 |
|
|
|
Average rating:
4.5 out of 5
|
|
I'm a full time Producer (Dance, House, Jazz-house, RnB) I bought into Ensoniq (TS-10, ASR-10, MRack,etc.) in 1995...that's 11 years ago, and I still use all 3 of these in my studio. They are simply still good enough to stay. The ASR-10 in particular still holds up against most of my soft samplers as well as other hardware I have accumulated over the years. Rich sounds, clearly defined, with great effects and wave processing...very editable. These old campaigners are staying, along with my Yamaha NS10M's I guess?
|
|
I Own three of these boards, and they are the most in depth board you will ever own. If you don't own one and have a chance to buy one do it. I have had mine for 10 years now and it works as good now as the day I bought it. I have 2 for parts because you can't get parts for them anymore, but Thesoniq.com can still fix em. So if yours is broke contact him now-he works miricles on ensoniq products.
|
|
This is the best sampler/ piece of gear ever.
Effects The effects alone are superb. It basically has the ensoniq fx processor dp series built in. You can run other gear though the effects as well (stereo). there are tons of effects and they all are high quality. (I reference TC/Lexicon when i say quality)
Sampling Anything going in sounds good coming out similar to the Emax II it really colors the sound (Some people might not like this). The filters are clean and not digital aliased sounding. (No Q adjust weird??)
Misc It does a bunch of stuff that modern producers won't need like, sequencing and Audio track recording.
Overall
Pluses Best Effects Plays sounds while saving 3 step sampling nice color to sound crazy envelope programming
Minuses No Q on the filter (does have van der pole effect though) envelope programming complicated (has macros to make it easier) only two outs standard. (optional 6 )
an excellent addition to todays software studios. Best for electronicmusic and hip hop. Akai and roland professionals prob won't like the sound coloring. These are only avail second hand, make sure you get SCSI!
ya heard! XBS
|
|
You can still get some ASR spare parts from:
http://www.cimplespares.com/section.php/9/1
|
|
I have had my ASR 10 since 1993, and I love it more than any other board I've ever used. I've used it on 3 albums, and I'm about to use it on my 4th. It is the ideal board for a solo recording artist; such as myself.
|
|
i have just bought an asr-10 idont know much about it but determined 2 learn!first i turnt it on an blew it up!coz it runs off 120 volts but in the U K we use 240 i opened it up luckily it was just afuse that blew, i replaced that bought a stepdown converter turnt it on, an hey it worked said please insert disk" i tryed the operatin disc {OS} but it keeps sayin please insert disc"any ideas wat it mite be a great help..thank you djace london uk
|
|
Nothing compares to the asR-1O when it comes to sampLing it's king.I have a motif 6 with DP4 all hooked up to a G-5.This is my 4th AsR.I have been woRking withthis board for the past 1O yrs.no other Like the asr-1O . Long Live the asr. 10.
|
|
Greetz to all ASR users around the world. I got my ASR in 1993 and have never experienced any difficulties since. The only thing was my zip drive died on me twice. I keep reading about the problems with the seq mode. I got a Triton as a sequencer and soundengine. My strategy is using the ASR 10 as a stand alone Sampler. This is what it does best. B.t.w. I us it live with my band and it does a great job on Brass sections. It blows away any other Brass section on Triton/Trinity. The only thing I need is an outputexpander. I am so sorry I never saw the use of it before. Plzzz help me to find one.
"All hail to king ASR!!!!!" RAJ
|
|
I have wanted an ASR 10 since I first saw one in the early 90's. I now own one and all the previous positive reveiws ring true. With the ASR its all about the sound. The only thing the MPC has over the ASR 10 is the ability to erase sounds while you are playing a loop and the replay them until you get it right. Other than that its no contest. The board is only limited by the operators imagination. If you want one check out Ebay. I recently picked up an output expander from Ebay and I saw seversal boards and racks there as well. Also sounds and the updated operating system can be found on WWW.SYNTAUR.COM I went and met those guys in New Bransfel Texas and they are true masters of this board and they were very helpful. GOOD LUCK
|
|
Pheew, the ASR is one hell of a keyboard I have a final version (lcd screen sn 21853) fully expanded (scsi, digital, outputexpander) one.
True, an occasional 144 reboot (about once every 2 months), very heavy, 16 meg limit, cripple akai import ( use translator from chiken systems instead!), but what a sound! None of all the akais , emus, rolandsi had or my Ppg waveterm can match this . The fx are killer, want some puchy drums , use the inverted expander algoritm , tweak and modulate with the wheel. It kicks all my vst plugins's butts.
I will buy another rack version for spare, It is the only sampler wich improves on the original sound, surely not neutral but very high quality, recommended as a sound machine!
|
|
I have used the Ensoniq ASR-10 and its predecessor EPS-16 for 10+ years. I am admittedly biased in my opinion, but I would simply own nothing else. My projects have included tracks that have been featured in live plays and musicals. The tracks were recorded straight from the ASR-10 to CD and when heard through the house sound system, is the closest thing to a live rhythm section or orchestra that you could ever imagine. I recently purchased a Roland VS-2480CD digital recorder which provides some useful graphics among other features. But I have discovered that my ASR-10 accomplishes most, if not all, of the same tasks. One down side to the ASR-10 may be the user interface which requires mastering in order to perform certain tasks. However, there is absolutely nothing that I cannot do on my ASR-10 workstation. It is truely limitless in terms of creativity. One also must keep in mind that the ASR-10 is a workstation. Live performance is not its strong point because samples/sounds must be loaded from external media unlike keyboards that store all samples on-board. However, the ASR-10 appears on stage with many professional acts because of its undeniable true-sound ability.
|
|
The best, bar none. Working in a studio equipped with a Motif and a Triton, the ASR still gets the most play, and for you pop hip-hop junkies, you'd be suprised at how many hits I hear on the radio as we speak using the ASR.....hmmmm.....P-I-M-P by 50 & Snoop is the first to come to mind.
|
|
people,ever wonder why todays cd sound quality sounds harsh and distorted? I've tried in my studio roland,motif,emu,akai z8 and these units just sound distant,harsh,distorted and poor samples of the real thing. Try a motif patch of brass or saxes you'll ask yourself what!!!! the hell was that. Drum sounds sound like they were sampled from the next room. Do we really need 3000 sounds to pick from? All i've ever wanted was real instruments like pianos,bass,organs strings,brass and real sounding drums. I've been looking for 15 years now since i've been seq.backing tracks back when no one knew what it was.I've had all the eps to asr-10s.Lately i wanted to try and update to the new units.The search has left me almost wanting to quit music. The only units that can compete with the asr-10 are the kurzweil k2600.I've recorded factory demos direct to cd that blow all the other samplers away.The drums on asr are as if you have headphones monitoring a real kit in a great room. Tight,real,crisp. The brass and sax demos are unreal. yes!!!!! you must search out your samples or do your own.Yes, some digital artifacts in the low end of your bass sounds that you'll never hear in the mix. Read disk while playing seq,record direct to hard drive,polyphonic aftertouch,route input thru effects,128 waveforms per layer,8 layers velocity controlled,simple to find the wave you want to edit.How many new keybords offer these features or say they are the first to offer them?Yes!!! it can be fussy.Keep it cool,have someone resolder power supply and glue standing caps and check for other cold solder joints. always copy your disks and use them. Keep disk cleaner handy and do it often. If doing sequencing and not doing hard disk recording use os 1.61 this will save and load sequences 20 times faster.I know its not 512meg ram,128 poly,5 effect busses but until companys first objctive is pristine sound and not that it offers 3000 sounds, how many do you need,just give me the sound quality of "steely dan's" studio sound under my fingertips!!! yea right. Build a base unit with 5 slots for smartmedia that can hold your samples and play them off the cards except to edit them.Give us 16 effects busses,eq,outs,direct volume control for each trac!!! just a small request, No ? All I'm really saying is trust your ears,hopfully educated ones. After all what we are all looking for is the sounds of real instuments recorded in studio settings that the rest of us can have at our disposol to record or perform live and not some geeks idea of "man that sounds great don't it?" Keep up the search.
|
|
just some comments for anyone who may be considering picking up an asr 2nd hand... been using the asr since it came out in late '92... still using it alongside waldorf Q, k5000s, etc.. it's a great beast, has held up well, exceptionally versatile sample-re-shaping architecture, good sounding a/d/a stages (if not the quietest), superb keyboard feel and playability... however there are some (shockingly incorrect) bits of mis-information in some of the posts on here that i feel should be pointed out to avoid confusion for anyone trying to understand what the asr is capable of... so keep the following in mind:
A) you can't burn audio cds from it; the asr does not support such devices (support was never coded into its OS). in fact, the asr is not entirely compatible with all cd-rom drives; be sure to refer to www.chickensys.com in their knowledge base section when purchasing scsi devices for it. It uses a proprietary (non-dos) filesystem - chicken systems has further information.
