The sound of the original Ensoniq EPS "classic"

Arka · 17th December 2005

I know that the sound of the old 12-bit samplers has been discussed quite a bit here before, but I would like some specific opinions on the original 12-bit EPS sampler compared to gear like Akai s950 and SP1200. I´d like something to fatten drum hits and loops, and I feel that the "bitcrusher" plugins I´ve tried so far dont get me all the way there. The idea is to sample drum hits and sounds with the EPS, then record from the sampler into the DAW.

I got a chance to pick up an EPS for about $100. Hell, if the feel of the keyboard is decent, I guess its worth $100 to use as a master midi keyboard alone.

peace /Arka

illynoise · 17th December 2005

I have an eps and I've owned a 16 plus and sold it and it's the only peice of gear that I wish I never sold. Get a rack mounted 16plus, with the extra memory if you want "that" sound. 12 bit eps's are cool, but the 16 plus sounds better and you can still sample at 22k and get a gritty sound.

I have two asr10s and I still like the 16 plus better. The problem with an orig. eps is that the keyboards fail most of the time. Make sure that you get one with the disk drive working also. There isn't that much memory in those machines either.

BaseJase
Illynoise

Arka · 18th December 2005

BaseJase,

I´d use it just to sample short sounds and play them back into the daw converters, so I probably won´t need to use the diskdrive anyway. What exactly do you mean by "the keyboard fails"?

Would you consider the sound of the EPS too gritty to be useful?

illynoise · 18th December 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arka

BaseJase,

I´d use it just to sample short sounds and play them back into the daw converters, so I probably won´t need to use the diskdrive anyway. What exactly do you mean by "the keyboard fails"?

Would you consider the sound of the EPS too gritty to be useful?

No it's not too gritty. It's not as gritty as an SP1200, it's more like an emax II.

The keyboard doesn't like to calibrate sometimes and it fails, then you need to replace. Also, with a EPS you have to keep sticking in the os disk all the time, with a eps16 you don't.

The Mirage, which I still have, is probably the most gritty ensoniq sampler. 8bit.

BaseJase

con?one · 18th December 2005

Most of Mobb Deep's 'The Infamous' lp was done on the eps. pretty much all the songs Havoc produced

STARSKI · 20th December 2005

For Phat gritty drums the SP12 or SP1200 is the way to go. Its the chunkiest. If you want phat but still a little crisper then the MPC60 or s950 akai samplers are the way to go. Also lots of good drum sounds depend on your original sound, if you do layering, how you process them, etc. What type of pres do you track with? That might be a good way to get more phatness out of your drums. I use a good pre to sample the drums and some times even process them on the way in. Also if you use an MPC60 hit the meter pretty hard on the way in to where your getting a couple exclamations!!! It sounds better that way.

17th December 2005	#1
Arka Gear nut Joined: Mar 2004 Location: Sundsvall, Sweden Posts: 92 Thread Starter	The sound of the original Ensoniq EPS "classic" I know that the sound of the old 12-bit samplers has been discussed quite a bit here before, but I would like some specific opinions on the original 12-bit EPS sampler compared to gear like Akai s950 and SP1200. I´d like something to fatten drum hits and loops, and I feel that the "bitcrusher" plugins I´ve tried so far dont get me all the way there. The idea is to sample drum hits and sounds with the EPS, then record from the sampler into the DAW. I got a chance to pick up an EPS for about $100. Hell, if the feel of the keyboard is decent, I guess its worth $100 to use as a master midi keyboard alone. peace /Arka

18th December 2005	#5
con?one Lives for gear Joined: Dec 2005 Location: NYC Posts: 663	Most of Mobb Deep's 'The Infamous' lp was done on the eps. pretty much all the songs Havoc produced __________________ : : c o n ? o n e : : www.conone.net www.myspace.com/conone

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17th December 2005	#2
illynoise Lives for gear Joined: Oct 2004 Posts: 1,674	I have an eps and I've owned a 16 plus and sold it and it's the only peice of gear that I wish I never sold. Get a rack mounted 16plus, with the extra memory if you want "that" sound. 12 bit eps's are cool, but the 16 plus sounds better and you can still sample at 22k and get a gritty sound. I have two asr10s and I still like the 16 plus better. The problem with an orig. eps is that the keyboards fail most of the time. Make sure that you get one with the disk drive working also. There isn't that much memory in those machines either. BaseJase Illynoise

20th December 2005	#6
STARSKI Lives for gear Joined: Jul 2004 Location: YAY AREA!! Posts: 699	For Phat gritty drums the SP12 or SP1200 is the way to go. Its the chunkiest. If you want phat but still a little crisper then the MPC60 or s950 akai samplers are the way to go. Also lots of good drum sounds depend on your original sound, if you do layering, how you process them, etc. What type of pres do you track with? That might be a good way to get more phatness out of your drums. I use a good pre to sample the drums and some times even process them on the way in. Also if you use an MPC60 hit the meter pretty hard on the way in to where your getting a couple exclamations!!! It sounds better that way.