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ovens) and the addition of a recessed diskette holder well in the right end of the front panel - the opposite side of the keyboard from the floppy disk drive (the disk drive being mounted exactly as the
American DSK-8, at the front edge of the keyboard between the modulation wheels and the left end of the keybed). This Australasian DSK-8 variant included documentation in Japanese with English covers stating "Distributed by Nihon Hammond, Ltd."
447:, and other Ensoniq keyboards. The Mirage DSK-1 had a non-weighted keybed but added stereo outputs. The floppy disk drive, now with integrated recessed diskette holder, was repositioned above the modulation wheels. The DSK-1 did not include an expansion port, so the optional external Ensoniq Input Sampling Filter (and sequencer memory expansion) could not be installed. The Mirage DSK-1 sold for about $ 1300 USD.
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402:"Lower" sound). However, the standard OS can not move samples between keyboard sections. Thus the diskette can save three Upper sounds and three Lower sounds. Ensoniq later released an alternative OS called MASOS (Mirage Advanced Sampling Operating System), which trades off performance features for editing features, including the ability to copy an Upper sound to a Lower sound, and vice versa.
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387:. It has 128kB of sample RAM (64kB for each keyboard half), plus 16kB system/sequencer RAM (totaling 144kB), and it is not expandable. Sample rate is variable from 10 kHz to 33 kHz (up to 50 kHz with optional Ensoniq Input Sampling Filter) with available sample time ranging from 2 to 6.5 seconds accordingly (for each keyboard half).
344:(MSRP $ 8,000 to $ 10,000) and the large Fairlight CMI Series II system (approximately $ 28,000 for a basic system). (The New England Digital Synclavier II system did not offer a polyphonic sampling option until later, in 1985.) The sampling resolution of the Mirage, Emulator II, and Fairlight CMI Series II was 8-bit.
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Each disk stores six separate files of samples and up to eight sequences. The keyboard is pre-configured into two sections, each functioning as an independent instrument, with a movable split point. This makes it easy to have one sound for the right hand (an "Upper" sound) and another for the left (a
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featuring eight voices of polyphony, 16 accessible oscillators (or 32-oscillator wavetable synthesis upon loading alternative operating system), analog resonant Curtis CEM3328 4-pole 24db/octave filters, a 61 key velocity-sensitive keyboard or else 2U rack-mount module case, multi-sampling (up to 16
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Using a feature called multi-sampling, the Mirage is also capable of assigning multiple samples to different keys across its keyboard. Using this technique, the Mirage essentially turns into a polyphonic multi-timbral MIDI sound module complete with a velocity-sensitive keyboard that can be used to
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A fourth concurrent version of the Mirage, also model DSK-8 but manufactured in Japan for the Asian and
Australian markets, was similar to the original American DSK-8 except for its flat, seamless membrane panel over the front panel switches (similar to an original Yamaha DX-7 and most microwave
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The Mirage sampler has a distinctive sound due its low bitrate converters, analog CEM3328 filters. It can load alternative operating systems that expand its capabilities to a 32-digital-oscillator wavetable synthesizer with user-definable sampled wavetables.
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The VLSI ES5503 allowed the Mirage to offer digital audio sampling technology at a dramatically lower price compared to existing competitors. In 1984, when the MSRP $ 1,695 Mirage debuted, the only other polyphonic digital audio samplers available were the
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Mirage DSK-8 (for
Digital Sampling Keyboard, 8-voice) (1985) had small, gray, calculator-like buttons and a heavier-weighted feel keybed with polyphonic aftertouch. It also added the ability to send and receive MIDI program changes.
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A 2U-size rack-mount module version of the Mirage, model DMS-8 (for
Digital Sampling Module) and later DMS-1 were also produced. The case color of these rack-mount Mirage modules was either dark gray/black or light gray.
293:, the Mirage sold nearly 8,000 units in its first year - more than the combined unit sales of all other samplers at that time. The Mirage sold over 30,000 units during its availability.
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In addition to the above versions, a concurrent
European variant Mirage was manufactured in Italy and featured a faster disk drive than the American version.
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3.5-inch floppy diskette format, and thereby early Mirage keyboards included the first
Microfloppy drive shipped, the Shugart Venture model SA300.
366:. After the launch of the EPS in 1988, Ensoniq cut the price of the Mirage to $ 899, making it by far the least-expensive sampler then available.
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Alternative 3rd-party operating systems which substantially change and expand the synthesis capability and utility of the Mirage were produced.
