Jump to content


Please note: You can easily log in to MPN using your Facebook account!

Old Gear / EMU Morpheus


Recommended Posts

Our forum leader dB and I had a phone conversation the other day about old gear. He's obviously been selling off a few pieces to fund some new keyboards (and guitars). So I have some of the same pieces he was getting rid of and a few others that...well they haven't been turned on for a while. So I got out the old EMU Morpheus to decide if this was something I wanted to keep. I honestly can't remember the last time I used it. Despite having a large number of useless presets, it doesn't take much to tweak and change a filter type and make something different. It actually sounds rather fantastic, better than I remember. After bypassing the internal effects, I ran it through some Valhalla reverbs and damn it sounds pretty great. So now I'm torn, this was about to go up on Reverb or eBay because I haven't used it in 20+ years....Z-plane filter stuff is pretty cool and I don't know of anything else that sounds quite like it. Googling around the Z-plane stuff doesn't seem to exist in software.

 

What to do? So when was the last time you were ready to sell an old piece of gear then once you played it again you decided to keep it?

-Mike Martin

 

Casio

Mike Martin Photography Instagram Facebook

The Big Picture Photography Forum on Music Player Network

 

The opinions I post here are my own and do not represent the company I work for.

Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • Replies 17
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

I loved the idea of the Morpheus when I first heard about it...but was so disappointed by the lame sound design work in the factory bank. Such a deep engine, so underused. :rolleyes:

 

My Prophet VS rack had a hard time leaving here. I really did not want to part with that.

 

dB

:snax:

 

:keys:==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <==:rawk:

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've always been a solid E-mu player, especially once the P2000 series came along. They added serious brightness and breadth to my world of 8-bit samplers & analog synths. I still get good use from several SFZ sets that are part of my Logic library. I narrowly missed landing a Morpheus, which was a shame after playing one with a sweep pedal and being astounded. The Z-plane concept was fascinating and sounded like magic. If only there could have been a Morpheus II with a split, a slightly better base library and a little more user control of the filter 'cubes'.... sigh.

 "I want to be an intellectual, but I don't have the brainpower.
  The absent-mindedness, I've got that licked."
        ~ John Cleese

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I must have early onset Alzheimer"s. I was so confused. I thought y"all were discussing the Proteus.

"It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne

 

"A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!!

So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are a few great hour long YT videos showcasing those unique Z-plane filters. I got an MP7 just so I could have access to those filters, but it's limited samples and complicated use have been frustrating. Not to mention it's not in the greatest of physical conditions with a glitchy data wheel and some iffy buttons.

 

I was on the fence for awhile whether to get that Eurorack module, but I don't want to go down that rabbit hole. I wish it would work standalone.

 

Tough call on whether you should sell yours or not. If you don't absolutely need the space or money, I'd say it's worth a few hundred bucks to have it around for the next decade or so. It's pretty unique.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember seeing a demo of the Morpheus used with a developement environment in Ircam, back in the 90s. I have no idea if it was a standard unit with special software or if the hardware was special for development.

You could program your filter pole by pole, zero by zero. The problem was that it was very easy to get an instable filter and blow up tweeters, woofers and yours ears all together.

This is why the development feature was not available to the large public.

I remember the result was really impressive anyway.

 

Maurizio

Nord Wave 2, Nord Electro 6D 61,, Rameau upright,  Hammond Pro44H Melodica.

Too many Arturia, NI and AAS plugins

http://www.barbogio.org/

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Since vids were mentioned, there's this classic video introduction made by E-mu:

 

[video:youtube]

 

If you haven't seen it already... ;) Enjoy!

 

(I haven't figured out how to embed the YT video player in a post yet... sorry.)

 

Many thanks to psionic11 for the instructions on embedding a video. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had the original Proteus, great module. It had the ability to submix using the extra output, so I had my JX-10 feeding it for my gigs.

 

Then I got the Morpheus, same basic design for multitimbral use, loved the sounds of that thing.

 

These days I'm all vsts due to convenience factor above all else, but E-mu definitely made some great modules.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I haven't figured out how to embed the YT video player in a post yet... sorry.

 

There are two ways to take a link you copied embed a video:

 

1) Using Full Editor

 

-- click on the Insert Media icon (the blue movie director's "Action!" icon)

-- select type of video to insert

-- paste your video link in the popup window

 

 

2) Using the quick reply box, to manually enter a video:

-- paste your link like normal text

-- type in the following in front of your link (remove all spaces):

-- [ v i d e o : y o u t u b e ]

-- type in the following after your link (again, no spaces)

-- [ / v i d e o ]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had the original Proteus, great module. It had the ability to submix using the extra output, so I had my JX-10 feeding it for my gigs.

 

Then I got the Morpheus, same basic design for multitimbral use, loved the sounds of that thing.

 

These days I'm all vsts due to convenience factor above all else, but E-mu definitely made some great modules.

I loved the Sys-ex Implementation in the Proteus.

The fact there's a Highway To Hell and only a Stairway To Heaven says a lot about anticipated traffic numbers

 

People only say "It's a free country" when they're doing something shitty-Demetri Martin

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Haven't touched my Morpheus in years, but it's still here :)

 

Same here, in a rack between my Wavestation SR and my 2080. I would sell them but after Ebay and Paypal fees there is nothing left. I just look at them and remember the day...

 

I will never sell my Wavestations. Never. So what about selling your Morpheus locally? And gosh, what's the going rate for a Morpheus these days?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wasn't the Ultra Proteus a sort of Morpheus on steroids?

Yep. IIRC, entirely different wave ROM taken from the Proteus 1, 2 and 3 plus drums and a piano....and a bunch more filters.

 

I will never sell my Wavestations. Never.

:yeahthat:

 

I only have one, but it ain't going anywhere.

 

dB

:snax:

 

:keys:==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <==:rawk:

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...