Emu XL-7 & MP-7 User's Group

on 1/16/04 2:51 PM, u_ri_p_ui wrote:

> 2) what's the difference between the XL-7 and a
> virtual-analogue synthesizer like, let's say, the
> Virus C?
> 
> You have four oscillators (layers) per preset. ->
> like a Virus C
> You can choose four basic analogue waveforms: sine, saw, pulse and
> triangle (and more) -> like a Virus C
> You can attach two envelopes per oscillator -> the Virus C has got
> ADSTR-Envelopes
> You can attach two LFOs per oscillator -> the Virus C has got 3 LFOs
> You can attach a filter out of many per oscillator -> the Virus has
> got 2 filters per oscillator
> The only thing I miss ist FM.

in the Virus, all oscs are mixed before they hit the
filter section, so there is only one "engine" for a
given channel.

in the E-mu Proteii engine, each osc has its own
engine, and they are only mixed at the end...so to
some degree, a single patch on the E-mu is like having
4 synth engines running in parallel...

consider that a single layer has 1 osc, 2 LFOs, 3 envs,
1 of 50 filters, and 24 modmatrix connections (cords),
so a full patch will have a maximum of 4 oscs, 8 LFOs,
12 envs, 4 of 50 filters, and over 100 (layer + global)
modmatrix connections.

also, the Virus filters are either 2- or 4-pole, and
because there are two in a patch with various routing
modes, you can achieve 6-pole topologies.

the modern Proteus engine filters range from 2- to 12-
pole, and feature various filter, eq and effects
implementations.

but the real difference is the simple fact they sound
very different from one another, even if they do not
differ much in some regards when comparing and
contrasting some architectural abstraction of both of
them.

I have an Access Virus b and E-mu XL-7
(XL/TSCY/Vintage ROMS) here. ;)


cheers,
aeon