Vintage Synth Explorer Forums

Is this worth it for the eps classic? gives you 8 outs. They're quite expensive 2nd hand usually this is why I ask.

If you're patient, they show up pretty cheap from time to time, locally. Is it worth it? If you need extra outputs, sure. I haven't taken the plunge, mostly because of a couple reasons. #1 the machine really doesn't have enough memory for me to really use it in that capacity. It's my favorite sampler but, it doesn't have the effects section of the 16 or ASR, either. If you were to ask if its worth it on the ASR, I'd say definitely. I ran my set up, years ago, with most of my sounds coming from my ASR. When it came to recording it was really nice to have those sounds routed to their own tracks. If you are using small enough samples & think you'll use it on the eps, & you have outboard effects gear to run it through, find the expander for the EPS. If not, think about investing in an ASR with extra outputs. The sound of the EPS classic is really great. The advancements of the ASR10 make it a much more useable machine.... & you can transfer those EPS samples over.

Hyde wrote:The sound of the EPS classic is really great. The advancements of the ASR10 make it a much more useable machine.... & you can transfer those EPS samples over.

Yep. That's one of the best ways to do it, in my opinion.

EPS keys + ASR10 rack = widest range of sound/features with smallest package for Ensoniq sampler tech. The EPS classic keyboard kind of acts as an optional "front-end" (12-bit, very low sample rates) and gives you a polyphonic aftertouch keybed with which to control the ASR10 rack which gives you all the nice effects, multi-outs, sequencer/audiotrack improvements, and stereo CD quality (should you want it).

EPS16 rack is maybe the best do-it-all option though, if you're strictly limited to one machine and one machine only -- definitely a weird bridge between the Mirage, EPS, and ASR10. Mirage or ASR-X are cool in their own ways, but kind of their own little worlds. Mirage has the analog filter thing, and ASR-X is more like Ensoniq meets Akai MPC series.

OK got one now. and even then I'm only really using the 2 extra outputs (so 4 in total) .
Had to get it shipped from US to UK but luckily (and I don't know how I got away with this but I wasn't stung with a import tax thing!)


Out of interest I opened it up to see what's inside. - because a while back when they weren't turning up on ebay I was thinking like, I bet this is something I could make my self cause it's just 9 pins, the 8 outs and possibly a 9 for ground? I was wrong haha, the inside looks more complex than I thought with an actual board with some transistors and capacitors on it and stuff.