waynec@lumiere.UUCP (Wayne Clark) (11/14/85)
[can't all sound be music?] I'm currently shopping for a synthesizer and could use some help. I've been considering a sampling instrument such as the Mirage or the new Prophet 2000. Some of the questions I have are: 1) Is the Mirage an 8-bit or 16-bit sampler? 2) If it is 8-bit, can it play 16-bit samples (what is its true dynamic range)? 3) How much of a limitation is it to only have an 8-bit dynamic range? 4) How difficult is it to use one of these keyboards for a live performance (is the lack of presets a problem)? 5) Are there other instruments I should be considering? (I like the idea of being able to sample sounds) I'd like to hear from anyone who has some experience with these or who can give me some insight as to what to look for. =============================================================================== | Real | Virtual | | ---- | ------- | | Small Systems Support Group | | | Computer Resource Dept. | USENET ../{ucbvax,decvax}!tektronix!waynec| | Tektronix Inc. 19-333 | CSNET waynec@tektronix.csnet | | P.O. Box 500 | ARPAnet waynec%tektronix@csnet-relay.ARPA | | Beaverton, Or. 97077 | Ma Bell (503) 627-5416 | ===============================================================================
rgh@inmet.UUCP (11/20/85)
The current (Dec85) issue of Keyboard magazine has a survey article on
sampling machines. The same issue reviews the Prophet 2000.
Other recent reviews: Akai 612, Nov85; Ensoniq Mirage, Jun85.
The same issue also contains an ad for the Mirage "Multi-sampler",
a keyboardless rack-mountable version of the Mirage "Digital Sampling
Keyboard", list price $1395.
The aforementioned article says that the Mirage uses 8-bit floating
point samples, for a dynamic range of 96 dB (equivalent to 16-bit
linear).
Randy Hudson {ihnp4,ima}!inmet!rgh