Ensoniq • ESQ-1
Similar to the Mirage synth/sampler, the ESQ-1 was Ensoniq's highly affordable and impressive digital synthesizer. Although the waveforms are digital in nature, the filters are all analog as on the Mirage. In fact, for a digital synth the ESQ-1 has many good old analog-synth features such as a ring modulator, sequencer, and oscillator-sync. The envelopes and LFOs are can be freely routed to each DCO, VCA and or VCF. There are 40 preset sounds which are the usual not-so-great sounds. Luckily the VFD display screen is large enough to make editing the sounds somewhat pleasant.
What really sets the ESQ-1 apart from other similar synths is the voice architecture. Choose from analog, digital, or samples or any combo since there are three independent oscillators per voice! Once you start editing on the ESQ-1 you will come up with interesting and unique results. Using dynamic voice allocation it can seemlesly switch from 8-voices of analog to 8-voices of digital or sampled voices! This gives you a wide array of different sonic elements at your fingertips!
Then there's its built-in sequencer. It can store up to 24,000 notes in 30 sequences and 10 songs via battery back-up. Anyone in search of an alternative synthesizer should consider the ESQ-1. More analog than a DX-7 or D-50 and also much cheaper, the ESQ-1 is a tasty option that is worth a try. A rack-mount version, the ESQ-M (pictured above) was also made which is identical to the ESQ-1 except that it excludes the on-board sequencer option. It has been used by Anything Box, Skinny Puppy, Jean-Michel Jarre, and Steve Roach.
Straight up --> an awesome and distinctive synthesiser that is VERY approachable - easiest "push button" programming ever!
I love it for it's gritty keys/pads and long wierd FX swirls. Because of this, it's been used along side many synthesisers I own in nearly everysong I've written in the past few years.
Instantly satisfying digital electro style pads/keys, and a great sound from the filter too (no self res, but hey, who cares!!). Sure, at the end of the day it does have its limits but it is amazingly complex considering its age... 3 Osc and very good envelpoes allow very evolving sounds. Ok action keyboard.
If lost, would definately seek out another.
BTW, djprofessork's catridge problem may be due to the catridge being a ROM catridge (ie expanded PRESETS, but not actually RAM that can be written to).
Man I miss these guys - they were right up the road from me in West Chester, PA. This was a company of true innovation producing products of high quality in the face of cheap Japanese crap.
Everyone here has mentioned the snazzy electronic music that can be produced with this beast, and that's true but you also have to say something for the way it's built. 22 years later I am still using this as a live gigging keyboard, albeit trigging Key Rig running on a Mac Mini.
This thing is built American style - with STEEL. It's got a HUGE internal transformer from hell which can take extreme heat and cold. I've opened the 'hood' (yes, it has one), on occasion to fix things like a bent mod wheel (my bad - got a little excited one night). Easy, easy, EASY to fix!