Emulator X3 vs the hardware. Similar enough? Run on Windows 8?

[zerocrossing]

Where can you get emulator 3 now anyway?

http://www.digitalproaudiosamples.com/# ... tware/cjh3

They're selling it for $50, a bargain!

Is it even legal?

Its a bit suspicious that they offer the Proteus VX download, let alone that its via a DropBox link, I have to admit...

The fact that they're offering the various CD libraries as downloads moreso. Im not sure how that's going to work, given that Im pretty sure X3 wants to see a disc inserted to authorise any given library.

They're mountable ISO files. It worked pretty well. I paid the full $100 just because I was curious about the old libraries. I heard they had a relationship with Creative and it was legal. I hope so, but I don't really care much because Creative wouldn't sell it to me.

[Compyfox]

Its a bit suspicious that they offer the Proteus VX download, let alone that its via a DropBox link, I have to admit...

Proteus VX was always a free download, as it was a "player type" version of the Proteus X software. It was a bit hard to get through the official page however. At DigitalSoundFactory, it's locked away behind a user account (which is not a drastic issue - since you could also access more stuff form there) - but, it is still free.

The fact that they're offering the various CD libraries as downloads moreso. Im not sure how that's going to work, given that Im pretty sure X3 wants to see a disc inserted to authorise any given library.

As mentioned, ISO's. A pretty common way of release these days, something that DigitalSoundFactory does as well. And something that E-MU kind of missed in it's last days.


As I wrote earlier, if DigitalSoundFactory would pick up the license and further develop the sampler/rompler, maybe we could see a revival of the IMO great late 90ies early 2000s sound modules.

[bftucker]

They're mountable ISO files. It worked pretty well. I paid the full $100 just because I was curious about the old libraries. I heard they had a relationship with Creative and it was legal. I hope so, but I don't really care much because Creative wouldn't sell it to me.

Sounds interesting. After you get a little experience with it, let s know what you think.

[Numanoid]

Vintage Pro X Vol 1 and 2, looks interesting at just $13 each:

11 Banks, 306 Presets:
ARP 2600, Mini Moog, ARP Axxe, Moog Taurus Pedals, Roland JD800, Sequential Prophet 10, Roland Jupiter 8, Sequential Prophet 600, Roland JX8P, Percs and Noise, Memory Moog

9 Banks, 277 Presets:
Elka Rhapsody String Ensemble, E-mu Modular Synthesizer, Roland Juno 60 Synthesizer, Mellotron, Millennium Collection, Korg MS-20 FX & Percussion, Solina String Ensemble, Oberheim OB-Xa Synthesizer, Roland TB303 Bass Line Synthesizer

But I guess they wont run in Proteus VX?

Anybody tried to run them in Kontakt?

[whyterabbyt]

Its a bit suspicious that they offer the Proteus VX download, let alone that its via a DropBox link, I have to admit...

Proteus VX was always a free download, as it was a "player type" version of the Proteus X software. It was a bit hard to get through the official page however. At DigitalSoundFactory, it's locked away behind a user account (which is not a drastic issue - since you could also access more stuff form there) - but, it is still free.

im aware VX was zero cost and downloadable, thanks. Are you arguing that either factor mean that any given company automatically has the right to redistribute it?

The fact that they're offering the various CD libraries as downloads moreso. Im not sure how that's going to work, given that Im pretty sure X3 wants to see a disc inserted to authorise any given library.

As mentioned, ISO's. A pretty common way of release these days, something that DigitalSoundFactory does as well. And something that E-MU kind of missed in it's last days.

Im aware of the existence of mountable ISOs, thanks. But they're not that common for legitimate release these days.
Are you arguing that the fact that they're offering ISOs of what was only ever available from the original manufacturer as physical media is somehow a factor which supports the legitimacy of them offering this stuff as downloads?

[Numanoid]

But they're not that common for legitimate release these days.

So is that your own research?

Native Instruments, one of the major players, uses iso images for Komplete for example.

So are you saying NI is not legitimate?

[EvilDragon]

ISO image format has nothing to do with legality of the release...

[whyterabbyt]

But they're not that common for legitimate release these days.

So is that your own research?

Yes.

