Ensoniq Esq-1 Sounds

[newatthis]

Can someone help me?? I have one of these old gems (the Ensoniq ESQ-1)and I replaced the battery in it after it said "internal battery low". That went fine except I lost all my internal sounds now. All I have is the same sine wave sound on all the patches.

Now I do have a cart with some other sounds on it, and they work fine, but I wanted back the old original default sounds as well.

I bought this CD called Ensoniq ESQ-1 Rescue Kit,,,,It's supposed to have all the factory sounds on it,,,but how do I get the data from a CD into the Synth???

Sorry,,,I just havent figured it out yet on my own. Whats the trick??

Thanks
AJ

 

[ssscientist]

The sounds on the CD are probably in a System Exclusive format.

Here a link to a shareware utility that I've used for all my Sys Ex duties for years - it's called midiox.

Load it onto your computer and point it to your midi interface, then open the CD and you should be able to load the factory patches into the Sys Ex 'transmit' window.

This little gem of a program is something everyone who works with midi on computers should have.

.

 

[Beck]

What version ESQ-1 do you have?

V3.0 and higher can be reset to factory defaults and will reload the internal patches with the following procedure:

- While holding the RECORD button, press Soft Button #1 (upper left of the five buttons above the display)
- The display will say “ERASE ALL MEMORY AND REINITIALIZE”
- Select YES (upper right Soft Button)
- When the display returns to the startup message you’re done, and all the internal patches will be back.

You also will need to tune the filters after reinitializing… no big deal.

- While holding the RECORD button, press the FILTER button
- The value for each filter will be displayed in sequence


Tim

 

[newatthis]

Hey Tim,

Mine shows Version 2 but i tried your advice anyway. It went through the process, and seemed to ask the right questions, but never loaded any patches. All I still have BRASS1 showing on all the banks.

I downloaded the midi software as recommended, and I will try to load them off CD later this week as soon as things calm down with the Holidays. I hope that works.

Anyone want to buy an Ensoniq ESQ-1 cheap.....lolol

Thanks everyone,,, and Have A Great Holidays.

AJ

 

[Beck]

Yeah, version 2.0 is too early. After a reset, all you'll have is Brass1. At least you know it's working right for that version.

I've seen that rescue disk on ebay... I think. There should be a program on it to load the new patches.

Check out Rainer Butchy's site for everything you need to know to get those original patches back on. Just skip all that plugin and emulator bullshit at the top (well it's kinda cool I guess). Scroll down for the good stuff.

Check out Rainer's comments about the Ensoniq CDs people are selling on eBay. He's not happy.

http://www.buchty.net/ensoniq/index.html

I've had my ESQ-1 (original metal case) since 1987. I've upgraded the chips twice... it now has the latest V3.5. I love this synth!

If you're serious about selling it send me a PM.

Have a Merry Christmas
~Tim

 

[Anfontan]

Yeah, version 2.0 is too early. After a reset, all you'll have is Brass1. At least you know it's working right for that version.

I've seen that rescue disk on ebay... I think. There should be a program on it to load the new patches.

Check out Rainer Butchy's site for everything you need to know to get those original patches back on. Just skip all that plugin and emulator bullshit at the top. Scroll down for the good stuff.

http://www.buchty.net/ensoniq/index.html

I've had my ESQ-1 (original metal case) since 1987. I've upgraded the chips twice... it now has the latest V3.5. I love this synth!

If you're serious about selling it send me a PM.

P.S. Check out Rainer's comments about the Ensoniq CDs people are selling on eBay. He's not happy.

~Tim

Rainer is a guru on the Esq-1 and the SQ-80 and there are a lot of helpful people that will help any way they can for Ensoniq troubleshooting.
I am sure he has the operators manuals for the synthes and even schematics and service manuals on his website.
I have the SQ-80 that has expanded waveforms and a floppy disc drive to save the sequences and different sound banks, I was in a band years ago and the other guitarist had an ESQ-1 with a Mirage that enabled him to save his sequences as well-I still love the mini-moog sound and other keyboard synthe emulators in those machines!

 

[newatthis]

Well I know I have a couple MIDI interface gadgets around here. I think one is a Yamaha that i use between my Motomix (for pro tools) and one I used for my old Roland Sound Canvas, but I guess what I need to do is figure out exactly how to make them work through the MIDI-OX software, and between my computer and synth.

I downloaded the program (MIDI-OX) and opened and installed it, but dont know how to work it. Also when booting it, it throws up a message saying:

DevCaps Out:Unknown Device: A device ID has been used thats out of range for you system

Whatever that all means>?>? Then I click "OK" and the program seems to open ok.

Can anyopne walk me through the steps to hook up whats needed, and how to transfer the patch files from CD off my computer to the Synth??

I never learned much about this MIDI stuff, but want to learn.

Thanks again
AJ

 

[roguefj]

Hello, I have an Ensoniq ESQ-1. I replaced the battery and tried the trick to recover the original bank of sounds, that didn't work. Si, I ordered the recovery disk, downloaded and installed Midi-Ox and bought the M-Audio Uno rig. After installing it and the drivers, when I bring up Midiox it says that it finds no midi devices. I'm stuck, any suggestions??? Thanks,
Mike

 

[stevieb]

Gee, I have an ESQ-1 sitting on the top of a keyboard rack, I never do anything with it much, anymore. Works fine, but I am wondering if I shouldn't unload it soon- I don't have the hardware to do that reset thing-a-ma-bobby mentioned.

It's got a 1-year old battery in it, Musician's manual, couple of cartridges. Anybody interested? PM me.