E-mu Emulator Sampler User Forum for the EIII EII EI and EIII XP

Is there are any advantages of the EIIIX compared to the E4/EOS? the later models have improvements/more of everything but the 2:nd hand price is about the same. Difference in sound?

Thanks
//H

Well .. You're right on most of what you're writing yourself; more memory, more voices, more expansions/options.

I would ANYTIME go for a E4 series sampler over the EIIIX series of samplers. The sound is fantastic, and the filters nothing short of amazing.

Working with the old EIIIXP/XS display can be a little bit irritating compared to the graphic display of the E4's.

I say; get an E4 series sampler - probably the best 16 bit hardware sampler ever. (Yeah yeah I know the original EIII is a fantastic sampler as well - but the possibilities, filters and stability of the E4 are hard to beat :-).

KennethA
12bit.com

Don´t forget the cult factor - EIIIX has a very clean and powerful output - Yes they cost the same as the E4 series, but they can do something very nice - you can use them to downgrade sounds to the old EIII , I haven´t seen this feature on the E4s...

I actually sold my E4XT because I felt that the EIIIx had something more to it's sound. The E4XT sounded more generic to me.  The E4XT always felt like a cost reduction built machine.

blackelk001: +100!
Even more: I would strongly recommend over E4 the EIV or the E64 ( the latter has same components, but less options), they were conceived earlier by "that" E-mu team and the sound is much more interesting (deeper, warmer, not sterile at all), I compared E4XT and the EIV side to side. EIV and E64 are real Emulators with a legacy, you can hear and feel it, and the E4XT is more like Akai - OK, but not mindblowing at all.

for best performance and THAT sound … grab E4XT ultra and add old 8 output expansion option .. better sound than stock 8 outputs on ULTRA ! due different DACs

One feature on the EIIIX is the classic AHDSR envelope structure from earlier Emus. They are gone on the E4. Instead they use AADDRR. But I guess they can achieve that hold effect in one way or another.

having spent some time comparing the E4XT ultra (4.7 OS) to the EIIIx, here are my thoughts:

- Eiiix Nicer filter, better resolution and distorts.
- top end on Eiiix smooth, glassy as opposed to brittle.  This does not show up on all sounds and is less obvious than the next point
- Bass end is rounded and pleasing.
- Most important, many EII, EIII, E-max presets do not translate on to E4 as they were intended. Firstly LFO is corded to pitch for some bizarre reason.  Secondly, filter/res settings are not right. I think the conversion is all wrong and this is surprising given e-mu did it. For example this does not happen with Akais when reading Emu disks.
- Both EIIIx and E4XT run really hot off balanced outputs, some of the hottest signal samplers around, ever.
- Lower signal noise, switching from power, on the EIIIx

i have an eiiixs and an eiiixp with analog inputs

the eiiixs was the first one i got and it is smoother and cleaner, whereas the eiiixp is dirtier and more lo fi

this after comparing samples taken with both machines and also samples played back on both machines

the eiiixp did improve in sound quality after i replaced the power supply, although they are still in two different sonic spaces