E-mu E-Synth Rack (2001–2003)
The E-Synth Rack is the rackmount version of E-mu's E-Synth keyboard, which itself followed the Proteus 2500. It's often described as one of the last great hardware synths E-mu produced. The hybrid architecture is what makes it interesting. It combines ROMpler-style sample playback with a full 3-oscillator subtractive synthesis engine (with some FM), so you can load in your own samples and use them as oscillators. Reviewers at the time called it the best of both worlds for a hardware sampler/synth.
It's a 64-voice unit with 32 MB of factory ROM, expandable to 128 MB with the optional E-Synth Ultra upgrade board. The Ultra board also added the Z-Plane filters and extra filter models, which makes for a much more powerful machine. The base unit has an analog-modeled Moog low-pass filter, three types of lowpass filters, three LFOs, multiple envelopes, a 16-track sequencer (up to 8,000 notes), three independent effects buses with 48-bit internal effects, S/PDIF digital I/O, and standard MIDI In/Out/Thru. Sound on Sound (August 1997, p.137) introduced it as an innovative, flexible 64-voice rack synth/sampler with 16 MB of ROM and a SCSI interface for CD-ROM connection.
The rack and the keyboard differ in a few ways. The rack has no 16 velocity-sensitive pads, which the keyboard has, and its 2-line LCD is smaller than the keyboard's screen. With that display and no front-panel knobs, editing sounds means a lot of menu diving. The sound itself is praised as excellent, though the 32 MB default ROM is limited without the Ultra upgrade. Original street price was about $1,199. By 2005, units were trading around $400 - $500. The Ultra upgrade board is now rare and discontinued.
Known Specifications
- Sound engine: 3-oscillator subtractive synthesis (with some FM)
- Polyphony: 64 voices
- Sample ROM: 32 MB (expandable to 128 MB with Ultra upgrade)
- Filter: Analog-modeled Moog low-pass; three types of lowpass
- LFOs: 3
- Sequencer: 16-track, up to 8,000 notes
- Effects: 3 independent buses, 48-bit internal
- I/O: S/PDIF, MIDI In/Out/Thru
- Display: 2-line LCD
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