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

[Compyfox]

Was X3 actually released as VSTi?

Yes, and there's XL-1 library also. X3 lacks the "beats" mode and arps that are on the hardware but otherwise it's quite close. X3 is a good way to get all the EMU module sounds. I have all the libraries and that includes most modules including all the Proteus modules, Orbits, Mo'Phatt, PX7, and XL1.

I am considering the Orbits and Mo'Phatt myself. Tested the latter once, liked the sound. If anything fails, there is still the DigitalSoundFactory bundle for 99 bucks.


But in order to jump on the X3 game, I need funds first.

[szurcio]

So it's no longer authorized/activated by CR? I have some very unpleasant experiences from the past (like Wizooverb)

[robotmonkey]

So it's no longer authorized/activated by CR? I have some very unpleasant experiences from the past (like Wizooverb)

Nope, still CR. And the state Creative has been lately I would not be too optimistic about the activation servers staying up for much longer. EMU has been dead for many years already and Creative has financially gone downhill for several years too. Though, a Creative support rep told me lately that there are some new people in EMU since the May but nobody at EMU has answered any of my emails.

[szurcio]

ah, bad news - so major hardware changes (like a new hard drive) will require re-activation?

[CapnLockheed]

I HATE the fact that it's CR. I depend on X3 for both for live use with my Fishman Triple Play and for the fact that, AFAIK, it's the only soft sampler that does a decent job of SAMPLING. I know nothing lasts forever but......

[Dan_E10]

Anyone still using X3 in 2026? My Windows 7 machine I have been running it on started getting flaky so I've been reinstalling all my music software on a Windows 10 machine. Emulator X3 installed without issue. It did prompt me for the activation but then gave an error that it couldn't connect to the servers. Not surprising that they have finally been taken down after all this time. It seems to be running happily in Windows 10 and actually surprises me that it seems to be more stable that it was in Windows 7 running an Emu 1820M Audio Interface! However, I won't be surprised if a 30 day timeout on the activation pops up at some point and no more X3.
Keeping fingers crossed...

[MorpherX]

Anyone still using X3 in 2026? My Windows 7 machine I have been running it on started getting flaky so I've been reinstalling all my music software on a Windows 10 machine. Emulator X3 installed without issue. It did prompt me for the activation but then gave an error that it couldn't connect to the servers. Not surprising that they have finally been taken down after all this time. It seems to be running happily in Windows 10 and actually surprises me that it seems to be more stable that it was in Windows 7 running an Emu 1820M Audio Interface! However, I won't be surprised if a 30 day timeout on the activation pops up at some point and no more X3.
Keeping fingers crossed...

I have Emulator X2/X3 an they work on Win8.1 and Win10 without any problem. I also have two EMU USB audio devices, but you don't need this because EmulatorX3 is loyality free for all.
You can get the installers at archive.org and you don't need any key anymore.
https://archive.org/details/setup-emula ... 64-v-3.0.0
I don't know if EmulatorX 3 works on Win 7.

[EsmileZ]

Works perfekt on win 10 and 11. Installing from my old disc doesn't work but the posted version works. It s still a awesome sampler

[HM]

Sounds nice, for the Z-plane filters alone

Guess there was even a bit more filters in X3 compared to the latest Ultra 5000 samplers


I consider making an W11 X3 stand-alone out of old PC-parts ,.. just for the fun of it

Questions

1. Is it able to take advantage of many cores ? or better a few cores and high speed ?

I got good motherboards and these two CPUs available:

A. i7 4790K 4 Cores, 8 Threads @4.0GHz
B. i9 9900K 8 Cores, 16 Threads @3.6GHz

(both could be overclocked 5-10 pct while still keeping a solid safe-margin)

Would obviously prefer to use just the 4790K if its fully equipped for X3 in any possible way ?

In both cases 16GB ram, and RME Hammerfall PCI card

[MorpherX]

Sounds nice, for the Z-plane filters alone

Guess there was even a bit more filters in X3 compared to the latest Ultra 5000 samplers


I consider making an W11 X3 stand-alone out of old PC-parts ,.. just for the fun of it

Questions

1. Is it able to take advantage of many cores ? or better a few cores and high speed ?

I got good motherboards and these two CPUs available:

A. i7 4790K 4 Cores, 8 Threads @4.0GHz
B. i9 9900K 8 Cores, 16 Threads @3.6GHz

(both could be overclocked 5-10 pct while still keeping a solid safe-margin)

Would obviously prefer to use just the 4790K if its fully equipped for X3 in any possible way ?

In both cases 16GB ram, and RME Hammerfall PCI card

The single differences between EmulatorX3 and X2 are, that X3 has multicore support and a vst2 x64 version.

Beside this the Z-Plane filters are even better than U.He filters and you are able to create your own filters with the "Morph Designer" inside X2/X3.

The CPU usage is low here (less than 1% per instance). But I have a 32 thread machine running at 4.2 GHz. You are able to define how many cores it uses and the percentage of every core.
The memory usage depends on the size and number of the libraries and samples you are using.

[HM]

Sounds nice, for the Z-plane filters alone

Guess there was even a bit more filters in X3 compared to the latest Ultra 5000 samplers


I consider making an W11 X3 stand-alone out of old PC-parts ,.. just for the fun of it

Questions

1. Is it able to take advantage of many cores ? or better a few cores and high speed ?

I got good motherboards and these two CPUs available:

A. i7 4790K 4 Cores, 8 Threads @4.0GHz
B. i9 9900K 8 Cores, 16 Threads @3.6GHz

(both could be overclocked 5-10 pct while still keeping a solid safe-margin)

Would obviously prefer to use just the 4790K if its fully equipped for X3 in any possible way ?

In both cases 16GB ram, and RME Hammerfall PCI card

The single differences between EmulatorX3 and X2 are, that X3 has multicore support and a vst2 x64 version.

Beside this the Z-Plane filters are even better than U.He filters and you are able to create your own filters with the "Morph Designer" inside X2/X3.

The CPU usage is low here (less than 1% per instance). But I have a 32 thread machine running at 4.2 GHz. You are able to define how many cores it uses and the percentage of every core.
The memory usage depends on the size and number of the libraries and samples you are using.

Thanks, sound promissing, nothing to lose to give a shot with the old 4790K, that CPU is also
a few years ahead of the code, as X3 was released in 2009, and the CPU was released 2014,
so I guess there is enough "juice" for my use.

I will just use some of the good old factory sounds, and make some more simple homegrown
sounds my self, it will be for special tasks only, solo tracks, mainly for the filters, and not
heavy stuff in many instances,..

For normal tasks, bread and butter sounds, I got plenty of other tools,..

Great thing, in case my x3 project goes well. Actually I bought Rossums Morpheus recently,
just to be able to use the old filters, (not tested yet), unique as all 3 parameters, (xyz),
from the cube, can be CV modulated at once in realtime, great fun hands on I guess

But getting X3 up running also wil be very welcome, Morph Designer sounds very nice, thanks
for mention, I printed out the X3 manual, better start reading a little up, while building

IMHO the filters are outstanding and Unique, still today, who else manage to make a a sharp
and well-souding 14-pole filter, configured this way

Actually Ultra Proteus was the module with most filters in the E-mu line as far as I remember