Ensoniq EPS 16 Plus (1990)

Sixteen bits, a floppy full of operating system, and enough sampling time for about eleven and a half seconds.

Overview

The EPS 16 Plus is Ensoniq's 16-bit digital sampling workstation and keyboard synthesizer, introduced in 1990 as the successor to the original EPS. It has a 61-note semi-weighted keyboard with polyphonic aftertouch. It builds on the 8-bit Mirage and the original 13-bit EPS models. The jump to true 16-bit linear oversampling is the whole point of the machine. Ensoniq positioned it as offering CD-quality sampling at a competitive price, bringing 16-bit resolution to a broader market that had previously had to pay far more for it.

Memory is the first thing anyone mentions. It ships with 1 MB of RAM, expandable to 2 MB via the ME16+ module, and that 1 MB buys roughly 11.5 seconds of mono sampling time at the top 44.6 kHz rate. Sample rates are variable from 11.2 kHz to 44.6 kHz, so you trade fidelity for time, as you did on everything in this era. At the default 29.8 kHz playback rate the 16 Plus is 20-voice polyphonic. The higher rates demand more computation, so polyphony drops as you climb. The machine makes you choose.

Storage is the other quirk. The EPS 16 Plus runs from an operating system stored on floppy disk, so it needs an OS boot disk to start up. OS version v.1.3.0 is confirmed on boot disks. The same drive loads samples. Many surviving units have had their drives swapped. SCSI connectivity was supported for expanded storage, and some units carry internal flash memory, particularly on the "Turbo" models.

Key Features

True 16-Bit Linear Oversampling

The original EPS sampled at 13 bits. The 16 Plus does true 16-bit linear oversampling, and the difference is what you'd expect: cleaner, quieter, more headroom before things turn gritty. With the variable rate range down to 11.2 kHz, the machine can do lo-fi grit on purpose, or clean capture at 44.6 kHz when the sample is short enough to afford it.

20-Voice Polyphony at 29.8 kHz

Twenty voices at the default 29.8 kHz playback rate is a workable number for pads and layered parts. It shrinks as you push the sample rate up. Owners plan voices the way they plan sample time, since both come out of the same computational budget.

Dynamically Controlled 24-Bit Digital Multi-Effects

The 16 Plus carries integrated DSP effects with stereo audio routing, described in period coverage as dynamically controlled 24-bit digital multi-effects. This is what separated the Plus from a plain sampler. You could shape a sound inside the box rather than patching outboard. The machine was pitched as a complete production tool rather than a recorder with keys.

16-Track MIDI Sequencer

A 16-track MIDI sequencer is built in, which is what makes the "workstation" label honest. Sampling, sequencing, and effects share one chassis and one operating system, so a project can live entirely inside the EPS 16 Plus. That was the pitch Ensoniq made at the time.

61-Note Semi-Weighted Keyboard with Polyphonic Aftertouch

The keybed is 61 notes, semi-weighted, with polyphonic aftertouch. That means per-note pressure rather than one global channel value.

Floppy-Based OS and SCSI Expansion

Booting from floppy is fine until the drive dies, and then it's the whole machine. SCSI support opens the door to external storage, and the ME16+ module handles memory expansion to 2 MB. The rack version, per a surviving listing, carried SCSI, Flashbank, and a Gotek floppy emulator in place of the original drive.

Historical Context

The EPS 16 Plus arrived in 1990 as the 16-bit version of Ensoniq's EPS sampler, succeeding the original and slotting into a line that ran from the 8-bit Mirage through the 13-bit EPS. Ensoniq's positioning was aggressive: CD-quality sampling at a competitive price, aimed squarely at the higher-end samplers of the era. The original price was £1795, and a rackmount version was also released. One user review says Ensoniq offered hardware capable of producing a high-quality music project from start to finish for a rather modest price of around $3000.

Collectibility & Value

Survivors trade in a workable range. Units in very good condition have sold for $1,100, and rackmount versions listed in 1991 were priced at $1,348. The dominant failure is the floppy disk drive. Failing drives have pushed many owners toward Gotek floppy emulators or SCSI interfaces, and buyers routinely ask about thumb drive compatibility and correct floppy formatting before committing. On at least one rack listing, the individual outputs were reported non-functional due to the output expander chips, so verify those before purchase. Weight is reported at 13.6 kg, with some sources citing 13 kg.

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