Low gain on Emax SE Plus sampling input UPDATE

[seamonkey]

Hi everyone, I received my Emax SE Plus on Friday. Thought I'd try a bit of sampling to check it out, so I hooked up my D50 and tried to sample it.
No matter what I try, I only get a maximum of 2 bars when checking out the VU/Gain. Even at +40db the reading and volume input is the same.
Any suggestions on what it could be?
I'm a bit familiar with the Emu's sampling structure from when I had my Elll.

I had the D50 turned all the way up and ran it direct, then I also tried running from my Tascam 2488Neo and raised the output levels with the same results.

Your help is greatly appreciated.

Sorry I just realized I should've put this in Technical.

[Dimensional Space]

I wouldn't even mess with it.    Try Awave and dump your  tones over midi.   I haven't used the sample input in years.  It's so much easier than messing with what you're going through.

[seamonkey]

Well it's still in the keyboard hospital getting fixed.
I'm unfamiliar with AWave and this process. Can you elaborate further?

[Dimensional Space]

Acquire Awave, SampleWrench, Alchemy, etc.   Sample into your computer with your computer's soundcard/interface.  Edit your samples with a wave editor.  Then use Awave via SDS down to the Emax.
Connect the Emax and usb/firewire interface with midi ins and outs so it makes a full hand shake, and then change the sampling rate to 42kHz (or below) and 12bit.  And then hit Send.   It takes about 5 seconds or so.
That's it.    There is arguments that the A to D and the D to A to A to D to D to A, baah.   Whatever, it sounds totally fine.  It's transferred to the Emax engine, and it passes through the filters... that's all I care about.

It's just a suggestion.  It works for me, but not very popular.  Sounds great to me and less hassle than sampling.  It's still sampling but just a more elegant way of doing it. 

[seamonkey]

Thanks so much for the detailed info. Yes I am a purist at heart and would prefer going direct, but it is a lot of work and this is something to at least try.
Thanks again.

[seamonkey]

Just got my Emax SE Plus back from the shop..whoo hoo!
Replaced a DMX VCA chip and a Reticon IC.
Someone probably blew the circuit overloading it somehow.
Works and sounds great.
Thought I'd let you all know in case you experience something similar.

[Elmbeatz]

cool!
congratz!

[Dimensional Space]

"Thanks so much for the detailed info. Yes I am a purist at heart and would prefer going direct, but it is a lot of work and this is something to at least try."


Well cool that you got the repair.  But just an FYI,  the Emax libraries / sp1200 / etc were not made with the sample input.   They were made with dumps.   It sounds better, louder,  fatter.   Do an A/B and you decide.   Dump a wave file with Awave or EMXP verses using the sample input.   Plus wave editing is far more elegant way of working.    And this is coming from a non-computer music person.   I use Ableton often but it sounds like dog crap.   The best samples I have heard have been from taking one shot sounds from vinyl records from an SL-1200MKII, recorded into Adobe Audition,  edited, normalized, and then SDS dumped down to the SP 1200 and Emax 1.    The samples sound huge and it seems like you're getting more of the sample and less artifacts from direct input.  They just crack harder and there is more bottom end.    Trust me, I like lo-fi noise.   Or else I wouldn't be using these machines.   But there is a big difference.   The SDS dumps have more balls.   The inputs tend to overload too easy and there is all this unwanted tail of noise I never wanted when using the inputs.  It burns up sample time, and seems hard to truncate properly and roll off naturally.     Think about it.  Why do the factory libraries sound so strong and loud?  


The sample input sucks.