Ensoniq EPS (1988)
The Ensoniq EPS is a 16-bit sampler keyboard introduced in 1988 at a list price of $1,895. It offered 44.1 kHz sampling and 21-voice polyphony. Those were respectable numbers for the era.
The EPS wasn't purely a sampler. Ensoniq built analog-style synthesis features in alongside the sampling engine, including waveforms drawn from the ESQ-1. That meant you could layer sampled sounds with traditional synth waveforms, which gave the EPS a broader sonic palette than a dedicated sampler of its day.
Beyond that, the record is thin. No dimensions, weight, memory specs, effects details, or MIDI implementation notes have surfaced in the available documentation. There's no corroborated information on how the EPS was received critically or commercially, and no current market data to report. The EPS was reviewed in the period press, with Recording Engineer noting its sampler capabilities in June 1989 Recording Engineer (June 1989, p.47).
**Known specifications:**
- 16-bit sampling, 44.1 kHz sample rate
- 21-voice polyphony
- Built-in analog synthesis waveforms (including ESQ-1 waves) alongside user sampling
- List price: $1,895 (1988)
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