Emax

How is installing a slim floppy drive with the help of a tiny adapter in an
Emax like "taking a hacksaw to the back of one of these machines"???

personally i think that line of thought is way over the top and doesn't have
a lot of bearing on this Emax list.  these aren't "circuit bending" mods, or
adding a breath controller input as you had seen on a Matrix 12.  these are
fairly simple upgrades or mods...  even with the SCSI mod that Ted has
provided- the worst thing you have to do is make a few trace cuts and on
some models you don't even have to do that.  many Emaxes are already in bad
condition, and that isn't the fault of a possible current owner.  many
Emaxes do not have factory SCSI and many Emaxes have a dead disk drive.  i
see nothing wrong with a 3rd party offering solutions for these problems and
Ted has only been 100% professional with me.  maybe i missed the point of
your original email or i don't understand what you mean by talking about a
"home brew mod" here but I wouldn't call what Ted does a "home brew" mod.
and, there are plenty of other people on this list who know what they're
doing.  a sticker such as your saying "Emax Plus by Ted Summers limited"
isn't going to make the mod work better, and franky, unless you're just a
collector, why should you care about the resale value??  i'm all about
seeing people keep these machines alive for the sake of making music - but
to care about it being a museum piece isn't what the machine was built for
in the first place.


just my 2 cents

Brooks


On Mon, Sep 21, 2009 at 10:20 PM, sequentialprophett8 <
michael.a.padilla@...> wrote:

>
>
> Hi Ted, I've read about your mods, it sure sounds like a great service,
> especially the turnkey part of it - send it off to you, the machine comes
> back ready to run samples from a card. Kind of like Kenton does with their
> MIDI kits or Jim Williams Co. does with their Adat HD24XR AD/DA convertors.
> Granted the Emax is a more limited market, but I would imagine your
> expertise could be expanded to other models. How about a cool sticker (like
> the Emax SE stickers) to put on your modded machines "Emax PLUS By Ted
> Summers Limited" or something. That would probably enhance the resale value
> on models that were done by you as a turnkey. Most serious vintage gear
> buyers, including me, will not touch a "home brew" modded vintage machine,
> like a Matrix-12 that's been tweaked with some funky homemade
> breath-controller mod (saw such an animal on ebay), but an established
> modding outfit with a web presence would probably enhance the resale value
> of the machine.
>
> I guess my point is that I think the low current fair market value of these
> Emaxes invites people to think they are not worthy of being treated like the
> once-high end machines they once were. The thought of a DIY'er taking a
> hacksaw to the back of one of these machines makes me queasy!
>
> --- In emax@yahoogroups.com <emax%40yahoogroups.com>, Ted Summers <djtbs1@...>
> wrote:
> >
> > Boy that is a long post for a self proclaimed "lurker" :-)
> >
> > I am not quite sure how to respond to your post, or if I even should.
> >
> > But----
> > DANGER WILL ROBINSON.......DANGER, DANGER
> >
> > ....here goes, these are my thoughts....
> >
> > 1) The original warning poster I have done business with- and had no
> > issue. I am doing business again with him soon.
> > I dunno what happened here, but if the transaction was in good faith
> > on the buyer's part the merchant should make it right.
> >
> > I have had a transaction go awry with a (different) vendor. It took a
> > little work, but that vendor made it right.
> > It is ALL about the customer service.
> > 1 bad "sale" typically results in a minimum of 7 lost sales due to
> > word of mouth.
> > This is statistically proven across many industries
> > As a vendor myself, it is always in my best interest to make the
> > customer experience as smooth as possible and to help as much as
> > possible with any customer issue related to my product.
> > I have always done this, and will continue to do this.
> > As far as I know, I don't have any upset customers. (If you are
> > dissatisfied, send me a mail- I want to help if I can).
> >
> > 2) Some of your points are reasonable.
> > But not everyone has a local "dealer" (ie- electronics shop willing to
> > work on something with no schematic- I know several shops in my area
> > won't) and you can't call Emu.....
> > Keeping in mind that there is no way for someone on the internet to
> > know another's technical capability.
> > --out of 32 SCSI kits sold, I have only had 3 persons that needed me
> > to fix them after failed upgrade.
> > That means a 91% success rate.
> > So apparently we, as a group, aren't as unskilled as some might think.
> >
> > 3) As the seller of the SCSI kit upgrade, and the slim floppy
> > converter board that allows one to have a PC Card or Zip drive
> > installed in that same bay with a slim floppy-
> > I feel I am an innovator.
> > My efforts allow people to expand their equipment's capability and
> > provide repair / replacement capability with reasonable expense.
> > If someone wants turnkey, they can send me their board and I will
> > professionally upgrade it.
> >
> > 4) I wouldn't call myself a DIY'er.
> > I have worked as a technician with 16 years of repair experience in
> > industry.
> > But maybe I should consider myself a DIY'er.
> > Would we consider Thomas Edison, Benjamin Franklin, and others like
> > them DIY'ers of their time?
> >
> > To finish up.....
> > People like to have and often need several available options.
> > I am helping to fill that need.
> > I do consider this a "labor of love".
> > I certainly haven't made buckets of money at it.
> >
> > Anyway, that's my buck and a quarter.
> >
> > Regards,
> > Ted
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On Sep 11, 2009, at 9:34 PM, sequentialprophett8 wrote:
> >
> > I've had this thread saved in my inbox and meant to post my thoughts
> > for some time. I read all the posts, but I guess I'm more of a lurker.
> > But I thought I would say some things after reading this thread.
> >
> > I don't know what went on between the customer and SCSIForSamplers,
> > and won't even attempt to comment on that transaction. I'm sorry to
> > hear about the problem between a vendor I've done business with and a
> > frequent respected poster on this board.
> >
> > For what it is worth, I can say I've bought several expensive pieces
> > of equipment from that vendor, and have received sterling products and
> > support. In relevant part (for this Board), one item was a rack-mount
> > dual SCSI card reader, and another item was a rackmount dual SCSI CD-
> > ROM & hard drive.
> >
> > That company provides a great service in supporting all of our vintage
> > equipment, in my humble opinion. And no, I have no affiliation or
> > financial interest in that company, am not friends or an acquaintence
> > with anyone there. Strictly business, $$ spent, products received.
> >
> > This thread got me thinking about the frequent theme I see in many of
> > the posts on this Board, that of DIY work on our beloved Emaxes. I
> > recognize the right of any owner to do DIY work, and this thread
> > illustrates that there are always options to spending the $$ and
> > buying a finished product (such as a plug in, turnkey, professional
> > looking and operating card reader) - instead, for the DIY'er, just
> > make it yerself. To each their own. I prefer to just pay the money and
> > get the product, no hassles.
> >
> > Now I recognize in reading the posts here that there is a very strong
> > "DIY" contingent of readers/Emax owners here, and that's great, taking
> > a technical interest in this gear. My perspective is somewhat
> > different I guess - call me strange but I actually don't mind parting
> > with my money to pay my local vintage gear technician to fix my studio
> > equipment. I want to support them (well, maybe not pay too much money)
> > so they will actually be around when my Emax power supply bites it, or
> > another board starts missing notes, vintage Harmonizer starts buzzing,
> > you name it.
> >
> > They check for loose connections, clean the damn thing out, are
> > incredibly resourceful in locating discontinued parts (mine found a
> > custom IC chip and VCA for one of my boards) and generally care for
> > it, looking for problems that could crop up (failing solder, etc). I
> > find the care most techs put into the work (versus the depreciated
> > value of the gear) is an amazing value and probably a labor of love
> > for them.
> >
> > Guys that smart could be doing a Bernie Madoff in the stock market,
> > and yet there they are, working out the problem on your vintage gear.
> > And no, I am not a tech, am not friends or family with a tech, etc. I
> > just want that KNOWLEDGE to stick around, so they can fix it when it
> > breaks. When that KNOWLEDGE is lost, it's gone for good. Nothing more
> > depressing than the day that will come for all of us Emax owners where
> > the number of people who even can work on these things is down to a
> > very few, and then none. Know anyone who works on [insert name of
