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E-mu | PX-7 Command Station

Description

The PX-7 Command Station is a hybrid drum machine featuring a powerful sequencer and 128-voice synthesizer. The E-MU sound engineers spent six months meticulously sampling acoustic drum kits in professional studios around the U.S. to build this diverse collection of drum sounds. These drum kits have been optimized for the PX-7's advanced synthesis architecture, with multiple cross-switch layers built into each instrument.

It has 128 voices of polyphony like the MP7. It ships with one 32 MB ROM soundset. The PX-7 has 3 additional slots for adding more, up to 128 MB, of E-mu's 32 MB ROM soundsets from E-mu's family of genre based sound modules, keyboards, and desktop groove machines.

It has a built-in MPC-style sequencer. There are 13 large velocity and aftertouch sensitive pads which can be used to play notes, chords or drop in drum sounds. Sequences can be recorded in real-time, step input, or grid-styled classic TR drum-machine style programming. Patterns can be up to 32 bars long each, there is quantization, overdubbing features, and synth parameters can be automated in pattern and song modes.

There are 16 front panel real-time controllers for automating parameters in your tracks, or just for easy hands-on access to programming your sounds. Mute/Enable Track buttons allow you to add or remove patterns on the fly. The sequencer has full-blown MIDI implementation as well, supporting up to 32 MIDI channels. Use the PX-7 as a sound module or sync it up to other MIDI equipment. You can control its built-in sounds and external devices simultaneously! Many rhythmic synth parameters (LFO, envelopes) are Tempo/MIDI syncable too. There's even a cool real-time assignable touch strip ribbon controller. Unfortunately, the sequencer stores up to 1024 patterns and 512 songs.

Other great features it shares with its sister sound modules and keyboard versions include 32 simultaneously available arpeggiators with all the basic patterns plus up to 300 preset and user patterns! Two effects processors offer up the standard batch of reverb, delay, chorus, flange and distortion, and there are also digital 12 pole resonant filters. There are six outputs and a digital S/PDIF output, USB port, and a new BNC 12V lamp socket for lighting up the unit while using it on stage or alongside the DJ's turntables! Now the PX-7 gives musicians and DJs alike an MPC-style take on working with the proven sounds of E-mu's genre based Urban synths!

E-mu sound modules ship with one 32 MB sound-set each, but are expandable up to 128 MB via three additional slots for 32 MB expansion cards:

  • 9061: Siedlaczek Orchestra 32 MB ROM.
  • 9062: Pure Phatt 32 MB ROM - standard in Mo'Phatt, MP-7 and MK-6.
  • 9063: Beat Garden 32 MB ROM - standard in Orbit 3.
  • 9082: Protozoa 16 MB ROM - standard in Proteus 1, 2, 3.
  • 9083: Definitive B-3 32 MB ROM - standard in B-3.
  • 9084: Techno Synth Construction Yard 32 MB ROM - standard in Orbit 3.
  • 9085: Orchestral Session Vol. 1 32 MB ROM - standard in Virtuoso 2000.
  • 9086: Orchestral Session Vol. 2 32 MB ROM - standard in Virtuoso 2000.
  • 9087: World Expedition 32 MB ROM - standard in Planet Earth.
  • 9088: Sounds of the ZR featuring the Perfect Piano 32 MB ROM - standard in Ensoniq Halo.
  • 9089: X-Lead 32 MB ROM - standard in Xtreme Lead-1, XL-7 and XK-6.

With these expansion options, you could buy a PK-6, then add the sounds of the Orbit 3, XK-6, and the MP-7... or any other combinations you may want. If you like desktop synths, you can start with an MP-7 or XL-7, and then add these same expansion card options to add Proteus, Orchestral, or the new Halo sounds to them. E-mu/Ensoniq's interchangeable sound cards and a variety of keyboard/sound-module options means that there's a model out there for everybody now.

BrandE-mu
ModelPX-7 Command Station
DeviceSynth
TypeDesktop
Engine TypeDigital
EngineSample
Voices (max)128
Multitimbral16
Oscillators4
LFO2
Filter (VCF)1
Envelope (VCA)3
FX2. Effects Processor “A” contains primarily ambiance algorithms like reverb and delays, while effects processor “B” contains primarily spectral algorithms such as chorus, flange, phase, distortion, and delay.
MemoryROM/RAM: 512, ROM Expandable using 16 or 32 MB Sound simm. (up to 3)
ArpeggiatorRhythmic Pattern Generator. 200 Preset, 100 user
Recording16-track interactive sequencer. 300000 notes
Keys13
Key typePads
VelocityY
AftertouchN
AudioStereo out
MidiI-O-T
Produced:2003 - 2003
Legend: Obvious Y: Yes, N: No, N/A: Not Applicable
VCO Voltage Controlled Oscillator DCO Digital Controlled Oscillator
LFO Low Frequency Oscillator Sub Sub Oscillator
VCF Voltage Controlled Filter VCA Voltage Controlled Amplifier
Velocity As with a piano, the harder you hit a key, the louder the sound, unlike most organs which always produce the same loudness no matter how hard you hit a key. Aftertouch Pressing a key after you activated it. Channel Aftertouch, no matter which key, it will send a Channel message. Poly Aftertouch, sends the pressure per key instead of the whole channel.
Values for OSC, LFO, Filter, Envelope are per voice unless stated otherwise.

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