B) the only analog signal path in the asr is at the input and output stages. There are no analog filters here, everyone. The effects are entirely in the digital domain. The only ensoniq boards with analog filters (curtis, actually!) were the mirage and esq-1... however, the asr's filters sound very musical and warm, even tho they aren't resonant.
C) you may eventually have to remove the back (bottom) of the sampler at some point and (gently and properly) re-seat some of the socketed chips near the powersupply, especially the 68xxx's high and low rom chips... because of the changes in heat between on and off, the unit can suffer from chip creep... in warm climates (even here in montreal in the summer) it can run at _very_ hot temperatures... i leave it on all the time to minimize the temperature shifts. In other words, if the asr is giving a lot of strange "error 122 - reboot?" messages or whatever, you may just have to pop the top rather than take it in to be $erviced.
D) it can be a (standard) 16 channel midi controller. Not 128. Only 1 midi output jack ;-)
it is strikingly different from modern samplers, both in sound and user interface ;-) ... one should keep in mind that "state of the art" should never apply as a deciding criterion for a _musical_instrument_... it's not a cellular phone.... a stratovarius is hardly new, technics' sl-1200's are a 20-year old design, dopfer's modular systems aren't based on NASA technology ... there is a reason the asr is still respected, and it has to do with its' sound, color, and personality... some of the modern samplers and synths will still be respected 10+ years from now much like the asr for the sorts of reasons just mentioned; however, many will be easily forgotten as well. Anyone still using the roland DJ-70 or U-20? hehe. didn't think so.
I no longer use the asr live, as it had a very busy decade... newer equipment _is_ more reliable, if without as much personality and individuality. Except the neuron. :-)
caveat emptor ;-)
|
|
The truth is the truth ASR 10 is about the greatest sampler ever made if you still have one keep it if you don't have one don't go out and buy one I have a triton and a Motif great keyboards but the ASR 10 just has a feel about it one of the reasons I love it is that it comes without sounds so you have to be creative when using it. I mainly use it to create new sounds out of samples and it still interfaces with Wavelab and Recycle better then the triton or the motif. I am impressed with the writings on the V-synth but time will tell
|
|
I've had this board for about 5 years now maybe. This was my first piece of gear and I was glad I got it as my first piece. It took a while to learn the board...about a month...but after learning it, it becomes 2nd nature to you.
The built in effects on this thing is great. You get about 50 effects times 4 presets each where you can edit them all to your liking. Reverbs, choruses, compressors, eq, delays, wah wahs, box rooms, distortion, and etc are all there. You can also sample a sound, and resample that same sound with the effects...and layer another sound over it.
The sequencer is great for hiphop or dance. It has a nice smooth mechanical groove to it.
Nice filters and envelopes for programming sounds also. You can set envelopes for volume, filters, or whatever you want to control. You can have a sample trigger clear and then get muffled out while increasing in modulation if you want. There are a lot of things on this board that many people who use it may not know about.
I mostly use this for my hiphop production and it can produce a solid album standing alone by itself if you want it to. You you need is the MC, a mic, and a recorder. I still think this board is still better than all the newer ones on the market today for hiphop. This board does not have that commercial pop feeling as these other new ones, which is a good thing for me at least. Just raw hiphop or dance music that doesn't sound chessy.
|
|
Well folks, I love keyboards!! I have owned so many of them that my wife is going to make me go to keyboard annonomous!! Each Keyboard manufacturer has its own cool ideas. If you could make one huge keyboard with the sounds of one, the editing of another, the sequencer of another and so on, you would have a cool Keyboard that might fit in your garage, Maybe! I check out all of the cool web sites on Keyboards just to learn more about what cool things you can do with them. Hats off to all of you folks that have these great keyboard sites with all of this neat information!! Thank you!! THAT WONDERFUL ASR10 sits as king on top of my stack of keyboards. I have owned mine since 1984 and still have not gotten through the entire manual that is 3 inches thick of thin paper. This masterpiece does so much that it is unreal. Yes fellow musicians, the new jobs do a little this better or a little that better and so on. I see some of you complain to move on to something newer. Well, go ahead friend. Buy a new something! Some of you are tired of crashing or you don't like the ASR10 sounds. Please find something that you like. All of use love something in a keyboard. All of us write or play music that is unique to the writer. We all have a keyboard that makes the sound we like to play the way we like to play.Cool!!! I have to admit, I do not play my ASR10 very much be cause it is used as only a sampler, and I love it. I use other cool keyboards to accompish my music. But I consider the ASR10 a Master piece sampler and I keep it because it is cherry, its paid for and I can not find anything that is as classic as this wonderfull old piece of technology. I wonder what it would have been like when the engineers at Ensoniq sat at the design table adding ideas and dreams to build a cool, cool sampler. Smoke, pencils and paper must have been flying around the engineers room with all of beginnings. Hey all of you keyboard masters, I think this rig is just like a 1957 T-bird or Bel Air. Every time I take the cover off of it, it just looks cool. Of all of the keyboards that I had, this one has a great feel to the keys. They put wonderful quality in the way it plays and feels and the way you can adjust the touch response. Just about every keyboard that I play feels cheap compared to the ASR10. The only other keyboards that have good feel to them is a good weighted controller built by Korg or Yamaha!! I can't write enough about this rig. But one thing is for sure. I read and read about all the other keyboards and the coments that folks write, and this ASR10 has to be the most written about rig there is. You can own a new Mustang CVT or a 1957 T-Bird F model and they are both wonderful and great. You can own a new Korg Trinity or an Ensoniq ASR10!!! That is the great thing about America. No other country built a keyboard like the B3 Hammond. No other country built a wild sampler like the ASR10. Built in America. These are the two greates and most contraversial keyboards ever built!!!!!!!!!! God Bless America one more time!!!
|
|
I have used my ASR-10 since 1995 on tours across the USA and to Japan, now using it in London. I use many large samples of analog Mini Moogs and Arp Odysseys, and complex sequences, thankfully never have had a failure onstage when I press start for the beginning of a song, or play the keyboard....thats impressive to me!
|
|
The ASR 10 is a classic and there is always someone hating. I give it a 4 out of 5 because the sequencer sucks but then thats what cubase and the like are for. 11 years in I have used and paid for a lot but I still favor the sampling power of the ASR 10. Many producers use it as a secret weapon. Get it if you can cause Im not getting rid of mine for under $1000. To all those on this get the new thats cool and all but you still need a selection of things to help with creativity, but then alot of you want the easy way, it sounds great but.......
|
|
The ASR 10 is a classic and there is always someone hating. I give it a 4 out of 5 because the sequencer sucks but then thats what cubase and the like are for. 11 years in I have used and paid for a lot but I still favor the sampling power of the ASR 10. Many producers use it as a secret weapon. Get it if you can cause Im not getting rid of mine for under $1000. To all those on this get the new thats cool and all but you still need a selection of things to help with creativity, but then alot of you want the easy way, it sounds great but.......
|
|
These people here trying to review the ASR 10 sound so screwed up it ridiculs check this users here said:
"Once people wake up and start learning that this new gear on the market blows the ASR away you won't be able to get diddley for it"
responds:
Are you Freakin crazy? sure sounds like it!
Nothing blows the ASR-10 away nothing name one sampling keyboard machine? I thought so.
don't say Kurz or MPC the ASR was and is light years away still 10 years after creation.
the only thing the ASR-10 lacks is a pro sequencer but who needs that when so many others out there.
1. 128 midi channel controller 2. 1024 samples loaded at once. 3. Resample with high quality effects w/ext proces 4. High quality design never had problems in 10 years. 5. Aftertouch, Velocity keys, dynamic modulation, etc, etc, etc, 6. etc,etc,etc,etc,etc
and many many more even todays keyboard don't offer
another user said don't buy this if you want state of the art:
Responds:
this synth has been and still is state of the art.
who cares about the minor features that grasp todays newer samplers?
|
|
Well, I had to answer to all this. I've gigged a blue screen one for about 5 years now and the only time I had a problem was when a zip disk died on me, but that's not the ASR. I haven't heard a piano sound that can stand out live as much as this one does. Very bright and not for classical stuff. This beast has a punch to it which I haven't heard in other boards. But to be fair I haven't tried many others as I didn't need to.
