Yes, 999 999 999.99 pounds is a bit too much...

 

The Digital Sound Factory libraries suck. They’re Kontakt recreations of the sounds, all drenched in sucky Kontakt reverb. They do not sound the same.

The only correct way - the patches actually sound close to the hardware units - is the already mentioned Emulator X3. Which can load all the rack units in software form, and also E-MU IV sampler libraries.

The only problem is that it’s ancient PC software, hard to get to run on Macs (some have managed, via ”wine” type Windows emulators).

 

(Below) The remnants of Emu stuff I still have. Last year I tested them, reset with factory sysex, they still work even with no backup battery replaced (I'll do).

Little history: I bought Vintage keys just for ONE preset I loved, and I used only that ever, but I forgot to get its name, I have to power it again and compare it with a clip I made in 1994.

Then I bought UltraProteus THINKING it had all previous Proteus presets, I was wrong. I searched "Whistling Joe" to play X-Files... stupid boy I was.
However I discovered that it was a huge improvement from Morpheus, it had much more Z-plane filters, and to date I can't find any vst able to emulate them properly.
Yes there is Filterscape and many other vsts, but no, I tried and they're not comparable and it's not the old war hardware/software, it's just that no one bothered to recreate them, maybe because of copyright.

So I won't sell them.

 

Last edited: Apr 5, 2026 at 9:55 AM

Again, the Kontakt libraries don't sound like the actual unit, but the SoundFonts do.

 

Hey I didn't know yet but I have all libraries still.
At last I could try Whistling Joe, but I found it disappointing, something missing, fxs, duh.

 

The samples for it are in there, but the preset is from the 2, The famous 90s pick bass patch is from the 1. Do you have any of the data cards for it?

 

All the stuff you see in folders pic plus other stuff I didn't care to load.
The X-files Whistle is from Proteus 2 while other sounds come from Synclavier, but I can't say which one.
I try to load Proteus 1 and see if I recognize some sound.

If you mean rom cards, I don't think I have them, but I may have unbeknown to me.

 

E-mu Emulator X3 Plus Library

As E-MU ended production of their hardware samplers in 2003, they were getting ready to release the final Emulator in 2004 – Emulator X. This was a software-only Emulator, and was backwards compatible with the hardware Emulator IV series samplers as it could both read and write .E4B files.

The first two versions (Emulator X in 2004 and Emulator X2 in 2006) required either an E-MU audio/MIDI interface to be installed as part of the copy protection scheme, but the third (Emulator X3 in 2009) only used an activation server. The activation server is confirmed working (as of 11/15/18), but–in the event it ever goes down–we’ve archived an activated version of the software using the open-source VirtualBox virtualization product by Oracle.

Here’s what the final version of the E-MU web site had to say about Emulator X3:

E-MU’s Emulator® X3 is the world’s most powerful and complete software sampling tool in the world, featuring E-MU’s new Xstream™ streaming sound engine with a up to 192kHz sampling and playback, 32-bit and 64-bit native applications for both Windows XP and Windows Vista, an arsenal of automated sampling/beat analysis/editing tools and almost unlimited sound manipulation that builds on E-MU’s 40 years of synthesis experience.

Spoiler: Emulator X3 features:

Emulator X3 features:

– Xstream™ 24-bit/192kHz Streaming Engine, featuring E-MU’s patented pitch interpolation and precision 32-bit floating point processing for unmatched sound quality
– 32-bit and native 64-bit applications included (32-bit: Windows XP and Vista; 64-bit: Windows x64 and Vista)
Optimized for Multi-core and Multi-Threaded processors to intelligently balance the processing load across all available resources for exceptional performance
– Automated sampling, pitch detection and preset creation with integrated waveform editor
– Powerful synthesis architecture with over 50 Z-Plane filters and 100 tempo-based parameters per preset
– Standalone (64 MIDI channels) or VSTi operation (16 MIDI channels per instantiation)
– Sound Engine supports RAM and streaming playback
– Integrated effects processors
– Improved sound format support, including EOS, EIII, GigaSampler, MP3, REX2, .AIFF, SoundFont 2.1, .WAV, File Converter Application, and more
– Ships with over 3GB of sounds, including the complete Proteus 2000 soundset, a stunning 1.5GB Grand Piano, 24-bit drums and grooves, Xtreme Lead X, and more – additional soundsets available
– Xplode™ beat slicer with MIDI and Tempo Map Export
– Comprehensive DSP Tools including Transform Multiply and Xtractor™

