The Ensoniq EPS-16+ sampler now has a free, open-source simulator for macOS (for now) by mardlib, offering the same features as the original hardware.
ROM simulators of vintage synthesizers and samplers are everywhere. In March, Sojus Records released the Ensoniq SD-1 as an open-source project. Now, there’s another Ensoniq.
mardlib has released an early version of its Ensoniq EPS-16+ simulator software.
Ensoniq EPS-16+ Simulator
The new mardlib release is a free, open-source Ensoniq EPS-16+ simulator software for macOS only for now. The developer describes it as a hardware-level emulation of the EPS-16+. I suspect the simulator was built using AI, but the dev doesn’t disclose it.
I prefer the term “simulator” because it simulates the hardware (CPU) and isn’t an emulation of the engine like plugins from Arturia, Cherry Audio, and others.
As with The Usual Suspects simulators, you also need the original ROM of the vintage hardware sampler. Mardlib does not include this in its software. I am also not linking to it for legal reasons, as it’s a gray area.
The EPS-16+ was a hardware keyboard sampler workstation with 16-bit, variable sample rates from 11.2kHz to 44.6kHz. While its 1MB of memory was tiny and gave you only 11.5 seconds of sampling time, it offered an impressive set of unique features.
It featured editing functions like normalizing, sample splicing, merging, phase switching, auto-looping, auto-truncating, sample rate conversion, and more.
The EPS-16+ also offered more synth-like features, including two multimode non-resonant filters with slopes from 6dB to 24dB, a multi-wave LFO, and an advanced 8-track sequencer.
Built-in effects also included reverb, delay, chorus, flange, phaser, Leslie sim, distortion, and more. A highlight was the ability to resample the sounds with the effects.
The software gives you all these features of the hardware device. However, it’s still an experimental release and not quite finished. So some things still don’t work quite right, and there are even bugs.
First Impression
An interesting release. I’ll wait until it’s a bit more finished. If things continue like this, by 2027 all digital vintage synths will be emulated. These are some pretty wild times we’re living in right now, and I’m pretty sure this is just the beginning.
The new mardlib Ensoniq EPS-16+ simulator is available now as a free download. It runs as a VST3 and AU plugin only on macOS (native Apple Silicon + Intel) for now.
More information here: GitHub
Hi, thanks for the review.
The EPS-16+ Emulator was developed with the help of AI.
Besides the original functions it adds things like being able to read .iso files and .efe directly. It also fully supports presets which means that you can save the complete state of the device as presets which enables you to continue to work on sounds without booting the device, loading a sound and so on.
“So some things still don’t work quite right, and there are even bugs.”
Bugs are expected although i´m currentl not aware of any showstoppers, bugreports are sparse.
Not sure what´s “not working right”, infos are welcome!
Thanks again!
hi. so you Used Work from usual suspects?
it’s OK. i Just want to know it.
Everything i used from 3rd parties is noted here:
https://github.com/mardlib/Ensoniq-EPS-16-Plus/blob/vst3-prototype/THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md
The full sourcecode is available for everyone to do whatever they like with it.
Amazing work. I love this and can’t thank you enough for bringing it back for us all.
Also i´d like to add, while MAME is beautiful this Emulation is not MAME based.
thanks for the info
The Ensonic EPS 16+ was my 3rd keyboard. It was truly fun.
The architecture & UI were brilliant. Apart from the limitations of the time (sample ram, storage, polyphony, etc.) it was sublimely flexible. You could edit at three levels, sample, layer, instrument, and your changes could be relative or absolute. There was a Pitch Layer, which, in addition to making cool scales & tunings, could also make it super quick to layer chords onto keys.
It had a strangely fascinating collection of crossfade options. I don’t remember them, but like butterfly, bowtie, bidirectional-doulbe-bow-tie-cross-stitch (I might have made that last one up.). You could modulate loop-points!! Transwaves involved modulating the sample loop’s start & end.
There was a good sequencer, nice effects. Pretty all-around stunning.
It’s tragic flaw was that it was hilariously unreliable. And when it crashed, it did some funny things. (I look back & laugh now, but on stage, I wasn’t laughing.). The irony is that if this emulation is accurate, it will crash. That should take some pressure off.