Ensoniq TS 10

[mimidancer]

I picked up an old TS10. My first synth ever was a hand-me-down Ensoniq ESQ 1(Came from my papa when he purchased a Triton. I still have ESQ 1) So getting around the TS for basic function has been easy. The TS does not have the curtis filter chip and that is disappointing. The filter on the ESQ 1 is amazeballs(that is the technical term for awesome). Not having the filter makes the TS feel a bit colder than it's cousin. The TS for sure has its own vibe. And its sequencer is easy to use and great for getting a jam started. Its flavor comes from its transwaves. They are fun but I need to learn to control them better. If any of you guys have experience with this 90s beast and care to share them here I would love to know where to dig deeper.

[danc]

Well - I don't have hands on experience with the TS10, but I did have a very close cousin... the ASR-10.

I had a maxed out ASR-10 with SCSI hard drive and full memory expansion. Bought from new, when it first was launched in 1992. It cost me an absolute fortune, replacing my Casio FZ-1. It was the centre piece of my hardware kit. Alongside... some classics in my setup... SH-101, TR-606, Roland D50, JX-3P, Yamaha CS-10, Hohner HS-2 (rebadged Casio VZ-10M), Yamaha RM50, and Roland JP-8000.

There are many sampling similarities between the TS and ASR. Sample files can be exchanged between the 2 units. On my ASR the samples could be manipulated pretty much in the same way oscillators were edited on the ESQ-1. Plus there was wavetable synthesis (known as Transwave), which did produce some very interesting results. The TS10 has Transwave as well... recommend you play around with it for a bit of fun.

Also - it could read Akai (S-1000/1100) and Roland format sample files/libraries. Both have DP/4 FX and both could add SCSI drives. Plus there's a sequencer on both.

https://www.vintagesynth.com/ensoniq/asr10.php

[mimidancer]

Well - I don't have hands on experience with the TS10, but I did have a very close cousin... the ASR-10.

I had a maxed out ASR-10 with SCSI hard drive and full memory expansion. Bought from new, when it first was launched in 1992. It cost me an absolute fortune, replacing my Casio FZ-1. It was the centre piece of my hardware kit. Alongside... some classics in my setup... SH-101, TR-606, Roland D50, JX-3P, Yamaha CS-10, Hohner HS-2 (rebadged Casio VZ-10M), Yamaha RM50, and Roland JP-8000.

There are many sampling similarities between the TS and ASR. Sample files can be exchanged between the 2 units. On my ASR the samples could be manipulated pretty much in the same way oscillators were edited on the ESQ-1. Plus there was wavetable synthesis (known as Transwave), which did produce some very interesting results. The TS10 has Transwave as well... recommend you play around with it for a bit of fun.

Also - it could read Akai (S-1000/1100) and Roland format sample files/libraries. Both have DP/4 FX and both could add SCSI drives. Plus there's a sequencer on both.

https://www.vintagesynth.com/ensoniq/asr10.php

I really like the sequencer. The Transwaves are fun. The filter really has no character. But you can drive the amp. it for sure has a flavor.I set up the two aux outs into the patchbay below my moduler. I am for sure having fun.