Ensoniq Mirage

Mirage

Ensoniq Mirage DSK
Manufacturer Ensoniq
Dates 1984 - 1988
Price $1700 new
Technical specifications
Polyphony 8
Oscillator digital PCM sampler, 8 bit
Synthesis type Digital Sample-based Subtractive
Filter analog low-pass VCF
Velocity expression Yes
Input/output
Keyboard 61-key
External control MIDI

The Ensoniq Mirage was Ensoniq's first product,[1] introduced in 1984. Priced below $1700 with features previously only found on more expensive samplers like the Fairlight CMI, it became a best-seller. The Mirage was one of the earliest affordable sampler-synths.

The Mirage was an 8-bit sampler featuring a 61 key velocity-sensitive keyboard, a two-digit LED display, extensive MIDI implementation, analog filters, a 333-event sequencer. It had 128kB of RAM (64kB for each keyboard half) and it was not expandable. Sample rate was variable from 10 kHz to 33 kHz with available sample time ranging from 2 to 6.5 seconds accordingly (for each keyboard half).[2]

It included a built-in 3.5 inch SS/DD floppy drive, which was used to boot the operating system as well as store samples and sequences. Each disk had a copy of the operating system and could be used as a boot disk, obviating the need for a separate boot disk.

Each disk stored six samples and up to eight sequences. The keyboard was 'pre-configured' into two halves, each functioning as two independent instruments, though the split point could be moved. This made it easy to have one sound for the right hand (an 'upper' sound) and another for the left (a 'lower' sound). However, the standard OS could not move samples between keyboard halves. Thus the diskette could save three 'upper' sounds and three 'lower' sounds. Ensoniq later made an alternative OS available called MASOS which traded off performance features for editing features, including the ability to copy an 'upper' sound to a 'lower' sound and vice versa.

Using a feature called multi-sampling, the Mirage was also capable of assigning multiple samples to different keys across its keyboard. Using this technique, the Mirage essentially turned into a polyphonic mult-timbral MIDI sound module complete with a velocity-sensitive keyboard that could be used to drive other MIDI sound modules as well its own sound engine.

The Mirage sampler has become a minor sought-after item due to the distinctive sound of its low bitrate converters, although not as desirable as similar-sounding samplers such as Akai's MPC60 and S900 due to its complex hexadecimal-based programming. Despite this, many industrial producers have championed the Mirage for its abrasive sound qualities.

The Mirage was the brainchild of Robert Yannes, the man responsible for the MOS Technology SID (Sound Interface Device) chip in the Commodore 64. The Ensoniq Digital Oscillator Chip (Ensoniq ES5503 DOC) that he designed was used in the Mirage as well as in the Apple IIGS computer and Ensoniq's ESQ-1 and SQ-80.

There were three versions of the Mirage. The first had a spongy-feeling keyboard and large square black buttons. The second had a better-weighted feel keyboard and small calculator-like buttons. The third was shorter and in a plastic case, had a non-weighted keyboard and sold for about $1300 USD. A 2U rack-mounted version was also produced.

In 1988, Ensoniq followed the Mirage up with the more advanced EPS (Ensoniq Performance Sampler), and later the EPS-16+.

References

  1. ↑ "Mirage-Net FAQ". Jawknee.com. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  2. ↑ "Ensoniq Mirage Tech Info". Syntaur. Retrieved 2014-02-11.

External links

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