Vintage Synth Explorer

E-mu • Proteus

Proteus 1 (1989)

The Proteus 1 is an economical one-space rack mount module consisting of your basic rock and pop sounds. It has 4 MB of sounds from the EIII library such as samples of pianos, organs, strings, horns, guitars, basses, drums, Latin percussion, and more all at your fingertips. The Proteus offers professional features such as full 16-part MIDI multitimbrality, 32-voice polyphony, 16-bit ROM samples, six individual polyphonic outputs and extensive editing and modulation capabilities. There is also E-mu's RMidiPatchS that allows direct real-time control of over 40 parameters for keyboard, midi controllers, internal LFOs and envelopes. It has been used by Astral Projection, Pet Shop Boys, Genesis, and Information Society.

Proteus 2 Orchestral (1990)

The Proteus 2 is basically identical to the Proteus 1 except that it has 4 MB of orchestral sounds. A simple 4 MB ROM card of these orchestral sounds is available for the Proteus 1 too. Both the Proteus 1/XR and 2/XR models are enhanced modules with increased sounds and patches featuring up to 8 MB of sounds and well over 300 patches! The standard Proteus 1 and 2 could be upgraded to XR versions as well. It has been used by Vangelis.

Proteus 3 World Instruments (1991)

The Proteus 3 is identical to the previous Proteus models except that it features an ethnic World set of sounds. It's full of 16-bit samples (4 MB expandable to 8 MB) of shofars, flutes, celtic harps, tablas, tamburas, banjos, didjeridoos, bagpipes, etc. As with previous models, the Proteus 3 could be upgraded to an XR version.

Proteus FX (1994)

A Proteus FX module is also available. It features sounds from both the rock pop and orchestral modules. It also adds two digital effects processors with reverb, delay, chorus and more. Surprisingly, the FX surpasses other Proteus models in many ways but it is also the least expensive model! It features 8 MB of sounds standard, and up to 512 patches. But what it doesn't have, is six polyphonic outputs. Just your basic stereo L/R(mono) output.

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devolution

Posted 348 days ago

Mark Snow, he of X-Files and many other TV & Film score fame uses the Proteus series in his studio in addition to Synclavier, Wavestation and others...
(See: http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1997_art icles/feb97/xfiles.html)

Oneki Kai

Posted 392 days ago

The attached MP3 demo is actually the Proteus 1000/2000/2500. The Proteus 1 sounds nothing like it.

Martin

Posted 453 days ago

Just sold a Proteus 1 XR. For an old piece of equipment, the sampled instruments were of a good quality. Still usable, even by todays higher standards, in my opinion.

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