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drive, which is used to boot the operating system as well as to store samples and sequences. Each sample disk includes a copy of the
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The first Mirage (1984) had an all-metal case and endcaps, a keybed manufactured by Pratt-Reed, and large square black buttons.
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DOC - referred to the "Q-chip" in
Ensoniq advertisements) that he designed was used in the Mirage,
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In 1988, Ensoniq introduced a successor to the Mirage with the more advanced
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and can therefore be used as a boot disk (obviating dedicated boot disks).
650:"When Ensoniq Brought Samplers to the Masses: The Mirage, EPS, and ASR-10"
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The Mirage was one of the first consumer products to utilize the then-new
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16 accessible (32 with alternate OS platform), digital PCM sampler, 8-bit
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is one of the earliest affordable sampler-synths, introduced in 1984 as
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Analog resonant Curtis CEM3328 4-pole 24db/octave low-pass VCF per voice
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623:"Key Tracks: Jimmy Jam on Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814"
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drive other MIDI sound modules as well its own sound engine.
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samples across keyboard), multi-timbral operation, extensive
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There are at least four keyboard versions of the Mirage.
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implementation, a two-digit LED display, a 333-event
596:"A Taste of Paradise: Ensoniq Mirage Multi-Sampler"
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49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
714:Mirage photo, history and info on VintageSynth.com
729:Disks and manuals for the Mirage for sale online
313:. The Ensoniq Digital Oscillator Chip (Ensoniq
734:Archive of Mirage manuals at SynthManuals.com
358:(Ensoniq Performance Sampler), and later the
8:
724:MirageNet user group and Mirage information
390:It includes a built-in 3.5 inch SS/DD
135:Ensoniq Mirage DSK-1, the third generation
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109:Learn how and when to remove this message
719:Encyclopedic Site Devoted to the Mirage
508:
514:
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309:(Sound Interface Device) chip in the
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47:adding citations to reliable sources
469:used the Mirage extensively on the
476:Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814
285:'s first product. Introduced at a
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301:The Mirage is the brainchild of
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34:needs additional citations for
686:. March 1986. pp. 40–43.
305:, the man responsible for the
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754:Samplers (musical instrument)
164:$ 1,695 (introductory, DSK-8)
248:128kB samples + 16kB system
775:
549:"Ensoniq Mirage Tech Info"
425:DMS-8 rack-mounted version
467:Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
370:Features and architecture
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569:Colbeck, Julian (1996).
169:Technical specifications
759:Polyphonic synthesizers
525:Oxford University Press
374:The Mirage is an 8-bit
627:Red Bull Music Academy
571:Keyfax Omnibus Edition
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16:Polyphonic synthesizer
680:"A Taste of Paradise"
497:Rebel Without a Pause
424:
749:Ensoniq synthesizers
602:. Sound On Sound Ltd
43:improve this article
519:Vail, Mark (2014).
491:used the Mirage on
333:personal computer.
234:Velocity expression
648:Sorcinelli, Gino.
495:'s classic track "
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307:MOS Technology SID
656:. Reverb.com, LLC
621:Williams, Chris.
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99:February 2014
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32:This article
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658:. Retrieved
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631:. Retrieved
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253:Input/output
215:Sample-based
142:Manufacturer
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41:Please help
36:verification
33:
392:floppy disk
349:Microfloppy
342:Emulator II
218:Subtractive
156:1984 - 1988
743:Categories
654:Reverb.com
629:. Red Bull
555:2014-02-11
503:References
331:Apple IIGS
287:list price
195:Oscillator
185:Timbrality
69:newspapers
700:925234032
692:0951-6816
660:20 August
633:20 August
606:20 August
551:. Syntaur
385:sequencer
175:Polyphony
600:mu:zines
329:and the
259:Keyboard
482:Control
473:albums
376:sampler
360:EPS-16+
297:History
283:Ensoniq
243:Storage
208:Digital
147:Ensoniq
83:scholar
698:
690:
577:
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417:Models
364:ASR-10
325:, and
315:ES5503
263:61-key
245:memory
225:Filter
212:Analog
124:Mirage
85:
78:
71:
64:
56:
441:SQ-80
327:SQ-80
323:SDP-1
319:ESQ-1
161:Price
153:Dates
90:JSTOR
76:books
696:OCLC
688:ISSN
662:2021
635:2021
608:2021
575:ISBN
529:ISBN
479:and
381:MIDI
339:E-mu
277:The
271:MIDI
62:news
499:".
445:EPS
356:EPS
237:Yes
45:by
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