Similar to the Mirage synth/sampler, the ESQ-1 was Ensoniq's highly affordable and impressive digital synthesizer, released in 1986. 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.

The ESQ-M (pictured above) is a rack-mount version released in 1987 which is identical to the ESQ-1 except that it excludes the on-board sequencer option. The ESQ-synths have been used by Anything Box, Skinny Puppy, Jean-Michel Jarre, and Steve Roach.

pauly-d

March 11, 2013 @ 1:49 am

@dirk

take a look at www.buchty.net for the display.

dirk

March 2, 2013 @ 5:27 pm

does anyone knows where I can let the display(s) replaced for an affordable price, I also own a EPS16+ with the same problem. I live in Holland - EU.

GNeuman

January 16, 2013 @ 9:57 am

@tiger

I had an ESQ1 for years shortly after it came out. Was a GREAT synth/work station for the time; very easy to program and you had this 8-track built in sequencer which was a doddle to use and great for jotting down ideas. I also had a Yamaha DX9 prior to this (around 1984) which was the 4 Operator (instead of 6 on the DX7) and cutdown algorithms version of the DX7 and I would say the ESQ1 blows the DX's out of the water. What you won't get with the ESQ1 are the percussive/woody marimba type sounds that the DX's do really well. Otherwise, it's a no-brainer, IMHO.

tiger

December 19, 2012 @ 8:05 am

with that said mark, is this a good dx7 substitute? because i have this and i also would like a dx7, but don't know if it's really worth it. the esq-1 even has split/layering like the dx7 mkii

Mark

December 17, 2012 @ 11:14 pm

R.E. FM synthesis: I think the guy was asking if it can simply sound like a DX7. Even though its a wavetable synth, the architecture most closely resembles an Oberheim Xpander module. Using the formant waves and the handful of included digital waves, it is very easy to coax FM-ish sounds from the ESQ. I believe that the factory presets were 60% designed to specifically resemble the "bells and whistles" of the then-popular DX line.

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