Emulator X3 vs the hardware. Similar enough? Run on Windows 8?

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I've been thinking about z-plane synthesis lately and I picked up a cheap Mo'Phatt. I was thinking about buying other ROMs for it at some point, but I'm wondering if for the same money I could just run Emulator X3. I have the free Proteus XV running fine, but I just wanted to check to see if people running Windows 8 64 bit had any issues running it in a 32 bit version of Live 9. Also, is it a 1:1 substitute for the hardware, or not quite, or very far away?
Zerocrossing Media

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First, Emulator X3 can be run on modern systems. It runs fine both as x32 and x64 application. Depending on the host you might have trouble with copy protection. It took me full week to troubleshoot and solve.

Second, as far as the sound is concerned I'd say it is very close. Much better than the Digital Sound Factory libraries for Dimension Pro. Though E-MU modules and samplers do sound better you can get 98% there with Emulator X3 (don't forget to turn on the high-quality setting in the preferences). It's closer than anything else. Also Emulator X3 has a very similar interface to E-MU modules and samplers so if you learn to program one you can easily apply that skill to others.

Overall it is superb synth/sampler that has a lot of E-MU hardware DNA.
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robotmonkey wrote:First, Emulator X3 can be run on modern systems. It runs fine both as x32 and x64 application. Depending on the host you might have trouble with copy protection. It took me full week to troubleshoot and solve.

Second, as far as the sound is concerned I'd say it is very close. Much better than the Digital Sound Factory libraries for Dimension Pro. Though E-MU modules and samplers do sound better you can get 98% there with Emulator X3 (don't forget to turn on the high-quality setting in the preferences). It's closer than anything else. Also Emulator X3 has a very similar interface to E-MU modules and samplers so if you learn to program one you can easily apply that skill to others.

Overall it is superb synth/sampler that has a lot of E-MU hardware DNA.
Thanks for the knowledge! :hug:

I still have a Mo'Phatt on the way, but I think I will bite the bullet on the X3 just because it's the cost of a single ROM card. If it turns out I'm happy with the software I can always throw it back up on eBay, or keep it around for it's purpleness.
Zerocrossing Media

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Hm, I'm able to get the stand alone running, but for some reason I can't get Live 9 32 bit to see it...
Zerocrossing Media

4th Law of Robotics: When turning evil, display a red indicator light. ~[ ●_● ]~

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Hrmn.....don't know about Logic but 32-bit Cubase and 32 & 64-bit Studio One see the plugins just fine.
I've been using it since X2.....LOVE it! Easy to program and, unlike other software "samplers" it actually
SAMPLES!! :tu:
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zerocrossing wrote:Hm, I'm able to get the stand alone running, but for some reason I can't get Live 9 32 bit to see it...
I guess that would be the annoying copy protection issue I was talking about. The solution is to copy EmulatorXVSTi_lib.dll and EmulatorXVSTi_lib64.dll from C:\Program Files (x86)\Creative Professional\Emulator X to c:\windows\system32 and c:\windows\syswow64 (you need to copy to both locations if you are using 64 bit system).
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zerocrossing wrote:I've been thinking about z-plane synthesis lately and I picked up a cheap Mo'Phatt.
I have an Emu Command Station. I think Z-plane synthesis is interesting but the implementation was not that good in my opinion. Those filters have a weird, digital grungy sound to me. Also they can't be swept as the note plays. Once the note starts, the filter cutoff is frozen until it's released.

I think I read an interview with Dave Rossum of Emu where he said Z-plane synthesis was a work in progress. They were doing the best they could with the chips they had at the time. Then the company was acquired and development on it stopped.

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Where can you get emulator 3 now anyway?

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fingersg wrote:Where can you get emulator 3 now anyway?
http://www.digitalproaudiosamples.com/# ... tware/cjh3

They're selling it for $50, a bargain!