Shame there isn't a standard rez filter, but there's a seperate effects disk for that one which will do just fine.
Sure it's dated and I'm getting worried about the endless disk swapping. I'm changing over to a more giggable machine for my band, but this one will stay if only for sentimental reasons.
Don't buy this if you want state of the art and if you do don't pay to much. I'd agree with the other people here that much has happened since. In my view it's a classic descendant of the Fairlight (which I also have). 5!
Regards
|
|
The ASR has a definite sound quality that cant be matched by software...5 out of 5....minus 2 for technical problems.....3
|
|
Seems like there's been but ASR bashing happening and all that talk about moving on. Yes the ASR is a bit long in the tooth in 2003 but to my ear it is still the best for hip hop and Rap songs.
Instead of buying more and more gears today, I buy more and more computers and I think softwares, and some hardwares, are the best way to go because upgrade is cheaper and they don't get obsolete as fast. I have Gigasampler, Halion and numerous other softsynth but whenever I want a really fat sound, I go back to my ASR. Yes for Hi Fi drum sounds you can't beat Battery, it's got that thump when you hit a tom tom. But I can get the same result and even more with my ASR with some compression added. Plus it's easy to navigate on the O.S. and the screen on ASR is good for your eyes ( working with computers for the past few years really did some damage to my eyes). It's the sound that counts and for the same reason people are paying unreal amount of money for a SP-1200 or MPC-60. For the groove? Even Cubase's got a MPC groove style, so what cannot be substitued by a computer? Character of the sound!
Nowadays you can pick up an ASR 2nd hand cheaply in ebay and comparing with the skyrocket price they are asking for the new synth, I know where to put my money. I have one ASR and one ASR-10. Plus they make very good Outboard Effect processors.
|
|
Ensoniq samplers are still very much relevant. They never were the best built or most reliable but mine's never given me much trouble, despite being really beat up (don't blame me, I bought it that way). What makes them great is the nice interface, easy to use sequencer, great effects and great sound, all in one package. What makes them CLASSIC is the polyphonic aftertouch keyboard, synthesized loop algorithm, transwave modulation and that lovely thing that happens when the loop points are too close. No other samplers can do that and this makes Ensoniq samplers irreplaceable. Other companies are sort of catching up (Emu is anyway, most of the other brands still seem pretty lame) but in some ways Ensoniqs are still ahead of their time, maybe not anymore in sound and versitility, but there still tricks that only Ensoniqs can do. Motifs and Fantoms are alright if you're going for vanilla, but no thanks, Ensoniqs have much more appeal to me.
|
|
I notice there are many of you with questions regarding the ASR-10 (I have an ASR-10 Rack myself).
You can get the info you need at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ensoniq-ASR10-EPS16/
|
|
I bought my ASR-10 about a year ago and love to make music on this thing. Everything seems to work with you. It's fun to just play with sound in this way. Now all that has changed. The other night I was working away in my studio, and it just turned off. When you try to turn it on the lights will come on for a brief second, then nothing. Someone please tell me this has happened to them and it was a easy fix. I don't know what I'll do with out my ASR 10. I might have to go back to making tunes with my hand and armpit.
|
|
I recently bought an ASR-10 from a friend that I used to write music with, even though I couldn't really afford it, because from experience I know nothing sounds as warm and musical as the ASR. It is in perfect condition- I couln't see a beautiful machine go to somebody that didn't understand it. I'm sick of using my Mac and decided to get back into hardware. This Keyboard was so ahead of its time-127 layers of wavesamples, incredible effects, there is nothing like it. I am after the waveboy filter disc if anyone wants to do a software swap??
|
|
I have been so lucky to own my rack-version of the ASR-10 for nearly 10 years now.It has been a very good friend, and it is most certainly a powerful tool. Apparently,when making i.e vocal- harmonies,and be able to listen to the previous sample while recording a new,is not happening on other samplers.I use the ASR to record all my vocal and this function is crucial for me.Also:the fact u can make "ghost- copies" of samples save a lot of memory,and u can layer vocals till the cows come home!!MAGIC!!!!! One BAD thing about the ASR-10:Communication with external hard-drives-i.e starting up cold via hard-drive..Otherwise it is AMAZING!!!!
|
|
Ok, first off there is not another machine like it. I used the MPC 60, 2000xl and 3000 and believe me the asr is far superior, The sequencing on the mpc is better no doubt, But Sampling on the asr is by far the best, sampling on the MPC is very wack...and besides the Asr torches the mpc on sampling by a wider margin then the mpc beats the asr on sequencing...If you have skills you can flip the ASR sequencer's....Heads like Necro, Evidence and Alchemist use his piece 24/7...The asr really changed my life and i never stopped learning it, the machine has such a warm sound and a mind of its own......When i die bury me with the ASR...
|
|
ASR-10.. My favroit art form/sampler/ insturment/ anything you can do befor it crashes.That's it simple and plain out of every thing I've used this is by far one of the most loved and respected peices of equipment ever.Anyone that has one knows the feelings.And if anyone is not happy with thiers let me get the first bid.(e-mail me at across@prodigy.com att. Math S. Avage.)
|
|
I LOVE MY ASR !!!!! but only by itself it would crash when being used with my MPC never could figure that one out. I like it better for drums than the MPC in honesty. For an all in one unit this is it. PLEASE BELIEVE IT. The MPC needs a keyboard, rack modules etc, etc, etc. Leave the ASR-x where ever u found it.
|
|
Many sampler products out there, some better than others...none all complete of course. Tried some myself, & noticeably as the years progress these new machines, whether they're keys' or 'boxes sound cleaner & cleaner & cleaner. No grit, no ummph, no soul; input=output & that's it. Whatever fx are within to saturate & mesh, more often sounds/feels like Libby's tin cans. StraightUP, I will never part with my ASR10. Quite simply, it is STILL the BEST sounding sampler I have ever heard, barnone. Like, don't you buy these things to transform whatever the source sound is to something else to your liking??? Even more so, why hasn't the EMU company duplicated this engine & put it in a new unit with all it's 'soul' intact?? Why are these companies run by f**kin'idiots who don't know jacksh*t about pleasing their customers who know something great when they hear/see/touch it??? Jeezus, all you naysayers who sold your unit or gave it away or trashed for some Akai or other bulls**t will never have your jointz sound HOT! ever again. Peep the Amp fx (#31 I think) for those who still do (21 gun salute) & use that for your drums or bass lines...it don't getz no betta...
|
|
Two things really attracted me to the ASR-10. Firstly, the studio-in-a-box concept &, secondly, the ability of the ASR-10 to resample sounds through its internal effects processor. Even today this is something several samplers (i.e. the Korg Triton) can't do!
Although recording to a PC or a dedicated digital recorder with real knobs & faders is far less cumbersome, I can report that the ASR-10, with a fair amount of "nursing", is able to operate as a production studio. Around 1998-99 I recorded an entire album using my ASR-10 & a Seagate Barracuda 2.1GB 7200RPM external SCSI hard drive. I would not really recommend audiotrack recording to anyone unless they have increased the ASR-10's internal RAM (I specified 16MB RAM & SCSI at the outset - loading sounds takes all day using the ASR-10's floppy drive - a ZIP drive makes much more sense). Basically audiotrack recording worked as advertised. I was able to bounce audiotracks together & to themselves, repeatedly, through effects (usually the 44kHz reverbs & the 44PARAM EQ effect) without any trouble. Everyone raves about 24bit 96kHz recording now, but I thought that the Ensoniq-controlled recordings I did sounded great. If all you've ever used are analogue portastudios or even PC's with mediocre sound cards you'll hear the difference immediately! The only problems I encountered using audiotracks pertained to the ASR-10's achilles heel - its bug-ridden on board sequencer! To prevent crashes I saved SONG+SEQ & BANK data frequently. Even so, I was never able to get the audiotrack punch-in function to work. This meant I had to perform vocals in single takes! Nowadays I record to a Fostex VF16, although I still perform much of my sound design & basic sequencing on the Ensoniq.
