Ensoniq Workstation

[balma]

Anyone with this workstation????
I'm getting one on a very cool price. I had at middle ninetiees the Ensoniq TS-10 and ESQ-1. I sold both of them. But I remember them as cool synths with incredible sounds.

Any users of this instrument? I'm honest I never heard about it. I checked out the specs, and the design is awesome

[dansgold]

I like mine ... get the Vintage Keys ROM for it definately.

[element01]

The Ensoniq HALO RULES

I bought one for $300!!!!!!!

Man, I don't understand some dudes here, I have been reading a lot of posts and they talk only about Triton and Motif.

They must be very rich guys, paying so much money for those crap workstations.

Just a word: intelligence. Go to your local dealer and try all the workstations. If they are the same s*it, well, get the cheaper one and save money. All the workstations have pros and contras.

The HALO is a greatt workstation, this cheap keyboard can kick easily the KARMA, the Phantom.

And some people recomends here the JUNO 106,
I feel pity for all those stupid guys who waste money on old discontinued synths when labels like EMU offers better things at lower prices.


Those $300 are the best investment of my life

[balma]

Originally posted by element01
The Ensoniq HALO RULES

I bought one for $300!!!!!!!


Those $300 are the best investment of my life

At least I agree with you in this post....

is too cheap for so much good features.

[Uno]

whats so good about the Halo?

I haven't heard much about it but i have seen it around at a few stores. Is it a workstation or just a synth?

Does anyone know what kind of sounds this board is designed for?(trance, electronica, etc.?)

Im really just into Hip Hop and R & B and i'm always looking for more sounds.

Any info on this helps cuz im interested but clueless.

One

[balma]

Sometimes you don't hear about some models but that doesn't mean they aren't good.

EMU is trying to capture more costumers, as any label. But they are really offering great instruments at lower prices.
They have not too much praises, but I'm always trying to see the options with my own eyes, and play as much synths as I can to check the features and have my own opinion.

Theses synths have almost the same hardware design, but they are specialized on Vintage, Techno and Hip Hop.

They are fully expandable (3 slots) to 128 Mb with sound expansion boards.
The one I tried, can play continuosly on DJ mode without changing parameters, programs or performance mode. Nice sequencer.
4 analog 24 bit inputs.
GREAT basses and electro sounds. I was amazed.
Beatiful pianos.
16 simultaneous arpeggios. I loved this feature.
around 1000 presets, 512 user spaces.
Programmable knobs

I love synths that give space to the user creativity. Not too much synths in the market give you more than 256 user locations. This gives you twice.
How much workstation synths gives you a sequencer that play continuously. This is so useful when you play on stage.....

How much synths gives you a multiple arppegio, with 16 simultaneous arppegios at the same time?

The groovebox versions gives you sensitive pads and a 127 polyphony and a beatiful design (there are models for left handed and right handed persons!!!) for under $500, while the Roland series are for the same or higher price with cheap controllers and 64 voice polyphony.

I'm not saying these synths are the best on earth, but, for God's sake, everybody is running behind synths for $2.000, when those EMU people offers you workstations without sampler, but for around $400 each one. You could buy the four models, vintage, proteus, hip hop and techno with the $2000.

It's hard to believe, I just say everybody should check out more options, have a wide vision and try something different. Maybe these keyboards won't solve the lacks of some people, and obviously there are a lot of synths betther than these ones. Just consider them.

[Thomas1]

Man get your s*!t streight. First off the Halo and Pk-6 and all those other EMU budget synths are synths. They have NO real sequencer in them... Second, a workstation is a combination of different devices put under a hood. Now why spend so much money on a Triton or Motif, here is why. You get a synth, sampler, sequencer, CD burner, usb, scsi, room for more sounds, audio inputs, etc... So it is worth the money. You think you could get all that for the price of a Halo unit. Please....

[RanCIDmilk]

Originally posted by Thomas1
Man get your s*!t streight. First off the Halo and Pk-6 and all those other EMU budget synths are synths. They have NO real sequencer in them... Second, a workstation is a combination of different devices put under a hood. Now why spend so much money on a Triton or Motif, here is why. You get a synth, sampler, sequencer, CD burner, usb, scsi, room for more sounds, audio inputs, etc... So it is worth the money. You think you could get all that for the price of a Halo unit. Please....

hes got the point... gem of the workstation is kik ass sequencer..

[balma]

Originally posted by Thomas1
Man get your s*!t streight. First off the Halo and Pk-6 and all those other EMU budget synths are synths. They have NO real sequencer in them... Second, a workstation is a combination of different devices put under a hood. Now why spend so much money on a Triton or Motif, here is why. You get a synth, sampler, sequencer, CD burner, usb, scsi, room for more sounds, audio inputs, etc... So it is worth the money. You think you could get all that for the price of a Halo unit. Please....

I copy/pasted this from Planet-Groove review:

"And Halo's 16 syncable/programmable arpeggiators and interactive Super BEATs Mode are perfectly syncronized with each other and over 100 rhythm-based synthesis and effects parameters, letting you perform entire pieces in real-time, all in perfect unison."

Then I don't know how I'm making beats with a synth without sequencer...

With the HALO, I can create "arpeggio tracks" and chain them. With arppegios, you can make tracks, any kind of them, drum,, pads, or basses tracks. This works for me as a sequencer..

I'm noy saying they are like the Triton., I just meant, with $2.000, you could get a HALO, a super command station, and a vintage synth like a JUNO, and a kickass sampler. All this with the price of a Triton.

[Trusty]

I'm noy saying they are like the Triton., I just meant, with $2.000, you could get a HALO, a super command station, and a vintage synth like a JUNO, and a kickass sampler. All this with the price of a Triton.

In used prices. You are correct.

Halo $300.00
MP-7 $450.00
E-5000 Ultra $500.00
I dunno about a vintage synth for Hip-hop when just a vintage expansion would work. I just get a VA for leads and basses
ION $650.00 or MS2000BR $450.00
Either $1900.00 or $1700.00 with money left over for some more ROM cards, sample disks.
As I've said before...A command station pad triggering good drum samples inside an E5000 Ultra is just as good and sounds just as good as a MPC pad triggering a drum sample inside itself. And way better than a keyboard workstation. Read my tag. Besides...Korg is crappy and thin sounding anyway.