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Frantz wrote:Also they can't be swept as the note plays. Once the note starts, the filter cutoff is frozen until it's released.
That isn't true for the hardware samplers nor the software EX3. The software does a passable impression of the hardware (it sounds very different with clipped sounds) and is great for being able to retrieve and rework old material. The zplane filters sound very different in the software - there's more of them and they're not as good, but they alway had a digital vibe to them ('cos they're digital!).

I'm running on Win 8.1 64bit Cubase. My main issue with EX3 is the constant prompting for saving! I don't enjoy using it, but it was a good attempt, sometimes it's still handy but I wish it wasn't abandonware because it shows so much promise that we can be pretty certain won't be fulfilled.

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RobGee wrote:
fingersg wrote:Where can you get emulator 3 now anyway?
http://www.digitalproaudiosamples.com/# ... tware/cjh3

They're selling it for $50, a bargain!
Is it even legal?

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If they sell a bought up stock, I don't see any problems with that. The only concern I have is the C/P mechanism, which was (IIRC for Emulator X) at bar minimum an EMU MIDI 1x1 module. Unless that changed over the years, I lost track (checking the quoted page, it's a serial now - interesting).

Else, if you're hesitant on this, there is still the place where the samples originated from: digitalsoundfactory.com


I wrote Timothy Swartz (CEO of Digital Sound Factory) several times by now to maybe pick up the rights for both Emulator X and Proteus X to further develop it, make it easier to integrate into hosts as well (again, I lost track of Emu X3 if it's usable as VSTi). Especially since he samples available for Kontakt are just not the same in terms of editing as using the real hardware (which is a PITA - still love my Proteus 2k modules however). But alas, it didn't happen so far. So the only chance is the free (windows only) Proteus VX and Emulator X if you can find a leftover copy like mentioned above.
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szurcio wrote:
RobGee wrote:
fingersg wrote:Where can you get emulator 3 now anyway?
http://www.digitalproaudiosamples.com/# ... tware/cjh3

They're selling it for $50, a bargain!
Is it even legal?
Its a bit suspicious that they offer the Proteus VX download, let alone that its via a DropBox link, I have to admit...

The fact that they're offering the various CD libraries as downloads moreso. Im not sure how that's going to work, given that Im pretty sure X3 wants to see a disc inserted to authorise any given library.
my other modular synth is a bugbrand

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robotmonkey wrote:
zerocrossing wrote:Hm, I'm able to get the stand alone running, but for some reason I can't get Live 9 32 bit to see it...
I guess that would be the annoying copy protection issue I was talking about. The solution is to copy EmulatorXVSTi_lib.dll and EmulatorXVSTi_lib64.dll from C:\Program Files (x86)\Creative Professional\Emulator X to c:\windows\system32 and c:\windows\syswow64 (you need to copy to both locations if you are using 64 bit system).
Thanks. I did get it working yesterday, but I did a total deinstall/reinstall. Didn't seem to have to reauthorize it but all of the sudden what ever went wrong the first time worked the second.

Now to RTFM. I'm not quite understanding some basic stuff... horrible UI. I almost need a magnifying glass to read stuff.
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Krzysztof Oktalski wrote:The zplane filters sound very different in the software - there's more of them and they're not as good, but they alway had a digital vibe to them ('cos they're digital!).
Yeah, they're definitely digital sounding all right, no one would mistake them for an analog ladder filter, that's for sure. But that's not a fault, it's a feature. Want an analog ladder filter? Use something else. I love the weird E-MU filters.
Krzysztof Oktalski wrote:I'm running on Win 8.1 64bit Cubase. My main issue with EX3 is the constant prompting for saving! I don't enjoy using it, but it was a good attempt, sometimes it's still handy but I wish it wasn't abandonware because it shows so much promise that we can be pretty certain won't be fulfilled.
Yeah, Creative seems not to care at all about the synth and sampler tech they acquired. I think with a little bit of a dusting off of the UI and some new content for the sample library, it would be a nice fun alternative to the Mach 5s and Kontakts as long as they market as "vintage sampler emulation."
Zerocrossing Media

4th Law of Robotics: When turning evil, display a red indicator light. ~[ ●_● ]~

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