It's as a sound design beast that the ASR-10 still shines. I'm into a lot of what, these days, they (Wire magazine) call electro-acoustic music. Not so long ago terms like ambient/industrial or electronica described similar territories. For creating wonderfully rich, unearthly sound effects & drones I have found the ASR-10 to be most effective. The trick is to resample sounds through effects & the MAIN OUT channel. The most prosaic & boring sounds can quickly be transformed into something entirely unexpected. All that's required is a little recklessness when it comes to selecting effect parameters. For example, resampling through the 44CHO+REV+DDL effect with heaps of reverb mix (70% or more) & chorus regeneration quickly smooths almost anything out into an unearthly drone. String sections, guitar sounds & the like often sound wimpy/cheesy straight off disk. Try resampling these sounds through the COMP+DIST+REV, CHO+DIST+REV (with the Q values set ludicrously) or guitar amp simulator effects for instant sonic demolition. These 30kHz effects are also good for "adding" a lo-fi "warmth" to sounds. If things get too murky you can always resample through the 44PARAM EQ effect to add sparkle. Some people have complained that the ASR-10's effects sound a bit tinny. I think these opinions are bound to be subjective. Before I purchased my ASR-10, my main effects unit was a Peavey Addverb II - this was definately much noisier & murkier than even the 30kHz reverbs on the Ensoniq. I still find the 44kHz reverb a good all-round effect. The 44LUSH PLATE effects are even shinier, yet add a warmth that my newer technology Yamaha REV500 (20bit converters, 32bit processing) takes a fair amount of twiddling to emulate.
I've never really used the instruments that came with the ASR-10 or on the 4 Invision CD-ROMs I own except, perhaps, the GRAND PIANO. Although this instrument must be pretty long in the tooth by now, I still really like it & use it a great deal in my song/lyric music. Other sounds, available from CD-ROMs, that I've used, have usually been customised to a considerable degree - but that's what sampling & sound design are all about!
Considering that EMU/Ensoniq have washed their hands of the ASR-10 I couldn't really recommend one to a prospective buyer unless the price was really right. There is quite a bit of third party support out there, but with older, 2nd hand gear you always have to take a calculated risk. I will say that, in the 5 years I've owned my ASR-10, only recently did it develop power supply fuse problems which were easily & inexpensively fixed. I would recommend any buyer of a 2nd hand ASR-10 to get one with expanded RAM (10MB at least) & SCSI. If the manual comes with the machine, so much the better. It's BIG, but well written & crucial to getting the most out the keyboard. I believe the ASR-10 manual can still be downloaded from the EMU/Ensoniq website.
Lots of people had problems with the ASR-10 in its early days. I believe these can be attributed to a combination of OS bugs (particularly the sequencer which will NOT perform to its theoretical limits), dodgy power supplys (or uneven mains power - you should run your ASR-10 through a line filter like any computer, I suffered less hangs & crashes when I bought one) & faulty or damaged RAM. My ASR-10 was a late model with the LCD display & OS3.53. Once I bought a line filter & learned to "nurse" the sequencer it gave me very few problems. It's still a fabulous machine, it still sounds really good. I'm still discovering new ways to create sonic bliss & mayhem on it. One day I suppose it will finally stop working - but may that day be a long way off!!!
|
|
ENSONIQ WAS AHEAD OF ITS TIME FORGET THE MPC and the sp 1200 they simply cant do what this boss 8 layers, the effects/ resampling. ensoniq changed the game take it to all its levels before you even think to doubt it. specificately speaking all modulators, edit amp envelope,and filters.Ive been using this board since august of 93 with 10 meg and consider myself an asr-10 master so those guys at korg and the rest of them salesreps can keep there korg triton also who cares if timbaland uses it. ensoniq asr-10 and i wanna keep doing me. and that goes for those mpc and sp1200 heads out there those drum machines dont do what are sampling hidden syth does. oh yeah we have you sampled as well.
|
|
ASR-10 Rox0rz! I've been using the asr-10 since 1993, and it's still better than any new keyboards out there.
peace, mikeB http://www.mp3.com/mikeB
|
|
Folks, I need to find a SCSI kit and a reputable electronics Tech. to install it. I live in seattle, so please, no great advice about some dude in anaheim. thanks
|
|
I have just purchased my Ensoniq ASR -10 .I love what it does so far but i have one problem sometimes when I load up sounds i will hear a irritating pop/cackle like sound in the background,or when i use a microphone i will hear it.Can anyone please tell me how to fix this problem?It is really annoying me? thanks
|
|
ASR-10 was and still is aheah of its time! Wut else do you want sounds? Quit sittin' in the lab diggin' in your nose thinkin' about shiped factory sounds and start diggin' in the crates! This keyboard is serious!
|
|
I use the ASR-10 for all of my production. This is one of the best workstations created. I haved used other gear and I just prefer the ASR-10. The SP-1200'S, MPC'S are tight, but the beats that are constructed on these units are created by the user. Choose whatever unit you prefer and just make some good music.
I have a ASR-10 keyboard in very good condition, fully blown 16mb memory, with sound disks and all manuals. I am selling it for $1100. The only reason I am selling this unit is because I have two.
For more info. contact Kalar at 678-592-0082 or email me at Kalar1@att.net
|
|
ASR10 is like my right hand! I only wish there were places to buy more keyboard sounds for it. I was beefin with some wack sound company over poor quality when I saw some heads on hear recommended banginbeats.com, thank you, thats all i can say. they filled the bill for dope hiphop drums, made my sh*t sound CURRENT! but i still need a place for those hot key sounds, anyone have advice? please email me at trackslaya@yahoo.com. No complaint about my asr10, only wish It wasnt so big and heavy, that sh*ts a pain to lug to the studio! lol!
|
|
The ASR is a HOT machine and hot I mean temperature-wise. From what I heard the Ensoniq designer used the front/top panel as a heat sink and you can almost fry an egg on top. But my cat loves it! I have two ASR and the reson I bought the 2nd one was because the 1st one brokedown and I needed to go into studio the next day. Now the problem was fixed because my maintenance guy discovered a loose connection to the power supply which caused spark and ruined some of the board, 'causing a lot of erratic behaviour and unreliability. This problem existed in my other ASR too so it may a potential hazzard to yours as well. Well worth checking it out.
Anyway after all these, I'm happy to report that my ASRs are working perfectly and when they work, they are the best. I sample everything through it. Sometimes I sample the guitar solo, EFX it and play it back and it gives a very finished touch. Forget about Akai, I hate the "plastic" sound of Akais.And who wants hi-fi sound when this thing can give you sooo much character? the AD of ASR is absolutely FAT. Great for String and dark brass pads, big MF bass, super punchy drums. Do not import Akai sounds and expect them to sound good 'cause they don't. The only way to make it sound good is to sample through it's Analog input. Forget about the digital board, a piece of crap, I sold mine. The ASR is a beast and you've got to tame it to bring out the best!!!
|
|
I just purchased an ASR10 and love it.. I know they can tend to be a little moody but I love the history and the support you get with this sampler.. I just wanted to know if anyone can give me some tips to start me off in the right direction.. converting wav. files, filtering,manipulating sounds,and where to pick up some phat sounds.. any input is welcomed. Thanks
|
|
What a hunk of junk! Least it's nice to know I wasn't the only one who had problems (the input jacks died within 1-2 months of owning it) The display sucks compared to the EMu E64 that I happily replaced it with. The effects? Well, it's Ensoniq effects, and not that great at that. Who in the world came up with 37 instruments per bank was it? (It's been awhile) That was very annoying to deal with in comparison to the EMu. Now my E64 has basically been replaced by a PC running GigaStudio96, which again, kicks the crap outta the Emu, which kicks the crap outta the ASR10. I have no nostalgic feelings for that unit. It was difficult to use, the build quality was horrible, and the sound wasn't all that. Do yourself a favor - if you have ANY plans on aquiring this thing, look for something else.
|
|
I know my Asr-10 pretty well I would say. Last night I made an amazing sample and I was so afraid I would lose it , only because I havent had a crash in such a long time I thought one was due. So before I got any deeper in mangling the sample I located a blank disk so I could save it just in case. Well I saved it and continued with my song. I took a break several hours later and when I came back , guess what was on the LED screen? Yep ...Error 320 / Reboot? HA HA ..
I knew it was going to happen and I was so thankful that I followed my instinct.
