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

Hello all,
	I'm wondering about the Protozoa ROM.   Anybody willing to give a 
quick run down of what's on it?  I had a Proteus for a short while years ago 
and remember the sounds were pretty good and varied, but that was a few 
years back and I didn't have it all that long - for some reason it wouldn't 
behave well in my midi rig.  Also, never heard the other two.
	I've just gotten the Proteus POP ROM, so I'm wondering if it is 
complimentary or just roughly covering the same territory.  I've got several 
other older synths, so I don't really need that kind of material. My ESQ'm 
still kicks sonic butt :)  Great little boxes... (old, but great) They can sound 
like so many other synths.  Still amazes me... Sorry, off on a tangent...

Pop review:
	I was rather disappointed in the string selection in the POP, frankly. 
However, I fortunately have that covered by other gear so it isn't tragic - for 
me.  But if you are looking for a lot of strings they aren't there.  Really not 
enough strings for my taste.  There are more string presets than string 
instruments on the ROM.   I would have gladly given up some of the 
copious drum samples in favour of strings...   Almost half the instruments in 
the POP list are drums and percussion, maybe more than half actually.... 
Granted, drum samples don't take up a lot of space, generally. There are 
some great ones in there, though, but with that many to choose from you 
will need a good memory.... Plus there are roughly 100 varied hits. There 
are some other very good sounds there, too, though. Brasses didn't blow 
me away, but some were OK I guess... Sampled guitars always seem a bit 
useless to me, so I can't say if they are, "good" or not. I've played guitar 
longer than keyboards, so they all sound dead to me.  Clean, but dead.  I 
won't comment on the quality of the EP's and organs.  People get so 
obsessed with those instruments, anything I say I'd probably end up 
regretting.  But, there are quite a few, relativey speaking.  I liked a lot of the 
basses... Very good selection there... Lots of synths, and assorted waves 
for doing analog or odd stuff - got nothing on the XL-7 there, though.   It 
definitely suffers from trying to be all things in one collection - which is what 
you'd expect.  I would have liked more pads, too. But, overall, it isn't bad.  
At 99$ - I think it is a very good investment.  
	With the mangling capability of the xx-7's you can get a lot of 
variety if you are willing to program a bit.  I've got the XL-7, so it is a good 
compliment to that ROM at the current pricing.  I love the XL-7 sounds, but I 
also like to layer synths and traditional instruments a lot, so I needed 
something else, too.  The XL-7 ROM is very focussed.  Nice they put them 
on sale :)  The presets are pretty nice, but I mostly like to use my own 
programming, so that's not where I look first.   They are nice as a reference, 
though.  Many sound better than the instruments they are made from - 
which is telling... Synth magic, there... Some things to be learned, clearly.
	As rEalm has the POP, maybe he can be a bit more thorough on it.  
It's real new for me - arrived Tuesday...   Sounds are very subjective and 
this is my OPINION, only.  I've only had the thing two days - so... Take it 
with a grain of salt if you are picky.  	
	FYI - I like making NEW sounds, so I am really not a good person 
to review this kind of stuff from the point of view of somebody who is going 
to use them in a straight forward manner.  I am not a classical sound 
connoisseur.  I'm somebody who likes to mangle stuff.  I don't gig.  
	Hope that's useful to you,
	
			Best, 
				Flibfree

Pop review:

Sampled guitars always seem a bit useless to me, so I can't say if they 
are, "good" or not. I've played guitar 
longer than keyboards, so they all sound dead to me.  Clean, but dead. 

>>>I know what you mean, being a guitar player myself.  I find that the 
best way to check out the presets on the XX-7's, is to just press the 
Audition button and then scroll through them.  The guitars on the POP ROM 
really come to life when you hear them in the context of a sequence.  But, 
as you say, they still don't replace a real guitar.  BTW, just picked up a 
PODxt, wicked, wicked guitar box. <<<

The presets are pretty nice, but I mostly like to use my own programming, 
so that's not where I look first.   They are nice as a reference, though. 
Many sound better than the instruments they are made from - which is 
telling... Synth magic, there... Some things to be learned, clearly.

>>>Definitely.  Presets are ok to give you an idea of what's on hand, but 
like you say, it's not until you start digging deep that you begin to 
really reach the potential of what these boxes can do. I recently started 
a project with another XL-7 owner though, and using presets has made 
collaberation during the initial writing stages much, much easier, and the 
results are surprisingly very good still.<<<

As rEalm has the POP, maybe he can be a bit more thorough on it.

