E-mu

E-mu Systems Ltd, founded in 1971 by Dave Rossum and Scott Wedge in California, was a pioneering force in electronic music technology. Originally focused on modular analogue synthesisers, the company quickly became influential for its innovative digital sampling instruments. The Emulator series, launched in 1981, brought professional sampling to a wider market, while later products such as the SP-12 and SP-1200 became cornerstones of hip-hop production. E-mu also developed affordable sound modules like the Proteus range, which shaped countless film scores and pop records throughout the 1990s. Though eventually absorbed into Creative Technology, E-mu Systems’ legacy endures in its groundbreaking contributions to sampling, synthesis, and the democratisation of electronic music production.

Made In U.S.A.

Released in 1981 /

E-mu Emulator Polyphonic Digital Sampling Keyboard

The E-mu Emulator was an 8-bit polyphonic digital sampling keyboard offering four or eight voices, approximately 30kHz sampling, 128kB of RAM, two independent two-octave keyboard sections, floppy-disk sound storage, sample truncation, sustain looping, filtering, reverse playback and real-time pitch and vibrato control. Later development added a sequencer, multi-sampling, expanded sound libraries and external control options. As one of the earliest commercially available dedicated sampling keyboards, the E-mu Emulator helped establish the practical architecture and workflow that would become fundamental to professional hardware sampling throughout the 1980s.

Made In U.S.A.

Released in 1983 /

E-mu Drumulator Drum Machine

The E-mu Drumulator democratized digital drum programming in 1983 by combining affordable price, sampled drum realism, per-note dynamics, expandable sounds and optional pad and computer editing, shaping the sound of many mid-1980s productions.

Made In U.S.A.

Released in 1984 /

E-mu Emulator II Digital Sampling Keyboard

The E-mu Emulator II was a professional polyphonic digital sampling keyboard that greatly expanded the capabilities of the original E-mu Emulator. It combined up to 17.6 seconds of sampling time, eight channels, a five-octave velocity-sensitive keyboard, extensive sample editing, programmable splits and layering, four-pole analogue filters, VCAs, envelopes and LFOs with floppy disk storage, MIDI, SMPTE, RS-422 computer interfacing and an integrated multitrack MIDI sequencer. Its combination of sampling, synthesis-style processing, sequencing and expandability helped establish the E-mu Emulator II as a major professional sampling instrument of the mid-1980s.

Made In U.S.A.

Released in 1985 /

E-mu SP-12 Sampling Percussion

Released in 1985, the E-mu SP-12 was a 12-bit sampling drum machine that fused programmable sequencing with user sampling. Its gritty, punchy sound and sampling ability reshaped hip hop and electronic music, making it one of the most influential production tools of its era.

Made In U.S.A.

Released in 1987 /

E-mu SP-1200 Sampling Percussion

The E-mu SP-1200 offered musicians 12-bit sampling, intuitive sequencing, and gritty, characterful sound that directly shaped hip-hop, house, and electronic music of the late 1980s and 1990s, leaving a lasting legacy as one of the most iconic drum machines ever made.

Made In U.S.A.

Released in 1998 /

E-mu E6400 Ultra Emulator 4 Sampler

The E-mu E6400 Ultra was a cost-effective sampler with pro-level features, offering 64-voice polyphony, EOS 4.0, and deep synthesis tools. Fully upgradeable, it delivered serious power and flexibility in a studio-friendly format.

Made In U.S.A.

Released in 1999 /

E-mu ESI-4000 Digital Sampler

The E-mu ESI-4000 is a 64-voice digital sampler with up to 128 MB of RAM, offering powerful sampling, editing, and filtering features in an affordable, user-friendly unit. It includes expandable analogue and digital outputs, a SCSI interface for easy connectivity, and access to a large sound library from E-mu, Ensoniq, and third-party sources.