I really do know my ASR....and even though he errors ... I will always love him...(does that sound gay?) Oh well .
|
|
I had an ASR-10 for 4 yrs and LOVED it. It still has the best onboard effets of any sampler I've heard. BUTTT, I had to sell it because: a) Support ended for it (took it to the shop at least once a year for something), b) Needed more than 16mg of RAM, and c) Decided to get the latest technology. Well, I bought an EMU E-synth and love it too, but the effets aren't as good and the architecture isn't as easy to implemnet as the ASR-10. It also doesn't offer the variety of what you can do with samples (ie, actually tweak the physical sample in real time, offer many types of looping algarithms to choose from, etc.). I'm hoping that since EMU have bought Ensoniq that they will build some monster sampler that includes a lot of Ensoniqs ingenious sampling architecture. Emu's is much deeper as far as sound design, but the Ensoniq's were easier to build instant tracks right in the machine!
|
|
I love my ASR-10, but Emu/Ensoniq has completely dropped support for the unit. I had a few characters on my display go out, and they have very firmly informed me that there will be no replacements available... EVER. Unfortunately, this makes buying one rather risky - if it breaks, you can't get it fixed. However, I can't let go of mine, it's too good a machine with too many features and cool effects, so now I must learn to get around the missing character problem somehow.
|
|
This unit seems timeless, with all the new samplers coming out by the day, the ASR-10 to me still, is the most capable sampler of today. So the new machines have more RAM, more voices etc. But seriously, having more RAM, sure it does allow you to load bigger patches like a piano that would sound better, but who really buys a sampler for good piano sounds? Samplers lack good velocity/after touch features of a synth, that allows you to give an emulated instrument real life qualities & feels, so seriously you be better off buying a good synth for instument sounds. Don't get me wrong, the ASR-10 has great sounds & with the layering feature, you can create real life instruments with a bit of elbow grease. I am just stating that, because so many peeps seem to review units nowadays by comparing it with other units, plus as an all in one thing. Some units are too unique to be compared & does what it does just perfect, & it shouldn't be judged as an all in 1 thing, like a sequencer, synth & all because surely everybody knows it's going to lack in certain areas because all in one workstation like units really suck at most things. So my review is based on the ASR-10's sampling features, because there is NOTHING out there like this. Even the newer ASR X Pro with it's over packed features misses what the ASR-10 has. For instance, haveing the keyboard ASR-10, all the buttons & functions are spread out very nice which makes it way faster to excess & more fun & creative to sample, which it's newer counter parts miss, 2nd the ASR-10 has the BEST support out of all the samplers out there, yes the company support sucks ass, but the user support is awesome, I have got 3rd party effects disk like waveboy & syntaur that practically takes the ASR-10 to another level, these are just JUICY & nothing out there sounds as deep & warm as the ASR-10 sampling wise. There is also a huge sound library available for it & a lot you can download from the web. There are several awesome programs made by peeps who own it that allows you to convert akai, wav, aif etc files so you can play it on your asr which makes it the ultimate rompler if you're into sounds, software like EPSDisk that you can download from the net allows you to format disk better than the ASR can so the samples load way faster, I could go on & on. This unit it very unique & fast when it comes to sampling & editing, it's effects section is what makes it the best sampler (my opinion) available nowdays, because it allows you to resample with effects & all, that saves you a lot time & you can get your sample into your tracks without fuss, so more time, to create & generate ideas, less time fidling with damn buttons just to get it up & happening. I could go on for days about how awesome this unit is but will cut it short, if you want something with personality & with ease of use, this is the unit. If you're looking for a sampler just to have a big sound library, then get something with more RAM. The ASR is for peeps who are into editing & making great bass drum & snare sounds, vocal stabs etc, this unit is great for hip-hop & dance being it's clean & has a deep warm A/D convertors & sounds great, I wouldn't recommended the sequencer on this, this unit used for making grooves is what it's best at, it will blow away the Akai MPC as a groove unit, but not as a sequencer, but whoever really uses onboard sequencers anymore?. Anyway I better jet, so my last words is, you can't go wrong having this unit even if you already have a sampler etc, this is a great addition to your rig & can be used as an 24bit effects unit stand alone & all, where you can get new effects on disk which makes this unit timeless. Cheers!
|
|
I got my ASR 10 about 8 months ago. I know what it's capable of doing it's the badest machine that I know because my producer had one and made all my music on it. If anybody can give me tips on how to connect and use it better I would appreciate it and I will hook you up. I know the basics but thats all I know.
|
|
Hi Harold -
I did a little digging to find you an Operating System.
Here you go :
http://www.chickensys.com/kb/026.html
|
|
Can you say classic I started making beats on this in 93 its is still the best beat sampler out I own a Triton, MPC and tons of other synts I dont use the sequencer cause my production has got deeper but If you just need a head nod hip hop beat nothing does it like the ASR 10 Plus the synth inside it a monster you can do alot of programing with this keyboard stuff that the Triton can't do
|
|
There is so much that can be said about the asr 10. It can do so much and its so easy to use. I use it as the heartbeat of my production which is experimental and house. I also have the resonant filter disk from waveboy and that really sweetens up the asr10. I also love the jazz drums factory disk. The only bad thing about this sampler is you have to love it. because it is very tempremental. I only use it in the studio because mine doesn't like it when you move her. Incidentally I named mine AMY.
|
|
It's true about the ASR when it comes to controlling other devices. I used to get blank screens when I boot up. One time I was running the computer sequencer hooked up to the ASR and the ASR went crazy. It never booted up again. I thought I would give it a couple of days rest but it would not boot. I called every shop and they would not fix it. Finally I got the number to the ENSONIQ Malvern Pennsylvania office and they finally said OK, send it in, but don't tell nobody. They charged me $275.00 dollars but they fixed my ASR, upgraded the memory to the full 16, and brought my baby back to life. This was last year. To this day if I hook up a midi cable to the midi out of the ASR it starts to act up. I can sequence it using Logic or an MPC2000XL fine just as long as I don't try to hook up the midi out. The bottom line is that I went trough hell to get the ASR working again because it's the phattest piece of equipment I have. All I do is sample so I haven't even played with LFO's,envelopes,pitch tables, transwaves etc... The ASR-10 is slowly fading away but I'm going to use mine until it's last breath. When it does die I'll use it as a cofee table.
|
|
Hello
I just wanted to say that exactly 5 minutes ago my ASR-10 crashed for the 3rd time tonight. This thing is not dependable for a TRUE workstation . Thing is is that the processor just cannot handle too much. It's only like 26 mhz so dont put it through too much like I do. This is the worse it has ever been though , 3 times in night ...c'mon that is UNNACCEPTABLE! Anyhow , I am still happy with it but I must fill you in on what I was putting it through to make it crash. It's really only when you use the sequencer that you are most at risk , especially when you slave it. I had the ASR controlling a cheap ass midified SK-1 along with a half broken TX-16w , clocking a crappy RX-15 drum box, and with that the ASR-10 was being slaved to another crappy mini-disc 8 track. Talk about budget but even with this set up the ASR still could not handle being told what to do in all different directions. It only likes to be the master and even then you still have to watch out . Lucky for me I know and can predict my ASR's sleeping habbits (read:Error - Reboot 144) and I back up everything to a floppy when I have more than a 1/4 of the memory used. The sequencer is so easy to use and I cant believe I still use it as my only sequencer. I have had the ASR for about 5 years now and am still discovering stuff every time I use it, REALLY. That's what it is good for. I dont think it's ever going to become a classic though , for some reason... Probably because it is so digital. There is nothing analog about it. The filters are not that good but all in all , the ASR is cool and absolutely not something you cannot learn in a day or even a year. It is immense all the stuff it can do. Just beware that it will crash if you use it to it's full potential. If you just want to sample bits and pieces of Britney Spears or "Scary" Spice then it will never crash , but if you use alot of sequencer memory and do weird things with your rig then BE CAREFUL....it may piss you off more than you like.
|
|
My ASR-10 is my best friend. It sucks how Ensoniq abandoned it and it's users though. They need to release some upgrades for it or even continue the ASR tradition of keyboards and desktops. The biggest thing that bothers me about it is the fact that there is only 8 instruments. I recommend this keyboard to everyone who wants a sampler. If you are into Hip-hop and want to hear what an ASR can do, go to www.mp3.com/originalbombay. If anyone has some tips and tricks I would love to learn about them (e-mail). PEACE!!!!!!
|
|
I love this machine - it's effects, it's playability.... it's so damn easy to use. I've also used the Triton and MPC 2000.... This machine seems to be a little more usable as far as 1) musicality 2) functionality and 3) practicality. While the other samplers are great machines, I think the ASR10 is a great buy for the money!
