Free E-Mu Proteus VX download (full version)

[zephonic]

http://en.audiofanzine.com/partner/a.proteusvx.html

 

Unfortunately, as with all other E-mu products: Windows only.

 

[Mark Schmieder]

I seem to recall there are a couple of developers making the old E-Mu and Ensoniq material available in a free software format, and that one or two of them were doing it in a cross-platform way.

 

Actually, the cross-platform one might have cost money (a nominal fee). I think it was SoundFont based, which can import into Kontakt and other samplers.

 

E-Mu and particularly Ensoniq did a good job of covering a lot of rare ethnic instruments. That was why I bought the XL-7 in the first place and stocked it up with the rare Ensoniq Project ROM, Proteus-1-2-3 and World Expedition ROM. Many of those instruments are yet to be replaced by software libraries. I have several projects that got put on hold after the robbery.

 

I'm not sure what is going on with E-Mu itself, as it seems they might be phasing out their own sampler products? Some people said the Z-plane filters made it the most sophisticated, beyond Kontakt, the Logic one (EXS24?), and the Digidesign one (I forget its name). But it was always Windows-only.

 

E-Mu did offer an Old World Instruments expansion that was never part of the hardware series and seemed likely to be more detailed as it wasn't limited by the old file sizes of hardware samplers. It looks like that expansion is also part of the reissue series that are coming out now in several formats.

[zephonic]

E-Mu also released a new keyboard:

 

http://www.emu.com/products/product.asp?category=922&subcategory=923&product=19112

 

I think it has the distinction of being the first wireless keyboard on the market. I bet it is not going to impress the members of this forum.

[burningbusch]

Digital Sound Factory distributes the Emu libraries in Emu, Soundfont, Cakewalk Dimension Pro, Reason Refill and Digidesign Structure formats.

 

Digital Sound Factory

 

Busch.

[Sven Golly]

I think it has the distinction of being the first wireless keyboard on the market.

 

Nope, that would be the M-Audio MidAir 25 (and 37).

 

 

[Cygnus64]

Thanks Zephonic! Downloaded it, works great. Lots of usable stuff on there: pads, percussion, fx. I'm surprised that the piano is actually passable considering how small the download is.

 

I had a Proteus in 91, paid $1300. My, how things change.

[zephonic]

I think it has the distinction of being the first wireless keyboard on the market.

 

Nope, that would be the M-Audio MidAir 25 (and 37).

 

 

Fair enough, but the M-Audio is a controller only, thus transmitting only MIDI-data. The E-Mu transmits sound. I think CME makes a wireless MIDI add-on for some of its boards as well.

 

@Cygnus:

[bloodyMary]

I didnt like the soundset when first tried it a while ago. Thought it was 'early 90's' sounding. Maybe I should give it another try.

[DanL]

Thanks Zephonic! Downloaded it, works great. Lots of usable stuff on there: pads, percussion, fx. I'm surprised that the piano is actually passable considering how small the download is.

 

I had a Proteus in 91, paid $1300. My, how things change.

 

I bought mine when it first came out- had to be the late 80s? Paid $900 for it.. Yep, things change!

 

I have an MK6 "Mo'Phatt" I got for $300 bucks and it's loaded with expansion cards- Protazoa (proteus 1/2/3 sounds), Vintage Keys, Ensoniq ZR with the "perfect piano" (which is a joke, it's a horrible piano sound set!)

[Mark Schmieder]

Yeah, Digital Sound Factory's the one I was thinking of earlier. I now forget why I dismissed them and threw out all the info. Maybe I decided the sounds just aren't that good by today's standards. :-)

[orangefunk]

I got the Proteus back in 1989 after seeing a good review in Sound On Sound.. it was the first time you could really get quality sampled stereo sounds in a rack at a decent price... I remember hearing Heaven and the choir and falling in love with the thing.... now it just makes me sick...

 

How times change indeed... :-)))

[zephonic]

I don't know about the first Proteus, but I remember the Proteus 2000 fondly. At the time, it complemented the JV2080 very well, it had a little more grit and the Roland was more polished. I made many productions with just my MPC2000, Nordlead, JV2080 and Proteus2000.

 

Of course, we have all moved on, but if I had a PC I would definitely like to have a virtual Proteus just for that bit of flavor. And I wish more manufacturers would put up their classics as VI's. I bet a virtual JV 1080/2080 would go like hotcakes, what with all those studios still hanging on to their hardware units.

 

[Threadslayer]

I still have a Proteus 1000 - only because I have the "Definitive B3" ROM in it. That and a MIDI controller makes for a great quick and dirty party rig.