E-mu ESI-2000

RackmountDigitalPolyphonic

Back in 1999, this rackmount sampler hit the scene as E-mu's most affordable pro-level entry yet, packing the same 64-voice polyphony and massive expandability as its pricier siblings for around $900—perfect for growers who wanted studio power without breaking the bank.

At its core, it's a 16-bit digital sample playback beast with 4MB standard RAM via 72-pin SIMMs, expandable to 128MB for hours of samples at rates up to 44.1kHz analog or 48kHz digital via optional S/PDIF. You'll find 64 selectable 6-pole multimode filters, three envelopes, one LFO per voice, and intuitive front-panel controls for everything from sample editing—think auto-truncating, looping, reverse, parametric EQ, time-stretch, and wild sample-transform tools—to multitimbral 16-channel MIDI setups over DIN I/O. Four stereo analog outs (expandable to eight with the Turbo board) plus SCSI for drives, and optional dual stereo FX engines handling reverb, delay, chorus, flange, distortion, vibrato, and more, all routed flexibly.

Users have long praised its superb sound quality and user-friendly interface that makes deep editing feel straightforward, earning it a spot as a budget hero in the ESI lineup between the ESI-32 and 4000—though some note the SCSI reliance can be a vintage quirk today. It's a reliable workhorse for anyone chasing that classic E-mu warmth in a compact 1U rack.

Released

1999

Status

Discontinued

Resources

E-MU ESI 2000 Digital Sampler

Those infamous E-MU piano samples - do they stand the test of time - you decide

E-MU ESI-32 for Pure Lofi Sampler Bliss [Demo]

E-MU ESI-32: Doppler effect [STEREO]

E-MU ESI 4000 Sampler Filter Types Including Z Plane Filters

E-mu ESi Granular Synthesis: An Impromptu Guide

E-MU Ultra Sampler - Demo #18 (Hardware Sampler)

E-MU Ultra Sampler - Demo #19 (Hardware Sampler)

Alesis HR-16 and E-MU ESI-2000 (will I make a beat?)

E-MU Ultra Sampler - Demo #13 (Hardware Sampler)

How to Creatively Chop Samples on the E MU ESI SERIES SAMPLERS

E-MU Ultra Sampler - Demo #10 (Hardware Sampler)

E-MU ESI-2000 PART 2 🎈 (feat. Benny the Butcher)

Synthesizer

Format

Rackmount

Type

Sample-based

Battery Powered

Voice

A/D

Digital

Polyphony

Polyphonic

Oscillators

Oscillator Type

Sample-based

Voices

Filter

Multimode

Envelopes

LFO

Effects

Reverb, Delay, Flanging, Distortion, Chorus, Vibrato

Expression

Aftertouch

Velocity

MPE

Additional

Software

I/O

Audio In

Audio Out

4 stereo

Headphone

MIDI

In, Out, Thru

MIDI Type

DIN (5-pin)

Ports

SCSI, S/PDIF

Wi-Fi

Workflow

Arpeggiator

Sequencer

Mod Matrix

Memory

4 MB standard, expandable to 128 MB with 72 pin SIMMS.

Measurements

Dimensions

Weight

Last updated Feb 25, 2026

E-mu Systems

www.emu.com (Historical)

Santa Cruz, California, USA

E-mu Systems was founded in 1971 by Dave Rossum and associates including Scott Wedge, Steve Gabriel, and Jim Ketcham, initially as students at institutions like UC Santa Cruz and Caltech, inspired by early Moog modular synthesizers. The company began producing high-quality modular synthesizers and pioneered digital keyboard scanning technology, licensing it to Oberheim and Sequential Circuits for polyphonic instruments like the Four Voice and Prophet-5. Their breakthrough came with the Emulator series of samplers in the 1980s, which revolutionized music production, alongside module-based instruments like the Proteus series; E-mu was later acquired by Creative Labs in the 1990s.

E-mu ESI-2000

Resources

Specs