KORG EMX-1 or ESX-1

Hey guys,

As I've noted in previous posts, I'm fairly new to electronic music.

I'd like to buy myself a nice drum machine so that I can make good music in my room along with my MicroKorg XL.

Trouble is, I have no experience in drum machines at all.

Recently, when I was searching online for a good drum machine, I came across the KORG EMX-1. I thought that looked great. I then saw the KORG ESX-1, and I have no idea which is better, cheaper and what they do. I have researched them, so don't start telling me to google it.

Have you guys got any advice on which one to buy, which one is better, etc.

Thanks!

  On 3/17/2010 at 8:45 AM, CalumVaughan said:

I have researched them, so don't start telling me to google it.

er...

  On 3/17/2010 at 8:45 AM, CalumVaughan said:

and I have no idea which is better, cheaper and what they do.

...what?

You're basically saying you've researched them, and thus you haven't researched them.

On the other hand, I am not an angry man. I will answer your question. The ESX is a sampler; the EMX is a synthesizer. THIS is all you really need to know in which one you should get. Do you want realistic drum sounds, or do you want nifty synthesized hits? Do you want something that can play you synths as well? Personally I'd advise you get the ESX, as with a Microkorg you don't need the synths the EMX offers. However, if you want synthesized drums, you could get the EA-R instead. It's a good deal cheaper and will provide your synthdrum needs.

go with the esx-1 if you are looking to use it mainly for drums. the individual filters aren't available for each drum part on the emx, as opposed to the esx, which yields much less tweaking capability per drum part. you'd still have the modulation section and effects sections available, but it's tough to live without the dedicated filter per part. you will also have no ability to load your own samples with the emx, but the preset bank is pretty solid imo. you can dial in pretty nasty synth sounds on either machine, but the emx is MUCH more thorough in that regard. i have had both for years, and you can't really go wrong with either one.

neither the korg EMX-1 or ESX-1 are drum machines. they have the capability to be used as one but are much more versatile. they are known as Grooveboxes and you can program beats, synth lines, bass lines etc and compose an entire track using just one of these.

if you're new to electronic music, don't really know what you're doing and still want one of these two I would go for the EMX-1 as it will give you a lot more "out of the box" usability and sounds. to really use the ESX-1 properly you will have to go about getting samples together (by recording them yourself, ripping from other tracks, buying sample CDs, beatboxing - whatever) and importing them into the ESX-1 which might be a bit daunting for a beginner. with the EMX-1 you've got a shit load of drum sounds right there already.

if you're looking to buy an actual drum machine these days your choice is quite limited if you want brand new and you're in the UK. you're really limited to Alesis SR-16, Alesis SR-18, Boss DR-670, Boss DR-880 and Zoom RhythmTracks (all of which are quite shit really, and not particularly cheap - especially the Boss ones, quite expensive for what they are) if you try and buy one from a shop in the UK or on line from a UK store. don't ask me why they have such a shit selection in the UK, they just do.

if you go further afield and don't mind buying from mainland Europe or the US then you have a much better selection to choose from. some excellent drum machines are:

Jomox XBass 888

Jomox XBass 999

MFB 502

MFB 522

MFB 503

MFB Schlagzwerg

Elektron Machinedrum

AcidLab Miami

some of the above will set you back more than a Korg EMX unfortunately and will only be good for drum sounds (with the exception of the Machinedrum and the Schlagzwerg which can make all sorts of noises), but they are all "proper" drum machines.

  On 3/17/2010 at 10:08 AM, uptowndevil said:

go with the esx-1 if you are looking to use it mainly for drums. the individual filters aren't available for each drum part on the emx, as opposed to the esx, which yields much less tweaking capability per drum part. you'd still have the modulation section and effects sections available, but it's tough to live without the dedicated filter per part. you will also have no ability to load your own samples with the emx, but the preset bank is pretty solid imo. you can dial in pretty nasty synth sounds on either machine, but the emx is MUCH more thorough in that regard. i have had both for years, and you can't really go wrong with either one.

ESX-1 has filters for drums? fuck... I knew it would be more useful but that blue finish on the EMX sold me.