IDM Mailing Archive

I don't want to start off that nasty "PC vs Sampler" thread again that recently ended up with one list-member self-combusting, but I'd recommend that if you're setting up a home-studio from scratch with not much money, then try to find yourself a second-hand Ensoniq EPS 16+ sampler - should cost about 700 dollars for the rackmount version. Just listen to any of Autechre's tracks (they use one as their main piece of kit) and you'll hear its FX and fancy sampling tricks everywhere... or LFO (Bell and Varley have one each!), or Alex Reece, who wrote his first album with just that and a cheap keyboard...get the idea ? Together with a second-hand Atari and Cubase software ($200) and a Boss DR660 drum machine ($300), you'd have a shit-hot little setup with tighter MIDI timing than most budget PC setups, and which would still be useful in two years time. This is one reason why I prefer "real" samplers and synths to PCs - whereas computers tend to be regarded as obsolete after a few years, musical equipment just becomes "classic" or "old school"...would you rather be the future owner of a TB303 or a 286 ? :) I've lived a "discount store" lifestyle longer than I can recall in order to get a half-decent studio set-up together, and I can honestly say that even with racks full of gear and synths (including an Akai industry standard S3200XL that kept me in polyester clothing for two years to pay off), my old Ensoniq EPS 16+ has the best FX and features that I've ever heard/seen on any device. The versatility and sound of the thing is fantastic - it's difficult _not_ to create incredible soundscapes - gutsy, raw, weird, twisted, kooky, electric sounds pour out of the machine. Choose wisely ! James