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Average Price: $1,140
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$150
$601+
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Description
The E-mu Drumulator is a vintage classic in the world of drum machines, beloved by DJs and producers for its distinctive 1980s sound. Originally released in 1983, this digital drum machine brings a nostalgic yet timeless touch to modern music production. It's famed for its 12-bit sampling technology, offering a warm and gritty audio quality that stands out in any mix. The Drumulator is equipped with a set of pre-programmed drum sounds that include kicks, snares, and toms, making it a versatile tool for creating everything from hip-hop beats to electronic rhythms.
The Drumulator's user-friendly interface allows for easy sequencing, making it accessible for beginners while still offering enough depth for more experienced users to explore. Its real-time control features allow you to tweak and customize your beats, providing endless creative possibilities. The unit also supports MIDI integration, making it compatible with other modern equipment and software, ensuring it fits seamlessly into your studio setup.
Whether you're a collector of vintage gear or a modern musician looking to add some classic flair to your tracks, the E-mu Drumulator delivers a unique sound that captures the essence of an era while remaining relevant today.
Key Features:
- Vintage 12-bit sampling for authentic 1980s sound
- Pre-programmed drum sounds including kicks, snares, and toms
- User-friendly interface for easy sequencing
- Real-time control features for on-the-fly customization
- MIDI compatibility for seamless integration with modern gear
Product specs
| Brand | E-MU Systems |
| Model | Drumulator 8-Voice Drum Sampler |
| Finish | Blue |
| Year | 1983 |
| Categories | Drum Machines, Samplers |
| Analog / Digital | Digital |
| Polyphony | 8 Voices |
FAQs
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What type of sounds can the E-mu Drumulator produce?
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The E-mu Drumulator is known for its classic 1980s drum sounds, featuring a range of digital samples including kicks, snares, toms, hi-hats, and cymbals, making it suitable for retro and electronic music styles.
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Is the E-mu Drumulator suitable for live performances?
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Yes, the E-mu Drumulator is designed for live use, featuring a user-friendly interface and robust construction, making it a reliable choice for performing musicians.
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How many voices can the E-mu Drumulator play simultaneously?
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The E-mu Drumulator offers 8-voice polyphony, allowing you to layer multiple drum sounds simultaneously for complex rhythms and beats.
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Can the E-mu Drumulator be integrated with modern DAWs?
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While the E-mu Drumulator is a vintage piece of gear, it can be integrated into modern setups through MIDI connections, allowing synchronization with DAWs and other MIDI-compatible equipment.
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Does the E-mu Drumulator allow for custom sample loading?
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The E-mu Drumulator does not allow for custom sample loading, as it uses pre-set digital samples typical of early drum machines from the 1980s.
Videos
AnalogAudio1
E-MU DRUMULATOR Vintage Drum Machine 1983 | HD DEMO | SAMPLE PACK
Reviews
PROS
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Intuitive and fun to use
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Durable build quality
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Iconic 80s sound from 8-bit eproms
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Affordable compared to similar vintage drum machines
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Swappable sound options for customization
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Versatile across genres like synth-pop and italo-disco
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Not steep learning curve for beginners
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Unique sound that's hard to replicate with samples
CONS
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Limited programming capabilities
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Individual outputs are RCA, which may be inconvenient for some setups
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about E-mu Drumulator.
Setup and maintenance
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The Drumulator's PSU shows no apparent issues, with precise rail readings: +5v at 5.63V, -15v at -15.28V, and +15v at 15.01V indicating stable power distribution.
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A failed tin can regulator may overvolt and erase the program ROM chip, specifically at 12k, highlighting the importance of checking this component.
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The Z80 CPU receives proper voltage signals: +5V on VCC, +4.5V on RESET, and +5V on INT, yet the machine remains unresponsive, indicating a possible deeper fault in the system.
