E-mu Emulator
The Emulator is a series of digital sampling synthesizers using floppy-disk storage that was manufactured by E-mu Systems from 1981 until 2002. Although it was not the first commercial sampler, the Emulator was innovative in its integration of computer technology and was among the first samplers to find widespread usage among musicians. While costly, its price was considerably lower than those of its early competitors, and its smaller size increased its portability and, resultantly, practicality for live performance. The line was discontinued in 2002.[2]
E-mu Emulator series
$7,995 (Emulator II in 1984)[1] equivalent to $23,447 in 2023
8 voices (Emulator II)
Monotimbral Emulator, 8-part Multitimbral (Emulator II)
8-bit 27 kHz sample (Emulator II)
24 dB/octave resonant analog low pass (Emulator II)
Yes (Emulator II)
Yes (Emulator II)
512 kB to 1 MB (Emulator II)
61 keys
MIDI (Emulator II)
Impetus[edit]
E-mu Systems was founded in 1971 as a manufacturer of microprocessor chips, digital scanning keyboards and components for electronic instruments. Licensing revenue for this technology afforded E-mu the ability to invest in research and development, and it began to develop boutique synthesizers for niche markets, including a series of modular synthesizers and the high-end Audity system, of which only one prototype was produced. In 1979, founders Scott Wedge and Dave Rossum saw the Fairlight CMI and the Linn LM-1 at a convention, inspiring them to design and produce a less expensive digital sampling keyboard.
E-mu originally considered selling the design for the Emulator to Sequential Circuits, which was using E-mu's keyboard design in its popular Prophet-5 synthesizer. However, Sequential Circuits soon ceased paying E-mu royalties for its keyboard design, which prompted E-mu to release the Emulator commercially.