> > 1970s business computer] mainframe?
> >
> > I assume all of you on the Board not only have the vintage piece of
> > gear that brings us together (Emax I/Emax II), but probably other
> > vintage gear as well. That means you, like I, have probably sat there
> > in your studio in utter frustration as that dear piece of vintage gear
> > (whatever it is) sits mute, or buzzing, or has a mysteriously
> > attenuated right stereo out (current problem du jour for me), or
> > otherwise malfunctioning in front of you. Now THAT experience probably
> > brings us all together.
> >
> > I guess my main thought is that, for the DIY'ers, if you can't bear to
> > part with $$ to pay a tech, please don't F*** up that vintage piece of
> > gear further with a half-baked DIY fix - at least if you ever plan to
> > sell it. It is depressing to hear a tech say that whatever problem
> > that gear is suffering that a new owner bought has been magnified by
> > some prior DIY fix.
> >
> > I bought my first Emax new in the summer of 1987, after saving to pay
> > an astronomical amount of money at the time - it was worth it as it
> > was such a superior product to the main competitors at the time, i.e.
> > the Roland S50. Now does anyone remember that - with the wave pen
> > gimmick, etc. The Emax by comparison, although depreciated now, was a
> > major advance in gear at the time - again, 1987. I was there. You had
> > the crummy Roland, Ensoniq, Korg and Akai, the eye-wateringly
> > expensive Series III, the beyond-reach Waveterm, and, then, before the
> > EIII - the Emax - an affordable EII. What magic it was playing around
> > with the Emax at the dealer, that summer. The look was like no other
> > sampler, the sound of the analog filters warmly swirling that digital
> > source. Oh Yeah.
> >
> > I still have that Emax, in like new condition, a time capsule of
> > sorts. Like someone who bought their car new, I guess I take special
> > care of it, and (to use the analogy) don't do burnouts in it. This in
> > contrast to a 2nd, 3rd or 4th owner who paid greatly depreciated value
> > for it and consequently just "wrenches on it in the backyard." Being
> > an original owner, I still "take mine to the dealer." Yes I guess I'm
> > talking about both cars and Emaxes.
> >
> > Again, to each their own, just my opinion. Thanks again to everyone
> > who posts here, good bad and ugly - it is such a valuable resource and
> > I can't thank all of you enough. Keep posting! Long live EMAX.
> >
> > --- In emax@yahoogroups.com <emax%40yahoogroups.com>, "jammie"
> <jammie.emma@> wrote:
> > >
> > > i spoke to jd and he said that he did not want to do business with
> > you that is why he refunded your money when you paid by paypal
> > >
> > > jd is very reasonable in costs as he is a business seller and has
> > to make a living
> > >
> > > if you can get it cheaper then get it cheaper by all means but it
> > is not nice slagging people off and saying that they are making a
> > masive mark up is not correct
> > >
> > > he could make a massive mark but does not
> > >
> > > now the scsi to ide cards he could sell the same as other stockest
> > which is $100-120 this is just for the cards with out the cfcard
> > adapter he sells them for $89
> > >
> > > the mcdisk1 now i tried buying from the manufacturer they are £550
> > per drive and you have to have a minimum order of 100 now
> > scsiforsamplers was selling them for $250 thats very cheap compared to
> > the manufacturer
> > >
> > > but its not nice to rubbish some one and there reputation as a
> > company and jd always replaces damaged goods as long as they are
> > damaged by manufactur basis and not by the person installing it he get
> > you to send it back to him where he will send you another
> > >
> > > now if you can do better i would surgest that you do your own
> > company to sell these drives
> > >
> > > the saying goes you can keep most people happy most of the time but
> > some peolple happy only some of the time
> > >
> > > alll i say to you when you brought from scsiforsamplers for you
> > spyrus drive did it work did you have problems from jd if not htne you
> > should go by this
> > >
> > > and telling people to not to buy from him is illegal and he can sue
> > you for deformation of character if you are not happy then air your
> > views to him and the other person who has problems and not spreed
> > rubbish about people
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: Julian
> > > To: emax@yahoogroups.com <emax%40yahoogroups.com>
> > > Sent: Thursday, August 27, 2009 4:28 AM
> > > Subject: Re: [emax] WARNING: scsiforsamplers.com
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > hey jammie - did you get in touch with JD?
> > >
> > > further weirdness has evolved in relation to scsiforsamplers.com
> > >
> > >
> http://www.gearslutz.com/board/electronic-music-instruments-electronic-music-production/415880-hardware-samplers-scsi-hard-drives.html
> > >
> > > seems that without paypal protection, someone in italy was sold an
> > "as
> > > is" drive, after being redirected from a sale through
> > > scsiforsamplers.com, by scsiforsamplers.com to an "associate" of
> > > scsiforsamplers.com.... called JD... (you know - same name as the guy
> > > that everyone who deals with scsiforsamplers.com actually deals
> > > with......) and this drive arrived in a non-operational state.
> > >
> > > now I don't know about anyone else, but when I read something is
> > being
> > > sold "as is" I assume it to mean "this works, but there's no
> > warranty"
> > > if you know something is broken, then you would sell it "broken, as
> > is"
> > > and I don't understand how, that at the markup scsiforsamplers.com
> > sells
> > > things, the drives are not ALL checked, and their working status is
> > > confirmed or not, as soon as they arrive in store.... which leads
> > to a
> > > very bad assumption on the character of whoever is doing this...
> > >
> > > anyway - like I already said.. massive uncharacteristic weirdness is
> > > going on here with scsiforsamplers.com - be extra careful of anything
> > > they (or an associate of them that you might normally believe is
> > acting
> > > on their behalf) tries to offer you something to buy "as is"
> > through an
> > > untraceable payment system - because it looks like the trick is to
> > get
> > > people to buy something broken with no warranty, and then use the "no
> > > warranty" as an escape clause for selling broken gear in the first
> > > place..
> > >
> > > and THEN on top of everything else, when their victim talks about
> > it on
> > > line, to go and email the victim, threatening a defamation suit!
> > >
> > > so - unless some massive explaining gets done, I'd recommend that
> > nobody
> > > buy from scsiforsamplers.com without the protection of paypal. if
> > > they're interested in dealing with a company that can allow this
> > sort of
> > > behaviour at all....
> > >
> > > julian
> > >
> > > --
> > > http://bleepin.com
> > >
> > > --
> > > http://www.fastmail.fm - Send your email first class
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ----------------------------------------------------------
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > No virus found in this incoming message.
> > > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> > > Version: 8.5.409 / Virus Database: 270.13.69/2328 - Release Date:
> > 08/26/09 12:16:00
> > >
> > >
> > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
>
>  
>


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