*also check out the waveboy stuff to get more outof it!*
|
|
I have had my ASR since 93 and I couldn't live without it! I have learned a lot of interesting tricks that you can use the ASR for. The patch buttons and mod wheel have limitless uses and can be assinged to almost anything. It took me a couple of years to use the time stretch function effectively. I f anyone out there needs help let me know I have been deep in this machine and know a few things more than the average user. I just wish ensoniq would release a keyboard to answer the korg triton.. Like maybe an ASR-16 with 16 loadable instruments, a progammable analog style synth section with an appregiator that would be the bomb for hip-hop/electronica type production. overall 5 out of 5
|
|
I've had and played with a bunch of samplers like the Triton, MPC's, Yamaha etc.. Many of them are nice as hell but for some reason I keep going back to the ASR. It's real a simple yet deep machine. I paid over $2000.00 for it in 96 and I still love it to this day. The sequencer is ok but it's no where like an MPC. I use an MPC 2000XL to sequence the complex stuff but for a quick idea I'll do it on the ASR. I keep it connected to my mixer and sample from a turntable. Do a quick edit, add effects, resample it or whatever and go. It's a heavy ass keyboard so you'll probably wanna get in shape if you plan to haul it around. The ASR-X's read the ASR-10 samples so thats a plus for those machines but the ASR-10 is "ol faithful". One thing though is that technical support for this machine is hard to come by. Also it doesn't read wav files or any other formats for that matter.BUT you can fit a tom of samples on one disk. If you want a PHAT sound get an ASR-10.............
|
|
I love my asr10! It's very easy to use and sounds great. For an old sampler it rocks. also if you have one then check out waveboy for a resonant filter effects disk. This adds so much to the asr. I sometimes think about getting a new sampler but I don't think they are worth the cash. Pick up an asr10 and you will be laying down tracks in no time
|
|
I have had a FULL-BLOWN ASR-10 FOR 5-YEARS AND HAD NO PROBLEMS,IT'S THE BOMBEST BOARD FOR HIP HOP (SUPER FAT). I USE IT EVERY DAY IT'S MY MAIN CONTROLLER FOR ALL MY GEAR AND SO EASY TO MAKE A BEAT WITH USER-FRIENDLY,AND WITH A ZIP OR JAZ (BAMMM) IT'S SO FAST TO LOAD SOUNDS AND SONGS THE SKY'S THE LIMIT. BUT,MAYBE SOMEONE CAN HELP ME HOOK UP THE ASR-10 TO CUBASE,I SEQ THROUGH THE ASR-10 AND DROP THE WHOLE BEAT ON ONE TRACK BUT,I'D NEED TO KNOW HOW TO HOOK IT UP THE RIGHT WAY SO I COULD SEQ THROUGH CUBASE AND I'LL BE SO GREATFULL IN EXCHANGE I'LL KICK-DOWN SOMEONE SOME FREE-SOFTWARE OR SAMPLE-CD'S FOR HELPING ME OUT THAT WOULD MAKE THE ASR-10 THE BOMBEST TO ME.THANKS ALOT ENSONIQ,I WISH YOU COULD BRING OUT A ASR-10 MAKE 2 I WOULD BE THE FISRT TO GO AND BUY IT.. PEACE TO ALL ENSONIQ USERS ........
|
|
I have had my ASR-10 for about six years. At the time of purchase I wanted the self contained studio aspect of the machine, and for that purpose it shined. While I am not a tech professional and have not been in the market for a new instrument in many years, I still cannot think of another machine that includes the ease of use with quality of sound, good price, and PLAYABILITY. I have never had a problem with crashing, but I have never used the ASR for more than four hours at a time, nor have I used up all of its memory (my machine now has four megs). Now, after six years and ALOT of time on the road (I have used this machine for any situation in which I have needed a digital instrument) It appears that I do have a hardware problem, but I have never before had to service the machine and have used it for alot of gigging and travelling. As a jazz player, I like the feel of the ensoniq synth action better than any other I have played. To this date, the piano sounds are respectible and I have yet to find an organ sample that I like better than the ASR organ. The built in sequencer gives me an opportunity to quickly create simple demos of new tunes for my quintet and the effects are simply brilliant. I think the instrument is still quite relevent despite its age, and I'm sure you can find one for a very good price these days.
|
|
Hey, My comments has to be 9 of 10, Pros is sound quality, FX, resampling and nice keyboard. Editing is a dream and it is very quick. Building quality is exceptional Cons. No res-filters, only 8 instruments, Timing, but I sequence it from Cubase now and have no problem what so ever. I very rarely face any bugs and its on for about 1 month before I switch it off (actually!) I do gets very hot so I can almost fry an egg on it but thats perfect. Now I anyhow wants an ASR-x, since the only things Im missing with it is in the "x" 16 intsruments, rez-filters. Very good indeed!
|
|
I have owned the eps, eps16+, and the ASR10. The ASR10 can make great sounds. It can make very musical sounds and function well as a remix board when you learn how to use it best. BUT it is terribly compromised as a musical instrument. If you want to play a keyboard then the ASR has a big problem because the cpu is a 68000 and way underpowered for what the machine is trying to do. It is the same cpu that was in the EPS. So what? The timing of notes stinks. Eight one layer notes take 20+ ms to turn on. Eight two layer notes take 35+ ms to turn on. With two plus layers you can easily hear chords spread out and come in late. This is not the board for sequencing tight rhythm tracks. I wrote a letter to Ensoniq a while back and they acknowledged the issue saying that the ASR pushed the limits of what was possible since it was still a souped up EPS. If you want a good playable instrument then the EPS (either version) is still good even with the limitations. The ASR can do good stuff but not as a playable instrument. Note that the acronyms themselves should give you a clue that Ensoniq engineers realized the strengths and weaknesses of what they had. EPS is Ensoniq Performance Synth. ASR is Advanced Sampling Recorder. Whatever you find yourself using know its limitations.
|
|
to all that have problems with the ASR crashing, you probably simply got the wrong ram simms, most of the time thats the problem. i got several ASRs, all fully expanded, and with 2 ASRs in the studio, working with them every day, i get perhaps something like 1 crash per year (probably even less, i cant even remember the last time it crashed).
only other possible problem i know could be that you dont have the "latest" OS (3.53), or you use the internal sequencer a lot, synced to external clock, a setup the ASR obviously doesnt like too much...
with an external sequencer, right OS and ram, the ASR simply *never* crashes IMHO.
|
|
Sure, it crashes, but before it does that it sounds brilliant. I've found that without expanded memory the wait times on sound computation and other memory-shuffling functions are reduced. I have an only moderately expanded ASR, which I have purposely removed some memory from. It reduced crashing problems, and it's a faster machine now. I find that I don't really miss the xtra mem... everybody needs limits. I probably couldn't live without Waveboy's LO-FI effect, from the SONIQ-DEMOLITION disk. An unbelievably indespensable effect. No other effector doing "lo-fi" does what this effect does. Almost every other one I've seen drops the sample rate only, to give you a bunch of artifacts. Which is cool, but kind of played out. You don't always want to sound like the intro to a Meat Beat Manifesto tune. The Waveboy lo-fi actually mimicks a lo-fidelity transmission, like a walkie-talkie. It's an incredibly tasty midrange effect that doesn't wear on the ears. It's a strangely hi-fi lo-fi effect, if that makes any sense, and it's killing on vocals. The other thing about the ASR is that it's easy to mute and unmute your sequencer tracks live, so it's great for gradually unfolding a song over only a few sequences. I've done a lot of complex programming on it that made people drop their jaw in disbelief when I tell them it was sequenced on a hardware sequencer, on an ASR10. If you get creative with multiple copies of samples, with different loop points for really tight little stutters, and use the mod wheel to control the volume of these samples, you can come up with some amazing stuff. Stuff that people would assume had to come from Logic audio or Cubase. I'm talking tricky breakbeat stuff here. Proves once again that music is all in the mind, soul and will and not in the hardware itself (obviously there are limits to this statement). But I think that if you have some common sense, you can find ways to do what you hear in your head.
