emusonacid! legacy

Hi

I was wanting to get an EMU Ultra sampler for a while (still do)
But it would be a problem to get samples onto it (no SCSI or spare PCI slots in PC)

So im now thinking of getting the Emulator X2, only problem is that i just bought a RME fireface and im really happy with it.

On the EMU website it says Emulator X2 will now work with any of the other products, so im thinking of buying this cheap 2x MIDI interface so i can run X2 http://www.emu.com/products/product.asp ... duct=15187

Is anyone else running it with one of those instead of a EMU Soundcard? Does it work the same?
Without the soundcard will i be losing "that" emu sound?

As far as I know, the retail box for Emulator X2 comes with the little 2x2 MIDI interface, which doubles as a dongle (or any other E-mu PC product).

Dark Syndicate wrote:I was wanting to get an EMU Ultra sampler for a while (still do)
But it would be a problem to get samples onto it (no SCSI or spare PCI slots in PC)
?

SCSI transfer is great and is the fastest way to get external samples into your sampler but it is becoming increasingly difficult to do as the SCSI standard slowly dies off.

You could use MIDI Sample Dump rather than SCSI transfer, it is a LOT slower but it gets around the SCSI issue. You could also look the possibility of using Translator Pro to write your samples to removable media such as zip disc or CDR/W that can then be read by the sampler using the appropriate hardware.

Cheers,
Adam-V

oh i never realised you can send samples via midi!

How slow are we talking though? Im reasonably patient but if it takes 15 mins to load a breakbeat i wouldnt be able to cope

The other method i thought would work would be to drop the samples into audio in Cubase, then send them out of my RME and into the EMU's inputs, sampling them like you would from a record.
Ive heard that half the magic in the EMU sound comes from sampling directly into it via the A\D, is that true?

Still i might just get X2 now for the easiest option but will be still looking for a good deal on a 6400 or 5000 Ultra. that way i can see which works best for me

There's a review in this month's issue of Electronic Musician (blue-ish cover, big article on digital clocking).

Among other interesting things, they mention the forthcoming Platinum edition, which will include 20Gb (!!!) of presets and samples.

Dark Syndicate wrote:How slow are we talking though? Im reasonably patient but if it takes 15 mins to load a breakbeat i wouldnt be able to cope

It is "go off and make your self a cup of coffee" slow. Remember MIDI is serial communication, and at a fairly slow rate too. I seem to recall that you can't send stereo samples either.

Dark Syndicate wrote:Ive heard that half the magic in the EMU sound comes from sampling directly into it via the A\D, is that true?

Certainly is. The EMU converters add their own particular colour to the sound which is why some people like them and some people don't.

If you are lucky enough to have digital inputs on your sampler, you could also sample directly from a S/PDIF output on your PC which, for larger samples, would be far quicker than MIDI Sample Dump.

Cheers,
Adam-V