Ensoniq EPS-16+

Back in 1990, this workstation brought high-quality 16-bit sampling to bedroom producers and pros alike, packing CD-level audio into a semi-weighted 61-key keyboard that felt right at home in any setup—keyboard or rackmount versions available.

It runs on true 16-bit linear oversampling up to 44.6 kHz sampling rates, with 1 MB standard memory expandable to 2 MB for about 11.5 seconds of mono at top speed, and delivers 20-voice polyphony at the sweet 29.8 kHz default. Multimode filters—highpass, lowpass, bandpass with 6-24 dB cutoffs—pair with pitch, filter, and amplitude envelopes, plus a versatile LFO offering seven waveforms for modulation via velocity, polyphonic aftertouch, or the mod matrix. A 24-bit DSP handles 13 effects like reverb, delay, chorus, flange, phaser, distortion, and wah-wah, all resampliable in real time, while the 16-track sequencer (8 instruments, 8 songs at 96 PPQ) supports live tweaks with editing like quantization and transposition. Controls are button-heavy with a crisp LCD, mono input, stereo outs, full MIDI DIN, and SCSI for storage on 3.5-inch floppies.

Players still geek out over its gritty, hands-on workflow and load-while-playing trick, though some wish for filter resonance—it's a '90s classic that rewards sample tinkerers with evolving transwave textures and stage-ready sequencing.