Native Instruments, one of the major players, uses iso images for Komplete for example.

So are you saying NI is not legitimate?

Are you saying I said that?

[szurcio]

I asked them directly if it's legal and this is the reply I just got:
Hi,

Only Emulator X3 has genuine and valid serial number. Sound libraries do not require any activation code. Bear in mind that EX3 is a discontinued product but its a genuine copy.

Regards!

DigitalSamples Team.

Tempting but they didn't clear up my suspicions completely

[whyterabbyt]

ISO image format has nothing to do with legality of the release...

Indeed. My point was simply that the fact that EMU only ever manufactured and shipped these products on physical media makes me dubious of the legitimacy of some random company from ebay shipping these as downloads.
As it is, Im pretty sure the original copyright system for these CDs was SecuROM, which AFAIK was the underlying system responsible for Emulator X2 not working on Win7 x64 systems, and hence X3's reliance on inserting the disk for validation of a given bank. I believe one would have to strip out the SecuROM stuff prior to making an ISO of it, which, again, makes me dubious.

[robotmonkey]

I asked them directly if it's legal and this is the reply I just got:
Hi,

Only Emulator X3 has genuine and valid serial number. Sound libraries do not require any activation code. Bear in mind that EX3 is a discontinued product but its a genuine copy.

Regards!

DigitalSamples Team.

Tempting but they didn't clear up my suspicions completely

Digital Pro Audio samples has been trading in used E-MU gear for many many years. It is most likely that they are some former E-MU employees. I have bought stuff from them myself and never had any problems. They are also the last place where you can get any of the E-MU software stuff at all these days.

[RobGee]

Where can you get emulator 3 now anyway?

http://www.digitalproaudiosamples.com/# ... tware/cjh3

They're selling it for $50, a bargain!

Is it even legal?

Its a bit suspicious that they offer the Proteus VX download, let alone that its via a DropBox link, I have to admit...

The fact that they're offering the various CD libraries as downloads moreso. Im not sure how that's going to work, given that Im pretty sure X3 wants to see a disc inserted to authorise any given library.

They're mountable ISO files. It worked pretty well. I paid the full $100 just because I was curious about the old libraries. I heard they had a relationship with Creative and it was legal. I hope so, but I don't really care much because Creative wouldn't sell it to me.

I saw the link mentioned in another thread where it was mentioned that they've been a reputable aftermarket E-mu trader for some time.

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... 8&start=30

[whyterabbyt]

Digital Pro Audio samples has been trading in used E-MU gear for many many years. It is most likely that they are some former E-MU employees.

Did EMU have a lot of folk in Kuala Lumpur then?

[szurcio]

Well apparently the corporate headquarters of Creative used to be in Singapore. And they had an office in Kuala Lumpur:
Malaysia
Creative Labs Sdn Bhd
Megan Phileo Promenade
Jalan Tun Razak
50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: +60-3-264 7199 Fax: +60-3-264 7198

So maybe? (I found a pdf report from 1999)

A revenge of their former employees who were fired when the company went down?

[robotmonkey]

ISO image format has nothing to do with legality of the release...

Indeed. My point was simply that the fact that EMU only ever manufactured and shipped these products on physical media makes me dubious of the legitimacy of some random company from ebay shipping these as downloads.
As it is, Im pretty sure the original copyright system for these CDs was SecuROM, which AFAIK was the underlying system responsible for Emulator X2 not working on Win7 x64 systems, and hence X3's reliance on inserting the disk for validation of a given bank. I believe one would have to strip out the SecuROM stuff prior to making an ISO of it, which, again, makes me dubious.

Actually prior to Emulator X3 EMU used the horrible Macrovision DRM that tried to screw with DVD-RW drives. Also E-MU VST's needed an E-MU soundcard as a dongle in addition to Macrovision. After many copy protection dramas in the internet they finally had to ditch both as most of the users were raged when thy found out that none of that stuff works in Vista. Emulator X3 was postponed almost a year, if I remember correctly, because they could not get their C/R server infrastructure up. It was a total joke and by the time they got Emulator X3 out most of the users had already switched to NI Kontakt. Like that wasn't bad enough there were not that many improvements in X3 over X2, and, the upgrade price was outrageous.