, reliability, & application ratios in a hardware sampler. I must add that the price has come down quite considerably since I bought mine in 1999. I highly recommend it if you primarily use sampled sound material in the studio and gig quite a bit. 8 outputs, transparent sampling, a 4 gig HD, and more than enough memory. XLR digital inputs & outputs, large LCD, etc. Some of the other really cool add ons cost extra. It's about time for a full function software interface though!

Price paid: 2495.00 USD

UTILIZATION

I record a lot of sounds "on the fly" which makes it difficult to reproduce live. With this baby, I can sample and play, patches, fx, etc. at a gig. It is one of the few pieces of equipment that works flawlessly. It's hard to tell you how it would be applied to your studio. It's fun to use as well as so many possible applications. The editing is percise and easy. You can start sampling right out of the box. I've sampled backing trax for live gigs and no one was the wiser. The manual is easy to understand and is useful. You can get around without it though. It may be a bit overkill for the average user but once you have one, you wonder how you lived without it.

SOUNDS

The sound is transparent! What you sample is what you get , verbatim. It also has extensive manipulation possiblities. Filters, EQ, compression, beat match, etc. are offline but it does come stock with a more than usable multi FX engine that can be assigned to any of its 8 outputs.

OVERALL OPINION

It's the "Benz" of samplers! it's built on proven rock solid technology. Never had to call EMU once for anything!

Like most things you love, you take it for granted and push for more.

Originally posted on FutureProducers.com
Posted by: Unknown (January 1-, 2003)

In the full version, it's just perfect! there's everything you need, even +. My sounds are stored on an external SCSI HDD is super reliable and saw the connection, there is no risk of accidentally unplugging.

I miss him more than a small ROM)

UTILIZATION

there's better now ... I always use the good old SoundDiver to edit the beast that is easy and stable even with Windows 7! How could they stop the production of such a soft ... but that's another debate! I also bought at the time "Zuonics ZEOS" I finally put aside: Connection not reliable SMDI.

SOUNDS

A killer! phenomenal power, a headroom of oufff.
Level spatial sounds, I would say it is less precise and surgical some plug and machines +'s recent.
With RFX32 when we know the run, it's deadly. The quality of the effects is impressive and creative possibilities of the sampler is tenfold.

OVERALL OPINION

It is now more than 10 years since I had my first E-MU. I had other machines in the meantime, I sold some and not others. The E-MU is still there! Now, I used mostly as expander to enrich my songs. The sound is irreplaceable, especially (for me) parts Drums. I've never heard better now. sounds are strong, soft and "warm" at a time (even ADAT), nothing to do with Drums rack Ableton and other plug that attack the ears in the treble. And yet the sample size is tiny at the time! I also had the Rack Attack Waldorf and now I have the MachineDrum and I always complete the sampler.
there's may be a bit of affect comes into play but it is a machine that I recommend to everyone, considering the price. At the time, he really had to break piggy bank to buy a 6400Ultra, basic config!

Sampler could not be more mythical!

128-voice polyphony, 32-channel, 48-track sequencer, 128MB of RAM (what to do) ...!

Characteristics are already a reason to get it.

The effects are far from average, there has "only" 2 of course, but great quality, I realize with every listen!

The connection I do not even speak, he would not miss the USB perhaps?

It is a tool that allows a lot!
here and a keyboard, I can not really ask more, if it is not enough to give him to eat!

UTILIZATION

The config is simple for that knoweth to survey for those who discover!
Everything is in the very comprehensive manual!

It can be used as if it was synth sound banks that go with!
Sampler as high quality or as a tool for its work samples!

Making it easy to use?

Editing samples, which is truly complete: automatic cutting, standardization, crossfading for held notes, fade-in & out, resampling, analysis and conversion rather precise frequency, resolution, pitch shift, time compression effects doppler and so on ...!
Editing multisamples is equally easy with a keyboard available (though not, it seems inappropriate to me!)
A virtual instrument multilayer is quite feasible with this machine.
Nothing or very little gadget, it is an instrument in its own right cut for editing and creation!

Short edit samples in detail, or edit presets with numbers multisamples, which create a multitude of sounds in one session!

SOUNDS

I do not know if the converters are transparent, but what I know is that they are quality!
between a recorder that makes clear metallic sound but one that makes a softer hair but true, I'd no doubt for the second!
For there to be sure, no exaggeration!

As the quality of the sampler is not to prove that the synthesizer is not either so the possibilities are enormous, a monster dynamic filters swallow all three envelloppes assignable to almost anything, two LFO's all assignable as an additional chorus to "warm" the sound a bit, and the famous patchcords to route signals to a little ways a modular, although here is virtual!

effects are really quality, there is nothing wrong, because this is my third sampler E-mu, and even after trying different effects on different machines, and sometimes much more recent, back on the effects of E Mu-and I am more than convinced! The reverbs are to be measured accurately, the delays are really powerful, and modulation effects are unique.

The sound performance mode (Multi) is really up to the dynamics is observed in every detail, nothing is compressed or eaten, as long as it does not exceed the polyphony of course!

Warning filters are greedy and simple 2 poles wide enough most of the time!

OVERALL OPINION

My First E-synth (version 1995) dates from 2005 and I found there a sampler / synth fabulous! I think it has inspired me more than any other machine!

'' What I like most is its texture, its filters, its ease of use for editing, its overall complexity and possibilities!

I was lucky enough to have one with RFX32 + ADAT and internal HDD!
I think not separate me unless you find a Platinum E4, and even then, I'll keep it jealously!

I remake that choice every day if I could!

Polyphony 128 voices
Base effects (dual processor) far from being as bad as some say, I find them very well.
Extensive connection, ASCII keyboard, scsi, double triple noon (a / b), world clock, sub1/2/3, output mix, in / out AES / SPDIF, headphone jack, stereo analog input.
Converter very good, big potato ......
128 MB memory, 64 MB card if debrayable Roma in the setup to switch to 128.
Editing utility ZOEOS very complete, EOSlink to control the sampler, just edit the presets SoundDiver but not for samples.

UTILIZATION

The configuration of the sampler is the EOS can not be simpler.
The manual is clear but useless all functions are quickly mastered.
Editing the sounds is very intuitive and allows the EOS to work quickly and efficiently, much better than bump on the pc.

SOUNDS

Clear my liver not really on the ultra series this is less colorful than the "classic".
I sample everything from emu akai then I converted and it keeps one sounds much better than directly sampled on the akai.
Dynamic HUGE !!!!!
The filters are very effective and many have little get sounds barges.

OVERALL OPINION

For a very long time in fact I just bought a third of the Roma with E-Synth.
They're great bikes nothing to do with apps musicounet shabby for wearing shorts that play buckle is a real synthesizer that allows a single sample from build sounds hell not need to buy with expanders what kind of bikes you can have all the inside.
Value exorbitant price at the time but now its really worth it ....
The update 4.7 allows the recognition of the standard fat and thus play wav etcc ... to put an IDE disk of large size format in fat32.