E-Mu has advised me that this board is being phased out. I am a guitar player, but last year I bought a Korg N5 and play it more than my tele. I love the sounds but would like a pallet of higher quality sounds that are different in general nature than "Korg sounds" (no Triton/Trinity for me). Would it be easy for a knuckelhead to learn to use the E-Synth and what does everybody think about this board? Is it obsolete?...the reviews I've read on Harmony Central seem very positive, but there are only two and they are almost two years old.
Thanks in advance for any and all comments....it just seems like the E-Synth is such a great board, I don't understand why it woudl be phased out...
Thanks again,
Orion

Hi Orion,

The E-Synth keyboard is being phased out. It is also not upgradable to an Ultra series. The Ultra models are very similar to the older E-Synth, E-IV, etc. models excep they have a faster processor and are more upgradable.

My recommendation to you is to buy something like an E5000 Ultra, which has the same synth/sampling engine as the E-Synth. The E5000 doesn't come with the E-Synth ROM board (ie online sounds) but you can add the E-Synth ROM board (if you like the sounds) as an option. You may also look at buying some sample CD Roms.

Now, I know that I suggested a rack mount module rather than a keyboard but you can use the N5 as a controller for it anyway. Unless you need to physical keyboards, you can access the E5000's sounds from the N5. All you would need is a MIDI cable to connect the 2.

The Ultras will be upgraded into the future but you'll be stuck with the E-Synth which, although it is a great keyboard, cannot be upgraded to the same extent. The Ultras have the capability of Beat-Munging (which is excellent) as well as the capability of adding the RFX-32 chip when it is available in the summer. This RFX-32 chip will provide a very powerful FX processor to the Ultra samplers. I would suggest reading about it at the Emu site.

HTH
Fernando

Hi Orion,

I forgot to add, if you're prepared for the limited upgrade path (in respect to Ultra or Ultra-upgradable samplers) and can get a good price on the E-Synth keyboard, then go for it. It is a great keyboard as it is anyway.

Fernando

well, the actual black and whites of the keyboards i'm not familliar with, but i do have the rack version and i like it alot...but i'm doing a lot of sound design type stuff. as far as being a "groove synth", or a push play and you're NIN, it aint. it's the ultimate UDI (user definable instrument).
I like the fact that not only an amazingly powerful sampler, but i can combine the odd noise samples i take with the slew of traditional onboard sounds.(thus saving me time and memory in not having to take up any additional space sampling a string or bass sound.....

i will say this though, the effects are kind of weak,esp the reverb which adds a ton of noise at higher saturations and the sequencer is counter intuitive. on the up side, i don't have to rely on the effects for total sound design thanks to the ultra powerful filters and flexibility of the synthesis

so it depends on what you want....