emusonacid!

I've just read on another forum one can use the Emu Ultra series as a filterbank for external sources. I very much like those Z-plane filters but I hate resampling. I do all my stuff (except drums) on synths like the Virus, which I like to realtime control. I could use some extra yummy filters, though.

Can you people answer the following questions:
1. So what do I need to use a cheap E5000 Ultra as filterbank?
2. I heard I need a ReFX card?
3. Can I filter the two inputs as seperate sources and route them to different outputs?
4. How easy is it to set this up?
5. Would the A-D -> D-A convertors of the samplers also warm up (the 'Emu sound') the sound in the process?
6. Will there be any noticable latency when doing this?
7. How much would all this cost me?
8. Is it worth it?

From what I can answer

1. well the emu of course and a few cables, and probably a controller of some time to control the sampler's filters.
2. Probably as I can't think how to filter something realtime that hasn't been sampled by the sampler
3. I think you can. You could run them as mono, or do the panning bit. You pan each out hard left and right and turn them into to seperate outs. Running mono of course.
4. Probably wouldn't be to difficult.
5. Yeah, I believe a lot of people use the emu to just run there sounds through. Like they take there song and get the emu to act as if it is going to sample but never do, they just run it in and then out again.
6. I doubt it. Unless you are using abunch of midi devices on once channel. What I mean is if you have like six synths a head of it and you have all these synths hooked up through the Thru's. But I am sure you have your system setup with a midiman or some kind of router (spliter) whatever.
7. Well. You are not going to get new Emu. They don't make them anymore. So you can go on ebay and get one. You will have to make sure they have the RFX Card in them and hopefully and updated eos. I am hearing that the prices for the Emus are super cheap. We are talking only a few hundred dollars for an E5000 ultra. I might go for one soon. You will have to just look around.
8. Just to get the sampler is worth it.

I am sure other people will be able to clarify the others that I couldn't answer for sure. But I think it would be worth getting ahold of in any rate. You should like you do the hardware thing. And the Emu would be a great addition to your set up.

Hope this helps

snh

I have just installed the expansion card w/ 4 extra analog inputs to be able to use my Ultra as an effects processor or filterbank. This is what EMU calls "Live sample", which is basically the abillity to process any external sound in the same way as one would do a sample. You do need the RFX card to do this which allows you to select the sampleinput or any expansion board as the input of the Live Sample. A bundle with RFX board and exp. board is available at EMU for less than 500USD.

There is no latency and the routing possibilities of the RFX is limitless.

I am connecting my old ESI 4000 Turbo via sub outs to the ext. inputs of the Ultra. This way the two samplers can be traeted like 1 monster sampler!

kvinge

i didn't know i could do that with my emu 5000...

and i heard thoose RFX are buggy... any dispointed buyer wants to sell second hand?