AUTECHRE ON ENSONIQ SAMPLERS

Sean: "We use modified software on the sampler for live work. We found some nerd in America who writes interesting software."

Rob: "We were then able to take the sampler input and convert it to a thru for a start. Then we were able to use the software to write our own effects in the EPS."

Sean: "It's even better than the [newer, more powerful] ASR-10. You can select samples independently from the sequencer, which means that as the sequencer is running you can select your sample and edit it, turning it into a synth really. It's already got a decent OS in there, but it's really easy to modify as well.

Rob: "It's really only the American manufacturers, Ensoniq and Emu, that turn their gear into synths and not just sample playback machines."

Sean: "The EPS is just like using the Prophecy really. Everybody beats on about how smart the Prophecy is but we've been able to do that with samples for years. Much of the multiple LFO routings and the assigning of controllers to modulate controllers and so on, we can do on the EPS -- setting up quite elaborate patches on it really quickly. It's weird that Ensoniq is getting ignored in preference to Akai, which admittedly is a tighter more accurate sampler, but it still lacks a lot of scope for exploration, you can't really do a lot with it. With the EPS and the ASR-10 we're still finding things, like changing aspects of effects that you're not supposed to be able to alter."

Although when you originally bought the EPS you obviously didn't know what you know now.

Sean: "No, we bought it because we got a good deal."

Rob: "And it had on-board effects. We thought, 'it's only got two outputs but then it does have effects -- f**k it, we've only got this much money'. Before that the only sampler we had was 1.4 seconds worth on our Boss delay, so anything on top of that was a luxury."

Sean: "By necessity we've struck up a good working relationship with our samplers. The only current sampler that we would get, knowing what we know now, is probably the Kurzweil. It's the only thing that I've used that intrigues me.

Rob: "Emus as well, they seem to have a lot to them."

Sean: "Just in terms of the editability if you put a sampler into a synth you know you'll be buying all those synth facilities, whereas if you're just buying a sampler then that can be limiting. I think a lot of manufacturers still see the sampler as being limited in those respects, which is bullshit, considering the amount of DSP chips that they pack in there. There's so much you can potentially do with them."

The Rza talks gear he used in the past at 5:10, saying, "...when we switched and he gave me the Eps i started making two bar loops, 4 bar loops..nobody wasn't doing that. So it was the Eps that turned me on to that, and he traded with me, and i fell in love with the Eps i din't care about the Sp-1200 anymore.."

An Ensoniq EPS was used on the soundtrack for "They Live."

In this article with “Medium” in 2016, Mannie Fresh stated that he uses an E-Mu SP-1200 along with an Ensoniq EPS.

From article on Electronic Musician- It all started with a borrowed Ensoniq EPS sampler. It was back in the early '90s, and Emile (who is also known by his full name, Emile Haynie) was a young DJ with aspirations of getting into production.

In this clip Jermaine Dupri states that he used a Ensoniq EPS for Kriss Kross’s demo

Orgue Electronique utilizes the Ensoniq EPS, as detailed on the Sternstudio website.

In the video "Studio Tour with Todd Edwards Producer - Scion Musicless Music Conference 2011 Scion AV (Reupload)" on YouTube, Todd Edwards mentions using an Ensoniq EPS at the 2:03 mark.

In the YouTube video they quote rapper Necro stating that he used the EPS before switching to the ASR-10

Footage of Bobby Prince showcasing on how he make the music for Commander Keen.

Which showcase some gear like Ensoniq EPS and SC 55.