By UNSYSTEMATIC
Thu Aug 14, 2003 2:39 am
I came across this info. while reading on the history of EMU products. I thought maybe this would be interesting to read.
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep02/a ... ersary.asp
The SP1200 — And Beyond?
The SP1200 was launched at the 1987 Summer NAMM in Chicago, and it sold well for years, until it was discontinued in 1990. Emu thought the product was outdated and unloved. Far from it — the SP1200 had gathered a strong following in the emerging hip-hop scene. Emu re-issued the SP1200 in 1993 with a cool black casing, and modifications to comply with the latest electrical regulations. Production runs continued until a final batch of SP1200s was made in the spring of 1998.
In the early '90s, Marco Alpert proposed an 'SP1600' using first the sampling engine from the Emax II, and then the one from the ESI32 sampler. Product concepts were drawn up, but they were never approved. The new attitude that pervaded Emu was to build low-cost modules and achieve massive revenues. Marco took the idea (and his job) to Akai, and launched the hugely successful MPC2000 instead.
Will Emu ever manufacture the SP1200 again? The simple answer is no — too many of the parts are obsolete. There is certainly customer demand for a 21st-century 'SP2400' or the like, but Emu have consistently avoided niche products since being bought by Creative.
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep02/a ... ersary.asp
The SP1200 — And Beyond?
The SP1200 was launched at the 1987 Summer NAMM in Chicago, and it sold well for years, until it was discontinued in 1990. Emu thought the product was outdated and unloved. Far from it — the SP1200 had gathered a strong following in the emerging hip-hop scene. Emu re-issued the SP1200 in 1993 with a cool black casing, and modifications to comply with the latest electrical regulations. Production runs continued until a final batch of SP1200s was made in the spring of 1998.
In the early '90s, Marco Alpert proposed an 'SP1600' using first the sampling engine from the Emax II, and then the one from the ESI32 sampler. Product concepts were drawn up, but they were never approved. The new attitude that pervaded Emu was to build low-cost modules and achieve massive revenues. Marco took the idea (and his job) to Akai, and launched the hugely successful MPC2000 instead.
Will Emu ever manufacture the SP1200 again? The simple answer is no — too many of the parts are obsolete. There is certainly customer demand for a 21st-century 'SP2400' or the like, but Emu have consistently avoided niche products since being bought by Creative.
.....just a notable