Hello EPS..

I know what you mean about the lack of replies, but what can you do? You sound like you're in a similar situation as my programmer and I. We have an ESI-32, EmaxII, Ensoniq EPS (using opcode studio vision on mac for sequencing). We are looking to upgrade our sampler situation. I would say just from
my tinkering with the Akai 5000 and Emu 64 to possibly avoid both of them.. It's not that they aren't great pieces of gear.. they are, it's just that for the money you can improvise and do better. The Akai 5000 (and 6000) are basing their new sound files on dos/.wav as opposed to the old akai format. That's great if you have a pc, not great if you were running the old akai format and want to resample *I have an Akai s2000*.. Your idea to sequencing the esi 4000 with an akai mpc2000 is interesting, but I'm not sure you'll get the results you want. The akai mpc 2000 is limited to 32 mb of ram (like my esi32), and is not the greatest from a controller stand point.. It's kind of a jack of all trades, but master of none. You'd be better off using a computer sequencer to run your devices (via Vision, Logic, etc).. The Esi 4000 is a great little sampler. perhaps you should look at that first, load it up to 128mb of ram, and go from there?

As far as the emu 64 48 track sequencer I can't really comment on it... I think you should go with some computer based sequencer because they're pretty cheap ($200 to $400 range), and you get all your swing, quantize stuff in there with just a simple $40 1 midi in, 3 midi out box... (just my opinion though)...

All of this considered, the mpc 2000 is still an intriguing piece.. I loved the old mpc 3000, and there's a part of me that just loves having 16 pads to tinker with in real time.. If you're that kind of person I say go for it.. Otherwise, I say let your computer do the work with a software seq, small midi translator box, and the esi 4000 loaded up..

Thanx for the vine, and good luck!
L8r