E-mu Orbit-3

Back in 2001, this rackmount powerhouse doubled the polyphony of its Orbit predecessors to a massive 128 voices, packing 64MB of custom Electronica samples designed by sound wizard Rob Papen specifically for dance and techno producers chasing those pulsating grooves.

At its core, it's a sample-based digital synth module with the same robust engine as the Proteus 2000, loaded with 1,024 ROM presets and 512 user slots across Techno Synth Construction Yard and Beat Garden soundsets—think fat analog-style basses, swirling leads, glitchy percussion, and atmospheric pads from 1,156 instruments. Twelve real-time front-panel knobs let you tweak filters, envelopes, and mods on the fly, backed by a deep modulation matrix, 50 Z-plane multimode filters, SuperBEATS rhythmic generator, arpeggiator, and sequencer. Effects shine with a 24-bit dual stereo processor offering 76 algorithms like reverb, delay, chorus, flange, and distortion, routed flexibly via sends; audio flows through 6 balanced outs plus S/PDIF digital, with full DIN MIDI I/O and even 4 SIMM slots for doubling ROM to 128MB via E-mu expansions.

Over two decades on, it's earned a cult following among electronic music heads for its unbeatable bang-for-buck dance sounds and hands-on workflow in cramped racks—folks love the gritty, ready-to-mix tones that still hold up in modern mixes, though some note the dated interface takes getting used to without a dedicated editor.