Ensoniq Mirage

Back in 1984, this sampler crashed the party of pricey studio behemoths like the Fairlight and Synclavier, delivering pro-level sampling for under $1700 as Ensoniq's very first commercial product. Powered by the innovative Q chip, it made lo-fi sound design accessible to bedroom producers and pros alike, kicking off a lineage that led to the legendary EPS workstations.

At its heart is an 8-bit sampling engine with variable rates from 8kHz (up to 6.5 seconds) to 33kHz (around 2 seconds), paired with 128KB RAM for six samples across 8-voice polyphony. Each patch layers two samples through resonant 24dB/octave analog lowpass filters (Curtis CEM3320-based) with keytracking, plus dual 5-stage envelopes—one for amplitude, one for filter—and a single LFO for pitch modulation via wheel, aftertouch, breath, or pedal. The 61-key velocity-sensitive (and often weighted) keyboard splits into upper/lower halves for dual sounds, controlled via a no-frills 2-digit display, 25 buttons, and floppy drive for loading samples, 333-event sequences, or even the OS. MIDI In/Out/Thru, mono audio I/O, and poly aftertouch round it out in a sturdy 103x34x10cm frame weighing 10.8kg.

Owners cherish its gritty, aliasing-rich tones—think classic 80s choirs, basses, and pianos that shine in retro tracks—plus those warm analog filters that add serious character. Sample editing via hex code keeps it authentic (and challenging), but the vast disk library makes it approachable, earning a devoted cult following decades on.