“Today I am auctioning off my E-MU Emulator III high-end sampler. It has 16 voices, all with analog CEM filters. It sounds great; it has the unique ability to make anything put it into it to sound fantastic. It also has a very nice sequencer built-in. This unit was arguably the pinnacle of sampling technology (before this you were always guaranteed a fairly lo-fi result, while samplers created after lacked the analog filters that give sounds a heft that digital filters cannot provide). I used this to turn monophonic synths into polyphonic monsters. You can take a Minimoog for example, sample it, and then you have a polyphonic analog 16 voice setup (the sampler has all of the stuff a very nice polyphonic synth has, like two envelopes, LFO, detuning, etc). Or, you can put a bass sound for 25 keys and make the other keys strings/brass/drums sounds. The sampler is very easy to use (this is coming from someone who does not have the patience for Ensoniq and Akai samplers) and the controls are setup very logically. It works very well but has one issue; for some reason, the stereo-outs sometimes cut out. This does not affect the individual outs, just the stereo outs. To remedy this you just move the sampler around a bit and the sound comes back. Sometimes it doesn’t happen for months, the sampler seems to just need to be set in one spot and left alone, haha. This issue is so minuscule that I’ve never bothered to have it looked at but I want the buyer to know what they’re getting. I will also include a SCSI Zip drive and some disks to hook up to the E3 allowing you to store your samples/sequences on a much larger format than the internal floppy disk/hard drive. ” Link
“Ok we buy test equipment but every once in a while we end up with instruments. This keyboard was apparently the cats meow in its day, I guess one of the most expensive units out there. I plugged it in and it tells me the firmware is 2.0 it goes through a series of test checking the SCSI and then the Floppy which I do not have an then it goes back to the SCSI checking, so yes it powers up but since I cannot get anything past the unit checking the floppy I assume it works but cannot guarantee it. It seems like it works but I cannot tell. ” Link
“Up for auction is my Emu Emulator III with 1GB compactflash card installed that replaced the original HD.
Running the latest firmware v2.00 and software v2.42.
My Emulator III has been fully tested and is in 100% working condition.
And in great cosmetic shape ( see the pictures ).
This auction includes a mac laptop running alchemy 3.0 sample editor with it’s cables.
An external cdrom drive + SCSI cable, boot disk with O.S 2.42.
And the complete EIII sound library vol. 1 – 8 on cd rom + EIII state of the art studio library.” Link
“Up for auction is an Emu Emulator 3.
I’m selling as I’m just not going to have the time to get into this properly.
I purchased this from another eBay seller on September 17th, 2010 and his listing can explain much better than I, and this is what he had to say about this beast!
“You are bidding on an Emu Emulator III model 6081 (8MB upgrade!!) running the latest/last Firmware v2.00 and Software v2.42 *This Emulator III has been fully tested and in 100% all-around excellent working condition!! It has just gone-through an extensive cleaning/servicing/recalibration/upgrading. Every part/component/connection has been cleaned of all dust/residue. Every IC, LED, and ribbon/molex cable was cleaned/re-seated. All buttons, sliders, felt padding, keys/key contacts have been detailed/cleaned for optimal performance. The PSU has also been re-calibrated for a strong/reliable running machine. This EIII also has just been upgraded from a 6081 model to an 8MB 6083 model, as well as upgrading to a 1GB HD!! Please note: I can also offer 1GB CF card modification for an extra fee to those interested (this would replace the 1GB HD that is currently offered in the auction). The Mitsubishi 3.5″ disk drive also works flawlessly!! Both wheel controllers are working as they should, and have also been cleaned/lubricated. The entire keyboard assembly was dismantled/completely cleaned so all keys work/respond beautifully!! If you are familiar with the Emulator III, then you will understand the value of this kind of work. The cosmetic condition of this EIII is also excellent!! The Emu Systems Emulator III is the holy grail of 16-bit samplers, using 16 x CEM3387′s analog filter chips (same as Waldorf Wave/Microwave1), for the most beautiful of sounds!! You won’t find a cleaner/more reliable EIII on the planet, grab this one before someone else does!!” Link
“Emu Systems Emulator Three keyboard EIII (model 6083) n great cosmetic condition with manuals and boot disk. Unit is NOT WORKING and it is being sold AS-IS for parts only with no returns accepted, so please bid accordingly and think of it as a really nice looking paper weight… 
All of the internal parts appear there, but the display lights up and comes up blank on power up.” Link
“You are bidding on a used Emulator lll synthesizer. I am selling this for a producer client who tells me that it works but may be intermittent. PLEASE NOTE!! THIS ITEM IS BEING SOLD “AS IS” AND THERE ARE NO RETURNS. It has not been dropped or abused, but it has been sitting in storage for many years. It comes with a solid road case with casters” Link
“Up for auction is an Emu Emulator 3. I’m selling as I’m just not going to have the time to get into this properly.” Link
“E-MU Emulator, origianl owner from E-Mu company Studio use mostly, good condition, instruction available from owner” Link
“I am selling a used E-mu Systems Emulator III sampler keyboard, model number 6081 and serial number 038464. It is running the latest firmware (2.00) and operating system (2.42). If you are reading this auction description, you probably know why the Emulator III is revered and famous. For those who do not, in short: The EIII is the most powerful digital sampler with analog filters ever produced. The analog processing section has the same analog filters – the Curtis Electromusic CEM3387 – as the Waldorf Wave and Microwave synthesizers, among others. And its famous users include Depeche Mode (on “Violator”) and New Order (on “Technique”).
I am loathe to part with this machine, but am running out of space in my home studio and replaced it with an EIII rack model.” Link
“This is an Emu Emulator XP vintage sound module synthesizer in excellent condition. This is an awesome vintage synth with tons of features and is in fantastic condition. It was used sparcely always in a smoke free studio and taken great care of. There are a few minor marks and scratches from racking, overall in fantastic shape and works just like new. Comes with OS disk and power cord.” Link
“This listing is for an Emu EIIIXP rackmount sampler. The unit is 100% functional and it is in nice cosmetic shape as well. Lightly used in a smoke free home studio.” Link
“For sale is a vintage and rare Emu Emulator III sampling synthesizer/keyboard. The keyboard is in nice shape. cosmetically very few issues, except the front overlay is very slightly warped (it’s hard to even see it in the pictures). There is also one small chip on one of the keys. Works quite well, though I have not tried every feature (there are tons of options, it’s a very deep machine.) These machines are old and must be sold as is. Great lo-fi sampling sound, similar to the Sp-1200. These were $14,000 back in the day and are still high end production machines, computers just don’t give you the same sampling sound quality that these can give you instantly. It’s like a day and night difference. I believe this one is the 4MB version.” Link
“Emu Systems EIII rack with 8MB RAM and 1GB Hard Drive (formatted to 800MB) loaded with the Northstar Phase II library. Unit is in excellent condition both cosmetic and operational (Floppy, Hard Drive, LCD, voices all working). This is the analog version which was a hard find even back in its day and uses 16 Curtis CEM3387 Filters. Unit has never been gigged and has always been properly taken care of. Other than the 1GB Hard Drive upgrade done about 9 years ago (if I remember correctly), the unit is all original and has required no repairs (still has the original rubber feet).” Link