emusonacid! legacy

Is it just me, or does the front panel on the Classic models (E4 series) looks a lot more solid and professional than the one on the Ultra models?

I'm sitting here, having just installed both my e6400-Classic and e6400-Ultra (yeah, I've got both, for some reason) in a new rack (glee!), and I'm noticing the differences (well, noticing the cosmetic differences... again). The Ultra has a one piece molded plastic front panel, with the E-mu logo painted on. The Classic has a front panel seems to be of a more dense plastic, and while still a one piece mold, manages to give the impression of well aligned metal plate sections. It's also got the nifty embossed E-mu logo embedded above the power button.

Maybe it is just me, the Classic just seems to have a nicer design feel to it (but then, I'm actually insane, so what do I know )

And then there's my Morpheus, with a real metal front panel...
Mmm...metal... (drool, drool)

And about sound ? do you heard some differences ?

You know, I've never actually done a side-by-side comparison with the same samples loaded into both... I'll have to try that (after I buy some more cables).

On an entirely trivial side note (well, it does have to do with the panels), the front panel illustration in the e6400 Ultra Operation Manual (the thin book, not the thick spiral bound EOS manual) shows the older Classic front panel with the new e6400 Ultra logo next to the screen (even the button labels are the old style). If you have the book, I believe it's on page 14...

In fact, the photo on the cover of that book shows the Classic style panel with the new Ultra logo on it... look closely for the "seam" lines along the top of the LCD and data wheel portions, making the top 1/2 inch of the panel look like a seperate piece (it's not actually, just looks that way).