E-mu Proteus/2 XR (1992–1994)
The Proteus/2 XR is the rackmount version of E-mu's original Proteus/2, a ROM-based sample player built around orchestral sounds. It was manufactured between 1992 and 1994. Sound on Sound (January 2003, p.245) later called it a hugely popular ROMpler in the early 1990s and noted its extensive use in film and TV music production.
The XR has 24-voice polyphony, 16-part multitimbrality, and 512 programs built on a 2-oscillator voice architecture. It plays 16-bit samples at a 32 kHz sample rate. It has six outputs (main L/R plus four individual) and stores 16 different setups. There are no onboard effects. It is a rackmount module. One source claims a built-in keyboard, but that appears to be an error - the XR has no keys.
On the secondhand market, units typically go for $200-$400 depending on condition. The internal battery that preserves patch memory is a known failure point and a common maintenance item.
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