E-mu Turbo Phatt (2001)
The E-mu Turbo Phatt is a 1U rack-mount synthesizer module introduced at Winter NAMM 2001. It was pitched at dance and hip-hop producers as a budget-friendly alternative to E-mu's larger MP-7 and XL-7 grooveboxes. It runs the same Proteus 2000 sound engine with E-mu's Z-plane filters, giving it 32-voice polyphony across 16 parts. Patch memory is 512 user patches and 512 ROM patches. Sound on Sound (February 2002, p.59) grouped it with the Proteus 2000 and Command Station lines in its dealer listings. Audio specs are solid for the era: 108 dB S/N ratio, 20Hz-20kHz frequency response at ±0.5dB, and 0.005% THD. The front panel is simple - a 2-line × 16-character LCD, data entry knob, numeric keypad, and transport-style buttons. The back has unbalanced 1/4" left/right outputs, a headphone jack, and full MIDI In/Out/Thru. It runs off an external 12V DC supply and weighs just 4.5 lbs.
Sound on Sound gave it a positive review, praising the dance-friendly sounds, superb filters, and surprisingly good effects for the price. E-mu marketed it as a dance and hip-hop synth module, following the success of the MP-7 and XL-7. It sits below them in the lineup as a 1U rack module.
No original MSRP is documented, but used units today typically list between $200-$400. Owners on forums report a few common issues. The external power supply can die, and any 12V DC 500mA adapter replaces it. The LCD can develop dead segments over time. The internal CR2032 battery that holds patches will eventually need replacing. The menu-driven interface and lack of knobs draw occasional complaints, but the general consensus from owners is that it's an underrated, fat-sounding module for the money.
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