|
|
I'M HIP HOP PRODUCER IN HONG KONG.MY FIRST SAMPLER IS S3000.BUT WHEN I'GET ASR-10R.I UNDERSTAND THIS SAMPLER IS SO POWER.SOUND SO FAT,CLEAN,STYLE.ALSO THE FX IS GREAT.SOME DISTOR& LO-FI IS USEFUL. BUT EASY GET FEVER.HARD TO OPEARTION.U MUST PRESS BUTTON AGAIN & AGAIN FOR THE PAGE.I JUST GET FOUR 30 PIN SIMME FOR 4 MEG LAST WEEK.NOW IS MORE POWER.AND THEN I GO TO BUG ASR CD ROM.BUT ONE OF I GET IS BAND FROM US CALL CHICAGO THE CD ROM. THE ORGAN&GUITAR SAMPLE IS ERRO.BUT I THINK I GET ASR10R IS THIS WORLD MOST CHEAP PEOPLE.I GET HER LAST YEAR NEW & V3.OS INCL 14 VOLUM FLOOPY JUST US$700.SO I LOVE HER ~~~ASR10R....baby
|
|
What can I say, this board is my pride & joy. Once you get inside of it there's no turning back. It does everthing you need & more. The resampling allows to make completly original sounds w/ bite. And when sequencing there are ways of making loops fit perfectly. Before I got my computer programs I used the onboard sequencer & found it worked rather well. Alot of critics complain that it craps out & crashes...BS! They just don't know what they're doing. Of course this is going to happen if you sit there impatiently pushing buttons waiting for it to respond. This happens w/ any computer based technology. You have to know how to work it. I find this board to be highly reliable. All & all when I think I have this board figured inside & out, I discover soething new it can do. Bought it used for $1300 & its one of the best investments I ever made.
|
|
I am a sound designer,studio owner(small one),and disc jockey,and the ASR is the centerpiece of my studio.My only gripes are that I had to replace the first one immediately,yet Sam Ash music came right through,getting another to me ,and I ended up with an ASR with rackrails,2cords,2 sets of disks,etc,for my trouble.It runs extremely hot,so I just run a fan near it and my power amp.I am having problems with the sampling,yet I had made so many samples when I purchased it,it's not a priority right now.The processor is slow,and if anyone knows how to change it or fix it,please let me know,and we all need to get together and pressure Ensoniq to produce new hardware for the upgrades we all want.Now that the Hacker magazine is gone,is there a way for user's to interact?If there is,email me at Seti 170.
|
|
In my opinion, and for my work, the ASR-10 is simply the best sampler that exists. I have a fully expanded rack (16meg Ram, SCSI, digital I/O) and I wouldn't use anything else. One feature that sets it apart is the fact that NO OTHER SAMPLER has such a wide range of sample rates to choose from (everything from 44kHz right down to 6kHz!) - this is exceptional and allows you to make a sample as grungy and lo-fi as you could possibly want! Using these lower sample rates also saves a lot of memory - so you can get a helluva lot more out of 16 meg than most other samplers (that will only allow you to sample at full (44kHz) or half (22kHz) bandwidth). With this in mind, it easily stands up to newer models with 32 meg or more of Ram. The user interface is simple and easy to navigate, and once you spend some time with it, you can sample, edit & save with speed & ease. The effects are great (and there are plenty!), and the ability to resample with effects (from EQ and dynamics to reverbs, delays or distortion) makes this a sound designer's dream. Eight assignable outputs make the unit great for mixdown, and a good production tool, and hard drive storage is well implemented - I use a Zip Drive, and have never had any problems. Overall, a very flexible, impressive machine with superb sound quality & effects. As with any piece of gear though, a few things could be improved. The addition of resonant filters would be a godsend (and would probably have been enough to send this machine into legendary status) - the Waveboy rezfilter effect is good, but ties up the effects processing. Also, a couple of the more processor- intensive functions (like time compression/expansion) take quite a while to execute (particularly if large samples are involved) - a faster processor would be nice. Finally, graphic waveform editing would also enhance this machine greatly - but I guess you can load your samples into a PC for that (bit of a hassle though). These minor quibbles are the only reason I haven't given the machine a 5 out of 5 - but no machine is perfect. Ensoniq claim to have moved on to bigger & better things with their ASR-X desktop units but I'm not convinced - they've added a couple of new features but have also left off some of the features present in the original ASR-10. I believe the ASR-10 is still available though, but you're probably better off buying one 2nd hand - I've seen them as low as $1200, which is a real bargain.
|
|
a hiphop producer's dream. a lot of people complain about the sequencer.. but if you know how to use it right, you'll get the results you want. the stuff that this board can do to your samples is amazing. the only thing bad about the asr10 is that it's too damn heavy!!
|
|
the good: -user interface is really easy to use -button layout is great -effects and fx routine -nice scratch pad sequencer -OS is updatable via software -clean sampling -very flexible sample editing
the bad: -scsi optional (and the kit is $400 canadian!!) -limited max sample ram -only 31 note polyphony! -only 8 "instruments" at a time... sucks -not msdos compatible disks -no res filters
|
|
This thing simply rocks. It allows me to add a certain personality to my tracks. I won't give it away for anything.
|
|
the asr is the deal for sampling systems
i use my maxed out asr-10 hooked to a bernoulli 150 meg drive
i have had it booted up and running flawlessly for as long as three months non stop in my studio
it could benefit from a software upgrade to take advantage of the progress in the last year and a half or so
but, all things considered, what a machine - 3 out of five, because i can't believe this is as good as it gets
and the asr-10 is really good \
kevin
|
|
error 144 normally means "midi buffer overflow" or something like that. typically,this error would occur if you let the asr do a complex dsp function (->display showing "data being processed") or memory defrag (the famous "shuffling data"-thingy) and run a big sequence into it.sooner or later,the input buffer will run out of memory, solution:just dont do it :-)
other than that,i have to say that IMHO the asr10 is one of the best keyboards ever made.i could not live without this unit,and even in a studio with a virus, roland 2080,mr rack,rhodes something,kurweil k2500,4 akais,juno 106 and more, i find myself almost 95% of the time in front of the asr10.this baby just sounds so incredibly good,and there is not one thing that you *cant* do with it...an amazing sampler and an incredible synth.
my all-time favourite :-) make it a ten
|
|
I do everything on the Asr10, mixed with the jp 8000. I need a couple more synths, but the asr10 sure helps me emulate them. My only wish would be if the memory capacity was the same as the rest of the samplers on the market. I believe that is why I get ERROR 144. Memory maximum. Does anyone out ther actually know what error 144 is? I managed to bust the play button for the sequencer, and the yes button from overuse it's so gooooooood. The system is so logical. the tree of commands. I wish it had knobs to access functions, bou can't have it all. I find the Kurtzweil k2000 comperable but not as logical. I,ve gone from a quick few rentals on the mirage, 5 or 6 years ago, then bought an eps, and for the past couple years i've been on the asr10 and i've been progressively blown away. It sucks for attempting drum and base.(I strickly use it's sequencer. I don't have a computer in the loop). So get one second hand if you don't already have one, it's your all in one deal.
|
|
I'm in love with my ASR!!!!!! This is by far the best piece of equipment I own. It samples like a dream and the overall versility of the machine is phenominal!!! I haven't had many bad experiences...My floppy drive crashed...The play button got loose and wiggly but other than that it's been perfect. I've had my board for about 2 1/2 years and it has been by counselor in my time of dispair, a friend who is there to share the good times with and most of all a way to escape the pressures of the world. I haven't had to call for tech support but if it is as bad as I'm hearing YOU FOLKS AT ENSONIQ NEED TO CHECK YOURSELVES!!!!!! If everyone loves their ASR 10 like I love mine, you Ensoniq guys are setting yourselves up for a major downfall!!! PEACE TO ALL MY ASR 10 HOMIES IN THE WORLD!!!!!!
|
|
I twiddled on an MC-303 for a year until a finally had the chance to get a real sampler/synthesizer...
yeah that's right.. this puppy kicks $#%^ because even the smallest amount of wave data can be looped, layered, morphed and effected to create
whack lead sounds... forget the "classic" sounds and create a domain of your own.
I was lucky enough to pick this up for $1000 dollars Canadian.
It still retails for about $2300 up at dealerships here. At that price it would be a toss-up because there are so many new samplers out that are all probably mindbending. Oh... and here's a bit of help for those who've wanted a resonant filter...
...Contact
WAVeBOY Industries
P.O. Box 233
Paoli, PA 19301 USA
(610) 251-9562 Well on the flipside I've only had my ASR for a mere two functional weeks.
It sat in the shop for a month waiting to get a new ROM and took another months vacation while trying to get the RAM updated.