Spoiler: E-MU Sound Central Library

E-MU Sound Central Library

• Platinum 88
• Modern Symphonic Orchestra
• Xtreme Lead X
• Techno Synth Construction Yard
• Protean Drums X
• Beat Garden X
• MoPhatt X
• Planet Earth X
• Virtuoso X
• Vintage Pro X Vol 1
• Vintage Pro X Vol 2
• Vintage Pro X Vol 3
• Street Kits
• Beat Shop Two

Spoiler: Emulator X3 | Studio Pro Bundle + 24 E-MU Soundbanks - The Legend Reborn! EUR 189,95

Emulator X3 | Studio Pro Bundle + 24 E-MU Soundbanks - The Legend Reborn! EUR 189,95

https://www.ebay.de/itm/236359183537?_skw=E-MU&itmmeta=01KNESPV8D6HZ9M3SEAGCWSG8D&hash=item37081aecb1:g:oaUAAeSwqHdn3mu-&itmprp=enc:AQALAAAA4DKQclQvzFwZQpmMrsO4LuoijhgoyL696O+7y9FjdV51pfFa3Nwaq3jP/oeo4fvOAJJb6T+II3gJPl4uiaDfKBeKWXPOasL8mRtmxXYZVTb3ib0L3m+bMxlbxutH4FgF/Ya2hg4lvl/Z82ggIPywwz6FnbEYGoGJNgN8JKuqtPvztBjulU9W15k3Vj1iol7T607WxYeb1cLqIwUESuMokUt2YT/fGxvdd7uSZ6gDbTuBHQDSDH/oCEaJh+a/HIHIwJGFlj0v7m31594Di7EEFp8HUVZ7lKVke0+iUhq9JLti|tkp:BFBMuLTb2atn

 

I don't doubt it has awesome features worthy of its name, but gui is very old, not scalable, pretty difficult to work on.

 

I always found this potentially being a case of copyright being the ultimate roadblock weird, because of how plentiful EMU-related goodies have been plentiful on both the sister site, and even on places as well known as archive.org, especially the 'EMU Classic Series' volumes. Perhaps this is another case of a company being indifferent to revitalizing highly praised and desired hardware.

Of course, no company could realistically answer the beck and call of remaking each and every sought-after hardware, but would it really harm them for someone to fill in those shoes for them if they're just gonna sit on their IP(s) and let them rot? Korg, Roland, Waldorf among others are at LEAST taking initiative to preserve their legacy... sorta.

Think of how many roads have remained dilapidated for decades; unsupported and neglected. But, the moment someone has the sheer gumption to take matters into their own hands to make something better of it, the governing body prosecutes and scolds that same someone for that very reason. And even after the legal wild goose chase dies down, the roads still remain unkempt as if nothing happened.

 

I agree with you 100%; it's only for true enthusiasts. Unfortunately, the music industry has once again demonstrated its complete inability to keep anything alive or improve it. I bought a used E-MU 1212M PCIe (PCIe Digital Audio System) and used it, but the setup and the GUI are a real pain.

 

Kate Middleton Net Worth | Celebrity Net Worth

 

digital sound factory has one of the best kontakt libraries.. they have other libraries aswell for motif xs and such.. the reverb can be adjusted. personally its really good.. but ye.. hardware is FAR superior

 

I'm with the monarchy on this one.

Although.... I think that the SoundFonts exceed the Kontakt libraries in quality and authenticity.

 

SoundFonts are just plain samples. They don't have any filters, FXs, or arpeggios of the original units.