The (transferable) storage evolution of the EII [P1]

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Even with a website called “samplenerd” I realise this could be the most nerdy article yet… let’s go!

In the samplenerd.com article The Art of the Process I went to the expense and trouble of recording using samples from floppy disks. Copying the whole of the FMS library to disk then swopping them out to make a recording in DAW.  The process used by our luminaries back in the 1980s into the nineties.

The reason I wanted to cover this aspect of data transfer is because it represents the story of the evolution of data storage itself across many of our famous samplers and workstations.  Many of which are still held in high regard today.  A few examples are the Ensoniq ASR10, E-MU’s SP1200, Fairlight CMU, Synclavier, DPX1 etc.

Previously…

Arriving in 1984 the EII is well placed for this study. Slotting in just after its predecessor the Emulator I which used 5.25 diskettes. 

Eight inch disks preceded the 5.25 diskettes.   Bear in mind that the form factor didn’t much change the floppy disk storage capacity.   So when the development came to introduce the same magnetic media but with a smaller footprint, the larger more ‘cumbersome’ versions were quickly assigned to the dustbin!

Definitions

Transferable storage now covers a surprising amount of media.  Originally this usually occurred within a computer lab, university or some other large organisation. But with the advent of mass computing people wanted a means to share data. Popular examples are: diskettes; eproms; CDR’s; ‘thumb’ drives; flash drives; cloud etc.

The Emulator II

I think it’s fair to say, the EII is one of the more fondly remembered. And still much revered of the sampling instruments that have been manufactured since mass sampling became available. 

Known most famously for its 8 (!) SSM2045* filter chips, forty years on this steel big grey and blue beast still commands high prices on the aftermarket. 

*SSM means Solid State Microtechnology.

As newer, quicker and potentially more reliable transferable media became available, many adapted their samplers to take advantage of it.  A good example is the transition to 3.5 diskette drives. Encased in hard plastic with a sliding metal cover for the readable part of the disk. This from the literally floppy 5.25 with the read window being exposed unless in its thin cardboard wallet. Again, it was able to contain the equal amount of data and it was smaller too. 

In part two we leave the fond and tactile world of the floppy disk to enter the smaller and perhaps more pocket sized world of flash and thumb storage. Gripping stuff!

Hero image credit: Reverb.com

Come back for part II: “emulation, the biggest form of flattery!”