Feature:
Of course it has a limited feature set and very few parameters compared to typical synths, but it is amazing how much you can get out of them, if you're willing to push it. With a little ingenuity you can work around almost all its limitations. Now IF ONLY the synths were truly polyphonic...

Quality:
A very durable build for these days. 100% thick metal case, a power plug that doesnt slip out, a nice screen, etc. The knobs aren't flimsy, but I'd prefer they were actually anchored into the case rather than the substructure.

Value:
I think the price (US$500) is about right for this unit. Any more and you'd be better off with something else, any less and it would be a steal.

Desirability:
It looks quite cool, but it would look cooler if I'd designed it ;)

Sound:
I've used mostly software for the last 8 years, and it came as a shock to me how full and 3-dimensional this little thing can sound. To me it doesn't sound analog, nor does it sound traditionally digital. It has a unique bright, full sound. I do wish it had a more expensive-sounding reverb. The springy one it has is ok for adding ambience, but not for creating real big reverb effects.

Ease of Use:
It's not as easy or convenient as software, but what is? the EMX-1 is easier than many hardware devices. I found it especially clumsy to build songs using the pattern-based song mode, but then I discovered I could record the songs into my computer via MIDI, edit them in a software sequencer, then split them up into patterns and record them back into the EMX-1. (I'm thinking of making a YouTube demo of this.)

Support:
Haven't needed it.

Overall:
For what it does, it is great. Great sound, the limitations can be pushed quite far with a little imagination. The presets are very limited to very few genres, and don't even begin to represent all the possibilities.

• Submitted: 5/6/2008
• Style of Music: electronica
• Location: USA

Feature:
No accessories were included. I immediately bought a couple of smart media cards. You have to get 128MB cards. I also bought a USB reader so can transfer the patterns I create to my PC hard disk. The pattern files are binary and can only be read by the machine though (my understanding). I also ended up buying a couple of adapters to go from 1/4" jacks to 1/8" jacks. If I could add anything to this machine, I would add the ability to have separate effects for each part, instead of sharing the three effects stages across all the parts. Well, maybe the ability to load PCMs would be a bigger plus.

Quality:
Overall quality is good. It's a substantial device, but not bulky. Comparable to a larger laptop ca. 2001. I think the knobs could have been tougher. I am careful with it because I want it to last a long time. So it doesn't seem bulletproof, but it's not fragile either.

Value:
Easily worth the price when you consider a sequencer alone can cost this much. Nothing compared to analog prices. Really a great gift for someone who has an interest in music. Resale appears to be strong as well. Not a huge financial risk.

Desirability:
I saw this thing on youtube and was immediately obsessed. It strikes me as a future icon of this era. Instant collectible.

Sound:
This instrument is all about throwing sounds together and seeing what happens. Not so easy to think of a sound you want and then build it. It's better to give in a little to what it does well. There are many dual oscillator configurations to choose from, and the PCM sounds are weighted more for drums than otherwise. It is primarily a drum machine. You can get all kinds of drum sounds out of it (starting out as PCMs) you can change the pitch of the drum sounds, you can apply an LFO, and you can apply three chained effects of your choice. There is not a huge range of non-drum PCMs (70 or so), and you can't load more. I find myself just using the oscillator sources for the synth parts, although the PCMs are pretty good, some very good, in my opinion. One great thing about this machine is you can use it as a MIDI sequencer for other equipment. The step keys make it really easy to create parts in real time. I am using it to sequence a modular analog synthesizer, and it also works well in this role because I can also use it to fill in sounds for the analog while I save money for more analog modules, and decide which sounds need to go over to analog. To get the functionality of this thing in an analog synthesizer would be huge money (and a lot of space).

Ease of Use:
Very easy to use. The manual is very clear. A lot of thought went into it.

Support:
No experience, which probably says a lot.

Overall:
I don't see myself outgrowing this device. It can always play the role of a MIDI controller and drum machine.

• Submitted: 3/5/2008

Feature:
lots of possibilities in a small package. step seuencing lots of tracks for diffent parts excellent drums and synths all in one. layers well and can cut through a mix as well. the less than advanced envelopes is a bit of a downer but honestly you can learn to live with it. ribbon controller on this box can realy make for some fun. worth the price of admission alone

Quality:
made in china so i am going to sit on the fence in terms of quality. i would have prefered a japanese box. sorry i just have limited faith in the chineses manufacturers. with good reason it would appear.

Desirability:
this question is kind a wierd question. i mean i already have it. allthough i will say this. its a keeper wont be getting rid of it anytime soon.

Sound:
its the last of the mohicans in many ways. a future classic. the future tb303? i dont know maybe maybe not but one thing is for sure its its own beast and a very expressive little box of tun. it fits well in lots of different styles of electronic music. some of its build quality seems a bit flimsy but it should last if you take care of it. easy to use for the most. something are annoying but i think for the price this is a excellent little box

Ease of Use:
assuming yo have never used a synth before i will give it a seven beacuase there is some things about it wich will require learning. i mean you can have fun right out of the box with it by spinning a few knobs and dials.

