E-mu

Explore E-mu vintage audio equipment in the Vintage Technology Archive.

Drum Machines

• Drumulator — A sample-based drum machine that brought programmable digital rhythms to studios and live acts in the early 1980s
• SP-12 — A sampling drum machine and 8-voice digital sampler from E-mu Systems with 12-bit resolution and analog filtering.

Samplers

• Emax (1986-1990) — With its distinctive blue LCD backlight and unapologetically utilitarian design, the E-mu Emax brought 16-bit playback and professional sampling within reach of the working musician—without requiring …
• Emulator (1981-1984) — For under $8,000, the E-mu Emulator put digital sampling within reach of working musicians, shattering the Fairlight’s stranglehold on sonic revolution.
• Emulator II (1984-1987) — A groundbreaking 8-bit sampler that traded clinical precision for soulful grit, the Emulator II became the secret weapon of pop, hip-hop, and film composers who wanted their digital samples to <strong…
• SP-1200 (1987-1998) — With its 12-bit soul, 26 kHz crunch, and unapologetic limitations, the SP-1200 didn’t just sample sound—it forged an entire sonic aesthetic that still echoes through boom-bap and beyond.

Sound Modules

• Proteus 2000 — A 1U rack-mount sound module with 128-voice polyphony and real-time control over vintage keyboard and orchestral sounds.

Other Models

• E-mu — Vintage Audio Equipment — Explore E-mu vintage audio equipment in the Vintage Technology Archive.
• E-mu — Vintage Synthesizer — Explore 4 E-mu vintage synthesizer models — specs, production history, reviews, and market values in the VTA archive.
• Drumulator — A sample-based drum machine that brought programmable digital rhythms to studios and live acts in the early 1980s
• Emax (1986-1990) — With its distinctive blue LCD backlight and unapologetically utilitarian design, the E-mu Emax brought 16-bit playback and professional sampling within reach of the working musician—without requiring …
• Emulator (1981-1984) — For under $8,000, the E-mu Emulator put digital sampling within reach of working musicians, shattering the Fairlight’s stranglehold on sonic revolution.
• Emulator II (1984-1987) — A groundbreaking 8-bit sampler that traded clinical precision for soulful grit, the Emulator II became the secret weapon of pop, hip-hop, and film composers who wanted their digital samples to <strong…
• Proteus 2000 — A 1U rack-mount sound module with 128-voice polyphony and real-time control over vintage keyboard and orchestral sounds.
• SP-12 — A sampling drum machine and 8-voice digital sampler from E-mu Systems with 12-bit resolution and analog filtering.
• SP-1200 (1987-1998) — With its 12-bit soul, 26 kHz crunch, and unapologetic limitations, the SP-1200 didn’t just sample sound—it forged an entire sonic aesthetic that still echoes through boom-bap and beyond.
• SP1200 — A sampling drum machine produced from 1987 to 1998, known for its 12-bit resolution and role in shaping hip-hop sample culture.