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Features and functionality
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The Drumulator emits a burst of drum sounds upon startup, affected by the volume knob, but fails to display lights or segment displays, suggesting a deeper internal issue.
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Mods and upgrades
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Adding a small SMPS to replace the original 5v regulator is recommended to prevent potential overvoltage issues that can erase the program ROM.
Source
Critic Reviews
4.5 out of 5
Based on 1 Review and 2 Ratings
41029
I grew up with this bad boy
my dad and uncle were always fucking with this guy in the 80s. They used it heavily in their proto chill-out record, "Stress Break" around '85 when I was in grade school. I was excited to discover recently my uncle had it in his basement. So I traded him some guitar stuff for it and have it in my arsenal now.... this is pure Depeche mode and just a great, singular sound in rhythm machines that always loses something when individual hits are sampled.
Artist usage
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"I think the snare and the bass sound are absolutely horrific, we used to have to eq them to death to get anything. The rest of the sounds I love, you can't get them anywhere else — it's just that bass and snare that are bad. Now when I use the 808 I don't use its bass and snare, I get them to trigger the Drumulator's bass and snare, a hybrid of the Drumulator and the 808. The 808's hi-hats are great, and the congas — they don't sound anything like congas, but they have such a character to them."
"For percussion we used the Drumulator mostly, for bass and snare sounds, and also the ARP 2600 for tomtoms and loads of other percussive effects. I think it was good to use the Drumulator, because up till then we'd always used completely synthetic percussion set-ups, Simmons and things. We actually treated the Drumulator sounds quite heavily with ambience though, we didn't use them straight."
"At the other end of the studio I just have a Drumulator, DX7, grand piano and various guitars."
Alan Howarth, known for his collaborations with John Carpenter, uses the E-mu Drumulator drum machine. This is evidenced by a user-uploaded photo showing Howarth with the equipment.
In a studio tour featured on MusicRadar Tech's YouTube channel, Sharooz showcases the E-mu Drumulator as part of his setup.
This showcase a snippet of the interview that Marty O'Donnell did with his long friend Michael Salvatori, which Marty shown the gear they owned during the early 1980s. As shown in the highlight 38:30.
Marty'O Donnell recalls owning the E-mu Drumulator in this new studio, as seen in this studio picture.
Today the record's equipment list reads like a catalogue of might-have-beens. But four years ago, it was state-of-the-art stuff: Oberheim DMX drum machine, Octave-Plateau Voyetra 8 synth, Drumulator...
"We had a LinnDrum II box, a drumulator drum box, a Roland Super Jupiter synthesizer, a Fairlight synthesizer, a DX7 keyboard, a rack of guitars, a Steinberger Bass, a Fender Stratocaster and a Gretsch maple drum kit. Those instruments were the kind of workhorse elements to the sound."
"I worked with the first Simmons drum kit that was ever made with a band called Landscape, on a single of theirs. The thing was a whole bunch of wires and PCBs sitting on the couch at the back of the studio - it hadn't even been put into a box at that time. To tune them you had to take a screwdriver and just turn a preset pot -'yeah that sounds like a bass drum'. In those days there were no pads to hit or anything, it was just strange things being triggered off this peculiar time code again. Of course, it has now become the big thing — everyone triggers everything all the time. I saw a real drum kit the other day and I couldn't believe my eyes! I think I've only recorded one real drum kit in the last three years, otherwise it has all been Simmons or Linn or Drumulator etc."
Album Usage
The E-mu Drumulator has been featured on the following albums:
Shout
Tears for Fears (2025)
Songs For A Nervous Planet
Tears for Fears (2024)
True Faith
Peter Hook & Stephen Morris & Stephen Hague (2021)
No Comment (Remastered)
Front 242 (2016)
Pateando Piedras
Los Prisioneros (2016)
Rendez-Vous
Jean Michel Jarre (2015)
Technique
New Order (1989)
Atomizer (Remastered)
Big Black (1985)
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use E-mu Drumulator, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
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