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Ensonig DP/4


Symbiotic

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I just inherited an Ensoniq DP/4 from a friend of mine.

 

My current setup includes very little outboard gear -

 

Kawai K5000s

Symetrix Compressor

Machinedrum

 

I've not played with the thing much, but I'm really wondering if it can offer me anything that I don't already have in software...

 

I've got Reaktor 4 and Logic Audio Platinum, so pretty much any effect I need, I've got.

 

Unless any of you can think of what I might need to keep this thing for...?

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the Dp/4 was one of the best multi-fx processors of its day.

 

It's DAC has a certain "sweet" sound. Deep phases, nice distortion and drum fx.

 

In other words... route some of your individual lines from your Machinedrum into the DP/4, set up a MIDI Machine on the Machinedrum to send out CCs to automate FX parameters and suddenly you will have an entire new domain to play in!

 

An excellent find!

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Originally posted by malfunkt

the Dp/4 was one of the best multi-fx processors of its day.


It's DAC has a certain "sweet" sound. Deep phases, nice distortion and drum fx.


In other words... route some of your individual lines from your Machinedrum into the DP/4, set up a MIDI Machine on the Machinedrum to send out CCs to automate FX parameters and suddenly you will have an entire new domain to play in!


An excellent find!

 

 

+1

 

i still use my dp2 all the time. sweetness is too be had!

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Well, I was skeptical and pretty set on selling the thing - going rate is about $300 (or half the cost of a new audio interface).

 

But yesterday I plugged it in and ran a few drum tracks through it - pretty simple stuff from the Machinedrum.

 

You know what? You were both right. This is one of the sweetest/warmest sounding FX units I've ever heard. Even without tweaking - just going through the presets - it had a tonal quality to it that really evoked a lot of the old 80's sounds, which is what I generally lean towards in my electronic stuff.

 

So now, I think it will stay in the studio. Not sure how much use it will get, but it really is too unique to let go. Thanks for the ideas and encouragement!

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the Ensoniq DP effects boxes do have a tone that is not available from plugs, at least not yet, and indeed, they have a tone that is decidedly surprising for a digital box...

 

they are a perfect example of devices that may have been superceded on the basis of specs, but in the final score, they still rate highly because the thing that really matters...the sound...is still every bit as good as it ever was.

 

 

cheers,

aeon

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Only thing I noticed from this one is that - at high levels - it does have a fair amount of hiss/background noise, and there is a strange high-pitched squealing sound as well.

 

It isn't really apparent when you're not running hot, but it is there nonetheless. I will have to take some care in mixing, methinks.

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