Vintage Synth Explorer

Ensoniq • EPS-16+

The EPS-16+ was an innovative early sampler workstation designed for the 90's. Its sampler specs are impressive: 16-bit, variable sampling rates from 11.2kHz to 44.6kHz. With a slim 1Mb of memory this gives just about 11.5 seconds of sampling time in mono at 44.6kHz. Editing functions are quite nice: normalizing, sample splicing, merging, phase switching, auto-looping, auto-truncating, sample rate conversion and more.

On the synthesizer side it has two great filters with switchable hi, low and band pass, 6dB to 24dB cutoffs. BUT, they aren't resonant. The keyboard is velocity and pressure sensitive and it has full MIDI implementation. There is also a sophisticated 8-track sequencer that can really be fun in a live performance situation. A wildly flexible and variable LFO with seven shapes always adds a new twist to your samples! Topping it off is a full suite of on-board effects like reverb, delay, chorus, flange, phaser, Leslie sim, distortion and wah-wah and these effects can be re-sampled to become a part of the sample! It can even be played while it is loading samples!

In its time, the EPS-16+ was a revolutionary machine. It brought a lot of power and musicality to sampling. These days, the EPS-16+ is still useful. It brings back the early crunchy sampler sound but with a lot of features that make it really fun to play with. Even with its non-resonant filters you can still find yourself filtering a 'garage-beat' drum loop for hours while muting and un-muting other loops on the 8-track sequencer! The EPS-16+ was also made available in a rack-mount version. All EPS-16+ synths can be upgraded via non-volatile flash ROM (available on-line from Waveboy Industries and Chicken Systems, Inc.) to expand your EPS's memory, effects algorithms and creative potential! It has been used by Autechre, LFO, Massive Attack and Slam.

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DJShINEOmite

Posted 383 days ago

EPS 16+ rack owner here. I have manual and a nike box filled with disks, factory and copies of sounds. I us it with a oxygen 8 trigger and made some lovely music with it. I am looking to get rid of it if anyone wants it. 400 w all sounds. holla for pics.

serious inq only Shape 8/10. One sliding knob missing.

Bigblueball

Posted 446 days ago

The EPS 16+ is still a good sampler. A major downfall is reliance on floppy discs. While there are SCSI drives available, the board requires the SCSI expansion port, and the proper drive, which may get daunting in terms of research/price, as EMU does not support Ensoniq products today (which may be a turn-off as it rises in age). The old factory discs have a few still relevant sounds, but the beauty is in creating samples. The effects are good, and programming isn't difficult, it just can get a bit uninteresting after a while. Perhaps it's display and lack of a rotary wheel contribute to this. It can get very hot over time (which is why there are fan kits) and has a bit of a hum while running. I never could find a manual, and the sequencer was difficult to figure out without prior knowledge. It is a large board and if it's not being used heavily, this may be a problem. All in all, as a controller and sampler, it serves a fine purpose.

Octopede

Posted 463 days ago

This was the first 'serious' keyboard instrument I ever bought. This thing is a beast, and I have yet to hear a software sampler that had such a nice sound. I recorded quite a bit with this thing. I had to sell it recently, though, as the sheer simplicity of more modern sampling methods unfortunately relegated my EPS 16+ to being unused and taking up valuable studio space. I actually got a little wistful and choked up as I helped the buyer load it into their car...sigh. Still, with my EPS 16+ gone, I can now banish 3 1/4 floppies from my life entirely.

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