E-mu Proteus/1 Plus ORCHESTRAL
The Proteus/1 Plus ORCHESTRAL is a 19" rack-mount sample playback synthesizer module from E-mu Systems. It's an enhanced version of the original Proteus/1. It isn't really a separate model. It's a Proteus/1 Plus loaded with the ORCHESTRAL sound ROM, one of several ROM variants E-mu offered in the Proteus line. The "Plus" doubled the original's 4 MB of ROM to 8 MB, and this unit was dedicated to orchestral instruments instead of the general-purpose sounds of the standard Proteus/1.
The specs: 32-voice polyphony from 32 digital oscillators, with 16-bit/44.1 kHz sample playback. Each voice gets three LFOs, three envelope generators and an 18 dB/oct low-pass filter. There are six outputs, a stereo mix plus four individual outs, and that flexibility was a selling point. It also has a built-in 40,000-note sequencer, which was a notable feature for a sound module of its era. Sound on Sound (1996, p.135) noted that E-mu designed the Proteus to offer the sound of a sampler without the complexity. It was aimed at musicians who wanted realistic orchestral sounds without buying a full sampler setup. The same review called the sequencer rudimentary but functional.
The ORCHESTRAL variant found particular favor with film composers, who used it for realistic strings and brass. The presets were praised for orchestral work. Users did acknowledge that the filter lacked the punch of an analog synth, and it was never meant for electronic bleeps. The ROM size is confused in the surviving record: some sources list 4 MB, others 8 MB. The 8 MB figure appears to be correct for the Plus specifically, and the original Proteus/1 shipped with 4 MB.
On the secondhand market today, units typically go for $250-$400. Two known issues to watch for are battery leakage on the main board, which can eat traces, and LCD screens that fade or go blank. E-mu no longer services these, but capacitor replacement is a common fix for failing units.
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