Excellent insights regarding the ESX-1.  Personally, I’ve got the EMX-1, which is the same puppy with pre-recorded samples and no sampling.  I love it, but bought it without illusions that it would be anything more than just a groove box.  (well, that’s a bit of a lie; finding out after my purchase that you could use the effects section on live audio was a pleasant little extra.) 

I was a bit surprised to hear your reaction to the valves, though.  While I agree with your concerns on the wisdom of being forced to fuzzball the whole damn mix (unless you wanted to hocket the parameters to distort only certain beats, for instance), I actually quite like the tube effect.  On my EMX, you can turn it up until it *just* starts to effect the mix and it will add a very pleasant psychoacoustic effect — almost more like a stereo widener than any actual distortion.  However, no two tubes are alike.  I’d see about swapping your tube out, as I’ve had some luck with that strategy on other devices.

Anyway, I’ve always had this secret fear that perhaps I should have gone for the ESX merely to gain the sampling capability.  Since you’ve posted many of the obvious shortcomings of its sampling architecture, you’ve done a great job at setting my mind at ease on that point.  I can just enjoy the EMX for what it is — a great drum machine — and forget about all the ‘what ifs’ regarding whether I made the best purchase for my own purposes.  I also hope you can look past some of the limitations you’ve found on the ESX, and enjoy its strengths as well. 

Thanks!!!

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