Be very careful! Get info on the proper RAM. The sounds mine spewwed out when malfunctioning were scary iand at the sametime strangley pleasing.
I've noticed that you can make sample virus' by creating very small loop lengths and then positioning the loop outside the sample start and end points.
Mess with the envelopes, etc, and save this "virus" to disk. Essentially it scrubs through your RAM and snags sample data from the playing it back through every possible variable of the ASR... maybe it's an error...
they appear on this keyboard... lately it's been quite friendly.
Re-sampling is the key...
There are no limits... I'll probably buy a physical modeller of one kind to fill in the gaps
|
|
As a sampler, the ASR-10 is without a doubt a damn good piece of work. Too bad the same can't be said about the company. Their customer support sucks!!
As a new musician, I would call about compatibility with an external HD and by the time I was done talking to them, I was more confused then when I called them. I went out and bought a Syquest EZ-135, and all is now fine. Another thing is there's many a time that you're in the middle of a good sequence and you get an error message and have to reboot. Frustrating as hell !!! As a sampler though, it kicks ass!! I've gotten flawless loops and sounds with it.
And what the hell were they thinking when they released it w/ only 2 MB RAM!! I upgraded it to the maximum 16 MB available within months of purchasing it. Oh, and when are they ever gonna release a newer OS for the damn thing?!?! Overall: I love the ASR-10, but as far as ENSONIQ (the company) is concerned, my vote is w/ Anthony Primerano and him believing that they are without a doubt the worst f*cking company out there. Out!
|
|
The ASR10 must be one of the most innovative machines ever built.
However the Boffins and the Marketing Boys just dont cut it do they.Who
can do anything without SCSI and at least 10 Meg of memory as standard and
with a fully loaded machine does everyone agree there should be some cooling
fan in there, Im on my third Motherboard already, no wonder then is there
That Ensoniq dont ship with with expanded Memory.
While were at it ,have we ever got a straight answer on compatible
Storage Media,my God what a performance,finally Iomega got them out of the
Shit on that one. What I truly believe is that Ensoniq need a good Business Consultant
in to find out exactly what we need and someone to price it right without
underspeccing us. There have I said it all... Marks ASR10 concept 5/5 Ensoniq well er 0
|
|
ASR-10 is probably going to be one of the most popular instrument in my country, but it's a pitty - when it import non ASR sounds [for example - AKAI] - there is not enought memory.
|
|
I THINK THE ASR 10 IS A GREAT SAMPLER! I USE AN MPC 3000 AS A SEQIENCER FOR THE ASR AND WE REALLY NEVER HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT BEFORE I THINK SINCE I MAX'ED IT OUT IT GAVE ME AN ERROR, BUT OTHER THAN THAT IT WORKS PRETTY GOOD! I HOPE IT DOESN'T GIVE ANY PROBLEMS BECOAUSE I'M CONSIDERING BUYING ANOTHER ONE FROM THEM!!! PLEASE ENSONIQ HELP YOUR PEOPLE OUT IF YOU READ THIS I WOULD REALLY HATE FOR YOU GUY'S TO GO OUT OF BUSINESS!! THAN YOU, D.J. STYLES
|
|
The ASR-10 is the phattest!!There it is! One thing, faster loading, faster processor
|
|
The Ensoniq ASR-10 is "God in a Box" in my opinion. You can do everything
with it. It samples wonderfully. I used a roland sh-3 to sample many
sounds and nothing is lost nor gained. It's so complex that I can't believe
they sold one to me for only 2100 us dollars brand new.
|
|
This is basically a great machine, but Ensoniq seems to be abbandoning it.
The last OS-upgrade is 18 months ago, and still no individual resonant filters!
Weak SCSI-implementation as far as Mac/PC communication goes.
Goes hot, (heats up your room) but never crashes. Super-fast interface if
you get into it. Stereo editing slightly buggy.
Can be used as superb sounding stand alone FX unit. (1/4 DP-4)
|
|
I feel this is a great machine but...Why the hell Ensoniq won`t provide us with
a brand new OS upgrade(I would REALLY need those individual res.filters !!)?
So easy to use(Even though lacking graphical on screen editing(!))I wonder so
few people actually use it...A superb sound quality. Plug in one of those Zips
or HDs and groove away!!! Oh, and don`t forget onboard FX unit, especially those
bedroom musicians(like myself...) should really appreciate it. It is a pure sampler
after all: No presets but hey, who really cares? But please Ensoniq, please give
us new OS will you(those filters added you know...)
|
|
This is a great synth, however, Ensoniq needs to do something about their quality
control. I went through four keyboards before I got one that worked. I had a
whole range of problems from not being able to edit the end time of a sample to
to a faulty screen, to old samples getting stuck in RAM so that new samples were
tweeking out with old sounds that had been deleted from memory. It's a drag that
the jazz drive has a formatting conflict with the keyboard. I used a Bernoulli
230 meg drive to record on and it was the biggest crash prone piece of shit.
I'm definitely not impressed with all of the hoops one has to jump through to use
the audio tracks to record real time, song length performances. Bouncing is a pain
in the ass, and often times does'nt even work. My drive ate a bass track that
dissapeared into oblivion. This is a great machine, but if you bought it with the
hope of being able to do real full fleged performances on it without a deck, your
living a pipe dream. Who wants to bounce every time a new track is layed down.
Mixing as you go is impossible.
|
|
Has to be one of the best samplers hands down. Very user friendly. But..know this... bugs, bugs, and even more bugs. Man I knew it was to good to true. Also I would vote Ensoniq to be the WORST company in the world because they dont stand by their product. I have had trouble with my ASR some many times, and to call them is a nightmare. I sent it in for repaires once, and they lost my case, power plugs, I surprised it ever made it back. And it was still broken. And they broke my balls about replacing what was lost. They replaced it all with a drum kit. COME ON. Just fix my keyboard and give me back my stuff. What the hell is going on over there. Anyway my rating is not just about the prouduct, its about the company. And they suck.........But when its working, and not breaking down, its a damn good sampler.
|
|
The ASR 10 sampler is the best sounding electronical catastrophy in the world! First: the sampler becomes so hot after having worked for 3-5 hours, that it crashes all ten minutes. A second ASR 10 did exactly the same! My working time during a production is 12-15 hours! You could NOT call this a professional machine! The MIDI-Timing is worse than my old Roland U-110! That is because the effect section (that sounds real great) makes the processor so slow. When I asked the german distributor in germany for support: f... it. Since I bought two Kurzweil Samplers (K2000/K2500), I am a satisfied composer with satisfied customers!
|
|
I'm in love with my ASR!!!!!! This is by far the best piece of equipment I own. It samples like a dream and the overall versility of the machine is phenominal!!! I haven't had many bad experiences...My floppy drive crashed...The play button got loose and wiggly but other than that it's been perfect. I've had my board for about 2 1/2 years and it has been by counselor in my time of dispair, a friend who is there to share the good times with and most of all a way to escape the pressures of the world. I haven't had to call for tech support but if it is as bad as I'm hearing YOU FOLKS AT ENSONIQ NEED TO CHECK YOURSELVES!!!!!! If everyone loves their ASR 10 like I love mine, you guys are setting yourselves up for a major downfall!!! PEACE TO ALL MY ASR 10 HOMIES IN THE WORLD!!!!!!
|
|
Asr 88 is probably going to be one of the only 88 note weighted keyboard
samplers to be produced. If you want 88 notes of individual samples with
the flexibility to send individuals out 6 Aux. through effects and back
into the machine it's ideal. Excellent live controller, but big and heavy.
Effects are bizarre and incredibly flexible. Make sure you get a copy of
Waveboys Resonant Filter and Voder (Vocoder) effects algorithms if you want
to play it like an analog keyboard. Ensoniq are bad with their quality, but
if you play nasty eventually you will get an exceptional one, (my first was
truly FUCKED though). The current model (with the backlit screen) works
really well only rarely crashes. Just backup before you perform major DSP
stuff and you'll save frustration, (and hair!)
|
Add your review of the Ensoniq ASR-10
NEW SYSTEM - to keep the user reviews focussed, we are now approving all submissions before they appear.
We will endeavour to process your comments within 24hrs
Please keep your reviews on topic.
Questions, requests for manuals, ongoing conversations and inappropriate comments are not reviews, and will not be approved.
Manuals can often be found on the links section for this model.
If you want to chat or ask questions, visit the Gas Station, the dedicated user forum here at Sonic State.
|
