I want to use only one synth

[mholloway]

TAL-Sampler was loosely inspired by the EPS 16+

In the sense that it was also equally inspried by the S900 and S950 and S1000 and the Mirage and the Emulator II and EIII and the various E4 sampers...and so on. It's "loosely inspired by" all the classic samplers.

Which is to say, there's nothing _specifically_ EPS 16+ about it, that I'm aware of. It's just as much like any of those others as its like an EPS 16+.

If that's wrong, I'd love to be corrected and learn more about it, but I don't think that's wrong. If Patrick decided to figure out (unlikely) and add the much-discussed-years-ago "weird looping behavior" of the EPS when you set the loop points to the same value (or maybe it's when you set the end before the start? not sure tbh) which results in some sort of "desirable glitching" ... well then, that would be a different story. But I'm not sure it's even possible to emulate that, likely not...

It is indeed a different story, and what you describe in your third paragraph is exactly the inspired part of the Ensoniq EPS 16+ that TAL-Sampler has. Furthermore, TAL-Sampler does granular synthesis as well. Go read my review.

I just read your review. I get that it can modulate the loop points -- and I agree that is very cool. But what I'm referring to regarding what I've read, multiple times in multiple places, about the EPS 16 behavior wasn't strictly about it modulating loop points, but an 'unexpected behavior' that arose from moving them close together...

from a Gearspace post about Autechre:
"Ensoniq samplers will play through the entire sample memory if you put the loop points too close together."

from a Modwiggler post:
"The classic EPS16 trick, to have a sample looping, but the loop points both the same. The sampler freaks out and plays random glitches from whatever was in the memory previously."

This is what I was referring to, neither description of which seems to be referring to the ability to modulate loop points (as you are) but something else that happens when they are "too close together."

Having never had the hardware, though, I honestly have no idea. I'm just suggesting that the EPS 16 is noted for having some quirky abilities that I'm not (yet) convinced TAL Sampler is capable of recreating.

[audiojunkie]

No, I don’t believe TAL-Sampler “glitches” like you describe the EPS 16+ as doing.

[ghostwhistler]

More and more, as I write and learn the software synths I use (I will never own the hardware so who cares anyway), I find that i just want to work with as few synths as possible. Maybe even just one, percussion sounds aside.

You could also use no synths at all, just samplers.

You could. I have the excellent TAL Sampler which I think exceeds the arturia Emulator. But I'm still counting that as a synth in this discussion. But I don't think I'd want to limit myself just to samples. YMMV

The beauty of it is that with TAL-Sampler, you aren’t limiting yourself to just samples. TAL-Sampler is also a powerful full-blown synthesizer with a full blown sampler for each of its four layers, granular capabilities.

Read my extensive review here:

viewtopic.php?p=8655524#p8655524

I don't need to I own it already!

And yes it does have a synth. Not bad at all. It's only weak point (if you can call it that), in comparison to the Emulator V, is that it has 4 layers not 8. Doens't matter to me. It can do more in all other respects.

[BONES]

Fewer is better, IMO. Regardless of how advanced a user one may be, we are all limited by a fixed amount of time per day, and we have to decide whether we are going to use that learning a new synth/interface/workflow/etc or actually making something with what we already have.

Is that really a consideration, though? I spend pretty much no time at all learning a new synth, I just grab it and go. If I had one synth or 100, I don't think it would affect the time I need to get things done.

I always keep an eye out on the new stuff just to see if something is worth picking up and even just to keep up to date, but unless the benefits of capability/time-saving/etc reach a certain perceived threshold, I don't buy and continue on with what I already have.

I bet your music is really exciting.

Another way to go is a virtual modular. This can be as simple or complicated as you want it to be. Another approach, I know, but worth trying.

No, it's not. It's another way to make things even messier and more complicated.

Anyway, it's not really much of a question to be bothered asking, in that you can try it for yourself and see how it goes. Personally, I get bored with most instruments pretty quickly so I like having lots of different things around to help ignite that little spark of creativity. As I said above, I put no effort into trying to "learn" them, I just play around with them and see what they can come up with for me. That's why I like simple synths, they require the least effort.