>>>I did a full review of it last year when I first got it, check the 
archives if you need to read it.<<<

rEalm


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Hello all,
	Having just gotten the digest and re-read my POP ROM review - it sounds as if I have a 
far worse opinion  of it than I really do.  There really are some great sounds in there. 
I've never heard a BAD sounding E-mu anything, so all these points are  
relative.  Even my old Emax II sounded pretty darn good. For what I do there is quite
a lot to work with that is sonically extremely different from the XL ROM.  I'm not 
unhappy with it, but telling somebody what you loved about a synth without saying 
what you aren't so happy about isn't real useful...  I don't trust totally glowing reviews 
generally - no instrument is perfect for everybody except the tone deaf.  



>>>I know what you mean, being a guitar player myself.  I find that the 
best way to check out the presets on the XX-7's, is to just press the
Audition button and then scroll through them.  The guitars on the POP ROM
really come to life when you hear them in the context of a sequence.  But,
as you say, they still don't replace a real guitar.  BTW, just picked up a
PODxt, wicked, wicked guitar box. <<<

I haven't heard many people say ANYTHING bad about the PODs, though I haven't ever used or actually heard 
one... The digital outs are very tempting... I'm currently running mine through antiques - Digitech GFX-1  and 
GSP-5, sometimes into a Rocktron Intellifex LTD.  The GSP-5 is noisy on some settings (but a hush/comp 
pedal cures that pretty well), but amazingly good sound variety and punch...  Very nice budget boxes.  Got the 
GSP-5 for like $40!  Highly recommended.  Excellent chorus onboard (I'm suspicious it's analog) - nice 
reverbs, too, with very good classic distortions.  Won't do the heavy metal stuff, but I'm too old for that, and not 
angry enough I think.  Best thing is they are both really WARM and don't sound thin like most digital stuff.    It's 
fun to route synths through them.  You can get some wild stuff. I've made several patches on the GFX-1 
specifically for my synths. Of course, if I had a PODxt, I probably wouldn't be messing with this gear ;)  But you 
never know... I'll have to hear one... when I have money again... if ever...  Right now I don't even want to be 
tempted... Sorry got distracted there... Back OnTopic...

	 I've been getting a lot of mileage out of that audition button :)  I've been auditioning stuff the whole 
time I've been typing this.  Thanks for all the tips and for setting up such a great list.  It's great to find good 
synth groups where people really help each other out.  The resources here are wonderful.  Made getting up 
and running a LOT easier.


 I recently started
a project with another XL-7 owner though, and using presets has made
collaberation during the initial writing stages much, much easier, and the
results are surprisingly very good still.<<<

I can see where that would work well... I'm almost completely self-taught, (and I'm not a qualified teacher) so I 
have a lot of difficulties collaborating with people - plus I'm pretty intrinsically chaotic.  I know what I can do, 
but I'm not so good at understanding what more literate musicians talk about.  Theory isn't my strong suite and 
I'm useless with other musicians - strictly home studio stuff. I can read manuals, though and I love all kinds of 
music - well most anyway, but I won't go there.... Taste is personal...

Seriously people - doesn't somebody have the Protozoa (or any of the other ones for that matter) ROM and a 
few minutes to write it up? I'm very curious about it and I bet some other people are, too.  

	Best to all,
			Flibfree


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I haven't heard many people say ANYTHING bad about the PODs, though I 
haven't ever used or actually heard 
one... The digital outs are very tempting... 

>>>Yeah, I didn't get the POD XT Pro, which is the one that has the 
digital outs on it.  Still, I gotta say i was more than surprised at how 
good it sounds.  I was using an ADA MP2 with a Digitech TSR12s for effects 
(the TSR12 is for sale, $75, BTW).  The MP2 has real tubes, but even 
still, the Pod sounds way warmer, and the effects are sweet too.  Not to 
mention one of the most intuitive OS's I've ever seen. <<<

I've been getting a lot of mileage out of that audition button :)  I've 
been auditioning stuff the whole 
time I've been typing this.  Thanks for all the tips and for setting up 
such a great list. 

>>>It wasn't me that set up the list, I just post a lot :) <<<

It's great to find good synth groups where people really help each other 
out.  The resources here are wonderful.  Made getting up and running a LOT 
easier.

>>>I agree, glad you found it useful. Lot's more stuff on the way, but I 
can't what yet. :) <<<

I can see where that would work well... I'm almost completely self-taught, 
(and I'm not a qualified teacher) so I 
have a lot of difficulties collaborating with people - plus I'm pretty 
intrinsically chaotic. 

>>>Hehe, I'm the oppposite, I'm pretty intrinsically organized, drives 
collaberators nuts :) <<<

rEalm


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