Support:
dunno

Overall:
excellent little groove box

• User: a customer from yahoo.com
• Submitted: 11/15/2007
• Style of Music: electronic lots different genres
• Location: canada

Feature:
Great features... I would like to see some more options with time signature. I would also like it to have more effects going on at once.

Quality:
Drums are perfect, synths and PCM are great...

Value:
Amazing for the price!

Sound:
Great sound.... the PCM's are not perfect, but as good as PCM gets!

Ease of Use:
Easy easy easy!

Overall:
I love it! Im glad I made the purchase!

• Submitted: 7/3/2006
• Style of Music: Psy DnB

Feature:
Box only comes with the unit and power supply - would have really liked a carrying case / bag, which dont seem to be available anywhere else. you cant copy entire patterns around either - you have to do so synth by synth, drum by drum. Anyhow, sounds can be tweaked like crazy; plenty of fun there. you can spend hours just playing around and getting it 'perfect'.

Quality:
Very sturdy, and the case seems tough. However, the plastic protecting the screen is easily scratchable (like ipods!) especially when turning the select dial.

Desirability:
its small and its sex. everything is so easily accessibly too.

Sound:
Sounds are great, although a bit limited by the preset only drum sounds. Also, when recording in real-time, everything is rounded to 16th beat, which can be annoying. Nevertheless, its plenty for beginners and enough to make a handful of tracks

Ease of Use:
Within 5 minutes, i was pumped and burning tracks like crazy. You hardly need to refer to the manual, which is quite thorough.

Support:
Haven't needed to contact them, but others say their top notch.

Overall:
yes i love it. although it lacks sampling, it does everything i need. i'd give it a 10/10 if it had USB too...

• User: a customer from hotmail.com
• Submitted: 3/22/2006
• Style of Music: Techno, DnB, HipHop, Rock,
• Location: Hong Kong

Feature:
The synthesis options almost made me give it a 10, but the filters are pretty basic - LP, BP, HP, and peak. More options (additional slopes, specific filter modeling, maybe parallel filters, whatever) would have been a great complement to the tons of options you have in the oscillator section and effect section. Also, the drum sounds are great, but there aren't too many of them, so you may get tired of those pretty quick.

Quality:
Metal case, glass tubes, sturdy knobs, responsive buttons, works for me. It seems like this will last a long time, hopefully it will =)

Value:
Incredible bang for the buck.

Desirability:
Awesome metallic blue color, the pictures cannot do it justice. Even store demos don't look as good as the new one you take home (or get shipped home), probably because they are ruined by grubby fingers and flourescent lights ;) This has been on my 'list' for a long time, and I've been happy with my purchase.

Sound:
The raw sounds are very clean, even the higher notes don't have much aliasing (unnoticeable in the mix). Tons of synthesis methods in the system unique to the EMX, and they sound great. The filters are smooth, too - NO 'zipping'.

Overall:
This is a good general synth, it's very versatile. I wouldn't use it as my ONLY synth, but it could be used as such. At least, it would be a good first synth to get while you save up for more, since you can do percussion, virtual analog sounds, and all the PCM sounds (piano, various guitars, bells, etc).

• User: a customer from beachhunt.com
• Submitted: 7/10/2004
• Style of Music: Trance, Drum and Bass, Rap, R&B, Smooth Jazz
• Location: California, USA

Feature:
Ok, it would be nice if you could load your own samples. But the drum-sounds are nice and there are some filters and nice effects to get really cool sounds. The synthesizer is limited of course, but it's fun to play with it and you can create really groovy sounds. Effects and Motion Sequence is cool. Of course you can't compare it to expensive gear. But it's a good all-in-one machine!!! And, the valves are great!

Quality:
KORG!

Value:
Yeah, it's not cheap. But I think it worth it!!

Desirability:
Very, very sexy!!!! :-)

Sound:
The sound is imho really nice. It's my first hardware, but I heard the sound of other gear in this section (grooveboxes) and I have to say, that it's very fat, pounding and warm thanks to the valves.

Support:
Don't know... never had to get support yet.

• Submitted: 3/3/2004
• Location: Switzerland

Feature:
LFO has no effect on drum section. That really . Most electronic styles of today are stagnant, in a drum sense. If you want that "Cyber-Electro" groove, you'll have to use one of the onboard effects (which by the way isn't as organic-sounding as an LFO). The knobs are small and made of cheap plastic. The Yamaha DX-200, for example has fat/rugged rubber knobs.

Quality:
Sounds are slightly toyish. A typical drawback on a post 90s instrument. A real 808/909/Linn Drum, or real vintage synths etc. don't sound like toys to me. Digital Technology sounds airy and flat no matter how much knob ajustment you try. To me, analog still crushes digital. Companies of today try to emulate the classic legendary machines, but only succeed in doing so with a unit that costs over $1900 US.

Support:
Have had good and bad experiences.

• Submitted: 11/5/2003
• Style of Music: Progressive/Ambient Tech-House
• Location: Canada